Is GParted or Magnet better?

Neither clearly leads. GParted starts at Free and Magnet at $4.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.

Which is cheaper, GParted or Magnet?

GParted has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for GParted and $4.99/one-time for Magnet.

Does GParted or Magnet run on more platforms?

GParted runs on Linux, Live USB. Magnet runs on Mac.

Can I use GParted for free?

Yes. GParted has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Magnet starts at $4.99/one-time.

What is GParted best used for?

GParted is most often used for resizing a system partition, booted from the live image, preparing disk layout before installing an operating system, recovering space or repairing partition tables on a failing disk. Of those, resizing a system partition, booted from the live image and preparing disk layout before installing an operating system are not what Magnet is typically brought in for.

What can GParted do that Magnet cannot?

GParted covers Graphical partitioning, Wide filesystem support, Live boot image, Queued operations. Magnet covers Keyboard shortcuts, Drag to snap, Multi-display support, Mac App Store distribution.

Utilities · head to head

GParted vs Magnet

GParted

Utilities

Graphical partition editor for disks

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

Magnet

Utilities

Mac App Store window manager sold as a one-time paid app, with no free tier

From: $4.99/one-time
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Only GParted has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
Each has a real cost: GParted partition operations risk data loss, and a backup before use is not optional advice; Magnet there is no free tier at all, so a user cannot try before buying beyond the Mac App Store return window.
They diverge on capability: GParted covers Graphical partitioning, Magnet covers Keyboard shortcuts.
Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GParted and Magnet actually diverge.

Attributes where GParted and Magnet differ
Attribute	GParted	Magnet
Starting price	Free	$4.99/one-time
Pricing model	Open source, no licence fee	One-time purchase
Free tier	Yes	No
Platforms	Linux, Live USB	Mac

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 GParted

Graphical partitioning
Wide filesystem support
Live boot image
Queued operations

Only in Magnet

Keyboard shortcuts
Drag to snap
Multi-display support
Mac App Store distribution
Menu bar access
Third display layouts

What people use each for

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

GParted

Resizing a system partition, booted from the live imagenot Magnet
Preparing disk layout before installing an operating systemnot Magnet
Recovering space or repairing partition tables on a failing disknot Magnet

Magnet

A user who wants the App Store handling licensing, family sharing and updates automaticallynot GParted
Someone who prefers paying a small one-time fee up front over evaluating a free tool firstnot GParted
A less technical user who does not want to install from GitHub or Homebrewnot GParted
A family sharing one Apple ID that wants one purchase to cover multiple Macs in the householdnot GParted

Where each one falls short

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

GParted

Partition operations risk data loss, and a backup before use is not optional advice
Cannot safely modify mounted partitions, so system drives require booting the live image
Large move and resize operations can take hours and must not be interrupted
The interface is functional rather than reassuring, which matters for an operation this consequential

Magnet

There is no free tier at all, so a user cannot try before buying beyond the Mac App Store return window.
It offers fewer customisation options than Rectangle, such as fewer configurable snap zones and less granular per-app behaviour.
Update cadence has historically been slower than the actively developed open source Rectangle project.
It is Mac only and App Store only, so it cannot be scripted, redistributed internally by a company, or installed outside Apple normal channels.
Being a small independent app, support depends on the developer responding to App Store reviews or email rather than a dedicated support team.

Pricing, plan by plan

GParted

Free

GPartedFree
- Full functionality
- No usage limits
- Community support

Magnet

$4.99/one-time

Magnet$4.99/one-time
- Full app unlocked immediately, no trial gating
- Mac App Store purchase and family sharing
- Free updates through the App Store

Which should you pick?

Choose GParted if

You need graphical partitioning.
You want to start without paying.
You work on Linux, Live USB.
You also want wide filesystem support.

GParted review

Choose Magnet if

You need keyboard shortcuts.
You work on Mac.
You also want drag to snap.

Magnet review

Questions people ask

Is GParted or Magnet better?: Neither clearly leads. GParted starts at Free and Magnet at $4.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GParted or Magnet?: GParted has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for GParted and $4.99/one-time for Magnet.
Does GParted or Magnet run on more platforms?: GParted runs on Linux, Live USB. Magnet runs on Mac.
Can I use GParted for free?: Yes. GParted has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Magnet starts at $4.99/one-time.
What is GParted best used for?: GParted is most often used for resizing a system partition, booted from the live image, preparing disk layout before installing an operating system, recovering space or repairing partition tables on a failing disk. Of those, resizing a system partition, booted from the live image and preparing disk layout before installing an operating system are not what Magnet is typically brought in for.
What can GParted do that Magnet cannot?: GParted covers Graphical partitioning, Wide filesystem support, Live boot image, Queued operations. Magnet covers Keyboard shortcuts, Drag to snap, Multi-display support, Mac App Store distribution.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GParted: Is GParted free?

Yes, open source under the GPL.

Magnet: Does Magnet have a free version?

No. It has always been a paid Mac App Store purchase with no free tier.

GParted: Can GParted resize my system drive?

Not while it is mounted. Boot the GParted live USB image, which runs independently of the installed system.

Magnet: Can I share one purchase across my family Macs?

Yes, through Apple Family Sharing on the Mac App Store, the same as any other App Store app.

GParted: Is it safe?

The operations are consequential and interruption during a move or resize can lose data. Back up before using it, every time.

Magnet: How is it different from Rectangle?

Magnet is a paid App Store app from the start; Rectangle is free and open source, with paid Pro features sold as a separate app.

GParted vs Magnet

GParted

Magnet

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in GParted

Only in Magnet

What people use each for

GParted

Magnet

Where each one falls short

GParted

Magnet

Pricing, plan by plan

GParted

Magnet

Which should you pick?

Choose GParted if

Choose Magnet if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on GParted

More on Magnet

Keep looking

Other head to heads