HopTab
HopTab vs Rectangle: a window manager that also switches apps
Let's be honest up front: Rectangle is the best free window snapper on the Mac, and if snapping is all you need, you should probably use it. HopTab is the alternative for people who want that same snapping and a focused app switcher, workspace profiles, and saved sessions in one tool.
Stay on Rectangle if you want a tiny, rock-solid snapper and nothing more. Switch to HopTab if you keep wishing your window manager also remembered your “Coding” vs “Research” setups, switched between just the apps you care about, and saved your window arrangements. Both are free and open source.
What Rectangle is great at
Rectangle is the spiritual successor to Spectacle and the most popular free window manager on macOS. It snaps windows to halves, thirds, quarters, and corners via keyboard shortcuts or by dragging to a screen edge. It's simple, reliable, barely uses any resources, and works the moment you install it. There's a paid Rectangle Pro that adds custom snap zones, a snap panel, and workspace layouts.
None of what follows is a knock on Rectangle. It's a focused tool that does its one job beautifully. The question is just whether your job is bigger than snapping.
Where HopTab is different
HopTab snaps windows too — 17 positions, drag-to-snap, size cycling, undo, gaps, the works. But it's built around the idea that arranging windows is only half of managing a workspace. The other half is moving between contexts, and that's where Rectangle stops and HopTab keeps going.
A focused app switcher
macOS's Cmd+Tab cycles through every open app. HopTab lets you pin only the apps you actually use and cycle that short list with Option+Tab — release to switch, Esc to cancel. Rectangle doesn't touch app switching at all.
Workspace profiles
Create a “Coding” profile with its own pinned apps, layout, and hotkey; a “Research” profile with another. Switch the entire context with one key, or assign profiles to macOS Spaces so swiping desktops switches them for you.
Saved sessions and per-app rules
Save exactly where every window sits and restore it tomorrow. Set rules like “Slack always opens on the right third.” Rectangle's free version doesn't do either; workspace layouts are a Rectangle Pro feature.
Rectangle vs Rectangle Pro vs HopTab
| Rectangle | Rectangle Pro | HopTab | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | ~$10 one-time | Free (Pro $5) |
| Open source | Yes | — | Yes |
| Keyboard + drag snapping | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gaps & custom sizes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Custom snap zones / layouts | — | Yes | Yes |
| Focused app switcher | — | — | Yes |
| Workspace profiles | — | — | Yes |
| Save / restore sessions | — | — | Yes |
| Per-app launch rules | — | Yes | Yes |
| Calendar / Focus automation | — | — | Pro |
Feature availability as of June 2026. Rectangle Pro is a separate paid app by the same developer.
Try HopTab — free & open source
Rectangle-grade snapping, plus a focused app switcher and workspace profiles, in one menu-bar app. macOS 14+.
When to stick with Rectangle
- You want the smallest, simplest possible snapper and never think about it again.
- You don't use multiple distinct work modes — one set of apps, one layout, all day.
- You're happy with
Cmd+Taband don't want to change how app switching works.
When HopTab is the better pick
- You juggle modes — coding, design, research, meetings — each with different apps and layouts.
Cmd+Tabannoys you because it shows every open app instead of the handful you live in.- You want to save a window arrangement and bring it back exactly, per display setup.
- You'd use automation like “switch to my Meeting layout when a calendar event starts” (HopTab Pro).
Switching from Rectangle
- Install HopTab and grant Accessibility permission — the same permission Rectangle uses.
- Quit Rectangle (or rebind one app's shortcuts) so the snap hotkeys don't collide.
- In Settings → Windows, set the snap shortcuts to match what you had — HopTab even has a one-click preset to replace
Cmd+Tabif you want the switcher to take over fully.
FAQ
Is HopTab better than Rectangle?
They aim at different things. Rectangle is the best lightweight free snapper. HopTab does comparable snapping but is built around also switching apps and managing whole workspaces — so it's the better fit if you want profiles, sessions, and a focused app switcher in the same tool. If you only want snapping, Rectangle is the lighter choice.
Are HopTab and Rectangle both free and open source?
Yes, both are free and open source. Rectangle has a paid Pro version for advanced snapping; HopTab has an optional $5 Pro unlock for automation features. The core of each is free.
Can I run HopTab and Rectangle at the same time?
Technically yes, but their snap shortcuts will collide and fight each other. Pick one for snapping, or rebind one set of shortcuts so they don't overlap.
Does HopTab have gaps and custom sizes like Rectangle?
Yes. HopTab supports configurable gaps between windows and screen edges, snap-size cycling, and custom layouts with exact zone percentages.