Question 1

How is BetterStage different from macOS Stage Manager?

Accepted Answer

Stage Manager gives you 4 unnamed window groups on a single monitor with a sidebar that eats screen space. BetterStage gives you 9 named stages spanning all monitors with instant keyboard switching and zero wasted pixels.

Question 2

How is BetterStage different from macOS Spaces?

Accepted Answer

Spaces has a 700ms sliding animation every time you switch desktops, no naming, and no tiling. BetterStage switches in under 16ms with named workspaces and automatic BSP tiling built in.

Question 3

How is BetterStage different from Rectangle / Magnet?

Accepted Answer

Rectangle and Magnet are window snapping utilities — they resize and position windows but don't manage workspaces. BetterStage includes snap zones plus named workspaces, automatic BSP tiling, and instant stage switching.

Question 4

How is BetterStage different from yabai / Amethyst?

Accepted Answer

yabai is powerful but requires partially disabling SIP (System Integrity Protection) and complex YAML/shell configuration. Amethyst is simpler but still config-heavy. BetterStage offers comparable tiling without SIP changes, with a native GUI and instant install.

	BetterStage	macOS Stage Manager
Multi-monitor	Stages span all monitors simultaneously	Single monitor only — other displays are independent
Stages / groups	9 named stages you can label (Dev, Design, Comms...)	4 unnamed groups that are hard to tell apart
Switching	Instant via Opt+1-9 keyboard shortcuts	Click the sidebar strip or use trackpad gestures
Screen space	Zero UI overhead — no sidebar, no strip	Persistent sidebar strip consumes ~80px of display width
Window tiling	Built-in BSP auto-tiling (Bento Box) + 14 snap zones	No tiling — manual window arrangement only

	BetterStage	macOS Spaces
Switch speed	Under 16ms — instant, no animation	~700ms sliding animation on every switch
Workspace naming	Named stages: Dev, Design, Comms, etc.	Numbered desktops with no labels
Monitor handling	One stage = all monitors switch together	Each monitor has independent spaces (confusing with multi-monitor)
Window tiling	BSP auto-tiling + 14 snap zones + snap wheel	No tiling — manual arrangement only
Keyboard control	Opt+1-9 switch, Opt+Shift+1-9 send window to stage	Ctrl+Arrow or limited Ctrl+number shortcuts

	BetterStage	Rectangle / Magnet
Window snapping	14 snap zones + radial Snap Wheel	Edge/corner snapping with keyboard shortcuts
Workspaces	9 named stages spanning all monitors	None — snapping only, no workspace management
Auto-tiling	BSP Bento Box auto-tiling arranges all windows automatically	Manual positioning only
Stage switching	Opt+1-9 instantly shows/hides window groups	Not applicable — no concept of stages

	BetterStage	yabai / Amethyst
SIP requirement	No SIP changes required — just install and go	yabai needs partial SIP disable; Amethyst works without SIP but has limited features
Configuration	Native settings UI — configure everything visually	YAML files, shell scripts, and terminal commands
Installation	Download .app, drag to Applications, done	Homebrew install + config file setup + SIP changes (yabai)
Workspace management	9 named stages with instant switching	Relies on macOS Spaces (with its 700ms animation)
Snap Wheel	Visual radial zone picker for quick layouts	Keyboard/config only — no visual layout picker

Feature	BetterStage	Stage Manager	Spaces	Rectangle	yabai
Named workspaces					Partial
Multi-monitor stages				N/A
Instant switching (<16ms)				N/A
BSP auto-tiling
Snap zones	14 zones
Snap Wheel (radial picker)
No SIP disable
Native GUI settings
Keyboard shortcuts	Fully customizable	Limited	Limited
Free tier	3 stages	Built-in	Built-in	Free	Free

BetterStage vs the Alternatives

BetterStage vs macOS Stage Manager

BetterStage vs macOS Spaces

BetterStage vs Rectangle / Magnet

BetterStage vs yabai / Amethyst

Feature Comparison Matrix