A Magnet alternative for Mac with one-shortcut layouts
Magnet snaps a window when you drag it to an edge. Pivot arranges all your open windows together, and its free Grid lets you draw any region.
Magnet and Pivot both tidy up Mac windows, but in different ways. This page covers what each one does, what stays free in Pivot, and when Magnet remains the right tool.
What Magnet does well
Magnet turns dragging into snapping. Drag a window to a side edge for a half, to a corner for a quarter, or to the top edge to maximize it. On the bottom edge it creates thirds. The same commands are available through customizable keyboard shortcuts and a menu bar menu.
Magnet’s site says it supports up to six external displays and adapts to vertical screens. It is sold on the Mac App Store, where the listing shows a price of $4.99 at the time of writing and a requirement of macOS 13.0 or later. If dragging to an edge already feels natural to you, Magnet is simple and predictable.
How Pivot differs
Pivot starts from the whole workspace instead of a single window.
- Auto Layout (Pro). One shortcut arranges every open window into a balanced workspace. Trigger it again to get a different arrangement.
- Smart Dot (Pro). Drag the point where windows meet to resize the connected group together. Rotate, Swap, and Flip rearrange windows while the layout stays intact.
- Grid (free). Draw the region you want, and Pivot moves and resizes the frontmost window to fit it. You are not limited to preset halves or thirds.
- Saved Layouts (free). Save an arrangement and restore it from the menu bar or with a shortcut. You can save as many as you need.
- Infinity Layout (free, beta). Group windows into horizontal zones on one display and scroll between them.
Magnet and Pivot side by side
| Feature | Magnet | Pivot |
|---|---|---|
| Main idea | Snap one window at a time by dragging it to an edge or corner | Arrange every open window with one shortcut (Auto Layout, Pro) |
| Placing a window by hand | Drag to edges and corners, keyboard shortcuts, or the menu bar | Grid: draw a region and the frontmost window fits it (free) |
| Price | $4.99 on the Mac App Store at the time of writing | Free download with a free tier. Pro is a one-time $4.99 beta price (listed at $9.99). |
| Where to get it | Mac App Store | Direct download from getpivot.one |
| macOS version | macOS 13.0 or later | macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon only |
When Magnet is the better choice
- You are on macOS 13. Pivot requires macOS 14 or later on Apple silicon. Magnet’s App Store listing requires macOS 13.0 or later.
- You prefer the Mac App Store. Magnet is installed and updated through the App Store. Pivot is downloaded from this site.
- You like dragging to edges. Magnet is built around that gesture. Pivot’s manual tool is Grid, where you draw the region instead.
- You only ever place one or two windows. Halves and quarters may be all you need.
What Pivot costs
Pivot is a free download, and every installation starts with a 5-day Pro trial that needs no payment card. After the trial, Grid, unlimited Saved Layouts, layout restore shortcuts, display-aware auto-restore, and Infinity Layout stay free. Pro adds Auto Layout and Smart Dot. It is a one-time purchase at a beta price of $4.99 (listed at $9.99), with one Mac per license. See what is free and what is Pro.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free alternative to Magnet?
Pivot’s Grid, unlimited Saved Layouts, and Infinity Layout stay free after the 5-day Pro trial. Auto Layout and Smart Dot need Pivot Pro, a one-time purchase at a beta price of $4.99.
How is Pivot’s Grid different from Magnet’s snapping?
With Magnet you drag a window to an edge or corner and it snaps to a preset size. With Grid you draw the region you want, and Pivot moves and resizes the frontmost window to fit it.
Which Macs does Pivot support?
Pivot requires an Apple silicon Mac running macOS 14 or later. Magnet’s Mac App Store listing requires macOS 13.0 or later.
Try Pivot on your own windows
Open the apps you normally work in, press the Auto Layout shortcut, and see whether the result suits you. The trial covers every Pro feature.
Download Pivot for macOS ↓Free download. Requires an Apple silicon Mac running macOS 14 or later. No card needed for the trial. Prefer to look first? See the demos on the Pivot page.