BetterStage vs Magnet
Magnet is one of the top-selling paid apps on the Mac App Store for window snapping. It handles halves, quarters, and thirds via keyboard shortcuts or dragging. BetterStage includes comparable snapping plus workspaces, auto-tiling, and a Snap Wheel.
| BetterStage | 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 |
| Auto-tiling | BSP Bento Box auto-tiling | No auto-tiling — manual positioning only |
| Distribution | Direct download (.app) | Mac App Store |
| Price | Free (3 stages) / $10.99/yr / $24.99 lifetime | $9.99 one-time (Mac App Store) |
Try BetterStage against Magnet
Download the free tier and test the faster multi-monitor workflow on your own setup.
Magnet has been a Mac App Store staple for years — it's often the first window manager people buy. Drag a window to a screen edge and it snaps to a half, quarter, or third. You can also use keyboard shortcuts for the same zones. It's simple, polished, and just works.
But Magnet, like Rectangle, is purely a snapping tool. There are no workspaces, no auto-tiling, and no way to group windows by project or context. If you're working on three things at once, you're manually minimizing and rearranging windows every time you switch tasks.
BetterStage gives you 14 snap zones that cover everything Magnet offers, adds a radial Snap Wheel for visual layout selection, and layers 9 named stages plus BSP auto-tiling on top. It replaces Magnet and adds the workspace management that Magnet users eventually realize they need.
Full Feature Comparison
How BetterStage compares across the entire macOS window manager landscape.
| Feature | BetterStage | Stage Manager | Spaces | Rectangle | yabai | AeroSpace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Free |
Free with 3 stages. Requires macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later.
Other comparisons
vs macOS Stage Manager
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.
vs macOS Spaces
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.
vs Rectangle
Rectangle is the most popular free window snapping tool for macOS — it resizes and positions windows but doesn't manage workspaces. BetterStage includes snap zones plus named workspaces, automatic BSP tiling, and instant stage switching.
vs yabai / Amethyst
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.
vs Moom
Moom is a polished window snapping and grid tool, but it has no workspace management. BetterStage combines snap zones with named workspaces, BSP auto-tiling, and instant stage switching in one app.
vs Swish
Swish is a gesture-based window manager with elegant trackpad controls. BetterStage focuses on keyboard-first workspace management with named stages, BSP auto-tiling, and multi-monitor stage switching that Swish doesn't offer.
vs AeroSpace
AeroSpace is a tiling window manager inspired by i3 with tree-based layouts and CLI configuration. BetterStage offers similar BSP tiling with a native GUI, no config files, and named stages that don't rely on macOS Spaces.
Last updated: March 2026