Magnet

Who It's For

Magnet is for users who want polished, App Store-supported window snapping with a one-time purchase and no configuration. It's the most downloaded window manager on the Mac App Store, and its popularity comes from being immediately intuitive — drag a window to an edge and it snaps, or use a keyboard shortcut for any position. If you want something that "just works" and matches the quality bar of commercial Mac software, Magnet is the benchmark in its category.

How It Works

Magnet hooks into macOS via the Accessibility API and registers global keyboard shortcuts for each snap position. When you drag a window close to a screen edge or corner, Magnet detects the proximity and shows a preview of where the window will land — release the drag and it snaps into place. No window is tiled automatically; every snap is an explicit user action.

Supported positions cover halves (left, right, top, bottom), quarters (all four corners), thirds (left, center, right), two-thirds (left-center, center-right), and fullscreen. Multi-monitor workflows are handled by "throw" shortcuts that send the focused window to the next or previous display. All positions have keyboard shortcuts, and custom shortcuts can be remapped in Magnet's preferences.

Compared to Similar Tools

Compared to Rectangle (free, open-source), Magnet is functionally similar for the core snap positions — halves, quarters, thirds. The practical differences are the price ($5.99 vs free), distribution (App Store vs direct), and aesthetics: Magnet's snap preview overlays and menu bar UI are slightly more polished. Rectangle covers nearly the same feature set at no cost. Users who want App Store sandboxing, automatic updates through the App Store, and a commercial support model choose Magnet; users who want free and open-source choose Rectangle.

Compared to Rectangle Pro ($9.99), Magnet lacks cursor gestures, custom zone editors, and window grouping. Rectangle Pro is the better choice if you want to go beyond fixed snap positions.

Requirements

• macOS 10.13 High Sierra or later
• Accessibility permission required: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility
• No SIP changes required
• $5.99 one-time purchase on the Mac App Store (no subscription)
• Available exclusively through the App Store

Getting Started

Purchase from the Mac App Store and launch — no config file or terminal involved. Magnet prompts for Accessibility permission on first launch and then starts working immediately. Open Magnet Preferences from the menu bar icon to reassign any shortcut or adjust snap sensitivity. The App Store listing is at apps.apple.com and updates are delivered automatically through the App Store.