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Utilities · head to head

Magnet vs WizTree

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
WizTree logo

WizTree

Utilities

Windows disk space analyser that reads the NTFS master file table, scanning a drive in seconds

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only WizTree 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.; WizTree it is free for personal use only, so deploying it across company machines without licences is a compliance problem rather than a saving.
  • They diverge on capability: Magnet covers Keyboard shortcuts, WizTree covers Master file table scanning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Magnet and WizTree actually diverge.

Attributes where Magnet and WizTree differ
AttributeMagnetWizTree
Starting price$4.99/one-timeFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchasequote
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsMacWindows

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 WizTree

  • Master file table scanning
  • File list view
  • Treemap
  • Hard link handling
  • Portable version
  • File deletion and export

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

WizTree

  • Clearing a full system drive quickly when someone is waiting and a multi-minute scan is unacceptablenot Magnet
  • Finding large files across a whole volume without knowing which folder to look innot Magnet
  • Repeated checks on a machine where disk space fills unpredictablynot Magnet
  • Support work where the scan must finish while you are still on the callnot 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.

WizTree

  • It is free for personal use only, so deploying it across company machines without licences is a compliance problem rather than a saving.
  • The speed advantage exists only on local NTFS volumes; network shares, exFAT, FAT32 and ReFS fall back to ordinary directory scanning and lose the advantage entirely.
  • Reading the master file table requires administrator rights, so it cannot be used by standard users on managed machines without an elevation policy.
  • It is Windows only, with no macOS or Linux build, so a mixed estate needs a second tool anyway.
  • It analyses one machine at a time with no scheduling or central reporting, so it is a diagnostic tool rather than a way to manage storage across an organisation.

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

WizTree

Free
  • WizTree FreeFree
    • Full scanning and treemap features
    • Personal, non-commercial use only
    • No feature limitations for home users
  • WizTree Professional and Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Licence required for any business use
    • Per-user and site licensing tiers
    • Commercial deployment rights

Which should you pick?

Choose Magnet if

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

Choose WizTree if

  • You need master file table scanning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want file list view.
WizTree review

Questions people ask

Is Magnet or WizTree better?
Neither clearly leads. Magnet starts at $4.99/one-time and WizTree at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Magnet or WizTree?
WizTree has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $4.99/one-time for Magnet and Free for WizTree.
Does Magnet or WizTree run on more platforms?
Magnet runs on Mac. WizTree runs on Windows.
Can I use WizTree for free?
Yes. WizTree 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 WizTree is typically brought in for.
What can Magnet do that WizTree cannot?
Magnet covers Keyboard shortcuts, Drag to snap, Multi-display support, Mac App Store distribution. WizTree covers Master file table scanning, File list view, Treemap, Hard link handling.

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.

WizTree: Why is it so much faster than other analysers?

It reads the NTFS master file table, the index the filesystem already maintains, instead of walking directories. It is one read of a structure rather than thousands of folder operations.

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.

WizTree: Can I use the free version at work?

No. The free build is licensed for personal use only, and business use requires a paid licence. WinDirStat and TreeSize Free are the no-cost options that allow commercial use.

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.

WizTree: Is it fast on network drives?

No. Master file table access needs local NTFS. Over a network share it scans conventionally and is no faster than the alternatives.

WizTree: Does it need administrator rights?

Yes, for master file table access. Without elevation it either cannot scan or falls back to the slow method.

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