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Utilities · head to head

Magnet vs McDonalds

Magnet logo

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 reviewWebsite
McDonalds logo

McDonalds

Utilities

McDonald's mobile ordering and MyMcDonald's Rewards app used to drive app-exclusive deals and first party data

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only McDonalds has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Magnet there is no free tier at all, so a user cannot try before buying beyond the Mac App Store return window.; McDonalds many of the best prices are app-exclusive, so customers who avoid the app or its data collection systematically pay more than app users for the same items.
  • They diverge on capability: Magnet covers Keyboard shortcuts, McDonalds covers Mobile order and pay.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Magnet and McDonalds actually diverge.

Attributes where Magnet and McDonalds differ
AttributeMagnetMcDonalds
Starting price$4.99/one-timeFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchaseFree app, revenue from purchases
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsMaciOS, Android

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 Magnet

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

Only in McDonalds

  • Mobile order and pay
  • MyMcDonald's Rewards
  • App-exclusive deals
  • Geofenced drive-thru timing
  • Delivery ordering
  • Order customisation and favourites

What people use each for

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

Magnet

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

McDonalds

  • A customer wanting the best available deal price, since many discounts are app exclusivenot Magnet
  • Skipping the counter or drive-thru queue by ordering aheadnot Magnet
  • Accumulating Rewards points toward free menu items through regular visitsnot Magnet
  • Ordering delivery through an integrated third party partner from inside the appnot Magnet

Where each one falls short

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

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.

McDonalds

  • Many of the best prices are app-exclusive, so customers who avoid the app or its data collection systematically pay more than app users for the same items.
  • It uses location tracking to time drive-thru food preparation, which means granting fairly precise location access for the feature to work as intended.
  • Points values and redemption thresholds are set by McDonald's and its franchisees and can change without the transparency of a fixed loyalty currency.
  • App-exclusive promotions are often only available at participating locations, which is not obvious until checkout, since franchise ownership varies by store.
  • Delivery ordered through the app still routes through third party delivery partners, so delivery fees and reliability issues are unchanged from ordering those platforms directly.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

McDonalds

Free
  • MyMcDonald's RewardsFree
    • Free to join
    • 100 points per dollar spent
    • No cost beyond items ordered

Which should you pick?

Choose Magnet if

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

Choose McDonalds if

  • You need mobile order and pay.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want mymcdonald's rewards.
McDonalds review

Questions people ask

Is Magnet or McDonalds better?
Neither clearly leads. Magnet starts at $4.99/one-time and McDonalds at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Magnet or McDonalds?
McDonalds has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $4.99/one-time for Magnet and Free for McDonalds.
Does Magnet or McDonalds run on more platforms?
Magnet runs on Mac. McDonalds runs on iOS, Android.
Can I use McDonalds for free?
Yes. McDonalds has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Magnet starts at $4.99/one-time.
What is Magnet best used for?
Magnet is most often used for a user who wants the app store handling licensing, family sharing and updates automatically, someone who prefers paying a small one-time fee up front over evaluating a free tool first, a less technical user who does not want to install from github or homebrew, a family sharing one apple id that wants one purchase to cover multiple macs in the household. Of those, a user who wants the app store handling licensing, family sharing and updates automatically and someone who prefers paying a small one-time fee up front over evaluating a free tool first are not what McDonalds is typically brought in for.
What can Magnet do that McDonalds cannot?
Magnet covers Keyboard shortcuts, Drag to snap, Multi-display support, Mac App Store distribution. McDonalds covers Mobile order and pay, MyMcDonald's Rewards, App-exclusive deals, Geofenced drive-thru timing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Magnet: Does Magnet have a free version?

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

McDonalds: Is the McDonald's app free?

Yes, joining and using it costs nothing beyond what is ordered.

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.

McDonalds: Do I need the app to get the best prices?

Often yes; a significant share of current discounted and free-item offers are app exclusive and unavailable at the counter.

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.

McDonalds: Does the app track my location?

Yes, for drive-thru order timing and store locating; this can be limited in phone settings at the cost of that feature.

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