Whether you’re a productivity enthusiast or simply looking for a way to tame your overflowing desktop, window management apps can revolutionize how you work on your Mac. These tools offer smooth multitasking, reduce clutter, and save time—you’ll be surprised by how much more comfortable your workflow becomes with just a few tweaks.
TL;DR: Mac’s built-in window management is decent but limited. To truly unlock efficient multitasking, third-party apps offer customizable window snapping, keyboard shortcuts, and workspace organization tools. This article explores the 7 best window management apps for Mac that make organizing and navigating multiple windows quick and effortless. Whether you’re a casual user or a power multitasker, there’s an app tailored for your workflow.
1. Magnet – The Simplest Window Snapper
Magnet is often the go-to window manager for Mac users who want simplicity and efficiency. Its hallmark is its ability to snap windows into different sizes and positions using draggable edges or customizable keyboard shortcuts.
- Price: One-time purchase, ~$7.99
- Features: Snap windows to halves, quarters, thirds; full-screen toggle; multi-monitor support
- Pros: Lightweight, intuitive, very user-friendly
- Cons: No advanced features like custom layouts or automation
Magnet is best for users who don’t want to spend too much time configuring features but still want better control over window placement on their desktop.
2. Rectangle – The Free and Open Source Favorite
If you’re looking for a stellar free alternative to Magnet, Rectangle is where you should start. This open-source app offers surprisingly powerful functionality with no cost involved.
- Price: Free
- Features: Snap windows, custom keyboard shortcuts, move across displays
- Pros: Totally free, lightweight, frequent updates
- Cons: Limited UI customization, some advanced features require “Pro” upgrade
Rectangle is great for students, professionals, or anyone that needs quick and simple layout management but isn’t interested in paying for premium features.
3. BetterSnapTool – For the Customizer
BetterSnapTool is perfect if you love customization. It allows you to manually define your snap areas, create custom snapping zones, and set up as many keyboard shortcuts as your fingers can handle.
- Price: ~$3.99
- Features: Create custom snap areas, versatile multi-display controls, trigger center snapping
- Pros: Extremely robust and versatile
- Cons: Slightly steeper learning curve
With BetterSnapTool, you’re not just limited to the usual half-screen or quadrant placements—you can create your own snap regions anywhere on your screen.
4. Amethyst – Tiling Window Management, macOS-style
Amethyst is a godsend for power users who are familiar with tiling window managers from the Linux or developer world. This app automatically arranges your windows without overlaps, and its keyboard-driven interface gives fast control over intricate window operations.
- Price: Free (open source)
- Features: Tiling layouts, auto window arrangement, extensive keyboard command support
- Pros: Ideal for programmers and multitaskers
- Cons: Steep initial learning curve, limited GUI
Amethyst is built for users who want to work with multiple terminal windows, coding environments, or project files—without ever reaching for the mouse.
5. Moom – Modular and Mouse-Friendly
Moom fills the sweet spot between simplicity and customization. Perfect for users who don’t want to memorize shortcuts but still want the flexibility of organizing windows easily and intuitively.
Image not found in postmeta- Price: ~$10
- Features: Drag-and-close overlay, save reusable window layouts, grid-based resizing
- Pros: Highly intuitive interface, especially for new users
- Cons: May be overkill for minimalists
One standout feature is being able to save window layouts and instantly restore them, which is perfect for those with repetitive workflows or project-based workspaces.
6. Swish – Gesture-Based Window Management
Modern, sleek, and fun to use, Swish brings gesture-based window management to your Mac. If you’re a fan of using your trackpad for fluid navigation, this tool will feel right at home.
- Price: ~$5
- Features: Full gesture support for moving, resizing, minimizing, and snapping windows
- Pros: Beautiful design, natural user experience
- Cons: Not ideal for mouse/keyboard-centric users
Swish stands out because it doesn’t rely on keyboard shortcuts or clicking icons. Instead, window actions are performed via intuitive swipe and tap gestures on the trackpad—a dream for laptop users.
7. Workspaces – Window Management Meets Task Organization
More than just snapping windows, Workspaces helps you organize related applications and documents into project-specific groups. Launch everything you need for a task with a single click.
- Price: Freemium; Premium ~$20/year
- Features: Automated app launching, workspace grouping, custom scripts
- Pros: Ideal for project-based workflows
- Cons: Less focused on real-time window movement
If your job involves juggling multiple tools—say, graphics software, browsers, and documents—Workspaces can keep everything bundled and ready to go instantly.
Which Window Manager Should You Choose?
Each app has its strengths, and the “best” one will depend largely on your personal workflow. Here’s a quick breakdown of who should use what:
- Pick Magnet or Rectangle if you want simple and quick window snapping.
- BetterSnapTool is ideal for those who love customizing layouts.
- Amethyst is for keyboard warriors and coders.
- Moom balances flexibility with user-friendliness.
- Swish modernizes multitasking with intuitive swipe gestures.
- Workspaces is best when you need whole project environments at your fingertips.
Final Thoughts
Macs may be beautiful and capable machines, but their native window management still has room for improvement. Luckily, there’s no shortage of powerful apps that can take your multitasking to the next level.
Whether it’s blazing-fast shortcut workflows, gesture-based interactions, or total layout control you’re after, one of these window managers will likely become your new favorite tool. Test out a few, find your fit, and experience just how effortless your Mac can feel when everything stays in its right place.