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Rectangle VS SmoothScroll

Compare Rectangle VS SmoothScroll and see what are their differences

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Rectangle logo Rectangle

Window management app based on Spectacle, written in Swift.

SmoothScroll logo SmoothScroll

Gives smooth scrolling and Shift+Wheel horizontal scrolling in almost all applications.
  • Rectangle Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-20
  • SmoothScroll Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-15

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.

SmoothScroll features and specs

  • Enhanced User Experience
    SmoothScroll offers a more pleasant browsing experience by eliminating the jarring effects of default scrolling behaviors, allowing for smoother and more controlled navigation through web content.
  • Customizable Scrolling Options
    The software provides a range of customization options, enabling users to modify the scrolling speed, acceleration, and other parameters to better suit their preferences and increase browsing comfort.
  • Cross-browser Compatibility
    SmoothScroll works across different web browsers, ensuring consistent scrolling behavior regardless of the platform or browser a user employs.
  • Lightweight and Easy to Install
    The application is lightweight and can be installed easily, providing quick setup without significantly impacting system performance or resource usage.

Possible disadvantages of SmoothScroll

  • Limited to Browser Scrolling
    SmoothScroll primarily enhances scrolling within web browsers, meaning its functionality might be limited for users who need a consistent scrolling experience across all their applications.
  • Potential Compatibility Issues
    Some websites or web applications might not fully support SmoothScroll, leading to unpredictable scrolling behavior on certain sites or conflict with other website scripts.
  • Dependency on Browser Extensions
    SmoothScroll relies on browser extensions for execution, which might not be supported in all environments, particularly on mobile devices or systems with restrictive security policies.
  • No Native Mobile Support
    The application is primarily designed for desktop environments and does not natively support mobile devices, limiting its use for users who primarily browse on tablets or smartphones.

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.

Rectangle videos

+ Add

SKYWALKER RECTANGLE TRAMPOLINE REVIEW!!!

More videos:

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

SmoothScroll videos

+ Add

SmoothScroll Mac works everywhere, not just in Chrome

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Rectangle and SmoothScroll)

Rectangle

SmoothScroll

Mac Tools
98 98%
Mac Tools
2% 2
Automation
0 0%
Automation
100% 100
Window Manager
100 100%
Window Manager
0% 0
Note Taking
0 0%
Note Taking
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 SmoothScroll

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

SmoothScroll Reviews

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

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Rectangle seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 480 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 (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 / 7 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

SmoothScroll mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of SmoothScroll yet. Tracking of SmoothScroll recommendations started around Apr 2023.

What are some alternatives?

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

Magnet Window Manager - Magnet Developers

Smart Scroll - Smart Scroll makes scrolling smoother, faster and more comfortable:

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

MOS - Lightweight game engine.

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

Scroll 2 - Limit Magic Mouse Scroll. Scroll with one trackpad touch.

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