---
title: "Compare Mac display and window managers"
description: "Universal Display Magnet next to macOS, ChainYourMac, Magnet, Moom, ShiftPlus and BetterTouchTool: every feature side by side, with prices."
url: https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/compare
lang: en
---

# The right tool for the job

Universal Display Magnet next to macOS and the apps it's most often compared with, feature by feature, then what the paid alternatives cost.

## Side by side, as each documents itself

macOS and the tools Universal Display Magnet is most often set beside, row by row, including command-line and open-source tools for technical setups.

| | Universal Display Magnet | macOS | ChainYourMac | display-align | SnapBack | displayplacer | Magnet |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **At a glance** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| How you use it | App, with a menu bar panel | System Settings | Menu bar app | Menu bar app | Menu bar, through Hammerspoon | Command line | Menu bar app |
| **Displays** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Arrange displays visually | ✓ | ✓ | ○ | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Snap every display flush in one click | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Remember the arrangement for each set of monitors and put it back when they reconnect | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Put the arrangement back after the Mac wakes | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Restore each display's resolution with the arrangement | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ✓ | ○ | ✓ | ○ |
| **Universal Control** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Arrange Universal Control between Macs | ✓ | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Snap your Macs' displays flush for Universal Control | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| **Windows** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Save window layouts and restore them | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ✓ | ○ | ○ |
| Restore windows automatically when the display setup changes | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ✓ | ○ | ○ |
| Put windows back on their Desktop | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ✓<sup>1</sup> | ○ | ○ |
| Take snapshots of window positions automatically | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Snap windows with keyboard shortcuts | ✓ | ✓<sup>2</sup> | ○ | ○ | ✓ | ○ | ✓ |
| Snap a window by dragging it to a screen edge | ✓ | ✓<sup>2</sup> | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ✓ |
| Your own snap sizes and positions | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ✓ |
| **Scrolling Windows** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Lay windows out as columns on a strip that scrolls | ✓ | ○ | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Preset column widths, nudged wider or narrower | ✓ | ○ | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Stack windows in a column, in both directions | ✓ | ○ | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Tabbed columns with a clickable tab bar | ✓ | ○ | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Grid tiling: each new window divides the screen | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| An overview of the strip to jump and reorder | ✓ | ○ | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| A strip for each display, off for the ones you choose | ✓ | ○ | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Trackpad swipes that follow your fingers | ✓ | ○ | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| A focus border and dimmed inactive windows | ✓ | ○ | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Floating windows and rules per app | ✓ | ○ | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Restore the strip after restarting | ✓ | ○ | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| **Between Macs** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Sync arrangements and workspaces between your Macs | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |

1. SnapBack calls its Spaces support best effort: macOS's Spaces interfaces are private and can be unreliable.
2. macOS 15 or later.

✓ Described in the product's documentation. ○ Not described there, which doesn't always mean it can't.

Based on each project's public documentation as of October 24, 2026. ChainYourMac's column is based on its website and changelog as of November 3, 2026.

## Paid alternatives cost more

Prices as each product listed them on November 3, 2026, in US dollars; taxes and offers vary. The last column is what Universal Display Magnet has that the product's own documentation doesn't describe.

| App | Price | What it's for | What Universal Display Magnet adds |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Universal Display Magnet** | $9.99 once, for three Macs | Display arrangement, workspaces, Universal Control, window snapping and Scrolling Windows, in one app | — |
| ChainYourMac | $19.99 for one Mac, $49.99 for three | A dedicated scrolling window manager, for Apple silicon | Display arrangement for each set of monitors, workspaces, Universal Control between Macs, window snapping and grid tiling |
| ShiftPlus | $24 for one device, $39 for two | Restoring projects, browser profiles, windows and Spaces | Display arrangement for each set of monitors, Universal Control between Macs and Scrolling Windows |
| BetterTouchTool | $15 with two years of updates, $25 lifetime | Gestures and automation, with window tools | Display arrangement for each set of monitors, Universal Control between Macs and Scrolling Windows |
| Moom | $15; upgrades $8 | Saved window layouts, custom actions and drop zones | Display arrangement for each set of monitors, Universal Control between Macs and Scrolling Windows |

In depth: [Magnet](https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/compare/magnet) · [Rectangle](https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/compare/rectangle) · [Moom](https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/compare/moom) · [ChainYourMac](https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/compare/chainyourmac)

Universal Display Magnet builds on ideas from three open-source projects, display-align, SnapBack and displayplacer, and works with windows on other Desktops using techniques from AltTab and Amethyst. It shares no code with them. Scrolling Windows runs on Paneru, the open-source engine ChainYourMac is also built on.

Product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Universal Display Magnet isn't affiliated with any of these projects.

---

Universal Display Magnet is independent software by [Clever Mechanisms](https://clevermechanisms.dev). It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Apple Inc. Apple, Mac, macOS, Mac Studio, Mac mini, MacBook Pro, Safari and Finder are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions. Email support: support@clevermechanisms.dev