Raycast vs Rectangle
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Raycast
Keyboard launcher with extensions, clipboard history and AI
Where they differ
- Raycast starts at $96 / year, billed annually. Rectangle is free.
- Only Raycast lists Windows and iOS apps.
- Only Raycast lists a browser extension.
- Rectangle is open source, according to its own site.
- Raycast also covers launcher, clipboard manager and text expansion.
At a glance
| Raycast | Rectangle | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $96 / year, billed annually | Free |
| Free plan | Core features such as clipboard history (kept 3 months), snippets, quicklinks, calculator and window management, the extension store, and up to 5 Raycast Notes. AI is not included. | The whole app is free and open source. Rectangle Pro, a separate paid app from the same developer, adds further features. |
| Free trial | Free Pro trial for eligible new accounts; trial AI credits expire after 7 days | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Raycast Technologies Ltd. | Ryan Hanson |
| Price read from | raycast.com | rectangleapp.com |
| Checked | Oct 4, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Raycast
- Mac and Windows users who prefer the keyboard to the mouse
- Replacing separate clipboard, snippet and window utilities with one app
- Developers who want to build their own commands and extensions
- Teams that share snippets, quicklinks and internal extensions
Rectangle
- Mac users who want window snapping by shortcut or drag at no cost
- Former Spectacle users who want to keep the same shortcuts
- People who prefer open-source utilities
Worth knowing
Raycast
- AI is not part of the free plan; Raycast AI, cloud sync and unlimited notes need Pro.
- The free plan keeps 3 months of clipboard history and allows 5 Raycast Notes.
- Top-tier AI models need the Plus or Max tier, at $20 or $50 a month.
- The Windows app does not yet have every macOS feature; Raycast says it is still bringing them across.
Rectangle
- macOS only. The website lists macOS 10.15 or later, while the GitHub README says the newest release needs macOS 14.
- Window throwing, custom sizes and positions, saved workspaces, window stashing and iCloud sync are only in Rectangle Pro, a separate paid app.
- Rectangle Pro's price is not shown as readable text on the site. It has a 10-day free trial, and one license can be active on 3 devices.
Key features
Raycast
- Launcher with hotkeys and aliases
- Open apps, search files and run commands from one keyboard-driven window, and assign hotkeys or aliases to the commands and apps you use most.
- Extension store
- Thousands of extensions for tools such as Linear, Slack, Notion and Spotify. The extension API lets anyone with web development skills build their own.
- Clipboard history, snippets, quicklinks
- Built-in utilities included in the free plan. Free keeps clipboard history for 3 months.
- Window management
- Window management commands are part of the free core features; creating custom window management commands needs Pro.
- Raycast AI
- Pro adds Quick AI and AI Chat on a monthly credit allowance. A browser extension for Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Chromium browsers passes the active tab to the AI.
- Notes and iOS companion app
- Raycast Notes captures quick thoughts: 5 notes on Free and unlimited on Pro. The iOS app carries AI, notes, snippets and quicklinks; syncing them across devices needs Pro.
Rectangle
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Move and resize the active window with a shortcut. Repeating a shortcut cycles through window sizes.
- Snap areas
- Drag a window to a screen edge or corner to snap it, and choose which window action each snap area triggers.
- Preset sizes and positions
- Commands for halves, quarters, thirds, fourths and sixths, plus maximize, almost maximize, maximize height, smaller, larger, center and restore.
- Multiple displays
- Next and previous display commands send a window to another screen, and layouts for displays in portrait orientation are supported.
- Todo Mode
- Keeps one app that you specify visible while you snap and resize other windows. The equivalent in Rectangle Pro is called Pin Mode.
- Spectacle-compatible shortcuts
- Rectangle is described as nearly a complete drop-in replacement for the Spectacle app, and Spectacle's default shortcuts can be chosen on first run.
Plans
Raycast
Free$0
Core launcher features, thousands of extensions, custom extensions, 3 months of clipboard history and 5 Raycast Notes. No AI.
Pro$96
per year, or $10 / month billed monthly
Raycast AI with 500 credits a month, cloud sync, dictation, translator, custom themes, unlimited notes and custom window management commands.
Pro (Plus tier)$192
per year, or $20 / month billed monthly
Pro features with 3,000 AI credits a month and access to top-tier AI models.
Pro (Max tier)$480
per year, or $50 / month billed monthly
Pro features with 7,500 AI credits a month and access to top-tier AI models.
Teams Pro$144
per user / year, or $15 / user / month billed monthly
Pro for each member plus unlimited shared commands and a private store. Plus and Max tiers cost more; a free Teams plan caps sharing at 30 snippets and 30 quicklinks.
EnterpriseCustom
Teams Pro plus an AI Control Center and admin controls such as SAML/SCIM, domain capture, enforced 2FA and extension and IP allow-lists.
Rectangle
Rectangle$0
Keyboard shortcuts, drag-to-snap areas, menu bar commands, halves to sixths, display switching and Todo Mode. Free and open source.
Ways to pay less
Raycast
- Annual discount
Annual billing saves 20%
Pro is $96 a year against $10 a month, which is $120 over twelve months. Teams Pro is $144 per user a year against $15 per user a month. Both work out 20% cheaper.
- Education
50% off Pro for verified students
Raycast's pricing FAQ says verified students get a 50% discount on the Pro plan through an application form.
Rectangle
No public discounts listed.
