BetterStage 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.
| BetterStage | Swish | |
|---|---|---|
| Input method | Keyboard-first (Opt+1-9) + snap zones + Snap Wheel | Trackpad gesture-first (swipe on title bar) |
| Workspaces | 9 named stages spanning all monitors | No workspace management |
| Auto-tiling | BSP Bento Box auto-tiling | No auto-tiling — gesture snapping only |
| Multi-monitor | Stages switch all monitors simultaneously | Per-window gestures, no multi-monitor coordination |
| Approach | Complete workspace manager (stages + tiling + snapping) | Focused gesture snapping tool (does one thing well) |
Try BetterStage against Swish
Download the free tier and test the faster multi-monitor workflow on your own setup.
Swish by Christian Tietze is a gesture-driven window manager. You swipe on a window's title bar to snap it to halves, quarters, or thirds. It's beautifully designed and perfect for trackpad users who prefer gestures over keyboard shortcuts.
Swish is intentionally minimal — it handles window positioning through gestures and nothing else. There are no workspaces, no auto-tiling, and no way to group windows into stages. If you need to manage multiple projects across monitors, Swish won't help.
BetterStage takes a different approach: keyboard-first with Opt+1-9 stage switching, BSP auto-tiling that arranges all windows automatically, and 14 snap zones with a visual Snap Wheel. If you love Swish's gestures for quick snapping but need workspace management on top, BetterStage fills that gap.
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 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.
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 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