Is GParted or Rectangle better?

Neither clearly leads. GParted 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, GParted or Rectangle?

GParted starts at Free and Rectangle at Free.

Does GParted or Rectangle run on more platforms?

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

Can I use GParted for free?

Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.

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 Rectangle is typically brought in for.

What can GParted do that Rectangle cannot?

GParted covers Graphical partitioning, Wide filesystem support, Live boot image, Queued operations. Rectangle covers Keyboard shortcuts, Drag to snap, Multi-display support, Almost full screen.

Utilities · head to head

GParted vs Rectangle

GParted

Utilities

Graphical partition editor for disks

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

Rectangle

Utilities

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

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Each has a real cost: GParted partition operations risk data loss, and a backup before use is not optional advice; 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: GParted covers Graphical partitioning, Rectangle covers Keyboard shortcuts.
Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GParted and Rectangle actually diverge.

Attributes where GParted and Rectangle differ
Attribute	GParted	Rectangle
Platforms	Linux, Live USB	Mac

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), 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 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.

GParted

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

Rectangle

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

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

GParted

Free

GPartedFree
- Full functionality
- No usage limits
- Community 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 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 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 GParted or Rectangle better?: Neither clearly leads. GParted 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, GParted or Rectangle?: GParted starts at Free and Rectangle at Free.
Does GParted or Rectangle run on more platforms?: GParted runs on Linux, Live USB. Rectangle runs on Mac.
Can I use GParted for free?: Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Rectangle is typically brought in for.
What can GParted do that Rectangle cannot?: GParted covers Graphical partitioning, Wide filesystem support, Live boot image, Queued operations. Rectangle covers Keyboard shortcuts, Drag to snap, Multi-display support, Almost full screen.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GParted: Is GParted free?

Yes, open source under the GPL.

Rectangle: Is Rectangle really free?

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

GParted vs Rectangle

GParted

Rectangle

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in GParted

Only in Rectangle

What people use each for

GParted

Rectangle

Where each one falls short

GParted

Rectangle

Pricing, plan by plan

GParted

Rectangle

Which should you pick?

Choose GParted if

Choose Rectangle if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on GParted

More on Rectangle

Keep looking

Other head to heads