Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

HazeOver VS Rectangle

Compare HazeOver VS Rectangle and see what are their differences

HazeOver logo HazeOver

Focus on one app by dimming all the background windows

Rectangle logo Rectangle

Window management app based on Spectacle, written in Swift.
  • HazeOver Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-02-02

Too many windows to manage? Large display? Or getting lost in multiple monitors? HazeOver is for you!

Turn distractions down and focus on your current task. HazeOver automatically highlights the front window by dimming background windows.

โ€ข Help yourself focus on one thing at a time. Automagically. โ€ข Spend less time managing windows. The clutter wonโ€™t bother you anymore. No need to minimize, close, or hide windows to keep your workspace neat and tidy. โ€ข Easily see which window has keyboard focus. No more typing in the wrong window due to low contrast. โ€ข Got a bigger display? Then going full screen might make less sense. HazeOver helps you avoid feeling overwhelmed by too many windows. โ€ข Multiple monitors? This app shows which screen is focused, or highlights a window on each monitor. โ€ข Power up macOS Dark Mode and reduce background glare. โ€ข Working at night? Lower interface brightness without sacrificing the legibility or color accuracy of the front window.

Heavy multitasking kills your concentration. Web pages, emails, chat messages, and lolcats stare at you from the background โ€” all fighting for your attention.

Hiding, switching, looking for the right one, more hiding, more switching. Calm down, launch HazeOver and finally concentrate on what matters.

HazeOver automatically highlights the active window or app as you switch. Less important things gently fade into the background, helping you stay focused and productive.

Customize dimming intensity and animation speed to your preference โ€” whether itโ€™s a soft shade to guide your attention or a bold dark background for total immersion.

โ€ข The desktop is automatically revealed when used. โ€ข Toggle shading with a keyboard shortcut or adjust intensity with a gesture. โ€ข Use separate dimming settings for Dark and Light appearance. โ€ข Dragging between apps? Tap the โ€œfnโ€ key, and HazeOver will gracefully fade out. โ€ข Control or schedule HazeOver with the Shortcuts app, Focus Filters, and AppleScript.

  • Rectangle Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-20

HazeOver

$ Details
paid Free Trial $4.99 / One-off
Platforms
Mac MacOS
Startup details
Country
United States
State
California

Rectangle

Pricing URL
-
$ Details
Platforms
-

HazeOver features and specs

  • Focus Enhancement
    HazeOver dims background windows, allowing you to concentrate better on the task at hand without being distracted by other open applications.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The application is easy to use, with straightforward controls for adjusting the dimming intensity and other settings.
  • Customization Options
    Users can customize the dimming effect to suit their preferences, including choosing the dimness level and applying different settings for different times of day.
  • System Resource Efficiency
    HazeOver runs efficiently in the background without using significant system resources, ensuring it doesnโ€™t slow down your computer.
  • Compatibility
    The app works well with macOS features, supporting multiple monitors and virtual desktops.

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 HazeOver

Overall verdict

  • Overall, HazeOver receives positive reviews for its simplicity, user-friendly interface, and effectiveness in enhancing focus and productivity. Users appreciate the ability to adjust dimming intensity and customize settings to suit their preferences.

Why this product is good

  • HazeOver is designed to reduce visual clutter on your desktop by dimming background windows, allowing you to focus on the task at hand. It is particularly useful for improving productivity and reducing distractions in a busy digital environment.

Recommended for

  • Individuals who frequently multitask on their computer.
  • Users seeking to minimize distractions for improved concentration.
  • People who work with multiple windows or multiple displays.
  • Those who prefer a minimalist digital workspace.

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.

HazeOver videos

HazeOver: Distraction Dimmerโ„ข for macOS Tahoe

More videos:

  • Review - Review: HazeOver: dim background apps and get rid of distractions
  • Review - SCOM0922 - Tip - HazeOver - Preview
  • Review - HazeOver Review

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 HazeOver and Rectangle)
Productivity
100 100%
0% 0
Mac Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Mac
12 12%
88% 88
Window Manager
2 2%
98% 98

User comments

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Reviews

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

HazeOver Reviews

Best 6 Mac Window Managers
Until Apple brings better window management to Macs, these third-party tools are the best way to improve organization and productivity. Most of them let you snap windows into position by dragging them to the edge of your displayโ€”similar to the window snapping found in Microsoft Windows. But others, like Amethyst, Mosaic, and Moom, offer some interesting alternatives....
Source: mackeeper.com
What productivity tools are most useful
If you are multi-tasker and have the habit of toggling between multiple windows to get thingsdone. Thank heavens, HazeOver removes all the distractions by automatically highlighting thewindow that you are currently working on and it fades out other windows (from soft dimmingto intense black) until you finish the most important task at hand. This app is for Mac usersonly. For...
Source: clariti.app

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 seems to be a lot more popular than HazeOver. While we know about 479 links to Rectangle, we've tracked only 22 mentions of HazeOver. 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.

HazeOver mentions (22)

  • Alan.app โ€“ Add a Border to macOS Active Window
    In a similar vein, but different concept - https://hazeover.com/ - dimming inactive windows. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Alan.app โ€“ Add a Border to macOS Active Window
    Instead of adding a border to the active window, I use an app that fades out the background windows: https://hazeover.com. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Alan.app โ€“ Add a Border to macOS Active Window
    I run a tool that I like much better both in terms of not being distracting on-screen and reducing the light blasting my eyes: https://hazeover.com I'm not affiliated, but I love it and recommended it to friends. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Alan.app โ€“ Add a Border to macOS Active Window
    A similar app I really like is HazeOver, which is a configurable dimmer for everything on the screen except the front window. https://hazeover.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Everyone seems to forget why GNOME and GNOME 3 and Unity happened
    > Edit: also if Apple cares so much about this, why do they make the close/minimize buttons so tiny? My guess would be that daily users graduate to โŒ˜W and โŒ˜M fairly quickly, while power users graduate to the window manager they prefer. > โ€ฆI'm still slower at this specific thing on Mac OS because I always first have to make sure the right window is focusedโ€ฆ You might find this useful:... - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years 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 / 2 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 / 3 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 / 3 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 / 3 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 / 3 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

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

FocusList - Daily planner & focus timer based on timeboxing and pomodoro

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

Focus App - New Tab page that gives you a moment of calm and inspires you to be more productive.

Magnet Window Manager - Magnet Developers

Hocus Focus - A Mac menu bar utility that hides your inactive windows

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