---
title: "Universal Display Magnet vs Magnet for Mac"
description: "Magnet snaps windows well for $4.99. See when that's enough, and when you also need display arrangement, saved workspaces and tools for your other Macs."
url: https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/compare/magnet
lang: en
---

# Magnet or Universal Display Magnet, which one you need

Both snap windows with the same keys. They come from different developers, and only one of them also looks after your displays, your workspaces and your other Macs.

## The short answer

- **Choose Universal Display Magnet** if your monitors also shuffle, your windows end up on the wrong screen after sleep, or you use Universal Control between Macs. It snaps windows too, with Magnet's default shortcuts, for $9.99 one time.
- **Choose Magnet** if you want to snap windows to halves, quarters and thirds, add your own commands and keep its settings in iCloud. It costs $4.99 on the US Mac App Store (checked 3 November 2026).
- The two apps are unrelated. Universal Display Magnet isn't made by Magnet's developer.

## Two apps, one word in common
Magnet is made by its own developer and sold on the Mac App Store. Universal Display Magnet is an independent app by Clever Mechanisms, sold on this website. In both names, "magnet" describes things snapping into place. It doesn't mean the apps are connected.

Universal Display Magnet starts with Magnet's default shortcuts on purpose, so keys you already know keep working. It isn't a version, an add-on or a successor of Magnet, and Magnet's developer has nothing to do with it.

## Where Universal Display Magnet goes further
Universal Display Magnet is for the problems around your windows:

- **Display arrangement.** Drag your monitors in a visual editor and they snap flush against each other, or use **Snap All** to pull every display together. **Apply** shows the result live; click **Keep** within 15 seconds or it reverts. The arrangement is saved for each set of monitors and put back when they reconnect or the Mac wakes. [Display arrangement](https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/features/display-arrangement)
- **Workspaces.** Save which monitor, which Desktop or full-screen Space, and where each app's windows sit, and restore them with a click or a shortcut. Automatic snapshots put windows back when a set of monitors reconnects or the Mac wakes with its displays changed. [Workspaces](https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/features/workspaces)
- **Universal Control across your Macs.** Arrange the other Macs' displays flush against yours, applied live on every Mac, with an undo. [Universal Control](https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/features/universal-control)
- **Sync between your Macs.** Arrangements and workspaces sync directly over your local network, encrypted, with no cloud. [Mac sync](https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/features/mac-sync)

Magnet's listing and website don't describe these tasks, which doesn't always mean it can't do them.

## Side by side
| | Magnet | Universal Display Magnet |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Snap with keyboard shortcuts | Documented | Documented, same default keys |
| Snap by dragging to an edge | Documented | Documented |
| Your own commands or sizes | Documented | Documented: drawn on a grid |
| Sync between Macs | iCloud, its settings | Local network, arrangements and workspaces |
| Arrange displays | Not documented | Documented |
| Save and restore workspaces | Not documented | Documented |
| Universal Control between Macs | Not documented | Documented |
| Scrolling windows | Not documented | Documented |

**Documented** means described in the product's own listing, website or documentation. **Not documented** means not described there, which doesn't always mean it can't.

## Price and license
- **Magnet:** $4.99 on the US Mac App Store, checked 3 November 2026. Its listing describes a one-time purchase. Prices differ by country.
- **Universal Display Magnet:** $9.99, one-time purchase, with tax added at checkout where applicable. One license covers three Macs. The app keeps working offline for up to seven days after its last successful license check. See [license and updates](https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/support/license-and-updates).

## Running both apps
You can keep Magnet installed. Two apps can't own the same shortcut, though, and because Universal Display Magnet starts with Magnet's defaults (⌃⌥ with the arrow keys, U, I, J, K, Return and C), they collide out of the box. Universal Display Magnet flags any snapping shortcut another app already uses, in **Window Snapping**. Then pick one of these:

- Quit Magnet, or turn off its shortcuts, and use Universal Display Magnet for snapping.
- Change or turn off Universal Display Magnet's snapping shortcuts in **Window Snapping**, keep Magnet for snapping, and use Universal Display Magnet for displays and workspaces.

The full list of default keys is on the [shortcuts page](https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/shortcuts).

## Rectangle and Rectangle Pro
If you're choosing between Magnet and Rectangle, try free Rectangle first: it's open source and snaps windows with shortcuts or by dragging, including halves, quarters and thirds. Rectangle Pro is a separate paid app that adds custom sizes, window throw and App Layouts that can switch on when displays connect or disconnect. Both are compared with Universal Display Magnet on [Rectangle and Rectangle Pro](https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/compare/rectangle).

## Where Magnet is the better fit
Magnet does one job, and it does it well. Its Mac App Store listing and website describe:

- Snapping with keyboard shortcuts, by dragging a window to trigger areas at the edges and corners of the screen, from the green window button's menu and from the menu bar.
- Fullscreen, halves, quarters and thirds.
- An unlimited number of custom commands, with layout and visual settings you can change.
- Optional iCloud sync of its configuration.
- Support for external and vertical displays.
- A one-time purchase, with no subscription and no in-app purchases.

macOS can also tile windows on its own: see [Tile windows on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/tile-app-windows-mchlef287e5d/mac), or the guide to [split screen on a Mac](https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/guides/mac-split-screen).

## Questions, answered

### Is Universal Display Magnet made by the developer of Magnet?

No. Universal Display Magnet is an independent app by Clever Mechanisms. It uses Magnet's default shortcuts so your habits carry over, but the two apps aren't related.

### Can I use Magnet and Universal Display Magnet together?

Yes. Two apps can't own the same shortcut, so Universal Display Magnet flags any shortcut Magnet already uses. Quit Magnet, or change or turn off the snapping shortcuts in one of the two apps.

### Will my Magnet shortcuts work in Universal Display Magnet?

Magnet's default shortcuts work the same way: ⌃⌥ with the arrow keys for halves, U, I, J and K for quarters, Return to maximize and C to center. Draw any custom commands you made in Magnet as custom sizes, each with its own shortcut.

## Read next

- [Window snapping](https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/features/window-snapping)
- [Display arrangement](https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/features/display-arrangement)
- [Workspaces](https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/features/workspaces)
- [Universal Display Magnet vs Rectangle](https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/compare/rectangle)
- [Buy and download for Mac](https://universaldisplaymagnet.app/download)

**Buy for $9.99:** https://buy.polar.sh/polar_cl_Eun4k8w0lqOhFoU3xI4NvwdweeUAlVw0lkte145VZ95

---

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