# Amethyst vs Rectangle Published January 1, 2026 · Updated August 10, 2026 Amethyst and Rectangle are both window managers on a Mac, so the pick depends on workflow. Pick Amethyst for automatic xmonad style tiling on macOS. Pick Rectangle for best in class free snapping, and buy Pro only when custom zones or app layouts. As of October 2026, both install with brew install --cask amethyst and brew install --cask rectangle. Re checked in August 2026, Amethyst 0.24.3 and Rectangle 0.98 and Pro remain the two sensible defaults for Mac window management if you do not want a heavier tool like BetterTouchTool. Amethyst wins on automation, density on wide screens and keyboard control across monitors. Rectangle wins on ease, idle efficiency, Spectacle familiarity and a fair Pro upgrade. Scores sit near 9 out of 10 for both because picking a single winner would misread what they are for. If you are tired of babysitting frames, give Amethyst a focused week. If you just need halves and thirds quickly, install Rectangle in five minutes and get on with work. Neither app pretends to be a full workspace manager like Stage Manager or Mission Control. They do one job and they do it quietly. That is part of why they have lasted. Try the one that matches how you like to work, not the one with the longer feature list. ## Head to head | Factor | Amethyst | Rectangle | | --- | --- | --- | | Price | Free | Free | | Open Source | Yes | Yes | | Replaces | Magnet ($4.99) | Magnet ($8) | | Best for | window, tiling, management | window, management, keyboard | | Install | brew install --cask amethyst | brew install --cask rectangle | | Category | System Utilities | System Utilities | ## Amethyst Automatic tiling window manager Install: `brew install --cask amethyst` [Amethyst on Bundl](https://bundl.run/apps/amethyst) ## Rectangle Move and resize windows using keyboard shortcuts Install: `brew install --cask rectangle` [Rectangle on Bundl](https://bundl.run/apps/rectangle) ## Features - **Management Philosophy.** The product choice is the philosophy. Amethyst automates, Rectangle waits for your command. - **Layout Flexibility.** Amethyst gives you more automatic layout variety. Rectangle Pro closes some of the gap if you will pay for custom zones. - **Multi-Monitor Support.** Amethyst is stronger for keyboard driven work across several displays. - **User Interface & Ease of Use.** Rectangle wins onboarding by a wide margin. - **Customization & Shortcuts.** Both let you tune heavily. Amethyst for tiling structure, Rectangle and Pro for snap ergonomics. - **Pricing & Licensing (2026).** Either way the value is high. Amethyst is all features free. Rectangle splits free essentials from a cheap Pro. - **Maintenance & Platform Fit (Tahoe / Apple Silicon).** Both are healthy in August 2026. Rectangle's newer 0.98 cut and larger casual base give it a slight edge for non tilers. ## FAQ ### What is the main difference between Amethyst and Rectangle in 2026? Amethyst automatically tiles windows into non-overlapping layouts. Rectangle leaves macOS floating windows alone until you snap them with shortcuts or edge zones. That philosophy gap has not closed. ### Which versions should I install today? Amethyst 0.24.3 via Homebrew or GitHub releases; Rectangle 0.98 for the free app. Rectangle Pro is a separate download from rectangleapp.com if you need custom layouts. ### Is Rectangle Pro worth US$9.99? Only if you outgrow halves/thirds, custom snap targets, app layouts, Edge Stash, and gestures are the Pro pitch. Most users remain happy on free Rectangle. ### Do these tools support Apple Silicon and macOS Tahoe 26.x? Yes. Both ship universal/modern macOS builds and remain maintained in 2026. Grant Accessibility on first launch after major OS upgrades. ### Can I run Amethyst and Rectangle together? No. Both fight over the same Accessibility window frames and will flicker or fight. Pick one. ### Which is better for ultra-wide monitors? Amethyst's multi-column and widescreen layouts usually win for six-window grids. Rectangle (especially Pro custom zones) is fine if you prefer manual control. ### Are they safe to give Accessibility access? Both are long-standing open-source utilities with public GitHub histories. Accessibility is mandatory for any third-party window manager on macOS. ### How does AeroSpace or yabai change this comparison? They compete more with Amethyst than with Rectangle. If you only want snap shortcuts, stay on Rectangle; if you want tiling, evaluate Amethyst against those tiling peers separately. ### Did either app change pricing since early 2026? No material model change: Amethyst stays free; Rectangle free stays free; Rectangle Pro remains a one-time US$9.99 purchase with a trial. Always double-check rectangleapp.com before buying in case regional taxes apply at checkout. ### What changed in Rectangle 0.98? The July 2026 0.98 release continues the free app's maintenance track on GitHub (bug fixes and compatibility work typical of the project's cadence). Feature ambition still concentrates on Rectangle Pro for custom layouts; free Rectangle remains focused on reliable snapping. ### Is Amethyst abandoned? No. The 0.24.2 (March 2026) and 0.24.3 (April 2026) releases contradict abandonment narratives. Issue volume is high because tiling on macOS is inherently fiddly, not because the repo is dead. ## Sources - [Amethyst official site](https://ianyh.com/amethyst/) - [Amethyst GitHub releases (v0.24.3)](https://github.com/ianyh/Amethyst/releases) - [Homebrew cask: amethyst](https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/amethyst) - [Rectangle official site (Free + Pro pricing)](https://rectangleapp.com/) - [Rectangle GitHub releases (v0.98)](https://github.com/rxhanson/Rectangle/releases) - [Homebrew cask: rectangle](https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/rectangle) - [Rectangle Pro EULA (3-device license)](https://rectangleapp.com/pro/eula) ## Related - [Magnet vs Amethyst](https://bundl.run/compare/magnet-vs-amethyst) - [Amethyst vs AeroSpace](https://bundl.run/compare/amethyst-vs-aerospace) - [Rectangle vs Magnet](https://bundl.run/compare/rectangle-vs-magnet) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization", "name": "Bundl.run", "url": "https://bundl.run", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://bundl.run/og-image.png", "width": 1200, "height": 630 }, "description": "The Ninite for Mac. 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