Best Mac apps by category
Nineteen honest round-ups of the Mac apps worth installing in 2026, each with the free option built into macOS and the exact steps to use it. We make one app in every list and say so on the page.
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The 5 best Finder alternatives for Mac (2026)
“Finder alternative” means two different things: a power file manager with panes and server connections, or a friendlier way to see and find your own stuff. Here are the best of both.
From the makers of Nook · · 11 min read -
The 5 best Mac cleaner apps for developers (2026)
Xcode DerivedData, simulators, node_modules, Docker images and package caches can eat a surprising share of your disk. Here’s what to use to get that space back, and the commands to do it by hand.
From the makers of DevSweep · · 10 min read -
The 5 best clipboard managers for Mac (2026)
macOS 26 Tahoe finally added a clipboard history to Spotlight. Here’s when that’s enough, and the five clipboard managers worth installing when it isn’t.
From the makers of Clipnest · · 10 min read -
The 5 best screen recorders for Mac (2026)
Five Mac screen recorders compared for product demos, tutorials and quick video messages, from free and open source to polished auto-zoom editors.
From the makers of Reelcast · · 12 min read -
The 6 best file converters for Mac (2026)
Six ways to convert images, video, audio and documents on a Mac, from drag-and-drop apps to the command line, and which ones work offline.
From the makers of Transmute · · 11 min read -
The 5 best PDF editors for Mac (2026)
Five PDF apps for Mac compared, from full text editors to offline toolkits, plus everything Preview already does for free.
From the makers of Folio · · 11 min read -
The 5 best dictation apps for Mac (2026)
Five speech-to-text apps for the Mac, what each does best, and which ones keep your voice on your own computer.
From the makers of Utter · · 12 min read -
The 5 best window managers for Mac (2026)
Snap, save, tile or scroll: five ways to stop juggling windows on a Mac, and when macOS’s own tiling is enough.
From the makers of Ribbon · · 10 min read -
The 5 best email backup apps for Mac (2026)
Five ways to get a copy of your mail onto your own Mac, from free exports to ongoing backups, and what Apple Mail already does for you.
From the makers of Mailcellar · · 11 min read -
The 4 best battery monitor apps for Mac (2026)
Battery health, charge limits, live stats or “where did 20% go overnight?” — each of these apps answers a different question, and macOS answers some of them for free.
From the makers of Nightwatch · · 11 min read -
The 4 best network drive apps for Mac (2026)
If your NAS share vanishes every time your Mac sleeps or changes Wi-Fi, one of these apps will mount it again for you — or you can script a fix with what macOS already has.
From the makers of Shareline · · 10 min read -
The 4 best desktop photo apps for Mac (2026)
Want family photos on your Mac desktop without a cropped square widget? Here are the apps that do it properly, and what macOS can do on its own.
From the makers of Mantel · · 11 min read -
The 5 best all-in-one toolbox apps for Mac (2026)
One app to compress a video, merge a PDF, remove a background or format JSON. How the toolbox apps compare, and what macOS already does for free.
From the makers of Satchel · · 12 min read -
The 4 best notch apps for Mac (2026)
Music controls, notifications, a file shelf or quiet work tools — each MacBook notch app fills that black strip with something different, and macOS has its own fix for icons hidden behind it.
From the makers of Perch · · 11 min read -
The 4 best apps to keep your Mac awake (2026)
A one-click switch, rules that turn on by themselves, or “stay up until this build is done” — four keep-awake apps compared, plus the free command that’s already on your Mac.
From the makers of Vigil · · 12 min read -
The 5 best meeting recorder apps for Mac (2026)
Some send a bot into your call, some upload the audio, and some never let it leave your Mac. Here’s which is which, what each costs, and what macOS already does for free.
From the makers of Quill · · 12 min read -
The 5 best screen time apps for Mac (2026)
Billable hours, fewer distractions, a free open-source log or just “where did today go?” — each of these apps answers a different question, and macOS answers some of them for free.
From the makers of Tally · · 12 min read -
The 4 best bank statement converters for Mac (2026)
One locked HDFC PDF for a loan file, or a year of statements from four banks for your CA’s Tally? The right converter depends on how many statements you have, and whether you’re happy to upload them.
From the makers of Tabulate · · 11 min read -
The 4 best expense tracker apps for Mac (2026)
Receipts, GST invoices and a tidy year end: four Mac apps for freelancers and small businesses, compared on price, GST support and where your books are kept.
From the makers of Kitty · · 11 min read
Every guide lists prices and features as checked on each developer’s own website on the date shown. Spotted something out of date? The apps on this list change often, so check the official site before you buy.