Kumiko vs Rectangle
Rectangle is the default answer for "how do I snap windows on a Mac", and for good reason. Kumiko snaps the same way, then goes after the whole screen.
Updated
Short answer: If you want free keyboard snapping on a laptop, Rectangle is hard to beat. If you work on an ultrawide or a big 4K or 5K display and want every window placed at once, Kumiko is built for that.
Side by side
| Feature | Rectangle | Kumiko |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (Pro is paid) | €30 once (€9 at launch) |
| Arrow-key snapping, press again to resize | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Thirds and two-thirds | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Snap sizes that change on ultrawide screens | Manual | Automatic (⅓ first on 21:9 and 32:9) |
| Whole-screen layouts for every window at once | Pro: workspace layouts | Six layouts, ⌃⌥1–6 |
| Resume: reopen browser tabs, editor folders, terminal folders | — No | Yes, 45 apps |
| Type what you are doing and it arranges everything | — No | AI command bar (⌥ Space) |
| Meeting mode (call under the camera, notes below) | — No | ✓ Yes |
| Blur private apps when screen sharing | — No | ✓ Yes |
| Learns where you like each app | — No | ✓ Yes |
| Each display keeps its own layout | Partly | ✓ Yes |
| Open source | ✓ Yes | — No |
Rectangle: Free and open source; Rectangle Pro is a paid upgrade. Checked on each product's own website in November 2026.
What Rectangle does well
- Free and open source
- Repeat a shortcut to cycle through sizes
- Drag to edges and corners to snap
- Huge, active user base
What Kumiko adds
- Arrow keys that know your screen. Hold ⌃⌥ and press ← or →. Press again to go from ½ to ⅔ to ⅓. On a 21:9 or 32:9 ultrawide the first press gives a third, and ↑ gives you the centre column.
- Six layouts for the whole screen. Focus centre, Halves, Thirds, Studio, Stack and Columns place every window at once with ⌃⌥1 to ⌃⌥6.
- Resume. Close the lid and Kumiko brings back every browser tab, the project folder in your editor and the folder each terminal was in. It works with 45 apps.
- The AI command bar. Press ⌥ Space and type "review PR 482 and reply to the team". Kumiko picks the windows, opens what's missing, brings the right tab forward and shows you the plan first.
- Meeting and Share-safe. Calls move under your camera with notes below; private apps blur when you share your screen.
Which one should you pick?
Pick Rectangle if
You mainly use a laptop screen, you want something free, and snapping one window at a time is all you need.
Pick Kumiko if
You have an ultrawide or a big display, you switch between projects, and you want the whole screen (and your tabs and folders) to come back in one go.
Kumiko is €30 once for 2 Macs, and the first 25 launch licences are €9. It works on macOS 14 or later.
Questions
Is Kumiko a Rectangle alternative?
Yes. Kumiko uses the same idea for snapping (hold ⌃⌥ and press an arrow, press again to change the width), so moving from Rectangle takes minutes. It adds layouts, Resume and the AI command bar on top.
Can I run Kumiko and Rectangle together?
You can, but both use ⌃⌥ with the arrow keys by default, so change the shortcuts in one of them or quit Rectangle.
Does Rectangle work on ultrawide monitors?
Yes, but its snap positions are the same on every screen shape. Kumiko changes them for 21:9 and 32:9, so the first press gives you a third instead of a very wide half.