Mac apps

Homebrewopen source Editor's pick

The macOS package manager

Installs apps and utilities with a single command. The foundation of every developer machine.

iTerm2open source

Terminal replacement

Splits, history search, profiles, triggers, and hotkey windows. A decade-proven classic.

Warpfreemium

AI-powered block terminal

Commands and output as separate blocks, IDE-grade completion, and AI command suggestions built in.

Ghosttyopen source

Fast native terminal

GPU-accelerated, native macOS UI, zero configuration. From Terraform author Mitchell Hashimoto.

Visual Studio Codefree

The standard code editor

The world's most popular editor: extensions for everything, debugger, terminal, remote development.

Cursorfreemium

VS Code with an AI agent

A VS Code fork where AI edits files, runs commands, and understands the whole project.

Zedopen source

Blazing-fast Rust editor

From the creators of Atom: instant file opening and real-time collaboration built in.

OrbStackfreemium Editor's pick

Docker without the lag

Containers and Linux machines that start in a second. Uses far less battery than Docker Desktop.

Docker Desktopfreemium

Official Docker for Mac

Reference container support, Kubernetes, and Dev Environments. Heavy, but universally known.

TablePlusfreemium

Native database GUI

PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, Redis, and dozens more — in one fast native client.

DBeaveropen source

Universal database workbench

Free Java-based client for any database with a JDBC driver. Heavy, but omnipotent.

Postmanfreemium

The API debugging classic

Request collections, environments, tests, and mock servers. The team standard for API work.

Brunoopen source

API client in your git repo

Stores collections as text files next to your code. No account, no cloud, no sync.

Forkpaid

The best Git GUI

Interactive rebase, visual conflict resolution, line-by-line staging. Git as it should look.

GitHub Desktopfree

Git for beginners

A simple client from GitHub: clone, branch, PR — without learning terminal commands.

Raycastfreemium Editor's pick

A Spotlight replacement

App launching, clipboard, windows, scripts, and AI — one Cmd+Space away. Faster than the mouse.

Alfredfreemium

The launcher veteran

A launcher with workflow automation, on Macs longer than anyone. Rock stable.

Rectangleopen source Editor's pick

Keyboard window snapping

Half screen, quarter, center — instantly and free. A Magnet alternative without the store.

AltTabopen source

Windows-style Alt-Tab

Switch between windows with previews, not between apps blindly.

Maccyopen source Editor's pick

Clipboard history

Everything you copied — searchable via Cmd+Shift+V. Light, private, no cloud.

Shottrfree

Screenshots for developers

Pixel ruler, scrolling captures, OCR, and secret-blurring. Free.

CleanShot Xpaid

Premium-grade screenshots

Screen recording, GIFs, annotations, link-sharing cloud, and scrolling capture in one package.

Notionfreemium

Modular knowledge base

Notes, tables, kanbans, and wikis in one app. The standard for personal bases and teams.

Obsidianfreemium

Local Markdown notes

A second brain in plain .md files: link graph, plugins, full privacy.

Hazelpaid

Automatic file housekeeping

Sorts Downloads into folders, cleans old files, and renames by rules — by itself.

The Unarchiverfree

Opens any archive

RAR, 7z, tar.gz, and PowerPC-era exotica. Install once and forget forever.

Kekaopen source

The archive packer

Compresses to 7z, zip, tar with passwords and splitting. Extracts everything Unarchiver does.

AppCleanerfree Editor's pick

Complete app uninstaller

Finds and wipes every cache, preference, and leftover of removed apps.

OnyXfree

Maintenance Swiss Army knife

Cache cleaning, index rebuilding, hidden system settings — in one window.

Statsopen source

Menu bar monitoring

CPU, RAM, disk, network, temperature, and fans — live graphs in the menu bar. Free.

iStat Menuspaid

Monitoring for perfectionists

The most detailed Mac telemetry: history, per-process stats, every sensor, full customization.

coconutBatteryfree

Battery health

Real capacity, charge cycles, and battery age of your Mac and iPhone.

Karabiner-Elementsopen source

Keyboard refirmware

Remaps any key: Caps Lock to Esc, layers, complex modifications. The standard for custom keyboards.

BetterTouchToolpaid

Gestures and hotkeys for everything

Custom trackpad gestures, Touch Bar buttons, mouse triggers, and automations in one package.

Amphetaminefree

Keep your Mac awake

Wakefulness by timer, by app, by condition. Heir to the legendary Caffeine.

Figmafreemium

The industry design tool

Interfaces, prototypes, and Dev Mode in browser and desktop. Best-in-class collaboration.

Sketchpaid

Native design veteran

The legendary Mac interface editor. Works offline, files stay local.

Affinity Designerpaid

Vectors without a subscription

A professional vector editor with a one-time purchase. An Illustrator replacement for most tasks.

ImageOptimopen source

Lossless image compression

Drag in — 30–70% smaller. Strips metadata and picks the best codec.

Sippaid

Color picker and palettes

Grabs the color of any pixel on screen, stores palettes, converts formats.

IINAopen source

A macOS-style video player

A modern player on the mpv engine: gestures, subtitles, Picture-in-Picture, native design.

VLCopen source

Plays absolutely everything

The legendary cone: any codec, broken files, DVDs, streams. Keep it as a backup.

Spotifyfreemium

Music for background and focus

Desktop client with focus playlists, podcasts, and keyboard control.

HandBrakeopen source

Video converter

Recompresses video to H.264/H.265 with presets for any device. A free Swiss Army knife.

Audacityopen source

Quick audio editor

Recording, trimming, noise reduction, and normalization. For podcasts and voice notes.

1Passwordpaid

The #1 password manager

Passwords, SSH keys, 2FA, and dev secrets in an encrypted vault. Family and team plans.

Bitwardenopen source

The open password manager

Open source, generous free tier, self-hosting option. An honest 1Password alternative.

LuLuopen source

Outbound traffic firewall

Asks permission when a program reaches for the internet. Free and open source.

Latestopen source

Updates for every app

Checks updates for App Store, brew, and self-updating apps — all in one window.

GrandPerspectiveopen source

A map of used space

Shows your disk as a rectangle map: space hogs are visible at once. Free.

DaisyDiskpaid

Beautiful disk cleaning

The legendary sunburst map of used space. Finds gigabytes of junk in a couple of clicks.