AeroSpace vs Rectangle: automatic tiling or snapping on demand
Rectangle snaps a window where you tell it, from a settings window. AeroSpace tiles every window automatically from a config file, with its own workspaces.
They do different jobs. Rectangle moves the window you are in to a half, third or quarter when you press a shortcut, and leaves the rest alone. AeroSpace arranges every window automatically, all the time, and swaps macOS Spaces for its own workspaces.
Should I use AeroSpace or Rectangle?
- Rectangle if you have a few windows and want to place them quickly, with a settings window and nothing else about your Mac changing.
- AeroSpace if you want no overlapping windows ever, are fine with a config file, and like keyboard driven workspaces.
| AeroSpace | Rectangle | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Tiles every window automatically | Snaps one window when you ask |
| New windows | Placed in the tiling | Open wherever the app puts them |
| Settings | TOML file only | Settings window |
| Workspaces | Its own, in place of Spaces | Real Spaces, cannot move windows between them |
| Stability | Public beta | Stable releases |
| Newest version (4 Nov 2026) | 0.21.3 Beta, 16 July 2026 | 2.0.4, 20 October 2026 |
| macOS | 13 or later | 14 or later |
| Licence | MIT, free | MIT, free |
Can I use AeroSpace and Rectangle together?
It is not a good idea. AeroSpace puts windows back into its tiling, so Rectangle's moves are undone, and their shortcuts may clash. Use one.
Is there something between snapping and tiling?
Yes. A scrolling window manager arranges every window automatically like a tiler, but each window keeps its width like a snapped one, and the row continues past the screen edge. See scrolling vs tiling.
More: Rectangle vs Magnet, AeroSpace vs yabai, ClutterFreeMac vs Rectangle, the best window managers for Mac.
Facts read from the AeroSpace and Rectangle project pages and releases on 4 November 2026.
Questions
Is AeroSpace a replacement for Rectangle?
Only if you want automatic tiling. Rectangle snaps windows on demand; AeroSpace arranges all of them all the time.
Does Rectangle tile windows automatically?
No. It can tile all open windows into rows or columns when you press a shortcut, but it does not rearrange them as windows open and close.
Is AeroSpace stable?
Its makers call it a public beta, usable every day, with breaking changes possible before 1.0.
Read next
- Compare
Is macOS's built in tiling enough, or do you need a window manager?
macOS Sequoia tiles windows to halves and quarters. Where that is all you need, where it runs out, and what a scrolling window manager adds.
Read › - Compare
ClutterFreeMac vs Rectangle
Rectangle snaps or tiles windows when you press a key. ClutterFreeMac arranges every window all the time. Which fits how you work, checked October 2026.
Read › - Guide
How to turn off window tiling on macOS Sequoia and later
Windows snapping to edges when you only meant to move them? The four tiling settings in macOS Sequoia, what each one does, and how to keep the ones you like.
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