Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Rectangle VS Unity8

Compare Rectangle VS Unity8 and see what are their differences

Rectangle logo Rectangle

Window management app based on Spectacle, written in Swift.

Unity8 logo Unity8

Mir compositor with Wayland apps support.
  • Rectangle Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-20
  • Unity8 Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-18

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.

Unity8 features and specs

  • Convergence
    Unity8 is designed with convergence in mind, allowing a seamless experience across multiple device types like desktops, tablets, and phones.
  • Modern Interface
    The interface is modern and visually appealing, providing a fresh alternative to other desktop environments.
  • Community-Driven
    As part of the UBports project, Unity8 benefits from a community-driven development approach, making it responsive to user feedback.
  • Customization
    Users can customize the interface according to personal preferences, improving user experience and productivity.
  • Lightweight
    Unity8 is relatively lightweight compared to other desktop environments, which can help improve system performance on older hardware.

Possible disadvantages of Unity8

  • Limited Software Support
    Due to its niche status, Unity8 may not have as extensive software support as more mainstream environments like GNOME or KDE.
  • Development Pace
    As a community-driven project, the pace of development can be slower compared to commercially-backed alternatives.
  • Stability Issues
    Being under constant development, users may experience occasional stability issues or bugs.
  • Learning Curve
    Users who are accustomed to more traditional desktop environments might face a learning curve when transitioning to Unity8.
  • Limited Market Adoption
    Unity8 has limited adoption in the broader market, which can affect the availability of third-party applications and extensions.

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

SKYWALKER RECTANGLE TRAMPOLINE REVIEW!!!

More videos:

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

Unity8 videos

Unity8 Desktop Greeter Preview (Split Greeter)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Rectangle and Unity8)
Mac Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Linux
0 0%
100% 100
Window Manager
98 98%
2% 2
Operating Systems
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 Unity8

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.

Unity8 Reviews

We have no reviews of Unity8 yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Rectangle seems to be a lot more popular than Unity8. While we know about 464 links to Rectangle, we've tracked only 2 mentions of Unity8. 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 (464)

  • Why I'm Spoiled by Apple Silicon (But Still Love Framework)
    > Iโ€™m referring to apples to apples comparison where theyโ€™re either some standard out of the box version or when customized with available tools and mods. Comparing your highly customized Linux desktop to a completely uncustomized Mac setup with no attempt at other tools or utilities isnโ€™t an interesting comparison because itโ€™s not apples to apples, itโ€™s just a statement about your current preference.... - Source: Hacker News / 12 days ago
  • Omarchy Is Out
    Free version of Rectangle is very good https://rectangleapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • Any tools for a customizable trading dashboard (charts, order flow, news, etc.)?
    Try rectangle if youโ€™re on mac. Itโ€™s a window manager and you can config hot keys to move windows around. For example I keep my large monitor split in 3, with a window in each third. I know itโ€™s not exactly what you asked, but prob the best you can achieve. If you want to try to roll your own web solution, you can try to create a page with multiple iframes. The catch is that sites control whether they can be... - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • The Future Is Niri
    This is how I use my Mac desktop with Rectangle https://rectangleapp.com That and the apple touchpad to swipe three fingers left and right to switch desktops (and different machines as one desktop is remote desked into a windows box and another terminal+tmux session to a linux box). - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • iTerm2 Critical Security Fix
    Full-screen-but-not-native is useful enough that it's handy to have around for all windows in all programs. So the move there is to install Rectangle.app (https://rectangleapp.com/), the successor to Spectacle, and then choose your terminal independently. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
View more

Unity8 mentions (2)

  • What happened to lomiri
    Https://lomiri.com links to https://github.com/ubports/unity8 and this repository is accessible. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Any GNOME-like DEs without all the GNOME bs?
    Unity. Yes, it's still around (now going by "unity8" and maintained and developed by UBports now instead of Canonical but it's still the same DE we all know and hate er love). Obv not my cup of tea so I'm not very knowledgeable about it so could be way off but who knows, maybe we'll get a Unity lover here and they can chime in. github. Source: over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Rectangle and Unity8, you can also consider the following products

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

Wayfire - Wayland compositor with 3d effects.

Magnet Window Manager - Magnet Developers

GNOME - An easy and elegant way to use your computer, GNOME is designed to put you in control and get things done.

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).

Arcan - Game engine and multimedia framework and display server.