Software Alternatives & Startups

MacThrottle VS Rectangle

Compare MacThrottle VS Rectangle and see what are their differences

MacThrottle

How I built MacThrottle, a menu bar app that tells me when my Mac is thermal throttling, and the journey to find the right macOS APIs.

Rating
0 reviews
Rectangle

Window management app based on Spectacle, written in Swift.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Rectangle seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 480 times since March 2021.

social mentions
0 vs 480
Monitoring Tools popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
49 vs 240+

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

MT
MacThrottle
Rectangle
Website stanislas.blog rectangleapp.com
Pricing —
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

MT
MacThrottle 5 features
Rectangle 5 features
  • Prevents thermal throttling
    MacThrottle helps manage CPU and GPU performance to prevent macOS from hitting thermal limits, which can cause sudden performance drops and stuttering during intensive tasks.
  • User control over thermals
    The app gives users direct control over thermal management on their Mac, allowing them to set custom temperature thresholds and performance profiles rather than relying solely on Apple's default thermal management.
  • Lightweight macOS-native app
    As a dedicated macOS utility, MacThrottle is designed specifically for the Apple ecosystem, likely integrating well with macOS system APIs and providing a native user experience.
  • Useful for sustained workloads
    For users running sustained heavy workloads like video rendering, compiling code, or gaming, MacThrottle can help maintain more consistent performance by proactively managing thermals before the system throttles aggressively.
  • Helps extend hardware longevity
    By keeping temperatures in check and avoiding extreme thermal cycling, MacThrottle can potentially help extend the lifespan of Mac components by reducing thermal stress on the CPU, GPU, and battery.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited information available
    As a relatively niche tool from an independent developer's blog, there may be limited community support, documentation, and reviews compared to more established utilities, making it harder to evaluate reliability.
  • May reduce peak performance
    By proactively throttling before the system's built-in thermal management kicks in, MacThrottle may unnecessarily limit peak performance in situations where the Mac could handle brief thermal spikes without issue.
  • Potential conflicts with macOS thermal management
    Running a third-party thermal management tool alongside Apple's built-in thermal management could lead to conflicts or unpredictable behavior, especially after macOS updates that change how the system handles thermals.
  • Apple Silicon compatibility concerns
    Apple Silicon Macs have tightly integrated thermal management in hardware and firmware. Third-party tools may have limited ability to meaningfully control thermals on these chips, or could interfere with Apple's carefully tuned power management.
  • Requires ongoing maintenance
    As macOS evolves with each major update, the app may break or require updates to remain functional. Users depend on the developer to keep the app compatible, which can be a risk with smaller independent projects.
  • 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

  • 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

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

MT
MacThrottle
Rectangle

Overall verdict

  • MacThrottle is a useful lightweight utility for Mac users who want to control CPU performance and manage thermal throttling, offering practical value for specific use cases, though it caters to a niche audience of power users.

Why this product is good

  • Provides fine-grained control over CPU throttling and performance settings on macOS
  • Lightweight and focused tool that addresses a specific need for thermal and power management
  • Useful for preventing overheating and managing fan noise during intensive tasks
  • Created by an independent developer with a focus on practical Mac tweaks

Recommended for

  • Mac power users who want manual control over CPU performance
  • Users experiencing thermal throttling or overheating issues on their Macs
  • Developers or professionals running CPU-intensive workloads who want to manage heat and noise
  • Enthusiasts who enjoy fine-tuning their system's performance and power consumption

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.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

MT
MacThrottle 0 videos + Add
Rectangle 3 videos + Add

No MacThrottle videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

SKYWALKER RECTANGLE TRAMPOLINE REVIEW!!!

More videos

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

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
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MacThrottle
Rectangle
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

MT
MacThrottle no reviews yet
Rectangle no reviews yet

We have no reviews of MacThrottle yet. Be the first one to post

  • Best 6 Mac Window Managers
    mackeeper.com · Sep 2023

    Rectangle shows that you don’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...

  • 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 – such as BetterSnapTool, Magnet, and...

  • The 6 Best Mac Window Management Tools
    www.makeuseof.com · Apr 2023

    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...

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

MT
MacThrottle 0 mentions
Rectangle 480 mentions

Tracking MacThrottle since Dec 2025.

  • Apple introduces M6 and M5 Ultra for a big leap in performance and AI compute
    Rectangle solved my macos window management annoyances. https://rectangleapp.com/ Not involved in dev of this, just a happy user. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • 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... - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Native Instant Space Switching on macOS
    Every macOS user uses Rectangle.app — https://rectangleapp.com The ones who don't use it is because they don’t know it exists. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago

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Alternatives to MacThrottle and Rectangle

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