Rectangle vs Setapp
We give Rectangle a 3.0 GPA and Setapp a 2.8, out of 4.0. Rectangle grades higher on value for money and the free plan. Setapp grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Setapp
One subscription for a catalog of 300+ Mac and iOS apps
How we grade them
| 3.0GPARectangleVery good | 2.8GPASetappGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source, with nothing to buy inside it. The same developer sells Rectangle Pro as a separate app, but nothing in Rectangle itself costs money. | B$14.99 a month plus tax for one Mac, or $107.88 billed annually. That's dear next to a single utility, but you're getting more than 300 apps, updates included. Fair if you'd use several of them. Adding 4 iOS devices takes it to $18.99 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole app is free: keyboard shortcuts, drag-to-snap areas, menu bar commands, halves to sixths, display switching and Todo Mode. Most people could stay on it for good. | CThere's no free plan, only a 7-day free trial of the membership. The listing doesn't say whether you need a card to start it. After that it's $14.99 a month plus tax. |
| Features | BHalves, quarters, thirds, fourths and sixths, plus maximize, almost maximize, center and restore, and commands to send a window to the next display. Solid basics. But window throwing, custom sizes and positions, saved workspaces, stashing and iCloud sync are only in Rectangle Pro. | AMore than 300 Mac, iOS and web apps for utilities, writing, development and AI. Paste for clipboard history, Mosaic for window layouts, CleanShot X for screenshots and Rocket Typist for snippets are all in there. Around 40 AI apps share one monthly allowance of credits. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. Drag a window to an edge and it snaps, or press a shortcut. Coming from Spectacle? You can pick its default shortcuts on first run. | BNo store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. One membership and one bill is simpler than a dozen license keys. The plans take a minute to work out though, since they differ by how many Macs and iOS devices they cover. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only, and no integrations are listed. The website says macOS 10.15 or later, while the GitHub README says the newest release needs macOS 14. Nothing for Windows or Linux. | CMac and iOS only, so one family of devices. The base plan covers 1 Mac, and iOS devices or more Macs need a higher plan. Single-app purchases are for macOS only. Nothing for Windows or Android. |
| Best for | free window snapping on a Mac | renting a whole shelf of Mac apps for one fee |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Rectangle and Setapp. How we grade
Where they differ
- Rectangle is free. Setapp starts at $14.99 / month + tax, or $107.88 / year (Mac plan).
- Rectangle has a free plan. Setapp does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Setapp lists an iOS app.
- Rectangle is open source, according to its own site.
- Setapp also covers screenshots, clipboard manager and text expansion.
At a glance
| Rectangle | Setapp | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $14.99 / month + tax, or $107.88 / year (Mac plan) |
| Free plan | The whole app is free and open source. Rectangle Pro, a separate paid app from the same developer, adds further features. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 7-day free trial of Setapp membership |
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Ryan Hanson | MacPaw Way Ltd. |
| Price read from | rectangleapp.com | setapp.com |
| Checked | Oct 4, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 |
Who each one suits
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
Setapp
- Mac users who would otherwise buy several utilities separately
- People who like to try new apps without paying for each one
- Owners of several Macs and iOS devices, via the Power User plan
Worth knowing
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.
Setapp
- There is no free plan; after the 7-day trial the Mac plan costs $14.99 a month plus tax.
- The base Mac plan covers a single Mac; iOS devices or more Macs need a higher plan.
- Unused AI credits reset each billing period and do not carry over.
- The help center also lists an iOS-only plan at $7.99 a month and two AI+ plans that the pricing page does not show.
Key features
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.
Setapp
- App catalog under one membership
- More than 300 Mac, iOS and web apps, grouped into Optimize, Work, Create, Develop and AI categories. App updates are included.
- Utilities in the catalog
- The catalog includes Paste for clipboard history, Mosaic for window layouts, CleanShot X for screenshots, Rocket Typist for text snippets and Timing for time tracking.
- AI credits and AI apps
- Around 40 AI-powered apps, such as TypingMind, BoltAI and Elephas, draw on one shared allowance of AI credits. Extra credits can be bought separately.
- Device coverage by plan
- Plans cover 1 Mac, 1 Mac with 4 iOS devices, or 4 Macs with 4 iOS devices.
- Single-app purchases
- An app can be bought on its own as a monthly or yearly subscription or a one-time purchase, as set by its developer. Single apps are available for macOS only.
- Setapp for Teams
- Team accounts let an admin invite and remove members and manage the team's devices and apps.
Plans
Rectangle
Rectangle$0
Keyboard shortcuts, drag-to-snap areas, menu bar commands, halves to sixths, display switching and Todo Mode. Free and open source.
Setapp
Mac$14.99
per month + tax, billed monthly ($107.88 billed annually)
The full app catalog on 1 Mac, with 1,000 AI credits a month on monthly billing.
Mac + iOS$18.99
per month + tax, billed monthly ($134.88 billed annually)
1 Mac and 4 iOS devices, with 1,000 AI credits a month on monthly billing.
Power User$22.99
per month + tax, billed monthly ($161.88 billed annually)
4 Macs and 4 iOS devices, with 2,000 AI credits a month on monthly billing.
Ways to pay less
Rectangle
No public discounts listed.
Setapp
- Annual discount
Save up to 40% with yearly billing
The pricing page advertises savings of up to 40% on yearly billing. The help center lists the Mac plan at $107.88 a year against $14.99 a month.
- Education
20% off the annual Mac + iOS plan for education
Students, researchers and educators who sign up with an educational email address get 20% off the annual Mac + iOS plan: $107.88 a year against the regular $134.88. New subscribers only.
