Disclosure: Anchor is our app. Facts about Stay come from Stay's website and its Mac App Store listing, checked on 1 October 2026.
Side by side
| Anchor | Stay | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $6.99 launch price, one-time (3 Macs); 7-day free trial | Free (freeware as of version 1.5.1) |
| macOS | 14 or later | 14.6 or later |
| Layout per display setup | Yes, recognized from monitor hardware IDs | Yes, "a set of windows for every combination of displays" |
| Saving a layout | Automatic: learned as you work. Manual save and lock available | You store windows when they're where you want them |
| Restore on connect / disconnect | Yes, about a second after the change | Yes, when configured to |
| Restore on demand | Shortcut ⌃⌥⌘R or the menu | "Restore Windows" from the Stay menu |
| Where to get it | anchor.qubixcode.com | cordlessdog.com and the Mac App Store |
The real difference: who does the saving
With Stay, you arrange your windows and have Stay store them. When they get moved, Stay can put them back. That's simple and predictable. The catch is that the stored layout is only as fresh as the last time you stored it, so if you rearrange your desk, you store again.
Anchor keeps learning the layout of each setup in the background, every few seconds, and also takes a snapshot the moment a display change begins. When you plug back in, it restores the layout you actually had last. If you'd rather it didn't learn, lock the layout and it behaves like a stored snapshot.
Which should you pick?
- Pick Stay if you want a free app, your layout rarely changes, and you're happy to store it yourself.
- Pick Anchor if you rearrange often, forget to save, or just want plugging in to work without any routine. Try it free for 7 days first.