Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Spectacle App VS BetterSnapTool

Compare Spectacle App VS BetterSnapTool and see what are their differences

Spectacle App logo Spectacle App

Move and resize windows with ease.

BetterSnapTool logo BetterSnapTool

10 Oct 2017 . BetterSnapTool allows you to easily manage your window positions and sizes by either dragging them to one of the screen's corners or to the top, left or right side of the screen.
  • Spectacle App Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-18

Important note: Spectacle is no longer being actively maintained

  • BetterSnapTool Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-14

Spectacle App features and specs

  • User-Friendliness
    Spectacle App offers an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, which allows users to quickly understand and navigate through its features without a steep learning curve.
  • Efficiency
    The app provides keyboard shortcuts for managing window sizes and positions, enhancing workflow efficiency and minimizing the time spent on window management.
  • Customization
    Users can customize the keyboard shortcuts according to their preferences, making the app versatile and adaptable to different working styles.
  • Free to Use
    Spectacle App is available at no cost, providing powerful window management features without any financial barriers.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source project, Spectacle App allows users to contribute to its development and modifications, promoting community collaboration and transparency.

Possible disadvantages of Spectacle App

  • Limited Development
    The app is no longer actively maintained, which may result in compatibility issues with newer operating systems or a lack of new features over time.
  • Basic Functionality
    While effective, Spectacle App offers relatively basic functionality compared to some commercial window management tools, which may have more advanced features.
  • No Multi-Monitor Support
    Spectacle App lacks robust support for managing windows across multiple monitors, which can be a limitation for users with complex setups.
  • Potential Bugs
    As an open-source project without ongoing maintenance, users might encounter bugs or glitches that will not be addressed through official updates.

BetterSnapTool features and specs

  • Customization
    BetterSnapTool offers a high level of customization, allowing users to define their own snap areas and assign custom shortcuts for snapping windows.
  • Efficiency
    The app boosts productivity by enabling users to quickly arrange windows, making multitasking more efficient on macOS.
  • User-friendly Interface
    BetterSnapTool provides a straightforward and easy-to-use interface, making it accessible for users of different skill levels.
  • Multiple Display Support
    The tool supports multiple monitors, allowing users to manage windows across different screens seamlessly.

Possible disadvantages of BetterSnapTool

  • Learning Curve
    New users may face a slight learning curve when trying to make the most of the tool's customizations and settings.
  • Resource Usage
    Though generally lightweight, BetterSnapTool can occasionally consume more system resources, particularly when handling complex window arrangements.
  • Limited Free Features
    Some users might find the fully paid features to be limiting if they do not require extensive customization or additional features.
  • macOS Exclusivity
    BetterSnapTool is exclusive to macOS, thus not beneficial for users operating on Windows or Linux systems.

Spectacle App videos

Demo of Spectacle App for Mac

More videos:

  • Review - Spectacle App Showcase: Window Management, Manipulation, & Organization for Mac (2017)

BetterSnapTool videos

Mac App Review - BetterSnapTool

More videos:

  • Review - BetterSnapTool Review!

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Spectacle App and BetterSnapTool)
Window Manager
63 63%
37% 37
OSX Tools
59 59%
41% 41
Screenshot Annotation
100 100%
0% 0
Mac Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Spectacle App and BetterSnapTool

Spectacle App Reviews

Moom vs Magnet vs Spectacle
While custom sizes can only be done with Moom, the predefined window sizes are provided by Magnet and Spectacle out of the box, but can also be configured manually with Moom. It’s also possible to assign keyboard shortcuts. So, in this case, if you want all the features, Moom can do them all.
Source: medium.com

BetterSnapTool Reviews

Top 6 Window Manager Apps for Mac
You can manage multiple windows on your Mac using various built-in features and third-party tools. For example, you can use Mission Control to view all open windows, Split View to divide the screen into two windows, or a third-party window manager, such as Swish or BetterSnapTool.
The 6 Best Mac Window Management Tools
BetterSnapTool is one of the oldest and closest alternatives to Magnet for a fraction of the price. You can simply drag and drop windows to snap them to the corner or side by side. Moreover, you can customize these snapping areas and window sizes to match your requirements.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Spectacle App seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 4 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Spectacle App mentions (4)

BetterSnapTool mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of BetterSnapTool yet. Tracking of BetterSnapTool recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Spectacle App and BetterSnapTool, you can also consider the following products

Greenshot - Greenshot is a free and open source screenshot tool that allows annotation and highlighting using the built-in image editor.

Magnet Window Manager - Magnet Developers

ShareX - ShareX is a free and open source program that lets you capture or record any area of your screen...

LayAuto - Automated window management for Mac ✨

Moom - Move your mouse over the green zoom button in any window, and Moom's mouse control overlay will appear (as seen in the above animation).

LightShot - The fastest way to take a customizable screenshot.