Advertisement Here you have it – our ultimate list of must-have Mac apps. From email clients to system utilities, time savers to productivity boons; on this page you’ll find the best Mac software used by MakeUseOf staff and readers alike. We will continue to update the list on a regular basis, so be sure to add your favorites in the comments and we’ll consider them the next time we update this page. Last updated: July 6, 2017 Navigation: Audio The old Mac favorite is a You don't need a Mac to make music, but with this much free software available it certainly helps., and it’s free for all Mac users to download and try out. Record audio, play virtual instruments, and get access to the Apple Loops library of royalty free sounds. A completely free kernel extension for macOS that allows you to pass audio between applications by acting as a virtual audio device. Essential for recording system audio when paired with Audacity (above). One of the best free Unless you're chained to the iTunes ecosystem and have no choice but to use it, you may want to consider switching to one of these alternatives., Clementine supports a huge number of audio formats and external services including Spotify and cloud storage services like Google Drive and Dropbox.
Stezza is one of the best music player apps for iPhone and stylish way to interact with your iTunes media library. Unlike other apps, this app is quick, easy and accessible app which is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Music visualization is possible because of amazing music visualizer apps and softwares. Most of you might be already loving them because they look best as a screen saver too. So, we bring you the list of some top music visualizer for PC, Mac, Android and iOS that will leave you rock and roll.
You can also transcode music, manage podcasts, and enjoy visualizations while listening. Spotify changed the game when it first launched, bringing unlimited streaming music to desktops and mobiles for a fixed fee. You can also stream for free, if you’re not bothered by adverts. ITunes Included with your Mac, iTunes is the only way to access the Apple Music streaming service which is one of the best alternatives to Spotify. Browsers Safari Safari is the default browser installed on every Apple computer. We think it’s the best browser for most Mac users, plus there are Safari is probably the best browser for Mac users, but you can make it even better with a few well-chosen extensions. Google’s own browser, Chrome is a powerhouse for those who need developer tools, extensions or multiple profiles for separating work or play. An excellent alternative to Chrome, Firefox has focused on slimming down over the past few years after complaints it had become bloated. If you haven’t tried it for a while, it might be time to give it another go.
Also consider: Email Mail It’s a bit crusty and lacking in new features compared to some of the more adventurous clients, but Mail is free and it works well enough. Dig a bit deeper and you can use it to do cool things like Apple's Mail app doesn't come with a scheduler by default, but you can use Automator or a third-party plugin to add 'send later' functionality. ($9.99) AirMail is When I first heard of Airmail, I must admit I questioned if I really needed a new way to check my email. Like many people, Mail.app satisfied all of my email requirements, and I struggled., with a beautifully simple aesthetic and full support for labels and starring, among other Google features.
Mail Pilot 2 ($20) The second version of Mail Pilot continues the “to-do list” approach to email in a bid to make you more productive by focusing on what’s most important. A new feature called Dash provides an at-a-glance overview of new emails, outstanding conversations, and responses that are overdue. Nylas N1 is a bit of an oddity in terms of an email app. It’s both a premium sync service and an open source Every Mac comes with a free email application, but it's not the be-all and end-all of OS X email solutions. Here's five of the best alternatives. If you’re happy to compile it yourself and run your own sync engine, you can enjoy one of the best email experiences completely free of charge (otherwise it’s $7 per month).
Best Music Apps For Mac Free
Also consider:, & News ($9.99) The If you’re looking for a fast way to get news updates from specific sources, RSS is still the best way to go about it., Reeder disappeared for a short while before returning in full force. It’s not free but it’s got the best interface, great themes, and supports a wide range of services to provide a premium reading experience. ($9.99) We’ve Still looking for the perfect Mac RSS reader? It's here. before and for good reason.
This powerhouse reader works with all major RSS providers and “read later” services, features a new clutter-free reading mode and an interface reminiscent of the original Reeder. If your budget looks something like $0, Vienna is as good as it’s going to get. Fortunately, you get much more than you pay for with this capable Open Reader compliant RSS app. Also consider: Related: For me, RSS feeds are the ideal way to keep up to date with all the websites I'm interested in - a centralised news-pool, so you don't have to check your browser every five minutes.
Virtualization Run Windows on your Mac for free with VirtualBox, though you’ll still need a valid Windows license to get anywhere. ($79.99) If Virtualbox doesn’t cut it, VMware Fusion is another great option with better support for demanding applications, like games – though it’ll cost you just shy of $80. ($79.99) Parallels is a virtualization environment that lets you run windowed Windows applications on your machine without having to switch to a virtual desktop first. / Wineskin and WineBottler are two (separate) free programs that let you create “wrappers” for Windows applications that run via a compatibility layer on your Mac. Related: Want to play classic Windows and DOS games on your Mac, but unsure where to begin?
Today we'll be looking at all your available options, and how to choose between them. Photos & Images Photos Don’t dismiss your Mac’s default image management application just yet.
Its We thought it was about time we compiled a list of our favourite raster image editors for Mac OS X. and filters are fine for small edits, plus it can handle RAW files and recognize people, places, and objects since the macOS Sierra update. ($20/month) The undisputed king of image editing, Photoshop CC is almost affordable now at only $20 per month for a single license. Perfect for RAW processing, photo retouching, designing graphics and logos, 3D elements and terrible memes. ($80) Apple’s “App of the Year” for 2015, Affinity Photo delivers a powerful image editing package for a one-off fee that makes it a solid budget alternative to Photoshop. Work with Photoshop files, edit RAWs straight from your camera, use adjustment layers, and a whole lot more.
($30) Need a capable image editor but can’t justify spending too much? Pixelmator might be the answer.
It has many of the same features found in Adobe’s pride and joy, except you can use it forever for a single payment of $30. If you’d rather go the free route, open source editor GIMP comes in a Mac-enhanced version that includes a range of photo editing plugins, including RAW support. Inkscape is Adobe Illustrator might be the gold standard when it comes to vector software for the Mac, but you don't always have to spend a fortune on design software. Cross-platform and open source, it’s the choice of many designers, illustrators and web comic aficionados the world over. If you don’t like the look of Inkscape, BoxySVG offers another free vector option that’s built with web technologies.
If all you want to do is Photoshop is expensive, and while many are happy to fork out a monthly fee for Adobe's revised Creative Cloud system, others will always turn to free software first. One thing is for sure: if you're., then you should give RawTherapee a shot. The interface can at first be overwhelming, but that’s only down to the sheer number of options it provides you with – and it’s completely free. AstroPad AstroPad isn’t an image editor but an app that turns your iPad or iPhone into a full-fledged graphics tablet. It works best when paired with an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil stylus, fusing the intuitive touch controls with the precision of a high end stylus. Also consider: Aperture & Productivity Siri If you’re using macOS Sierra or later, Siri is built in and accessible via the menu bar, dock, and holding the command+spacebar keyboard shortcut. Apple’s intelligent personal assistant Siri is now on the Mac, and controlling your computer with your voice has never been easier.!
Evernote is probably the most popular, widely used and best-supported note-taking solution in the world. Recent changes mean that the free version is limited to just two devices, but it’s still a note-taking powerhouse. 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 — all without Evernote’s two-device restriction. Apple Notes Apple’s own Notes app was a bit useless until it received a makeover in El Capitan and iOS 9. Now it resembles more of a cut-price Evernote, and while it lacks many of the features you’ll find in dedicated rival products it’s a Have you switched over to Apple's vastly improved Notes app? Here are a few tips on improving your workflow. ($50) The There are plenty of great third-party apps that serve as a replacement for your Mac's Calendar application, or as add-ons to take it to the next level.
Here are our favorites., Fantastical allows you to schedule appointments by typing a description of your event. It enjoys excellent support, and has integration with Apple’s reminders system and a as well.
Reminders This one also comes with Mac OS X by default. Use it with Siri to make a Don't waste your money on a third-party app, just use Apple free iPhone and Mac apps. If Apple’s own Reminders app doesn’t cut it, you can’t do much better than Wunderlist, a completely cross-platform system that’s easy to use and powerful to boot. ($6.99) Appearing on iOS first, Clear is a slim and easy to use to-do list manager which places an emphasis on aesthetic value and mobile access. If Evernote is overkill, Simplenote might just be what you’re looking for. Free, lightweight and cross-platform; it also gives Apple Notes a run for its money.
Do you use Apple’s in-built text to speech services? Whether you rely on the accessibility feature or you’re just feeling lazy, Dictater makes the feature even better by allowing you to pause, skip, replay, and even read along (plus it’s free).
Related: If you work at a home-based office like I do, you no doubt spend a significant amount of time getting things done on your Mac. While I have already written about the advantages of using. Code & Text Editors Everything you need to If you want to learn Swift, now is the time to dive in. The language has a bright future and the faster you learn it, the sooner you'll be able to reap the rewards., including macOS, iOS, tvOS, and watchOS. The development tools are free to download, but you’ll need to pay a yearly fee and enroll in Apple’s developer program to list your apps on their various storefronts. Microsoft’s free, open source, and highly extensible code editor is Microsoft's text editor supports myriad languages, and you don't even need to compare it to Xcode, since they serve different needs.
($70) If you need a serious text editor (and if you have to ask that question, then you probably don’t) you should consider dropping $70 on Sublime Text. ($50) Just like Sublime Text, TextMate is a highly capable text editor for those who write code for a living. You should probably try them both before settling on a favorite. TextWrangler is the completely free fork of BBEdit.
Though it omits a few of the advanced features found in its bigger brother, it’s still the best free text editor on the platform. ($19.99) A document browser and code snippet manager, Dash is designed to If you're a programmer, you already rely heavily on documentation. Dash is a Mac app designed to make your required reading a more pleasant experience. For a huge number of programming languages.
Writing & Office The whole iWork suite is now free to all Mac users, including Pages and its web-based equivalent. It might not beat out Microsoft Office in terms of features, Many long-time Office users will be unwilling to transition away from the apps they're so used to working with, but it's time to give iWork another chance. Numbers is Apple’s answer to Microsoft Excel. What better way to learn how to use this powerful spreadsheet app than with New Macs come with Numbers, a spreadsheet program that's perfect for helping you get organized.?
It’s a presentation app, for making slide-based presentations. You can use the to control the Mac version, or run your presentations from the web using iCloud. If you need a simple distraction-free writing environment for free, FocusWriter is the app for you. For such a lightweight and minimal app there’s a surprisingly long list of features (but you don’t have to use them all). IA Writer ($10) Looking for something a little more capable? IA Writer is Be it a school paper or a blog post, all of us at some point find ourselves in the position of having to dump a bunch of characters into a text file.
While cell phone., coming in both macOS and iOS varieties. Among the key features is auto-markdown support, syncing over iCloud and support for importing Word documents. ($45) Ulysses prides itself on two things: excellent markdown support and a distraction-free environment. It’s one of the most powerful writing tools on any platform, and it does away with many of the distracting features found in the bigger packages while still providing an impressive array of writing, productivity, and organization tools. ($149) Despite the eye-watering price, if you think you’ll get enough mileage out of the whole Office suite then you can’t do much better than the Home & Student Edition.
It includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and (free app) OneNote for a one-off fee. Looking for an office suite but can’t justify the $150 Microsoft is asking for their budget version?
LibreOffice might just do the job. The open source word processor, spreadsheet tool, and presentation app lacks polish but it’s completely free and much less temperamental than most browser-based alternatives. ($45) A few staff members at MakeUseOf swear by Scrivener, the cross-platform and Scrivener has been around since 2006, and it is a favorite application amongst novelists and screenwriters. Scrivener is not a desktop layout application like Word and Pages, but it helps you organize and export your. It’s popular among screenwriters and novelists for When it comes to getting a research paper, ebook or novel completed, Scrivener can help you stay organized and motivated — that is, if you know how to use some of its best features. And rich feature set, and we’ve produced a. ($9.99) If you’re looking for a diary application, then Everyone has a story to tell.
It's not always a story in need of an audience, sometimes a story just needs to be told. You may want to continue the journal you started when you. It syncs over iCloud or Dropbox with your iOS devices, allowing you to update your journal regardless of where you are. Related: Have you always dismissed Apple's productivity apps as unsuitable for your office needs? It's time to reconsider! Timesavers (donationware) BetterTouchTool allows you to I started using BetterTouchTool back in 2011, and since then it has become one of the top three Mac applications for boosting my productivity and streamlining my workflow.
Though BTT can be used by any. On a touchpad, mouse and Control your Mac with the wave of your hand instead of keyboard presses. BetterTouchTool and the Leap Motion controller can power-up your workflow with dozens of mouseless shortcuts. It now uses a “pay what you feel” donationware model, allowing you to pay anywhere from $3.99 to $50 for a license.
($4.99) Just like the name suggests, Dropzone is a small icon that lives in your menu bar and when you grab and drag files it offers a You could waste time putting your files and folders to use the traditional way, or you could save time and do everything directly from your menu bar using Dropzone. ($5.99) In the style of Dropzone, Unclutter provides a place to store files at the top of your screen. It also adds support for pasteboard clips and notes, speeding up your workflow by providing you with fast access to everything you need. MacOS Sierra allows you to unlock your Mac using an Apple Watch, but if you haven’t got an Apple Watch you can Typing a password is just so much hassle, don't you wish you could use your iPhone, Apple Watch or simply have your Mac unlock when you walk near it? Well, now you can! Download both Tether for Mac and iOS to automatically unlock your Mac when you approach.
Thanks to music players our everyday music experience is rich and deep. A good music player for Mac is very much needed for passionate music listeners, inspiring us to listen more, organize music libraries, learn more about favorite artists, and simply enjoy our everyday to the sound of music. This helpful article is about the players that you can use as your best MP3 player for Mac. The great thing is that some of them are much more than just a Mac music player and offer more options than iTunes player. So let's have a look. By calling itself an all-you-can-eat music player for Mac, the free music player can work flawlessly on macOS High Sierra (or earlier) to play pretty much any music format that you throw at it, be it MP3, FLAC, OGG, AAC, etc. Aside from playing, the free 5KPlayer well integrates such functionalities as downloading music online, Airplay streaming music and more.
5K Music Player allows you to save videos from YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion and other video sharing resources to your computer. Its iPhone manager feature can quickly move and manage your iPhone/iPod/iPad data such as videos, music, photos, files, SMS, and contacts. The website is available in English, German, Japanese and Chinese languages.
Fidelia is a classic music player supporting all HD audio formats and offering a great set of audio tools for the optimal experience (CanOpenerTM headphone processor, Good DitherTM and sample rate converter from Goodhertz). The apps interface is pretty cool resembling of a high-end radio that shows current track's waveform and has three special effect channels. The player has mute and dim buttons with metadata displays. Fidelia supports AirPlay. Fidelia easily integrates with iTunes and allows you to work with playlists as well as to play music formats that are not supported by iTunes, e.g. The music player is tailored to 64-bit plugins and gives you full access to Mac Audio Units including AUGraphicEQ.
You can try Fidelia Music Player for free but then you’ll need to buy it from Audiofile or from App Store. This one is a very simple Mac audio player for all music formats with a friendly and clean interface. Vox offers the the loop option as well as an unlimited cloud space to store your music. This player will work with various audio sources including custom playlists, iTunes library, online radio, etc. Work with it from the main window, Dock menu or main menu controls. To control the playback you can use keyboard media keys, headphone buttons and Apple Remote. If you want to get advanced features you should activate Vox Premium version.
Equalizer, control panel, SONOS Support, Bass Audio Engine, playback without gaps and BS2B feature are available only in paid account. Tomahawk is another multi platform free music player Mac that is supported by Windows, Linux and Mac OS. It is packed with lots of features but its functionality is neither complex nor hard to understand. The app aims to become all-in-one tool to cover different online audio services.
Tomahawk users can sign up and enjoy music available on Spotify, YouTube, Jamendo, Google Play Music, Deezer, Amazon Music and many others benefitting from big audio collections from a single source. This app also integrates with such free resources as Soundcloud, Soundhound, iTunes, Owncloud, etc. Among its benefits you can point out the social part that the app creators try to push up: you can browse through your friends’ music and listen to their playlists. Clementine offers you a big set of features.
It allows managing music in different ways: change the cover, queue, and manage playlists can transcode music formats with FLAC support, allows CD ripping and tag editing for batch processing of music files. This free music player for Mac gives you the opportunity to access different radio resources like Spotify, Grooveshark, SomaFM, Magnatune, etc. As well as the sound storage tools like Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, and OneDrive. With Clementine you can tab your playlists, import and export such formats as M3U, XSPF, PLS and ASX. The app easily plays music on Mac, so you can listen to your favorite audio CDs without problems. Song lyrics, artist biographies, photos, podcasts, etc.
Can be easily downloaded with the Clementine music player. The only feature that may disappoint you is its poor design and look which are not going to be replaced soon.