The Best Mac Apps to Install on Your MacBook or iMac

Welcome to our ultimate list of must-have Mac apps. From email clients to system utilities, from time savers to productivity apps, on this page you’ll find the best Mac software you should be using.

We’ll continue to update the list on a regular basis, so be sure to tell us about your favorites in the comments!

Jump Ahead: Audio | Backup | Browsers | Calendars and Lists | Code and Text Editing | Email | Image Editing | Instant Messaging and Social Media | Miscellaneous | Notetaking | Office | Reading | Security and Privacy | System Tools | Timesavers | Video | Virtualization | Window Management | Writing

 

GarageBand

Drum track in GarageBand

This old Mac favorite is a serious recording tool for beginners and enthusiasts, and it’s free for all Mac users to download. You can record audio, play virtual instruments, and access the Apple loops library of royalty-free sounds with the app.

Download: GarageBand (Free)

Audacity

Audacity label track

Audacity is an open-source, cross-platform audio editor that can handle most common audio tasks for free. Should you choose it over GarageBand for music production? Our GarageBand versus Audacity comparison will help you decide.

Download: Audacity (Free)

Clementine

Clementine music player interface on macOS

Clementine is one of the best free alternatives to iTunes for listening to local media. It supports a huge number of audio formats and external services including Spotify, Google Drive, and Dropbox. You can also transcode music, manage podcasts, and enjoy visualizations while listening.

Download: Clementine (Free)

Harmony

Harmony music player interface on macOS

Harmony is another powerful alternative to iTunes. It can play music stored on your Mac and also bring music that’s scattered all over the web to a single location. The app supports Spotify, SoundCloud, YouTube, Google Play, and more.

Download: Harmony (Free, licensed version available)

Vox

vox-music-player

Vox is a stylish free media player with a focus on high quality codecs like FLAC and DSD. Thanks to its compact menu bar option, it’s easily one of the best Mac menu bar apps out there.

Download: Vox (Free, premium subscription available)

 

Backup

Time Machine

Select Back Up Now

Time Machine is your Mac’s native backup solution. It’s sturdy, reliable, and accessible from the menu bar. If you haven’t got around to backing up your Mac, it’s time to set up Time Machine.

Carbon Copy Cloner

As good as Time Machine is, you’ll find third-party solutions that are even better. They can give you all the advanced options you need, and Carbon Copy Cloner leads the pack in this area.

Download: Carbon Copy Cloner ($40, trial version available)

SuperDuper

SuperDuper on macOS

If you want a bootable clone of your hard drive, you can get one for free with SuperDuper. The app is fast and easy to use. If you want to schedule backups, run user scripts, and perform other advanced tasks, you’ll need to upgrade to the premium version.

Download: SuperDuper (Free, premium version available)

 

Browsers

Safari

MakeUseOf preview in Safari

Safari is the default browser installed on every Apple computer. It’s the best browser for most Mac users, plus there are plenty of useful extensions to make Safari better.

Chrome

Google’s own browser, Chrome, is a powerhouse for those who need developer tools, extensions, and separate profiles for work and play.

Download: Chrome (Free)

Firefox

MakeUseOf preview in Firefox

This free and open-source browser is an excellent alternative to Chrome. It’s fast, streamlined, and lighter on system resources than Chrome. If you haven’t tried Firefox in a while, it might be time to give it another go.

Download: Firefox (Free)

 

Calendars and Lists

Calendar

create-quick-event-calendar-mac

The calendar that ships with your Mac pales in comparison with more feature-filled third-party apps, but it’s still a good app to work with.

Calendar supports the use of natural language. You can pair Calendar with Itsycal to view and create events from the menu bar.

Fantastical

Despite its steep price, Fantastical continues to be the number-one replacement for Apple’s basic calendar app. It integrates with Apple Reminders, has a today widget, and also a dedicated iOS app.

Download: Fantastical ($50, trial version available)

Reminders

Like Calendar, Reminders comes with macOS by default. Use it with Siri to make a shared shopping list you can control using your voice.

TickTick

weekly overview in TickTick task manager app on macOS

If Apple’s own Reminders app doesn’t cut it, you can’t do much better than TickTick. It has fast become a user favorite across both desktop and mobile for features like smart lists, task notes, attachments, and voice input.

(Another much-loved lists app, Wunderlist [Broken URL Removed], while still functional, is all set to go away. That’s why we haven’t included it on our list, as much as it was tempting to.) But for other choices, check out our comparison of OmniFocus vs. Things for task management.

Download: TickTick (Free, premium subscription available) [No Longer Available]

NotePlan

Notes view in NotePlan app on macOS

NotePlan is a one-of-a-kind app that comes across as a readymade digital Bullet Journal. It lets you create, view, and manage tasks, notes, reminders, and events in a single, easy-to-use interface.

Download: NotePlan ($20, trial version available)

 

Code and Text Editing

Xcode

Xcode has everything you need to start writing apps for Apple devices, including macOS, iOS, tvOS, and watchOS. The development tools are free to download. For a yearly fee, you can enroll in Apple’s developer program to list your apps on their various storefronts.

Download: Xcode (Free)

Visual Studio Code

javascript-editor-visual-studio-code

Microsoft’s extensible open-source code editor is perfect for scripting, editing HTML, or even Markdown.

Download: Visual Studio Code (Free)

Atom

Atom text editor

Atom starts off as a basic text editor that you can customize as you please using the add-on packages available. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for a cross-platform solution or if you want a nice Markdown editor for Mac.

Download: Atom (Free)

Dash

Download docsets from app settings in Dash on Mac

This document browser and code snippet manager gives you fast access to reference materials for various programming languages.

Download: Dash (Free)

 

Email

Mail

Apple Mail interface on Mac

Mail is among the less adventurous email clients available for macOS, but it’s free and works well. We recommend that you polish it up with a few visual tweaks and make it more powerful with the Mailbutler extension.

Spark

If you want a smart-looking email client with smart features like automatic email sorting, quick replies, and natural language search, install Spark. It has an iOS client too and supports cloud syncing of accounts, settings, and signatures.

Download: Spark (Free, premium subscription available)

Kiwi for Gmail

Kiwi for Gmail's default inbox interface on Mac

If you want your Gmail experience to be identical both on the web and on the desktop, get Kiwi for Gmail. It works with the popular scheduling plugin Boomerang.

The lite version of Kiwi limits you to one Gmail account. With a premium subscription, you get access to multiple accounts and Google Suite apps as native desktop clients.

Download: Kiwi for Gmail (Free, premium subscription available)

Thunderbird

Thunderbird inbox view on macOS

You can ignore the rumors of Thunderbird’s death and install this no-nonsense email client that has been around for ever. It’s quite customizable, especially when you pair it with the right add-ons.

Download: Thunderbird (Free)

Airmail

Airlmail inbox on macOS

If none of the free options above appeal to you, there’s another powerful and popular client you can take a look at: Airmail. It offers Markdown previews, snoozing, keyboard shortcuts, and trackpad gestures among other features. It’s a pity Airmail doesn’t come with a free trial.

Download: Airmail ($10)

 

Image Editing

Photos

photos_macos_sierra

Don’t be quick to dismiss your Mac’s default image management application. It comes with all the basic features and filters you need to edit photos and turn them into beautiful printed products.

Photos can handle RAW files and recognize people, places, and objects for you. You can also extend the app’s capabilities with powerful extensions like Pixelmator and Affinity Photo.

Adobe Lightroom Classic CC

Lightroom Classic CC is the ultimate photo editing and management app for the pros. If you don’t prefer subscription pricing, we have a few Lightroom alternatives for you.

Download: Adobe Lightroom Classic CC (Subscription required, trial version available)

Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo preview on macOS

Affinity Photo is a well-planned, well-designed image-editing package for a one-off fee that makes it a solid budget alternative to Photoshop. You can work with Photoshop files, edit RAWs straight from your camera, use adjustment layers, and a whole lot more with Affinity Photo. Its sister app Affinity Designer makes a great alternative to Adobe Illustrator for vector work.

Download: Affinity Photo ($50, trial version available)

Pixelmator Pro

Pixelmator Pro competes with Affinity Photo for the top spot as the best Photoshop alternative. It has many of the same features found in Adobe’s pride and joy, except you can use it forever with a single payment.

Download: Pixelmator Pro ($40, trial version available)

GIMP

image editing with GIMP on Mac

If you’d rather go the free and open-source route, GIMP is the most obvious choice. It comes in a macOS-flavored version with RAW support and a range of photo-editing plugins.

Download: GIMP (Free)

Autodesk SketchBook

https://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/7251228/type/dlg/sid/UUmuoUeUpU38632/https://vimeo.com/171945824

SketchBook is the best free drawing app for artists and designers. It has support for graphics tablets and similar input devices. Once you sign up for a free Autodesk account and install the free SketchBook app, you’re ready to start doodling.

Download: Autodesk SketchBook (Free)

Inkscape

Inkscape is one of the best vector graphic design platforms on the Mac. Cross-platform and open-source, it’s the choice of many designers, illustrators, and web comic aficionados the world over.

Download: Inkscape (Free)

 

Caprine

Carpine Messenger client interface on macOS

Your search for a good-looking, lightweight Facebook Messenger client with a focus on privacy ends with Caprine.

Download: Caprine (Free)

Tweetbot

Tweetbot Twitter client on macOS

If you want the best full-featured Twitter client there is and are willing to pay for it, install Tweetbot. It supports the Dark Mode introduced in macOS Mojave and integrates with various third-party services like Pocket and Bit.ly.

Download: Tweetbot ($10)

Franz

Franz from Mac

Bring all your communication into a single interface with Franz. It supports every service from WhatsApp, Messenger, and Skype to Gmail, Twitter, and Slack. You can even run multiple instances of the same service, such as two Gmail accounts.

Download: Franz (Free)

 

Miscellaneous

Siri

siri_sierra

If you’re using macOS Sierra or later, you already have access to Siri via the menu bar, dock, and Spotlight.

Dictater

Dictater app interface on macOS

Do you use Apple’s in-built text-to-speech service? Dictater improves that feature by allowing you to pause, skip, replay, and even read along. It hasn’t seen an update in a while, but it works fine.

Download: Dictater (Free)

Transmission

Every Mac owner needs a BitTorrent client at some point, and Transmission is the best of the bunch. Not only does it support a web UI and magnet links natively, it’s regarded as a “trusted” client by many private trackers.

Download: Transmission (Free)

Bartender

bartender2_best_apps

Mac menu bar looking a little messy? Use Bartender to tidy it up and hide the icons you don’t want to see and make the rest easier to find. Try Vanilla for a cheaper alternative.

Download: Bartender ($15, trial version available)

Waltr

Waltr gives you one of the best seamless ways to sync music and other media with your iPhone wirelessly. That means no more struggling with iTunes.

Download: Waltr ($40, trial version available)

Fluid

MakeUseOf as a Mac desktop app with Fluid

You have a few ways to turn any website into a desktop app for your Mac and Fluid is the best of the lot.

Download: Fluid (Free, premium version available)

 

Notetaking

Notes

apple_notes_best_apps

Apple’s own note-taking app has shaped up to be a surprisingly strong competitor to the likes of Evernote and OneNote. The lack of export options, Markdown support, and a few other features dull its shine a little. But Apple Notes is still a solid choice if your life revolves around macOS and iOS.

Evernote

Evernote interface on Mac

Evernote is probably the most popular and best-supported note-taking solution in the world. Its Mac client is not the best notes app there is, but it’s still the ideal option for Evernote users. Of course, given the service’s now-toothless free tier, you have reason to ditch Evernote altogether.

Download: Evernote (Free, premium subscription available)

Microsoft OneNote

onenote_mac_best_apps

The closest Evernote competitor is OneNote, and it’s completely free. Access your notes from any device, save files and sketches, clip web pages and collaborate with others. Unlike with Evernote, there’s no two-device restriction to deal with here.

Download: Microsoft OneNote (Free)

Simplenote

Preview of Simplenote app on Mac

If you like the simplicity of Apple Notes, but the lack of essentials like Markdown, tags, and text export bothers you, get those features with Simplenote. The app is lightweight, clutter-free, and cross-platform. By popular demand, Simplenote now comes with checklists and a distraction-free mode, too!

Download: Simplenote (Free)

Bear

Bear Notes Tags

Bear is the notes app everyone is raving about, and with good reason. It has the polish and the power to impress. Bear’s switch to a subscription model was a turnoff for many users, but if subscription pricing doesn’t bother you, you’ll get along well with Bear.

Download: Bear (Free, premium subscription available)

 

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