Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Rectangle VS OSMC

Compare Rectangle VS OSMC and see what are their differences

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.

Rectangle logo Rectangle

Window management app based on Spectacle, written in Swift.

OSMC logo OSMC

OSMC is a free and open source media center built for the people, by the people.
  • Rectangle Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-20
  • OSMC Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-27

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.

OSMC features and specs

  • Open Source
    OSMC is completely free and open-source, allowing users to modify and improve the code according to their needs.
  • Wide Device Support
    OSMC can run on various devices, including Raspberry Pi, Vero, and other compatible hardware, making it versatile.
  • Built-in Kodi
    It comes with Kodi pre-installed, providing a rich media player experience with support for a large number of add-ons and plugins.
  • Regular Updates
    OSMC receives frequent updates, ensuring that users have access to the latest features and security patches.
  • Easy to Use
    The user interface is intuitive and straightforward, making it easy for users of all technical levels to navigate and use.

Possible disadvantages of OSMC

  • Limited App Support
    Compared to other operating systems, OSMC has a narrower selection of available applications and software.
  • Hardware Dependency
    OSMC is primarily designed to run on specific hardware like the Raspberry Pi or Vero, which may not be ideal for all users.
  • Learning Curve for Customization
    While it is customizable, making significant changes or improvements may require a deeper understanding of Linux and coding.
  • Potential Stability Issues
    As with many open-source projects, users may encounter occasional bugs or stability issues.
  • Community-based Support
    Support is mainly provided through community forums and user contributions, which might not be as reliable or fast as professional support.

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 OSMC

Overall verdict

  • OSMC is generally considered a good choice, especially for users who want a straightforward and flexible media center solution. Its open-source nature ensures continuous improvements and adaptability to new technologies.

Why this product is good

  • OSMC (Open Source Media Center) is popular for its simplicity, ease of use, and ability to turn any device into a full-fledged media center. It supports a wide range of formats, offers frequent updates, and has a supportive community. Additionally, it is based on Kodi, providing a customizable interface and access to a vast library of plugins and add-ons.

Recommended for

  • Users looking for a free and open-source media center solution
  • People who want to repurpose old devices as media centers
  • Those who appreciate the Kodi interface and its extensive library of add-ons
  • Individuals seeking a customizable media experience

Rectangle videos

SKYWALKER RECTANGLE TRAMPOLINE REVIEW!!!

More videos:

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

OSMC videos

Raspberry Pi OSMC Media Player

More videos:

  • Review - OSMC Raspberry PI Kodi Media Center Run Through
  • Review - OSMC Media Center Setup - A Roku Alternative

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Rectangle and OSMC)
Mac Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Video
0 0%
100% 100
Window Manager
100 100%
0% 0
Media Player
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 Rectangle and OSMC

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.
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.

OSMC Reviews

The Best 5 Kodi Alternatives You Can Try
OSMC (short for Open-Source Media Center) is a free media player founded in 2014 and it comes as the best alternative to Kodi. It has a simple interface and it’s easy to use. And it offers an app store that enables you to customize your OSMC experience to your taste. This software allows you to play back media (movies, TV shows, music, pictures, etc.) from the local network,...
10 Best Kodi Alternatives You Should Use (2023)
If you are searching for a simple alternative to Kodi, OSMc is a viable option. It is very similar to Kodi. OSMC is open-source software with wifi adapters. You can get some compatibility as it is supported in Raspberry pi, Apple TV and VERO. If you want the replacement for Kodi in a more neat interface, You must go for OSMC.
Source: techdator.net
15 Best Plex Alternatives [2022] – FREE and BETTER Options
OSMC is among the best Plex alternatives as a Debian-based Linux distribution that boots directly to Kodi Media Center. With OSMC it is easy to get started right away with very little tinkering. If you are a tinkerer, OSMC is the best open-source Plex alternative that allows you to make custom changes.
Best Kodi Alternatives for Free Streaming
OSMC is a free and open source operating system that makes heavy use of the Kodi project. Essentially, Kodi is how the user will interact with the operating system for the most part. The benefit of running OSMC instead of an operating system like Android for the purpose of using Kodi is the simplicity that OSMC offers.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Rectangle seems to be a lot more popular than OSMC. While we know about 480 links to Rectangle, we've tracked only 21 mentions of OSMC. 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 (480)

  • 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 / 9 days 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 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 / 4 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 / 5 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 / 5 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 / 5 months ago
View more

OSMC mentions (21)

  • How to break free from smart TV ads and tracking
    Yeah I have a couple of recent Samsung OLEDs and they're fine without an internet connection. If I press one of the annoying streaming service buttons on the remote it'll give me a setup popup which needs to be dismissed, otherwise they work fine, albeit without any built in streaming support. I'd read reports that Q-Symphony (audio from the TV speakers and soundbar simultaneously) wouldn't work, but it does. I... - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • Is there something like "network attached monitor"
    The devices had a small daemon that would periodically send HTTP requests to the central web service and check if it needed to update the content it was displaying and would update content accordingly. The content was displayed through OSMC. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Pay me the buying power to afford the things you got at my age, and maybe then I'll buy these things...
    Downstairs is a Raspberry PI hooked to large hard drive (8TB). That runs OSMC and provides network access for all computers/phones in the house while being hooked up to the living room TV. The IPTV can run through it but I just watch that on my computer. Source: over 3 years ago
  • one day my friend
    Just put osmc on it and use it as media center. Depending on your hardware it can be pretty solid. And there is a lot you can configure. it's basically an os which boots direcly to kodi. Also it supports hdmi-cec so you can use your normal tv remote, it's awesome. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Plexamp v4.2.2 Released
    I have heard good stuff about https://osmc.tv/. Source: over 4 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

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

Magnet Window Manager - Magnet Developers

Kodi - Kodi is an award winning free and open source media player that got its start on the Xbox console.

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

Emby - media server for personal streaming movies tv music photos in mobile app or browser for all devices android iOS windows phone appletv androidtv smarttv and dlna.

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

Jellyfin - Jellyfin is a personal media server.