Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Hocus Focus VS Rectangle

Compare Hocus Focus VS Rectangle and see what are their differences

Hocus Focus logo Hocus Focus

A Mac menu bar utility that hides your inactive windows

Rectangle logo Rectangle

Window management app based on Spectacle, written in Swift.
  • Hocus Focus Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-09
  • Rectangle Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-20

Hocus Focus features and specs

  • Distraction Reduction
    Hocus Focus minimizes open windows to help reduce distractions and focus on the task at hand.
  • Simple Interface
    The application has an intuitive and user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate.
  • Customization
    Users can customize which windows stay open and which ones are minimized, tailoring the experience to their specific needs.
  • Free to Use
    Hocus Focus is available for free, making it accessible to a wide range of users without any financial commitment.
  • Compatibility
    The application is compatible with macOS, ensuring that Mac users can easily integrate it into their workflow.

Possible disadvantages of Hocus Focus

  • Limited Platform Support
    Hocus Focus is currently only available for macOS, which excludes Windows and Linux users.
  • Learning Curve
    Some users may find there is a small learning curve to understanding how to best configure window settings.
  • Occasional Bugs
    Some users have reported experiencing occasional bugs or glitches, which can disrupt the user experience.
  • Lack of Advanced Features
    The application might not have all the advanced features that power-users or larger organizations might require.
  • Dependence on Third-Party App Compatibility
    The effectiveness of Hocus Focus may depend on the compatibility and behavior of third-party applications that the user has open.

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 Hocus Focus

Overall verdict

  • If you're someone who struggles with keeping focus due to numerous open applications, Hocus Focus could be beneficial. Its user-friendly design and capability to streamline your workspace make it a good choice for improving digital productivity.

Why this product is good

  • Hocus Focus is designed to automatically hide inactive windows on your desktop, helping users stay focused by reducing digital clutter. It can enhance productivity by allowing users to concentrate on the task at hand without being distracted by other open applications.

Recommended for

  • Individuals who frequently multi-task
  • Users looking to minimize desktop clutter
  • People who wish to increase focus and productivity
  • Anyone managing large projects with multiple applications

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.

Hocus Focus videos

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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 Hocus Focus and Rectangle)
Productivity
100 100%
0% 0
Mac Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Time Tracking
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 Hocus Focus and Rectangle

Hocus Focus Reviews

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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 Hocus Focus. While we know about 479 links to Rectangle, we've tracked only 2 mentions of Hocus Focus. 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.

Hocus Focus mentions (2)

  • Anyone know the name of this focus-based app
    Hocus Focus, but the app doesn't seem te excist anymore (http://hocusfoc.us/). But you can still find an (older) version here: https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/52933/hocus-focus. Source: about 4 years ago
  • App that hides / quits other apps automatically after a period of time?
    No I didn't since hocusfoc.us has been down for weeks. Source: over 4 years ago

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 Hocus Focus and Rectangle, you can also consider the following products

Bartender Mac App - Bartender is an award-winning app for macOS that superpowers your menu bar, giving you total control over your menu bar items, what's displayed, and when, with menu bar items only showing when you need them.

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

HazeOver - Focus on one app by dimming all the background windows

Magnet Window Manager - Magnet Developers

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

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