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You can replace most paid Mac utility jobs with a small free stack: Pearcleaner for removing applications and their leftovers, Rectangle for keyboard- and edge-based window snapping, Raycast for a launcher that also handles scripts and windows, and Hammerspoon for programmable automation. The best choice depends on whether you want a focused graphical tool, one command palette, or maximum control through code.
These utilities solve different problems rather than forming one all-in-one cleaner. Use Pearcleaner when uninstalling an app completely matters, Rectangle when arranging windows is the priority, Raycast when you want several everyday actions behind one search box, and Hammerspoon when you are willing to write Lua to automate macOS behavior.
Quick comparison
The table below separates the tools by their documented purpose, compatibility and free-versus-paid boundary. Operating-system requirements can change, so check the current project page before deploying on a managed or older Mac.
The Tool Desk
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pearcleaner | Removing apps and reviewing leftover files | macOS 13 or later; Apple silicon and Intel | Free, open source; no account, ads or subscription | Focused graphical utility |
| Rectangle | Keyboard shortcuts and snap areas for moving and resizing windows | macOS 10.15 or later; Apple silicon and Intel | Free, open source; Rectangle Pro is a separate paid upgrade | Focused graphical utility |
| Raycast | Launching, searching, scripts, quicklinks, extensions and window commands | The current site lists macOS Tahoe and Apple silicon as requirements | Free download with optional paid features | Keyboard-first command palette |
| Hammerspoon | Deep, event-driven system automation | Consult release notes for older Macs | Free project | Lua configuration and Accessibility permission |
Choose by the job, not by the marketing category
A paid utility suite often bundles unrelated functions. A free replacement is usually better when you match one tool to one job:
#1 Best Overall
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- App removal: Pearcleaner is designed to find an application and the files it leaves behind.
- Window placement: Rectangle concentrates on snapping and resizing with shortcuts or screen edges.
- Everyday commands: Raycast puts search, launching, scripts, quicklinks and windows in one interface.
- Custom workflows: Hammerspoon exposes macOS APIs through Lua so you can react to events and combine actions.
If you want the least setup, start with Pearcleaner or Rectangle. Raycast requires more configuration but can remove the need for several small launchers. Hammerspoon has the highest learning curve and the broadest control.
Pearcleaner: a focused free app remover
What it does
Pearcleaner is presented by its official project as a free, open-source Mac app cleaner. Its purpose is specific: remove an application and help you review related files that would otherwise remain after dragging the app to the Trash. It supports macOS 13 and later on both Apple silicon and Intel Macs. The project lists no account requirement, advertisements or subscription.
That makes Pearcleaner a practical alternative when your concern is an orderly uninstall rather than a general-purpose optimization dashboard. It does not establish a guaranteed speed improvement or a fixed amount of storage recovered. Treat it as an inspection and removal aid, not as a speed-up button.
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Rank #2
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A careful uninstall workflow
- Confirm the compatibility requirement. Make sure the Mac is running macOS 13 or later and identify whether it uses Apple silicon or Intel. Both processor families are listed as supported.
- Close the application you plan to remove. Quit it normally and stop any related process you recognize. Removing files that are actively in use can produce an incomplete cleanup.
- Select the application in Pearcleaner. Use its application list to choose the item you intend to uninstall, checking the name and location before continuing.
- Review the related-file results. Examine each proposed preference, cache, support folder or other leftover before deletion. Keep anything you still need for another installation or shared workflow.
- Remove only the items you approve. Confirm the app and selected leftovers, then allow macOS to complete the operation. If macOS asks for authentication, use an administrator account only when you trust the files being removed.
- Check your remaining data. Reopen the locations or applications that depended on the removed software. If a shared preference or plug-in was selected accidentally, restore it from your backup rather than deleting more files.
Risks and limits
- Deleting a preference or support folder can remove settings that you intended to keep for a future reinstall.
- Some files may belong to more than one component, so read the paths and names instead of approving every result automatically.
- No quantified storage-recovery or performance figure is published for Pearcleaner. Available space and perceived speed will vary with the app, its data and your Mac.
Rectangle: free window snapping and shortcuts
Core capability
Rectangle is a free, open-source utility for moving and resizing macOS windows with keyboard shortcuts or snap areas. It supports macOS 10.15 and later on Intel and Apple silicon. The free edition is deliberately focused: it gives you predictable placement without trying to become a launcher, file cleaner or general automation platform.
Rectangle Pro is a separate paid upgrade with additional features. You can therefore use the free application for ordinary snapping and shortcut control without assuming that every advanced function belongs to the free tier.
Set up a reliable window routine
- Install the version that matches your Mac. Confirm that the operating system is at least macOS 10.15 and that the download supports your processor architecture.
- Grant the requested window-control permission. macOS may require Accessibility access for an application that moves other applications’ windows. Approve it in System Settings only after confirming the app identity.
- Learn the default actions. Try moving a window to a screen edge and invoke the supplied keyboard commands. Test on a noncritical document before changing your daily shortcut habits.
- Adjust shortcuts around existing commands. Choose combinations that do not conflict with your editor, terminal, screen-reader or other accessibility shortcuts. Consistency matters more than memorizing a large set of rarely used commands.
- Test each display arrangement. Move windows between the displays you actually use, including a laptop panel and an external monitor. Verify that the snap result is what you expect before relying on it during presentations or calls.
Where Rectangle fits best
- Use it when your main complaint is manually dragging windows into halves, quarters or other repeatable regions.
- Prefer it over a broader launcher when you do not need scripts, file search or extensions.
- Consider a paid upgrade only if a feature you specifically need is outside the free application’s focused snapping and shortcut set.
Raycast: one command palette for many small jobs
What the free download combines
Raycast describes its free Mac download as a keyboard-first launcher with file search, scripts, quicklinks, extensions and window management. This breadth makes it useful when you would otherwise install several unrelated utilities. You invoke a command, search for an item or run a script from one central interface instead of opening separate menus.
Rank #3
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Its window-management manual documents custom commands, presets and layouts that can arrange up to eight application windows per display. That is a different emphasis from a simple edge snap: you can define repeatable multi-window arrangements for a workspace, then call them when your display setup changes.
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- Verify current platform requirements first. The current site lists macOS Tahoe and Apple silicon as required. If you administer Intel Macs or an older operating system, check compatibility before standardizing on Raycast.
- Start with commands you repeat daily. Add a quicklink for a frequently visited location, a script for a routine command and a launcher action for applications you open many times.
- Create a window preset only after observing your real layout. Open the applications you use together, arrange them once and save a layout that reflects that workspace. Keep separate presets for different displays rather than forcing one arrangement everywhere.
- Use custom shortcuts selectively. Give high-frequency actions memorable key combinations and leave infrequent commands searchable. Too many global shortcuts create conflicts and make troubleshooting harder.
- Check permissions and extension trust. Window control and some automation actions may require Accessibility access. Review what an extension or script does before granting it access to files or other applications.
Trade-offs
Raycast can consolidate launching, search, scripts, quicklinks and windows, but that consolidation adds configuration decisions. Its free download is not a promise that every capability is free forever; the product also offers optional paid features. Keep your workflow portable by documenting important scripts and presets so you can recreate them if a feature or requirement changes.
Hammerspoon: programmable automation through Lua
What it exposes
Hammerspoon is a free automation bridge from macOS APIs to the Lua language. Its documented API coverage includes applications, windows, mouse pointers, filesystem objects, audio devices, batteries, screens, low-level keyboard and mouse events, clipboards, location and Wi-Fi. It can bind a keyboard shortcut to a window operation or AppleScript and can react to events such as network changes.
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This breadth makes Hammerspoon the strongest free option for workflows that depend on conditions, events or several coordinated actions. You can express rules such as changing a window layout when a display appears, running an action when the network changes, or invoking a script from a custom key binding.
Initial setup
- Install Hammerspoon. Use a release appropriate for your Mac and consult the project’s release notes if the computer is older.
- Enable Accessibility access. The getting-started instructions require Accessibility permission so Hammerspoon can control windows, keyboard events and related system behavior.
- Open the configuration file. Hammerspoon does nothing useful until you create or edit its Lua configuration. Begin with one small action rather than importing a large collection of scripts.
- Add and save a binding or event handler. For example, connect a keyboard shortcut to a window operation or an AppleScript you already understand. Keep the code readable and comment the intended result.
- Reload after edits. The getting-started workflow instructs you to reload the configuration after changing it. If an action fails, reload again after correcting the syntax and inspect the Hammerspoon console for an error.
- Expand only after the first action is dependable. Add screen, network, filesystem or application events one at a time so you can identify which rule caused an unexpected result.
When the learning curve is worthwhile
- Choose Hammerspoon when a visual macro editor cannot express the conditions you need.
- Use it for state-aware behavior, such as different actions for different displays, applications or network states.
- Avoid it as a first choice if you want immediate drag-and-drop automation without learning Lua or maintaining a configuration file.
Permissions, safety and recovery
Accessibility permission
Window managers and automation tools commonly need Accessibility access because macOS restricts one application from controlling another by default. Grant permission in System Settings only to the utility you intentionally installed, and remove access if you stop using it. A permission prompt is not proof that an action is safe; it is a capability request that deserves review.
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Review before deleting
A cleaner can expose files that look disposable but contain preferences, saved sessions or shared components. Read the paths, identify the owner application and keep a backup of irreplaceable data before approving deletion. If a removed application leaves a helper behind, reboot or check the vendor’s documented uninstall guidance rather than deleting unrelated system files.
Best Value
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Recover from a bad automation rule
If a Hammerspoon or Raycast action repeatedly moves windows or runs an unwanted command, disable the binding or extension first, then reload the configuration. Keep a known-good copy of your Lua file and scripts outside the configuration directory so you can restore a working state without reconstructing it from memory.
Which combination should you install?
Minimal, low-maintenance setup
Install Pearcleaner for deliberate app removal and Rectangle for window snapping. This pair covers cleanup and arrangement without requiring a command language or a large launcher configuration.
One interface for everyday work
Choose Pearcleaner for uninstall tasks and Raycast for launching, search, quicklinks, scripts and windows. This suits users who prefer a keyboard-first command palette and whose Macs meet Raycast’s current Tahoe and Apple silicon requirements.
Maximum free control
Combine Pearcleaner, Rectangle and Hammerspoon when you want a focused uninstaller, predictable manual snapping and custom event-driven automation. The cost is ongoing Lua configuration and permission management.
Launcher plus custom automation
Raycast and Hammerspoon can coexist: use Raycast for discoverable commands and Hammerspoon for rules that depend on system events or complex state. Avoid duplicating the same shortcut in both tools, and record which application owns each global key combination.
Compatibility and maintenance checklist
- Record the macOS version and processor type before installing each utility.
- Recheck compatibility after a major macOS upgrade; the documented requirements differ substantially between these projects.
- Review Accessibility entries in System Settings and remove unused permissions.
- Keep copies of Raycast scripts, presets and quicklinks, plus Hammerspoon’s Lua configuration.
- Test window layouts on every monitor arrangement you use.
- Inspect proposed leftover files in Pearcleaner instead of approving a bulk deletion blindly.
- Do not measure success by an assumed speed increase. None of the documented project pages supplies a quantified storage-recovery, performance, time-saved or adoption statistic.
Bottom line
A focused free stack covers most paid Mac utility needs without forcing one oversized application onto every task. Pearcleaner handles app removal and leftover-file review; Rectangle delivers free snapping and keyboard control; Raycast consolidates launching, search, scripts, quicklinks and multi-window layouts; Hammerspoon provides the deepest automation through Lua. Start with the narrowest tool that solves your problem, then add broader automation only when the extra setup and permissions are justified.
Quick Recap
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