My MacBook is my biggest asset and I love the stock apps it comes with. But you’ll have to go beyond stock apps if you want to get the most out of your device. There is a misconception that the best Mac apps are quite expensive, and while that may be true for leaders like Final Cut Pro or Photoshop, you still have plenty of options.
I have found many great free and affordable Mac apps that help with everything from storage management to file organization, workflow optimization, event control, and more. Let’s check them out.
- elephas
- VALTR PRO
- Application
- CleanMyMac X
- Alfred
- Google Chrome
- LastPass
- Bartender
- concept
- Microsoft OneNote
- Copy Clip
- hazel
- related photo
- Increase
- PDF Expert
- Spark
- Fantastic
- amphetamine
- VLC media player
- Spotify
- Magnet
- Reader 5
1. Elephas: Editors’ Choice
As a writer, my biggest enemy is writer’s block, and Elephas always comes to my rescue. It is the most versatile app because you can use it in other apps like Mail, Excel, Word, Notes, etc. So you can get help with research, writing emails, cover letters, drafting projects, maintaining blogging, posting on social networks, etc. much more.
I have used a lot of AI tools but this one is perfect. In addition to writing and rewriting, it also corrects and improves the quality of writing. This way, you can write more efficiently, speed up the editing process, and make your content more engaging. The tool has various modes such as Smart Write, Zinsser, Continue Writing, etc.
The best part is that you don’t have to pay a monthly amount. The pay-as-you-go model saves your pocket. So, set up your OpenAI account and get Elephas to boost your productivity, whether you’re a content writer, marketer, businessperson, or techie.
Price: 7-day free trial (starting at $4.99 per month).
2. WALTR PRO: conversion and transmission solution
Meet my favorite solution to convert and transfer videos, music, ringtones and other types of media from my Mac to other iOS devices. The interface is beautifully designed and allows you to drag and drop media files to be converted into iOS-friendly formats, which are automatically transferred to the appropriate app on the connected iPhone or iPad.
I love how the app gives you total control while being easy to use. For example, you can manually edit the cover art and metadata on your media. Plus, there are no limits on the type of file being processed, so you can send just about anything to your iOS device, from Kindle books and comics to Microsoft Office documents, VLC videos, and more.
If you want to know in detail what this app can do for you, read our full review. But in a nutshell, it offers many useful features such as support for audiobooks, high-resolution audio, 4K video, video content and intelligent encoding detection, forced subtitles, and light/dark themes.
Bottom line: My solution for transferring files from Mac to iOS devices quickly, easily, and reliably.
Price: $29.95 for 1 year, $59.95 for life.
3. Setapp: The Productivity Toolkit That Has It All
Whether you’re a content creator, entrepreneur, artist, CEO, office worker, or student, Setapp can be a great asset to you. Setapp by MacPaw is an app subscription service for Mac and iOS that includes curated apps designed to improve your workflow, productivity, entertainment, web development and more.
Think of it as a suite of productivity tools that allows you to access and learn a wide range of useful applications for one basic price. Interestingly, some of the apps mentioned in this article are also included in Setapp.
So it makes sense to invest in it. If you’re looking for an app that can do all of this, you may not find it. But Setapp is the next best alternative; you will get one or more applications that will do it all. To learn more about it, check out our in-depth review.
The bottom line: You don’t have to buy a subscription for the individual apps you need. Instead, you pay one fee to access over 230 apps.
Price: $9.99/month
4. CleanMyMac X: The best storage manager
When I bought my new MacBook, CleanMyMac X was the first third party app I installed. It is one of the best all-in-one system storage management solutions. While Apple does a good job of keeping your Mac drive clean and running smoothly, things get messy when you don’t keep your files organized.
Thus, CleanMyMac X makes it easy to get rid of unnecessary files and applications that you forgot about. In addition, it also monitors performance and helps you remove malware safely. As such, it is invaluable for fixing the most common problems on your system.
I like a beautiful interface that is easy to use and gets the job done quickly. The free version works well but has limitations such as the amount of data you can scrape. For more details check out this full review.
Bottom line: A simple tool to optimize your Mac, keep it fast and free of clutter.
Price: Free ($34.99 per year for full access or one-time purchase for $89.99).
5. Alfred: The best way to improve productivity
This nifty little utility speeds up Spotlight searches on your Mac. It allows you to create custom shortcuts to programs and files, as well as automated workflows that speed up your work. This makes it much faster and more convenient to perform actions such as calculations, searching the Internet, looking up word definitions, etc.
In addition, Alfred supports shortcuts and makes it easy to manage music, check spelling in a sentence, pop up phone numbers or text on the screen, and more. This saves time and makes it one of the best productivity apps for Mac.
Bottom line: A handy utility that combines Spotlight and Siri features to customize and streamline your workflow.
Price: Free ($25 for additional features)
6. Google Chrome: the best browser
While Safari is a great browser, it has limitations in features, settings, and is not available on other platforms such as Windows and Android. So, I think Google Chrome is the best browser for your Mac, especially if you use other non-Apple devices and want to sync your browsing data across all of them.
In addition, it offers many extensions that can help you customize and get more out of your browsing experience. I did a full review of Google Chrome and Safari to test them on several parameters including performance and privacy, so check it out if you want a deeper insight.
Bottom line: the fastest and most feature rich browser that syncs across devices and platforms.
Price: Free
7. LastPass: The best password manager
We all need to remember tons of passwords and I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not very good at it. Luckily, LastPass is a lifesaver that securely stores your passwords and login credentials for multiple websites across multiple devices. It also auto-populates your payment and shipping information when you shop online.
Plus, it lets you create a strong password, and multi-factor authentication adds a second layer of protection. Your data is stored in an encrypted vault using AES 256-bit bank-level encryption.
You can choose the Premium version for additional features such as unlimited devices, 1 GB of encrypted file storage, and unlimited password and note sharing.
Bottom line: essential for creating strong passwords and storing them securely across devices.
Price: Free ($35.99 for Premium)
8. Bartender: A Must-Have Customization App
When someone asks me “What are the must-have apps for a Mac?”The bartender is one of the first people I mention! It lets you choose which apps show up in the top menu bar and change their position as you see fit – every junkie in the organization will love it!
You can also search for certain items or move them to an additional bar that offers extra space. Plus, set up personalized keyboard shortcuts for instant access to apps. It’s a small tool, but it’s effective at tweaking an often overlooked aspect of macOS.
Say goodbye to a cluttered menu bar and let Bartender serve you whatever you want, when you need it. You can try it for free for four weeks before purchasing.
Bottom line: An app that gives you control over the menu bar in macOS for a customizable interface and streamlined workflow.
Price: $15.00 (4-week free trial)
9. Concept: best for organizing your life
Notion is like one productivity app that packs so many features into one. This is my favorite Mac app for task management because it works like everything I need, including a calendar, social media calendar, note book, planner, database, and more.
It rightly positions itself as a versatile workspace that you can customize to suit your preferences. This flexibility sets it apart from other productivity apps and makes it suitable for just about anyone working on any project. It is one of the best Mac apps for students, entrepreneurs, professionals, and more.
No matter what your workflow looks like, Notion can help you simplify and manage it. However, I must admit that it takes a bit of learning to get the hang of using it. This is primarily due to the abundance of features that can be overwhelming for a beginner. Check out this full review for more information.
Bottom line: A powerful all-in-one task management and organization app, perfect for individuals and organizations alike.
Price: Free ($4/month for Personal Pro)
10. Microsoft OneNote: Best for taking notes
I love the Apple Notes app, but there’s one limitation: it’s not available on other platforms like Windows and Android. So, I have to give credit to Microsoft OneNote for being the best and most complete note-taking app for Mac.
It’s an all-in-one solution that lets you easily take notes, create a digital sketchbook or write down your thoughts. You can also add photos and audio recordings to your notes and organize everything with tabs, labels, and color coding.
I love the variety of colors and digital pen settings that make it easy to create handwritten sketches and notes. Plus, you can draw accurately with smart features like Convert to Shapes, which automatically converts hand-drawn shapes into crisp, perfectly regular polygons and circles.
Plus, you can quickly share notes with others and collaborate in real time using a shared notebook. In terms of privacy, you can password protect your notes and manage permissions when sharing with others. Everything is neatly synchronized with the cloud and is available at any time on any device, which is very convenient.
Bottom line: a comprehensive note-taking app that helps you organize both individual and collaborative projects.
Price: Free
11. Copy Clip: Best Clipboard Management App
It’s a neat little utility that makes a big difference in your daily workflow on Mac. If you frequently copy and paste a lot of content, you may find it difficult to keep track of what’s on your clipboard, and you can often accidentally overwrite what you copied and forgot to paste.
Well, Copy Clip solves this problem perfectly by keeping track of everything you copy so you can access it anytime with the click of a button.
It’s in the Mac menu bar and you can click it to see a list of all recently copied items and select one to paste. The best part is that it does not consume much memory, has a low profile and is very easy to use.
You can customize how many items you want to keep in the clipboard history. This is one of the best Mac apps for developers and writers who work with a lot of text or code.
Bottom line: a handy and indispensable tool for easy clipboard management on Mac.
Price: Free
12. Hazel: The best file organization app
The next time you ask yourself, “What apps should my MacBook Pro have?”don’t forget to include Hazel. It automatically organizes your files according to the rules you set, and can quickly move and sort items by name, type, date, and more. This will help you create workflows to process files the way you want.
It is incredibly convenient to sort files of a certain type, automatically apply names and tags or other sets of rules for each file, folder and download on your Mac.
For example, you can set it up to move all your uploaded bank statements to your finances folder, or sort all photos into folders by date, remove files from the trash when certain criteria are met, etc.
It also helps you sync data to Dropbox, a network share, or iCloud Drive and notifies you every time it performs some tasks. The only drawback is that it takes a little time to set up all the rules and master the application. But once you understand this, it becomes a real salvation.
Bottom line: An innovative file management app for Mac that lets you automate the organization of files and folders according to custom rules.
Price: $42.00
13. Zoom: Best for video chat
Zoom’s popularity skyrocketed in 2020 after the pandemic hit and people around the world were forced to work from home. This is the best video conferencing app for professional, academic and personal use. This allows up to 100 participants to meet in HD video and audio calls on any device.
There is screen sharing and built-in chat for optimal collaboration. You can even record meetings locally or in the cloud, ideal for globally distributed teams.
In addition, virtual backgrounds, filters, reactions, polls, handshakes, and music or video sharing help make every meeting more fun and engaging. The basic free version allows unlimited one-on-one meetings and group meetings up to 40 minutes at a time.
Bottom line: An easy-to-use video chat app for remote work, school, or personal use.
Price: Free
14. PDF Expert: Best for Working with PDFs
Regardless of what you do, chances are you deal with PDF documents quite often. Here is an application that makes the process much easier and hassle-free. It is a minimalistic yet feature rich tool that will help you fill and sign PDF forms, merge PDF documents, edit and annotate as you wish.
The interface makes everything super easy for everyone, and it works like a charm with smooth scrolling and quick searches. Your files open instantly, no matter their size, and read mode helps you browse content faster.
The best part is that it’s compatible with Apple’s Continuity and Handoff features, so you can easily pick up where you left off on any device. Check out this full review for more information.
Bottom line: a useful application for anyone who regularly works with PDF documents.
Price: $79.99
15. Pocket: Best for offline reading
If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably come across a lot of articles or videos that you’ll want to watch later, but it’s hard to keep track of all these things systematically. Pocket is one of my favorite apps for saving stuff for reading or watching offline.
You can add items to an endless queue that you can get to when you have time. The best part is that everything you save is presented in a minimalistic, non-distracting way, which speeds up your work.
It offers browser extensions for Safari, Chrome or Firefox and you can view your saved items on any of your devices. Pretty neat!
Bottom line: An easy-to-use web clipper that conveniently saves photos, videos, and articles for later viewing.
Price: Free
16. Spark: Best Mail App
This has to be one of the best free apps for Mac because almost everyone knows what a load e-mail processing can be today. Spark is a simple, smart, and thoughtful app that makes things easy and puts you in real control of your inbox.
While the stock mail app on the Mac has its merits, Spark goes a step further by automatically showing you what matters most to you and cutting out the rest of the noise.
It only notifies you of mail from your contacts so that you are no longer drowning in a sea of spam and subscriptions that you don’t have time to deal with.
It also boasts impressive collaboration tools, such as a real-time editor for composing professional emails, private discussions on certain topics, and a built-in calendar.
Plus, it can be integrated with services like Dropbox, iCloud Drive, and more to streamline your workflow. What impressed me the most was the powerful natural language search which makes it easy and fast to find any message you are looking for.
Bottom line: An innovative email app that delivers a personalized experience for individuals and teams.
Price: Free
17. Fantastic: The Best Calendar App
An efficient calendar app is a must for managing my busy life and Fantastical 3 fits the bill. I love how it allows me to set events and reminders using natural language. For example, just type in “dine with Nellie on Friday at 1:00 pm”or “remind me to buy milk on Monday”and the calendar will automatically schedule it.
At the same time, it offers many other great features such as weather forecasts, moon phases, time zone adjustment, etc. In addition, it is fully compatible with iCloud Reminders and easily syncs with your iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Finally, the interface is beautiful and easy to use.
The free version is quite limited. It allows you to add and remove events, get a three-day forecast, and some other features. Thus, a premium subscription is your best bet to make the most of this popular Mac app.
Bottom line: A feature rich calendar and planner app that recognizes natural language input to schedule your events and reminders.
Price: Free (subscription starts at $4.99 per month).
18. Amphetamine: The best concentration app
Have you ever left a large file to download, only to come back hours later and see it paused because your Mac went to sleep? Or when you’re watching something and the splash screen interrupts you because you haven’t touched your keyboard in a while.
Well, Amphetamine is an application that allows your Mac to stay awake (even when the lid is closed) for a set number of hours or minutes, or indefinitely, or on a schedule you define.
It has an easy-to-configure user interface and is conveniently accessible from the menu bar. It also supports shortcuts for ease of access and is free from annoying ads. Please note that it does not work with versions of macOS older than Yosemite. However, it is one of the best Mac apps on Big Sur and Catalina as it supports dark mode.
Bottom line: A handy tool to temporarily turn off your Mac’s sleep schedule, perfect for watching movies, downloading large files, or connecting your system to external monitors.
Price: Free
19. VLC Media Player: Best for Entertainment
While I often watch movies and shows on Netflix and other streaming services, I also enjoy obscure content that friends find and share. This is often in the mkv format or other file types that the QuickTime player does not support.
Thus, the VLC player is required to open such audio and video files smoothly. It is an open source cross-platform media player that supports a wide range of formats.
In addition, it can be used to view 360-degree videos up to 8K resolution. What’s more, it’s free, but contains no ads, spyware, or user tracking – definitely a win!
Bottom line: a resourceful media player that can work with almost any audio and video format.
Price: Free
20. Spotify: Best for Music and Podcasts
No matter what I do on my Mac, I love having music or a podcast playing in the background. And while I have Apple Music on your Mac, it doesn’t offer a lot of free content.
So Spotify is my streaming app because it boasts the widest range of audio content from all over the world. My favorite feature is the adjustable playback speed, which allows me to scroll through podcast episodes faster.
Plus, it’s easy to create playlists, share them with friends, see what others are listening to, and discover new music every week.
Although the free version has ads, I don’t mind. But you can upgrade to a premium subscription to get rid of them and enjoy other features like downloading for offline listening.
Bottom line: A handy app for free music and podcasts on your Mac, iPhone, and more.
Price: Free ($9.99 per month for Premium)
21. Magnet: Best for desktop organization
Here’s something for all of you fellow multitaskers! Magnet is one of the best paid apps for Mac that provides handy window snapping and desktop organizing features native to Windows systems.
You can slide open windows flush to the edges of the screen and into preconfigured layouts. You can save them for your applications so that your desktop always looks the way you like it.
It also supports keyboard shortcuts for quick multitasking. I love the variety of options it offers – no more dragging and dropping open apps into the perfect layout on the screen.
Conclusion: A must have for anyone who works with multiple applications open on the same Mac desktop screen.
Price: $7.99
22. Reeder 5: Best RSS Reader for Mac
This is my favorite RSS reader app that looks great and works even better. It supports most services like Feedly, Feedbin, Fever, etc. and has useful features like private browsing mode, gesture controls, themes, and lots of customization options.
Sync all your feeds and articles to iCloud to read them on your devices. In addition, it has a minimalistic yet attractive design and article presentation with customizable yet simple settings.
This makes it an incredibly comfortable and distraction-free place to read. You can even add links from outside of Reeder using the Sharing extension.
Bottom line: a comprehensive RSS reader for your Mac that supports most services and syncs across your devices.
Price: $9.99
So, this is my list of the best Mac apps for everything you do most often on your system. Is there something you love that I missed? Share in the comments below!