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Utilities · head to head

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert vs Rectangle

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert logo

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert

Utilities

Telemetry SCADA for geographically distributed water, oil and gas assets, formerly ClearSCADA

From
On request
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

  • Only Rectangle has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert the ClearSCADA name is retired, so the large body of documentation, forum answers and integrator experience under that name is increasingly stale and does not always match current behaviour.; 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: EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert covers Point-banded server licence, Rectangle covers Keyboard shortcuts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert and Rectangle actually diverge.

Attributes where EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert and Rectangle differ
AttributeEcoStruxure Geo SCADA ExpertRectangle
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, WebMac

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Utilities).

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 EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert

  • Point-banded server licence
  • Telemetry protocol stack
  • Store and forward reconciliation
  • ViewX and Virtual ViewX
  • Redundant server pairs
  • Embedded historian and alarms

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.

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert

  • A water utility polling several thousand remote pump and lift stations over cellular and radio where outstation log backfill matters more than screen refresh ratenot Rectangle
  • A midstream gas operator needing full DNP3 outstation support including unsolicited reporting and time-stamped event retrievalnot Rectangle
  • Replacing an ageing ClearSCADA installation where the historical database and driver configuration can be carried forward rather than rebuiltnot Rectangle
  • A regional wastewater authority consolidating several inherited SCADA systems onto one redundant server pair with browser clients for on-call staffnot Rectangle

Rectangle

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

Where each one falls short

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

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert

  • The ClearSCADA name is retired, so the large body of documentation, forum answers and integrator experience under that name is increasingly stale and does not always match current behaviour.
  • Licensing is point-banded and client-counted with nothing published, and discount depends on your existing entitlement, so a first-time buyer negotiates from a weaker position than an incumbent renewing.
  • The free development mode is capped at 1,000 points and two hours of runtime, which is enough to prototype a screen but not enough to load-test a realistic network before you commit.
  • It is a Windows Server product; there is no Linux server option, so the operating system licensing, patching cadence and hardening burden come with the platform whether you want them or not.
  • Schneider has repeatedly rebranded and repositioned this line, from Control Microsystems to ClearSCADA to EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert, which makes long-horizon roadmap commitments hard to trust for a system a utility expects to run for fifteen years.

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

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert

On request
  • EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert$undefined/year
    • Server licensed in point bands from around 250 points upward
    • ViewX and Virtual ViewX clients licensed individually or in bundles
    • Free unlicensed development mode limited to 1,000 points and two hours of runtime

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 EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert if

  • You need point-banded server licence.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want telemetry protocol stack.
EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert 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 EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert or Rectangle better?
Neither clearly leads. EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert starts at On request and Rectangle at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert or Rectangle?
Rectangle has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert and Free for Rectangle.
Does EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert or Rectangle run on more platforms?
EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert runs on Windows, Web. Rectangle runs on Mac.
Can I use Rectangle for free?
Yes. Rectangle has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert starts at On request.
What is EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert best used for?
EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert is most often used for a water utility polling several thousand remote pump and lift stations over cellular and radio where outstation log backfill matters more than screen refresh rate, a midstream gas operator needing full dnp3 outstation support including unsolicited reporting and time-stamped event retrieval, replacing an ageing clearscada installation where the historical database and driver configuration can be carried forward rather than rebuilt, a regional wastewater authority consolidating several inherited scada systems onto one redundant server pair with browser clients for on-call staff. Of those, a water utility polling several thousand remote pump and lift stations over cellular and radio where outstation log backfill matters more than screen refresh rate and a midstream gas operator needing full dnp3 outstation support including unsolicited reporting and time-stamped event retrieval are not what Rectangle is typically brought in for.
What can EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert do that Rectangle cannot?
EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert covers Point-banded server licence, Telemetry protocol stack, Store and forward reconciliation, ViewX and Virtual ViewX. Rectangle covers Keyboard shortcuts, Drag to snap, Multi-display support, Almost full screen.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert: Can I still buy ClearSCADA?

No. The product is sold as EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert. ClearSCADA is a retired name and current quotes will use the new one.

Rectangle: Is Rectangle really free?

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

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert: How is the server licensed?

By point count, in bands starting around 250 points and scaling to over a million on a single server. Clients are licensed on top, individually or in bundles.

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.

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert: Is there a way to test it for free?

Yes, unlicensed development mode runs up to 1,000 points for two hours at a time. That is a prototyping tool, not a pilot.

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.

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert: Is Geo SCADA the same as AVEVA Plant SCADA?

No. Plant SCADA is the former Citect product for plant-floor supervisory control. Geo SCADA is the former ClearSCADA product for distributed telemetry. Different codebases, different problems.

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