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Utilities · head to head

Rectangle vs WinDirStat

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
WinDirStat logo

WinDirStat

Utilities

Windows disk usage analyser that shows where space went as a colour-coded treemap

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.; WinDirStat it walks the directory tree rather than reading the NTFS master file table, so a full scan takes minutes where WizTree takes seconds on the same drive.
  • They diverge on capability: Rectangle covers Keyboard shortcuts, WinDirStat covers Treemap visualisation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Rectangle and WinDirStat actually diverge.

Attributes where Rectangle and WinDirStat differ
AttributeRectangleWinDirStat
PlatformsMacWindows

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 Rectangle

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

Only in WinDirStat

  • Treemap visualisation
  • Three linked views
  • Multithreaded scanning
  • Cleanup actions
  • Any filesystem
  • GPL licensed

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 WinDirStat
  • Anyone replacing Magnet who does not want to pay even a small one-time feenot WinDirStat
  • A user who installs software via Homebrew rather than the Mac App Storenot WinDirStat
  • A power user who later wants Rectangle Pro extras but does not need them from day onenot WinDirStat

WinDirStat

  • Finding what filled a Windows system drive when the usual suspects are not responsiblenot Rectangle
  • Auditing a shared or network drive where files are spread across thousands of foldersnot Rectangle
  • Environments where licence terms forbid personal-use-only freeware on company machinesnot Rectangle
  • Explaining disk usage visually to someone who will not read a list of folder sizesnot 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.

WinDirStat

  • It walks the directory tree rather than reading the NTFS master file table, so a full scan takes minutes where WizTree takes seconds on the same drive.
  • The version most users have installed is the 2007 build, and because it was dormant for so long, search results and download mirrors still point at it.
  • It is Windows only, so a mixed estate needs a different tool for macOS and Linux machines.
  • There is no scheduling, reporting or export for fleet use, so it answers a question on one machine at a time rather than monitoring storage across an organisation.
  • Hard links, junctions and deduplicated volumes can be counted in ways that make the totals disagree with what Windows reports, which causes confusion on servers.

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

WinDirStat

Free
  • WinDirStatFree
    • GPL licensed
    • Commercial use permitted
    • No paid edition or feature gating

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 WinDirStat if

  • You need treemap visualisation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want three linked views.
WinDirStat review

Questions people ask

Is Rectangle or WinDirStat better?
Neither clearly leads. Rectangle starts at Free and WinDirStat at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Rectangle or WinDirStat?
Rectangle starts at Free and WinDirStat at Free.
Does Rectangle or WinDirStat run on more platforms?
Rectangle runs on Mac. WinDirStat 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 WinDirStat is typically brought in for.
What can Rectangle do that WinDirStat cannot?
Rectangle covers Keyboard shortcuts, Drag to snap, Multi-display support, Almost full screen. WinDirStat covers Treemap visualisation, Three linked views, Multithreaded scanning, Cleanup actions.

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.

WinDirStat: Is WinDirStat still maintained?

Yes. It was dormant from around 2007 until new maintainers resumed development and released the 2.x line with multithreaded scanning and current Windows support.

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.

WinDirStat: Can I use it at work?

Yes. It is GPL licensed with no personal-use restriction, which is the practical advantage over free-for-personal-use alternatives in this category.

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.

WinDirStat: Why is it slower than WizTree?

Different method. WizTree reads the NTFS master file table directly; WinDirStat traverses directories, which is slower but works on any filesystem, including network shares.

WinDirStat: Does it run on macOS or Linux?

No. Separate projects exist with similar treemap interfaces, but WinDirStat itself is Windows only.

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