Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Putback VS Rectangle

Compare Putback VS Rectangle and see what are their differences

Putback logo Putback

Putback is a Mac window manager that restores every window when your displays change, and lets you name arrangements as Scenes you switch to with one hotkey. Real window management for docking, undocking and monitors, $19 once.

Rectangle logo Rectangle

Window management app based on Spectacle, written in Swift.
  • Putback Landing page
    Landing page //
    2026-07-16
  • Rectangle Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-20

Putback features and specs

  • Simple concept
    Putback appears to focus on a straightforward, easy-to-understand use case, which can make onboarding and daily usage intuitive for most users without a steep learning curve.
  • Convenience for tracking
    The app likely helps users keep track of items, tasks, or returns in one centralized place, reducing the mental load of remembering details manually.
  • Mobile accessibility
    Being an app-based solution, Putback is likely accessible on smartphones, allowing users to update or check information on the go rather than being tied to a desktop.
  • Time-saving potential
    By streamlining a specific process (such as organizing items or managing returns), the app can save users time compared to manual tracking methods like spreadsheets or notes.
  • Niche focus
    Because Putback seems to target a specific use case rather than being a bloated all-in-one app, it may perform that core function well without unnecessary complexity.

Possible disadvantages of Putback

  • Limited information available
    There is limited publicly available detail about Putback's full feature set, pricing, and reliability, making it hard to fully evaluate its strengths and weaknesses without firsthand use.
  • Potential niche limitations
    If the app is built around a very specific use case, it may not offer broader functionality that some users might want, limiting its versatility compared to more general-purpose tools.
  • Dependence on user input
    Like many tracking or organization apps, its usefulness likely depends heavily on consistent user input; if users forget to update it, the app's value diminishes significantly.
  • Unclear market adoption
    As a smaller or newer app, Putback may have a smaller user base, which could mean less community support, fewer integrations, or slower feature updates compared to more established competitors.
  • Possible platform restrictions
    Depending on its availability, the app may be limited to certain operating systems (iOS or Android only), which could exclude some potential users from accessing it.

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 Putback

Overall verdict

  • Putback is a niche app designed to help resellers and organizers track items that need to be returned to their proper place, which can be genuinely useful for people managing inventory, decluttering, or reselling goods, though its value depends heavily on your specific workflow needs and how well it integrates with tools you already use.

Why this product is good

  • Helps maintain organization by tracking items that need to be put back or returned
  • Can save time by reducing the need to remember or manually log misplaced items
  • Useful for resellers who need to track inventory location and status
  • Simple, focused functionality without unnecessary feature bloat

Recommended for

  • Resellers managing physical inventory across multiple locations
  • People decluttering or organizing home spaces who need a tracking system
  • Small business owners who need lightweight inventory location tracking
  • Users who prefer simple single-purpose apps over complex all-in-one solutions

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.

Putback 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 Putback and Rectangle)
OSX Tools
3 3%
97% 97
Mac Tools
1 1%
99% 99
Window Manager
1 1%
99% 99
Mac
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 Putback and Rectangle

Putback Reviews

We have no reviews of Putback yet.
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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 more popular. 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.

Putback mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Putback yet. Tracking of Putback recommendations started around Jul 2026.

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 / 3 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 / 4 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 / 4 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

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

Moom - Move your mouse over the green zoom button in any window, and Moom's mouse control overlay will appear (as seen in the above animation).

Magnet Window Manager - Magnet Developers

BetterTouchTool - Nov 5, 2017 - BetterTouchTool is a great, feature packed app that allows you to configure many gestures for your Magic Mouse (1 & 2), Macbook Trackpad and Magic Trackpad (1 & 2) and also Mouse Gestures for normal mice.

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

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

MacsyZones - Make your workflow more efficient with MacsyZones. Organize your windows with ease.