Microsoft PowerToys vs Rectangle

Microsoft PowerToys is a collection of free, open-source utilities that extend Windows with productivity tools such as window layout management, a quick launcher, bulk file renaming, keyboard remapping, and a system-wide color picker. It is built and maintained by Microsoft with an active open-source community on GitHub.

Rectangle is a free and open source window management utility for macOS that lets users move and resize windows using keyboard shortcuts or by dragging them to screen edges and corners to snap into place. It supports cycling through multiple window sizes by repeating a shortcut, and works with portrait display orientations for vertical monitor setups. The free version covers the core snapping and shortcut functionality, while Rectangle Pro unlocks quicker window snapping and custom shortcuts for any size and position, sold as a subscription with a 10-day free trial and support for up to three devices per license. Rectangle runs natively on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs running macOS 10.15 or later, and is built as a near drop-in replacement for the discontinued Spectacle app.

• Completely free and open source
• Actively maintained with frequent Microsoft-backed releases
• Wide range of independent utilities you can enable individually
• Backed by an active GitHub community for bug reports and features

• Free and open source core app
• Lightweight, keyboard-driven workflow
• Near drop-in replacement for the discontinued Spectacle
• Native Apple Silicon and Intel support

• Windows-only, no Mac or Linux version
• Some utilities are still experimental and can be less polished
• Requires manually enabling and configuring each utility you want

• macOS only, no Windows or Linux version
• Custom shortcuts and quicker snapping require the paid Pro subscription
• Pro free trial is limited to 10 days