Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

AppCleaner VS Rectangle

Compare AppCleaner VS Rectangle and see what are their differences

AppCleaner logo AppCleaner

AppCleaner is a small application which allows you to thoroughly uninstall unwanted apps. Installing an application distributes many files throughout your System using space of your Hard Drive unnecessarily.

Rectangle logo Rectangle

Window management app based on Spectacle, written in Swift.
  • AppCleaner Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-25
  • Rectangle Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-20

AppCleaner features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    AppCleaner features a simple and intuitive interface that makes it easy for users to navigate and operate, even for those who aren't tech-savvy.
  • Effective Uninstallation
    It effectively removes applications and all associated files, ensuring that there are no leftover files taking up space on your hard drive.
  • Free to Use
    AppCleaner is completely free, with no hidden costs or subscription fees, making it accessible to everyone.
  • Lightweight
    The application is lightweight and doesnโ€™t consume much system resources, ensuring it doesn't slow down your Mac.
  • Drag and Drop Functionality
    Users can simply drag and drop applications into AppCleaner to uninstall them, which streamlines the uninstallation process.
  • SmartDelete
    The SmartDelete feature monitors the trash bin and offers to clean up residual files when applications are moved there, adding an extra layer of convenience.

Possible disadvantages of AppCleaner

  • Limited Platform Support
    AppCleaner is only available for macOS and does not support other operating systems such as Windows or Linux.
  • Occasional Misses
    While generally effective, AppCleaner sometimes misses certain hidden or system-level files associated with an uninstalled application.
  • No Advanced Features
    It lacks advanced features such as real-time monitoring, automatic updates, or detailed system analysis which some paid alternatives might offer.
  • Support and Documentation
    Being a free application, the support and documentation available are somewhat limited compared to commercial products.
  • Potential Stability Issues
    There have been occasional reports of stability issues or crashes, although these are not overly common.

Rectangle features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Rectangle offers an intuitive user interface that makes window management straightforward and user-friendly.
  • Customizable Shortcuts
    Users can easily configure keyboard shortcuts to better suit their workflow, making window management faster and more efficient.
  • Free
    Rectangle is available for free, making it accessible to anyone without the need for a financial investment.
  • Frequent Updates
    The app receives regular updates, introducing new features and ensuring compatibility with the latest macOS versions.
  • Lightweight
    Rectangle is a lightweight application that doesn't consume many system resources, ensuring smooth performance even on older Macs.

Possible disadvantages of Rectangle

  • Limited Advanced Features
    Rectangle lacks some of the more advanced features found in paid window management applications, such as multiple monitor support and more complex window arrangements.
  • MacOS Only
    Rectangle is only available for macOS, so users of other operating systems are unable to take advantage of its features.
  • Occasional Bugs
    Some users report occasional bugs or unpredictable behavior, which might require troubleshooting or waiting for a future update.
  • Learning Curve for Shortcuts
    While customizable shortcuts are a benefit, there is an initial learning curve for users to memorize and effectively use these shortcuts.
  • Basic Aesthetic
    The app's design and aesthetic are quite basic, lacking the polish and visual appeal found in some other similar tools.

Analysis of AppCleaner

Overall verdict

  • AppCleaner is generally well-regarded because of its effectiveness, simplicity, and lightweight design. It is easy to use, requiring only a drag-and-drop action into the AppCleaner window, and it helps keep your system free from unnecessary residual files, aiding in optimizing system performance.

Why this product is good

  • AppCleaner is considered a good tool for macOS users because it allows for thorough uninstallation of applications. It not only removes the main application files but also cleans up related files such as preferences, caches, and other associated data, which would otherwise be left behind if the application is simply dragged to the trash.

Recommended for

  • Users who frequently install and uninstall applications on their Mac
  • Anyone looking to free up space by removing leftover files
  • Users who are keen on keeping their system tidy and organized
  • Those who want a simple yet efficient tool without a steep learning curve

Analysis of Rectangle

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Rectangle is highly regarded for its ease of use, extensive customization options, and the fact that it is free and open-source. It provides essential functionality without unnecessary complexity, making it suitable for both casual users and power users who need efficient window management.

Why this product is good

  • Rectangle is a popular window management tool for macOS, known for its simplicity and ease of use. It allows users to efficiently organize and resize application windows using customizable keyboard shortcuts or by dragging windows into pre-defined areas of the screen. This can enhance productivity by minimizing the time spent arranging windows and improving multitasking capabilities.

Recommended for

    Rectangle is recommended for macOS users looking for a straightforward, lightweight solution to manage application windows. It is particularly beneficial for those who frequently work with multiple applications at once, including developers, designers, and anyone who values a tidy and organized desktop environment.

AppCleaner videos

AppCleaner (Uninstall Mac apps completely)

More videos:

Rectangle videos

SKYWALKER RECTANGLE TRAMPOLINE REVIEW!!!

More videos:

  • Review - Skywalker Rectangle Trampoline Review #1
  • Review - Marvin Malton 160 Rectangle Flying Hour Watch Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to AppCleaner and Rectangle)
Mac
40 40%
60% 60
Mac Tools
15 15%
85% 85
Monitoring Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Window Manager
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare AppCleaner and Rectangle

AppCleaner Reviews

  1. tiny but great

    Simple tool and it just works. Highly recommended.


Top 9 CleanMyMac X Alternatives in 2022 (Free & Paid)
AppCleaner is a minimal program that helps users to fully remove unnecessary applications. Updating a program allocates a quantity of data inside the network, by using the capacity for its disk. AppCleaner can identify so many tiny items as well as it is easy to uninstall it. Only decrease the program to that same AppCleaner tab. Users can find specific documents so you can...
Source: www.imymac.com
The Best CCleaner Alternative You Can Grab Today!
This is a small CCleaner alternative that allows you to thoroughly remove the unwanted applications within your system. When you install an app on your Mac, a lot of files are distributed all throughout the system. Thatโ€™s when FreeMacSoftโ€™s AppCleaner comes in. It helps find these unnecessary files all around the system and deletes them when you remove an app. The best thing...
Source: www.imymac.com
AppCleaner Vs CleanMyMac: Which Is the Best Mac Cleaner
If Optimized Storage relocates junk to iCloud, costs for extra storage may nickel and dime you to death as you babysit trash. AppCleaner and CleanMyMac have gained a foothold in Appleโ€™s turf as maintenance tools. While AppCleaner specializes in foolproof uninstallation without leaving residual behind, CleanMyMacโ€™s rich features and super-sleek interface have won over many...
Source: www.imymac.com

Rectangle Reviews

Best 6 Mac Window Managers
Rectangle shows that you donโ€™t need to dip into your bank account to get window resizer tools. This free Mac window manager lets you manage multiple windows using keyboard shortcuts, menu options, or by dragging and dropping. Just like Magnet, you can split your screen up into quarters, thirds, or halves.
Source: mackeeper.com
Top 6 Window Manager Apps for Mac
Most window manager apps for Mac support multiple monitors. They can help you move windows between screens and create custom layouts for each monitor. Many window manager apps โ€“ such as BetterSnapTool, Magnet, and Rectangle โ€“ offer this functionality.
The 6 Best Mac Window Management Tools
However, it might take some time for you to get used to the shortcuts in the Rectangle app since there are many. Furthermore, you can also add some of your apps to exceptions if you want to keep them away from Rectangle's shortcuts.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Rectangle should be more popular than AppCleaner. It has been mentiond 479 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

AppCleaner mentions (309)

  • As a Windows user, it's a surreal way to install a program
    Been using the great and free AppCleaner[1] since I have memory. It's so good I just forget it's there. It autodetects when you delete an app from the Applications folder runs a quick scan and suggests which other files you might want to delete (So you might save savedata or settings if needed) [1]https://freemacsoft.net/appcleaner/. - Source: Hacker News / 11 days ago
  • Samsung Magician disk utility takes 18 steps and two reboots to uninstall
    Me, too. There is Mac Cleaner https://freemacsoft.net/appcleaner/ which does a good job of removing preferences as well as the application. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Unofficial Microsoft Teams Client for Linux
    Use this app to uninstall it https://freemacsoft.net/appcleaner/ it should remove all traces of the app from computer. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • Ask HN: Can you uninstall Notion from macOS?
    7. Restart the computer Edge cases: 1. If the app is not installed or uninstalled correctly, before all these steps, first re-install the app again, then try uninstallin. 2. If a system service (extensions) cannot be deleted, first follow the steps above and then login to safe mode and delete the system extension files manually. [0]: https://freemacsoft.net/appcleaner/. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Look up macOS system binaries
    There's `brew uninstall --zap $application`[1], and there's pretty decent coverage, but it's by no means comprehensive. If you feel inclined to contribute, the process is quite streamlined, and there's a helper script[2]. I used Appcleaner[3] for many years, and it's still perfectly serviceable I've recently switched to Pearcleaner[4], which is additionally open-source and written in Swift. [1]... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
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Rectangle mentions (479)

  • Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Released
    As a both old Linux and now decade user of MacOS, after I got used to no middle-click paste and no focus-follows-mouse: 1. Keyboard shortcuts are Emacs, Ctrl-A: start of line, E: end of line, K: kill selected or to end of line, Y to paste, etc. https://support.apple.com/en-au/102650#text 2. Karabiner elements (FOSS) fixes keyboard mappings outside of the Settings: https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/ 3. I have the... - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Native Instant Space Switching on macOS
    Every macOS user uses Rectangle.app โ€” https://rectangleapp.com The ones who don't use it is because they donโ€™t know it exists. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Native Instant Space Switching on macOS
    I use https://rectangleapp.com/ and enjoy it. I have shortcuts to move windows to the left/right half of the screen, and cycle between monitors. This, combined with native cmd+tab and cmd+` is enough for me. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Make macOS consistently bad (unironically)
    Rectangle [1] is pretty much essential for me because of this. I use only a few keypresses (maximize window, move to one of the halves of the screen horizontally) but that is enough. My mouse very rately interacts with the borders of any window, or those buttons. I had to click on the green one that you mentioned in order to see what it did (yuck). [1] https://rectangleapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Make macOS consistently bad (unironically)
    I use Rectangle [1] for window management. I only use three shortcuts: full screen, left half of the screen, and right half of the screen. My editors and chrome are always running in one of these modes. But for other apps like Messages, Notes, Music, etc - yeah I don't usually expand them to full screen. [1] https://rectangleapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing AppCleaner and Rectangle, you can also consider the following products

Revo Uninstaller - Free fully functional download of Revo Uninstaller Pro and Revo Uninstaller Freeware.

Magnet Window Manager - Magnet Developers

Bulk Crap Uninstaller - Free and open source program uninstaller. Can remove large amounts of unwanted applications quickly.

yabai - A tiling window manager for macOS based on binary space partitioning

GeekUninstaller - Efficient and Fast, Small and Portable. 100% Free. Clean Removal and Force Removal; Native X64 support; Easy-to-use User Interface; Uninstall Windows Store Apps. Geek Uninstaller. Download.

BTT Remote - A remote control for you Mac, using your iPhone or iPad