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Utilities · head to head

Rectangle vs TreeSize

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
TreeSize logo

TreeSize

Utilities

Windows disk space analyser whose free edition may be used commercially, with paid tiers for scheduled reporting

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Rectangle rectangle Pro is a separate app rather than an in-app purchase, so upgrading means installing and managing a second piece of software.; TreeSize it traverses directories rather than reading the NTFS master file table, so a local drive scan takes noticeably longer than the fastest alternatives.
  • They diverge on capability: Rectangle covers Keyboard shortcuts, TreeSize covers Free edition licensed for business.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Rectangle and TreeSize actually diverge.

Attributes where Rectangle and TreeSize differ
AttributeRectangleTreeSize
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
PlatformsMacWindows

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Rectangle

  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Drag to snap
  • Multi-display support
  • Almost full screen
  • Rectangle Pro extras
  • Open source core

Only in TreeSize

  • Free edition licensed for business
  • Network share scanning
  • Reports by age and owner
  • Duplicate file search
  • Scheduled scans
  • Exports

What people use each for

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

Rectangle

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

TreeSize

  • Deploying one free disk analyser across a company without a personal-use licence problemnot Rectangle
  • Reporting on a file server by owner and file age before an archiving or quota decisionnot Rectangle
  • Finding duplicate files spread across departmental network sharesnot Rectangle
  • Producing a storage report for someone who will read a PDF but not run a scannot Rectangle

Where each one falls short

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

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.

TreeSize

  • It traverses directories rather than reading the NTFS master file table, so a local drive scan takes noticeably longer than the fastest alternatives.
  • It is Windows only, so file servers running Linux or a NAS appliance need a different tool or a share mounted from a Windows machine.
  • Useful features are spread across three paid tiers, so the single capability a buyer needs frequently sits two tiers above the one they were considering.
  • Scanning large network shares generates significant traffic and takes hours, which means it has to be scheduled rather than run when someone asks the question.
  • Pricing is per licence with separate maintenance, so an accurate total for a team requires a quote rather than a figure from the website.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

TreeSize

Free
  • TreeSize FreeFree
    • Folder size analysis and treemap
    • Licensed for private and commercial use
    • Basic exports
  • TreeSize Personal, Professional and Enterprise$undefined/year
    • File search, duplicate detection and full exports
    • Network share and file server scanning
    • Scheduled unattended scans and stored reports

Which should you pick?

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

Choose TreeSize if

  • You need free edition licensed for business.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want network share scanning.
TreeSize review

Questions people ask

Is Rectangle or TreeSize better?
Neither clearly leads. Rectangle starts at Free and TreeSize at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Rectangle or TreeSize?
Rectangle starts at Free and TreeSize at Free.
Does Rectangle or TreeSize run on more platforms?
Rectangle runs on Mac. TreeSize runs on Windows.
Can I use Rectangle for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Rectangle best used for?
Rectangle is most often used for a developer who wants source-available window management with no cost and no account, anyone replacing magnet who does not want to pay even a small one-time fee, a user who installs software via homebrew rather than the mac app store, a power user who later wants rectangle pro extras but does not need them from day one. Of those, a developer who wants source-available window management with no cost and no account and anyone replacing magnet who does not want to pay even a small one-time fee are not what TreeSize is typically brought in for.
What can Rectangle do that TreeSize cannot?
Rectangle covers Keyboard shortcuts, Drag to snap, Multi-display support, Almost full screen. TreeSize covers Free edition licensed for business, Network share scanning, Reports by age and owner, Duplicate file search.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Rectangle: Is Rectangle really free?

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

TreeSize: Is TreeSize Free really free for business use?

Yes. JAM Software licenses the free edition for private and commercial use, which is the main reason it appears on corporate machines where other free analysers are not permitted.

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.

TreeSize: Why is it slower than WizTree?

Method. WizTree reads the NTFS master file table; TreeSize walks the directory tree, which is slower but works on network shares and non-NTFS volumes.

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.

TreeSize: Can it scan a NAS or Linux file server?

It scans them as network shares over SMB, with the speed penalty that implies. There is no agent that runs on the server itself.

TreeSize: What does the Enterprise tier add?

Scheduled unattended scans, stored historical results and reporting across servers, which is the difference between a cleanup tool and a storage reporting system.

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