Rectangle VS BetterTouchTool

Compare Rectangle VS BetterTouchTool and see what are their differences

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Rectangle

Window management app based on Spectacle, written in Swift.

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.

Landing page //
2023-05-20

Landing page //
2023-03-24

Rectangle

Website: rectangleapp.com
$ Details

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BetterTouchTool

Website: boastr.net
$ Details: -

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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.

BetterTouchTool features and specs

Customizability
BetterTouchTool offers extensive customization options for touch gestures, keyboard shortcuts, and mouse actions, allowing users to tailor their input devices to their specific workflows.
Productivity Enhancement
By enabling custom gestures and shortcuts, BetterTouchTool can significantly boost productivity, making it easier to perform complex tasks quickly.
Integration with Other Applications
BetterTouchTool integrates well with a variety of applications, enabling seamless interactions and extended functionality across different software environments.
Advanced Features
The tool includes advanced features like window snapping, advanced window management, and the ability to create custom actions and macros, offering a high level of control.
User Community and Support
BetterTouchTool has an active user community and provides good support, which can be helpful for troubleshooting and discovering new uses for the tool.

Possible disadvantages of BetterTouchTool

Learning Curve
The extensive set of features and customization options can be overwhelming for new users, requiring a significant amount of time to learn and utilize effectively.
Performance Impact
On some systems, BetterTouchTool may cause a noticeable performance impact, particularly when using complex or numerous custom gestures and shortcuts.
Cost
While BetterTouchTool is reasonably priced, it is not free, which might be a drawback for users looking for a no-cost solution.
Compatibility Issues
Occasionally, updates to macOS or third-party applications may lead to compatibility issues, requiring users to wait for patches or workarounds.
Resource Intensive
For users with limited system resources, BetterTouchTool may consume a fair amount of memory and CPU, which can be problematic on older or less powerful machines.

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.

Analysis of BetterTouchTool

Overall verdict

Overall, BetterTouchTool is highly regarded by users who seek to customize their Mac experience. Its versatility and extensive feature set make it a valuable tool for power users and those who like to personalize their computing environment.

Why this product is good

BetterTouchTool is a popular macOS utility that enhances user productivity by allowing extensive customization of input devices like the Touch Bar, Magic Mouse, and trackpad. It offers powerful features such as custom gestures, keyboard shortcuts, and actions that can significantly streamline workflows.

Recommended for

Mac users who want to maximize efficiency and productivity through custom gestures and shortcuts.
Individuals who seek to customize their Touch Bar beyond default settings.
Tech enthusiasts who enjoy personalizing and tweaking their user interface to better suit their workflow.

Rectangle videos

+ Add

SKYWALKER RECTANGLE TRAMPOLINE REVIEW!!!

BetterTouchTool videos

+ Add

BetterTouchTool 2.851: A Quick Overview

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Rectangle and BetterTouchTool)

Rectangle

BetterTouchTool

Mac Tools

92 92%

Mac Tools

8% 8

Window Manager

89 89%

Window Manager

11% 11

OSX Tools

80 80%

OSX Tools

20% 20

Mac

94 94%

Mac

6% 6

User comments

Share your experience with using Rectangle and BetterTouchTool. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

Reviews

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

Rectangle Reviews

Best 6 Mac Window Managers

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 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 – such as BetterSnapTool, Magnet, and Rectangle – offer this functionality.

Source: www.maketecheasier.com

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.

Source: www.makeuseof.com

BetterTouchTool Reviews

We have no reviews of BetterTouchTool yet.
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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.

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 — https://rectangleapp.com The ones who don't use it is because they don’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