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Productivity · head to head

Focus@Will vs Rectangle

Focus@Will logo

Focus@Will

Productivity

Subscription streaming of instrumental music channels intended to be worked to rather than listened to

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Rectangle logo

Rectangle

Utilities

Free open source window snapping for macOS, with a separate paid Rectangle Pro for extra features

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Focus@Will the central claim, that this music aids concentration more than other instrumental music, rests largely on work the vendor commissioned or published itself, and a buyer has no independent way to test it before paying.; Rectangle rectangle Pro is a separate app rather than an in-app purchase, so upgrading means installing and managing a second piece of software.
  • They diverge on capability: Focus@Will covers Channels by style, Rectangle covers Keyboard shortcuts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Focus@Will and Rectangle actually diverge.

Attributes where Focus@Will and Rectangle differ
AttributeFocus@WillRectangle
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, IOS, Android, MacOS, WindowsMac
CategoryProductivityUtilities
Founded2011Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Focus@Will

  • Channels by style
  • Session timer
  • Vocal-free catalogue
  • Browser and mobile
  • Single-purpose subscription

Only in Rectangle

  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Drag to snap
  • Multi-display support
  • Almost full screen
  • Rectangle Pro extras
  • Open source core

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Focus@Will

  • An open-plan office where you want to mask conversation without lyrics competing for your attention.not Rectangle
  • Timed work blocks where the audio also acts as the clock for the session.not Rectangle
  • People who find their own music library distracting precisely because they know every track too well.not Rectangle
  • Study and revision sessions where silence turns out to be worse than background sound.not Rectangle

Rectangle

  • A developer who wants source-available window management with no cost and no accountnot Focus@Will
  • Anyone replacing Magnet who does not want to pay even a small one-time feenot Focus@Will
  • A user who installs software via Homebrew rather than the Mac App Storenot Focus@Will
  • A power user who later wants Rectangle Pro extras but does not need them from day onenot Focus@Will

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Focus@Will

  • The central claim, that this music aids concentration more than other instrumental music, rests largely on work the vendor commissioned or published itself, and a buyer has no independent way to test it before paying.
  • Everything it does has a free substitute, since instrumental playlists on any streaming service cost nothing, so the subscription is defended only by curation, which is the hardest kind of value to demonstrate.
  • It is a single-product subscription from a small vendor with no larger business underwriting it, so a service like this can change hands, change terms or stop with little notice and no obvious successor.
  • Delivery is by streaming, so weak connectivity, aeroplanes and commutes are simultaneously where you most want it and where it is least dependable.
  • Nothing accumulates in the account, which means there is no export problem but also nothing that makes renewal feel necessary, so it is among the first subscriptions cancelled whenever costs are reviewed.

Rectangle

  • Rectangle Pro is a separate app rather than an in-app purchase, so upgrading means installing and managing a second piece of software.
  • It is Mac only, so it offers nothing for a user who also runs Windows and wants one window manager everywhere.
  • It has no official paid support channel, being a community open source project, so issues are handled through GitHub rather than a vendor support desk.
  • Some very old or unusually built third party apps still resist Rectangle window snapping, a limitation shared with most third party window managers on macOS.
  • Because it is not distributed through the Mac App Store, some users have to manually approve accessibility permissions and updates rather than getting silent App Store updates.

Pricing, plan by plan

Focus@Will

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited access to music
    • Basic 25-min timer
    • Ads
  • Basic$4.95/month
    • Unlimited music access
    • Custom timers
    • No ads
  • Pro$9.95/month
    • Everything in Basic
    • Advanced analytics
    • Priority support

Rectangle

Free
  • RectangleFree
    • Free and open source, no account needed
    • Keyboard and drag window snapping
    • Multi-display support
  • Rectangle Pro$9.99/one-time
    • Separate paid app, not an in-app unlock
    • Cursor-following snap areas
    • Per-app window size memory

Which should you pick?

Choose Focus@Will if

  • You need channels by style.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
  • You also want session timer.
Focus@Will review

Choose Rectangle if

  • You need keyboard shortcuts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want drag to snap.
Rectangle review

Questions people ask

Is Focus@Will or Rectangle better?
Neither clearly leads. Focus@Will starts at Free and Rectangle at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Focus@Will or Rectangle?
Focus@Will starts at Free and Rectangle at Free.
Does Focus@Will or Rectangle run on more platforms?
Focus@Will runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows. Rectangle runs on Mac.
Can I use Focus@Will for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Focus@Will best used for?
Focus@Will is most often used for an open-plan office where you want to mask conversation without lyrics competing for your attention., timed work blocks where the audio also acts as the clock for the session., people who find their own music library distracting precisely because they know every track too well., study and revision sessions where silence turns out to be worse than background sound.. Of those, an open-plan office where you want to mask conversation without lyrics competing for your attention. and timed work blocks where the audio also acts as the clock for the session. are not what Rectangle is typically brought in for.
What can Focus@Will do that Rectangle cannot?
Focus@Will covers Channels by style, Session timer, Vocal-free catalogue, Browser and mobile. Rectangle covers Keyboard shortcuts, Drag to snap, Multi-display support, Almost full screen.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Focus@Will: How is this different from a focus playlist?

The vendor's position is that the selection and sequencing are designed against attention research rather than assembled by taste. Whether that difference is audible to you is the whole question, and it is subjective.

Rectangle: Is Rectangle really free?

Yes. The core app is free and open source with no feature gating or trial period.

Focus@Will: Does it work offline?

Treat it as a streaming service that needs a connection. If you work on aeroplanes or in poor coverage, check the current apps before subscribing rather than after.

Rectangle: What does Rectangle Pro add?

Cursor-following snap areas, per-app window size memory and some additional layouts, sold as a separate one-time purchase app.

Focus@Will: Can a team use it?

It is sold to individuals. There is no admin console or central billing of the kind an organisation would need, so a team means several personal subscriptions.

Rectangle: How is it different from Magnet?

Rectangle is free and open source; Magnet is a paid Mac App Store app from the start with no free tier.

Focus@Will: Can I use the music in videos or streams?

No. A personal listening subscription does not grant synchronisation or broadcast rights, so it must not sit behind published content.

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