Recommended Free Tools
You do not need one expensive utility suite to cleanly remove apps, arrange windows and automate common Mac tasks. A practical free stack is Pearcleaner for uninstalling apps and reviewing leftovers, Rectangle for keyboard- and edge-based window snapping, Raycast for a launcher that also handles scripts, quicklinks and window layouts, and Hammerspoon when you want deep, scriptable control.
These tools solve different problems rather than pretending to be an all-in-one replacement. Choose Pearcleaner for app removal, Rectangle for straightforward window management, Raycast for a broad command palette, or Hammerspoon for event-driven automation. The sections below explain what each app does, which Mac versions it supports, where permissions are required and how to combine them without paying for overlapping features.
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Quick answer: which free Mac utility should you install?
| Job | Best starting point | What it covers | Important trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remove an app and inspect its leftovers | Pearcleaner | App uninstalling and associated files | It is a targeted cleaner, not a guaranteed speed-up tool |
| Snap windows with shortcuts or screen edges | Rectangle | Keyboard shortcuts and snap areas | Advanced features are in the separate paid Rectangle Pro tier |
| Launch apps, search files, run scripts and arrange windows | Raycast | Command palette, quicklinks, extensions and window layouts | Current site lists macOS Tahoe and Apple silicon as requirements; optional paid features exist |
| Build custom, event-driven workflows | Hammerspoon | Lua access to apps, windows, input devices, files, screens, audio and more | Requires Lua configuration and Accessibility permission |
For many people, Pearcleaner plus Rectangle is enough. Add Raycast when you want one keyboard-first launcher for several utilities. Choose Hammerspoon instead of, or alongside, those apps when your workflow depends on custom rules such as moving a window when a display is connected or reacting to a network change.
What these free alternatives can—and cannot—replace
Paid Mac utilities often bundle unrelated jobs: cleaning, window snapping, custom gestures, keyboard macros and launch commands. The free options here divide those jobs into focused tools. That separation can reduce cost and make permissions easier to understand, but you may have two or three small apps instead of one control panel.
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- CleanMyMac-style cleanup: Pearcleaner focuses on removing an application and the files associated with it. It does not establish a measurable increase in speed or promise a specific amount of storage recovered.
- Magnet-style snapping: Rectangle supplies free shortcut and snap-area controls. It is intentionally narrower than a general automation platform.
- BetterTouchTool-style customization: Raycast can cover command launching and scripts, while Hammerspoon can implement highly specific input and window rules. Neither is a visual trackpad-gesture editor in the same way.
- Keyboard Maestro-style macros: Hammerspoon offers the broadest free automation surface here, but you create workflows in Lua rather than by assembling a visual macro.
Running several utilities is not automatically better. Give each app a distinct responsibility, avoid assigning the same shortcut in two places, and remove a tool if you no longer need its permissions.
Pearcleaner: a focused free replacement for app-uninstall cleanup
What Pearcleaner does
Pearcleaner’s official description presents it as a free, open-source Mac app cleaner. It removes an application and lets you review files the app left behind. The project lists no account, no advertising and no subscription. It supports macOS 13 and later on both Apple silicon and Intel Macs.
The useful distinction is between uninstalling and optimizing. Pearcleaner helps you find an app’s related files so you can decide what to remove. The documented feature set does not include a quantified performance improvement, and there is no published figure for typical storage recovered. Treat it as a careful removal and file-review aid, not a button that makes every Mac faster.
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- Install and open Pearcleaner on a Mac running macOS 13 or later.
- Select the application you want to remove. If the app is open, quit it first so files are not locked.
- Review the list of related files. Look at paths and names rather than deleting everything blindly; shared components, saved projects or preferences may be useful later.
- Deselect anything you need to keep, then confirm the removal.
- Empty the Trash only after you are satisfied that the application and selected leftovers are no longer needed.
When Pearcleaner is the right choice
- You are replacing a large application and want to inspect its preferences, caches or support files.
- An ordinary drag to the Trash left behind folders and you want a single review screen.
- You prefer an open-source utility with no account or subscription requirement.
Limits and precautions
Do not use a cleaner to delete system components merely because they look unfamiliar. Review every path, keep backups of important application data and remember that removing caches is not the same as recovering a guaranteed amount of disk space. If an app stores documents outside its own support folders, Pearcleaner cannot decide whether those documents are safe to delete for you.
Rectangle: free keyboard and edge snapping
What Rectangle provides
Rectangle is a free, open-source window manager for macOS 10.15 and later, with support for Intel and Apple silicon Macs. It moves and resizes windows from keyboard shortcuts or snap areas at the edges and corners of the display. The free app is deliberately focused on arranging windows; Rectangle Pro is a separate paid upgrade with additional capabilities.
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Set up Rectangle
- Install Rectangle and open it. macOS may ask for permission to control windows.
- Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility and enable Rectangle if it is listed. Quit and relaunch Rectangle if the permission does not take effect immediately.
- Open Rectangle’s preferences and inspect the shortcut assigned to each action, such as left half, right half, top half, maximize and move to another display.
- Change shortcuts that conflict with macOS, another utility or your application. Test one action at a time so you know which tool owns each key combination.
- Drag a window to an edge or corner to test snap areas. If you do not want edge activation, disable or adjust snap-area behavior in preferences and use shortcuts instead.
Rectangle is best when predictability matters
Rectangle is the simplest choice for a user who wants a familiar two-column layout, a maximized window or quick movement between displays without writing code. It starts with a smaller permission and configuration surface than a full automation framework. Its limitation is equally clear: if you need conditions, timers, application-specific rules or reactions to hardware events, you will outgrow its focused model or need another tool.
Multi-display considerations
Test each shortcut with the displays arranged as they are in your real workspace. macOS display arrangement, full-screen spaces and an external monitor that sleeps can affect where a window lands. If a window appears on the wrong screen, first verify the display arrangement in System Settings > Displays, then check Rectangle’s move-to-display shortcuts. Do not assume that a shortcut conflict is a monitor problem.
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Raycast: one command palette for launching, scripts and windows
What Raycast combines
Raycast’s free Mac download is a keyboard-first launcher with file search, scripts, quicklinks, extensions and window-management commands. Its window documentation describes custom commands, presets and layouts that can arrange up to eight application windows per display. That makes Raycast a useful middle ground: broader than Rectangle, but less code-intensive than Hammerspoon.
Raycast’s current website lists macOS Tahoe and Apple silicon as requirements. This is a moving compatibility statement, so check the current requirement before deploying it on an older Intel Mac. The free download has optional paid features; do not assume every extension or collaboration feature belongs to the free tier.
Basic setup
- Install Raycast and choose a keyboard shortcut for opening its command bar. Pick a combination you can press without colliding with Rectangle or macOS.
- Use the command bar to launch applications and search files before adding extensions. This establishes whether the basic launcher fits your habits.
- Open Raycast’s window commands and try a preset with two or three applications. Confirm that each window is assigned to the intended display and size.
- Create a custom layout only after the preset behaves correctly. Add applications one at a time; a closed or renamed app can prevent a layout from matching as expected.
- Add quicklinks or scripts for repetitive destinations and commands. Keep names short and distinctive so search remains faster than browsing menus.
Window layouts and permissions
Window control may require Accessibility permission. When macOS prompts you, allow Raycast in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility, then restart the relevant command if necessary. A layout can arrange up to eight windows per display according to Raycast’s documentation, but the result still depends on whether the applications expose ordinary resizable windows. A video player, a full-screen app or a dialog may not obey the same rules as a standard document window.
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When Raycast is preferable to installing several utilities
- You want one command bar for launching, searching, scripts and quicklinks.
- You regularly restore a known set of applications to a display layout.
- You are comfortable granting one launcher Accessibility access for window commands.
Raycast is less attractive if your Mac cannot meet its current Tahoe and Apple silicon requirement, if you want a completely visual macro editor, or if you prefer a tiny utility that does only snapping.
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What Hammerspoon exposes
Hammerspoon is a free automation bridge from macOS APIs to Lua. Its documented APIs cover applications, windows, mouse pointers, filesystem objects, audio devices, batteries, screens, low-level keyboard and mouse events, clipboards, location and Wi-Fi. You can bind a shortcut to a window operation, call AppleScript, or react to events such as a network change.
This breadth is the reason to choose Hammerspoon—and also the reason it has a steeper setup. Hammerspoon does nothing useful until you create a Lua configuration file. The getting-started instructions require installing the app, enabling Accessibility access, opening the configuration and reloading it after edits.
Initial installation and permission path
- Install Hammerspoon and launch it from Applications.
- Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility and enable Hammerspoon. Without this permission, simulated input and many window operations will not work.
- Use Hammerspoon’s menu-bar item to open its configuration file. If no configuration exists, create the file as instructed by the getting-started guide.
- Add one small automation at a time, save the file and choose the reload option from the menu bar.
- Trigger the shortcut or event and check the result. If it fails, read Hammerspoon’s console before adding another module.
Designing a reliable Hammerspoon workflow
Start with a single, reversible action such as moving one application window to a known screen. Give the shortcut a combination that no other utility uses. Once that works, add conditions: only act when a particular app is frontmost, when a display is connected or when a network changes. Keep each rule in a clearly named function and comment the purpose of non-obvious API calls so a future edit does not disable an unrelated workflow.
Hammerspoon is a good fit for a developer, power user or administrator who wants to encode a personal environment. It is a poor fit when you need a drag-and-drop macro editor, do not want to maintain Lua, or cannot grant Accessibility permission. The project directs users to its release notes for older Macs, so verify compatibility rather than assuming that a configuration written for one release will behave identically on another.
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Choosing between Rectangle, Raycast and Hammerspoon for windows
| Decision factor | Rectangle | Raycast | Hammerspoon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary model | Dedicated snapping utility | Launcher with window commands | Lua automation framework |
| Setup style | GUI preferences and shortcuts | Command bar, presets and layouts | Configuration file and reloads |
| Snap areas | Yes | Uses commands and layouts; edge behavior is not its main documented focus | Possible through scripts, but you build the behavior |
| Layout scale | Best for direct, repeatable placement | Layouts can arrange up to eight app windows per display | Limited by what you script and what macOS exposes |
| Automation beyond windows | Limited | Scripts, quicklinks and extensions | Broad APIs for input, files, devices, screens and events |
| Learning curve | Low | Low to moderate | Moderate to high; Lua required |
Use Rectangle when the question is “How do I put this window on the left half?” Use Raycast when the question is “How do I launch, search, script and arrange from one keyboard interface?” Use Hammerspoon when the question is “How do I make the Mac react to my own conditions?”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Build a free stack without conflicting shortcuts
- Install only the tool that addresses today’s problem. Start with Pearcleaner for cleanup, Rectangle for snapping, Raycast for launcher consolidation or Hammerspoon for custom automation.
- Record permissions. Note which apps appear under Accessibility. Remove access for utilities you uninstall or stop using.
- Assign separate activation keys. Give Rectangle its window shortcuts, Raycast its command-bar shortcut and Hammerspoon its custom bindings. Never rely on memory when two apps can intercept the same combination.
- Keep responsibilities distinct. Let one app own basic snapping, one own command launching and one own specialized rules. Duplicated automation is harder to troubleshoot.
- Test after macOS or app updates. Recheck permissions, display layouts and shortcut behavior after a major system upgrade or when moving between Intel and Apple silicon hardware.
Troubleshooting common failures
The app cannot move or resize windows
Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility, confirm the utility is enabled and relaunch it. If more than one window manager is installed, temporarily quit the others to identify a shortcut or event conflict.
A shortcut does nothing
Check for a macOS or application shortcut using the same keys. Then verify that the utility is running in the menu bar, that the command is enabled and, for Hammerspoon, that the configuration was reloaded after saving.
A layout misses an application
Confirm that the application is open, not in full-screen mode and exposing a normal resizable window. Recreate the preset with the displays arranged as they are now. Raycast layouts can target up to eight windows per display, but that does not make every dialog or protected window resizable.
Pearcleaner lists files you are unsure about
Pause and inspect the path. Keep files that contain documents, licenses, shared data or settings you may need. A cautious partial uninstall is safer than deleting an unfamiliar folder simply because it has the app’s name.
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Hammerspoon breaks after a configuration edit
Reload the configuration and inspect the console for the first error. Revert the last change, confirm the basic configuration loads, then reintroduce the new rule in a small isolated block. Avoid changing several modules at once.
Compatibility and cost boundaries
| Tool | Compatibility stated by its official materials | Free-versus-paid position |
|---|---|---|
| Pearcleaner | macOS 13 or later; Apple silicon and Intel | Presented as free and open source; no account, ads or subscription listed |
| Rectangle | macOS 10.15 or later; Apple silicon and Intel | Free open-source app; Rectangle Pro is a separate paid upgrade |
| Raycast | Current site lists macOS Tahoe and Apple silicon | Free download with optional paid features |
| Hammerspoon | Check the project’s release notes for older Macs | Presented as a free automation project |
Compatibility pages and operating-system requirements can change. Verify the current requirement before installing, particularly for Raycast on Intel hardware and Hammerspoon on older Macs. “Free” also describes different boundaries: Pearcleaner and Hammerspoon are presented as free projects, Rectangle separates its free app from Pro, and Raycast has optional paid capabilities.
Recommended combinations by user type
The minimal setup
Install Pearcleaner and Rectangle. You get deliberate app removal and dependable snapping while keeping configuration simple. This is the best starting point for someone replacing a cleaner and a window magnet without wanting a general automation platform.
The keyboard-first setup
Install Pearcleaner and Raycast. Use Pearcleaner only when uninstalling apps; use Raycast for launching, search, scripts, quicklinks and recurring layouts. This reduces the number of places where you define commands, provided your Mac meets Raycast’s current requirements.
The power-user setup
Use Pearcleaner for cleanup, Rectangle for immediate snap shortcuts and Hammerspoon for rules that depend on applications, displays, input or system events. Keep Hammerspoon for exceptions and higher-value automations rather than recreating every basic snap action in Lua.
The single-command-palette setup
Choose Raycast for launching, scripts and windows, then add Pearcleaner only for uninstall work. This is appropriate when you prefer searching for a command over remembering several application-specific menus. Do not install Rectangle as well unless its edge snapping or dedicated shortcuts solve a problem Raycast does not.
Bottom line
Pearcleaner, Rectangle, Raycast and Hammerspoon cover the practical free alternatives to the most common paid Mac utility categories, but they are not interchangeable. Pearcleaner is the careful uninstaller, Rectangle is the focused snap tool, Raycast is the broad keyboard launcher and Hammerspoon is the programmable automation layer. Start with the narrowest tool that solves your problem, add permissions deliberately and treat cleanup as file review—not as a guaranteed performance cure.
Quick Recap
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