You can improve your Mac experience by adding apps that not only increase its capabilities but also address its shortcomings. By using these apps, you can get the most out of your device and enhance both your productivity and enjoyment.
Although the macOS operating system offers stability, users may not always find their expectations met by the default apps that come with every Mac. The good news is that users can enhance their experience with third-party applications.
While some apps address specific needs, others close gaps in the functionality of the macOS default apps. Even though many of these apps come with a price tag, you can usually test them out for free before purchasing them. Moreover, a number of these apps sync easily with companion apps on your iPhone, which could simplify several aspects of your life. Ultimately, you can greatly enhance and streamline your macOS experience with these third-party apps.
Given below are a few of the apps for your Mac.
- Better Snap Tool
Although macOS allows you to view two applications side by side using Split View, it is not as user-friendly as its Windows counterpart, where you can easily drag a window to a corner and snap it into place. If you want to avoid the hassle of resizing window borders and find the default functionality less intuitive, you might want to consider purchasing the Better Snap Tool app, priced at $3.
- Spotify
You likely use Spotify if you have not switched to Apple Music for your music streaming needs. It is easy to sign up for a free Spotify account and start listening to your favorite songs. Compared to the web app, the macOS desktop app offers enhanced control over your playlists and does so in a more streamlined way.
- VLC
VLC is the recommended media player in situations where you need to play a video file but are unsure if QuickTime will work with it. One of the best on the market, VLC’s strength lies in its wide support for a variety of multimedia formats, including CDs, DVDs, and file formats like DivX, Xvid, and Real Video, among others. It even supports Ogg Vorbis. The most appealing feature of VLC is that it is free and open-source and works with a variety of operating systems, including iOS.
- Grammarly
Grammarly can help you make sure your grammar, spelling, and syntax are flawless, even if you are not sure where to put characters inside or outside of quotation marks. This program works across multiple platforms, including word processors, email clients, and other applications, and it integrates seamlessly into your desktop and browser. Although the free version is accessible, full-sentence rewrites, vocabulary suggestions, and tone recommendations are just a few of the proactive features offered by the $12/month Premium version. Grammarly is an easy-to-install plug-in that you can use within Microsoft Word for added convenience, even though Word has a useful editor of its own.
- Steam
If you want to play games on your Mac, consider downloading Steam. Steam was
introduced by Valve nearly two decades ago and it has evolved into one of the largest PC game platforms globally. Although not all games on Steam can be played on macOS, the platform provides an efficient way to filter through its vast collection of over 50,000 games to find those that are Mac-compatible. There are many amazing options to choose from, including newer games like Cuphead, Hades, and Disco Elysium and classics such as Sid Meier’s Civilization VI and Stardew Valley. You can also improve your gaming experience on your new Mac by connecting a compatible Bluetooth controller to play some vintage gamepad games.
- I movie
Despite not being able to match the high-end features of professional video editors such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro, Apple’s iMovie remains one of the most user-friendly options available. One significant benefit of iMovie is that it is free, which is noteworthy given that many full-featured video editors can cost $100 or more. Since iMovie is an Apple product, it may already be pre-installed on your Mac; if not, you can download it from the App Store. This supports up to 4K resolutions and makes it possible for you to edit videos quickly and simply.
- Adobe Reader
Even though PDFs are widely used, working with them seamlessly on computers can be challenging at times. While the era of requiring an additional program to read PDFs is long gone, you still need a powerful stand-alone tool to quickly fill out fields and sign PDF forms digitally. Select Adobe Reader, and you will be done in a matter of minutes.
- Skitch
The makers of Evernote created Skitch, which is superior to the built-in Screenshot app on macOS. Skitch lets you annotate and enhance screenshots with text callouts, shapes, arrows, and other elements after capturing a screenshot of a program window, a specific area, or the entire screen. It is also possible to pixelate specific areas of an image to highlight or hide sensitive details.
- Meeter
A useful app that resides in your Mac’s menu bar, Meeter consolidates all of your video calls across various platforms, including Zoom, Webex, Microsoft Teams, BlueJeans, FaceTime, and about thirty other video-conferencing services. Meeter is a very useful tool for remote workers in general, but in the event of a COVID-19 pandemic, it became even more important for anyone who frequently used video calls with friends and family.
The free version easily syncs with your calendar, automatically retrieving details for the next scheduled appointment. This feature makes it easier to check your schedule quickly and join meetings with just one click, eliminating the need to search through emails to find the meeting link.
- Daisy Disk
DaisyDisk is a highly effective disk space management tool for Mac users, providing a powerful, adaptable, and aesthetically pleasing solution. For $10, you can download this app, which quickly scans your storage drives and presents an elegant interactive map showing you how much space your Mac is utilizing. DaisyDisk’s user-friendly drag-and-drop tools make it easy to relocate files and free up important storage. It is worth noting that the most recent version can scan drives on cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and more.
- Carrot Weather
Carrot Weather is known for its remarkable powers and unique features. It includes characters, spoken dialogue, and hidden locations. Carrot Weather is the best option if you like your weather forecasts.
- Reeder 5
Using a single app simplifies the process of consuming news from various sources and feeds. Reeder 5, which supports Feedly, Feed Wrangler, NewsBlur, and other platforms, offers an easy-to-use way to combine all of your RSS feeds in one location.
Reeder 5 is made for simple integration, especially for people who are used to using RSS feeds daily, whereas Reeder 4 may present a learning curve for those who are new to RSS feeds. The app has several themes to suit a range of tastes, such as a white mode for better contrast and a dark mode for reading at night. Reeder 5 also makes it easy to share your favorite stories with others by integrating with Buffer, Pocket, Evernote, and other services.
- Mimestream
When a team that understands the nuances of Mac functionality creates a Mac app, it is truly exceptional. When you apply this knowledge to Gmail’s functionality, you get the most exceptional Gmail client ever developed for Mac. Quick searches, user-friendly keyboard shortcuts, and a filter creation process that conforms to the standards of Mac users who are accustomed to Gmail are all provided by this client. It has a drawback, as it is relatively expensive and requires an annual subscription. It is also only intended for Gmail and does not have an iOS app. All things considered, Gmail remains the best email client available for Mac users who are committed to it.
- Slack
Slack is a tool that is typically associated with the corporate world and can be a great way to keep hobbyist groups connected while still allowing them to maintain a comfortable distance. Although it might bring back memories of the workplace, its usefulness goes beyond that setting. There is less pressure to reply right away than with text messages, and in contrast to WhatsApp groups, it provides a wealth of options for filtering out interruptions when looking for uninterrupted moments. This platform gives users a flexible and well-organized communication experience with features like do-not-disturb times, direct message or mention notifications, and the ability to mute specific channels entirely.
- Cleanshot X
For Mac users, CleanShot X is an enhanced screen-capturing utility that can be a true game-changer if you frequently take pictures or videos of your desktop. It is easy to quickly take a picture, edit or annotate it, combine it with other screenshots, and share it with others via drag-and-drop with the basic version, which costs $29 and comes with a more robust suite of screen-capturing tools. Additionally, you can record a video of your screen even while scrolling along with your keystrokes, clicks, and webcam. You can then instantly upload the recording to the cloud or convert it to a GIF. If you want more than just 1GB of cloud storage (the basic version only offers you 2GB), you can upgrade to the $8/month Pro version for custom domain and branding options.
- Tweetbot
Tweetbot is a must-have Mac app for avid Twitter users. At $10, it offers a large selection of filters, which greatly enhances the Twitter experience. With the help of these filters, users can filter out sponsored tweets, spoilers, and other unwanted content. Tweetbot’s slick interface makes it easy to keep track of hashtags, switch between accounts seamlessly, and take private notes on user profiles. The purpose of this app is to personalize and enhance your Twitter experience.
- Gimp
GIMP has been around for a while and is still considered the best free, full-featured image editor for Macs. With regular updates, this program keeps evolving and adding new features while keeping the same level of quality as Photoshop. Whether used as a simple paint program or for photo retouching, GIMP has an extensive filter library and an interface that can be customized. Except for CMYK, the program supports a large number of file formats. GIMP is a free image editing tool that can be downloaded from GIMP.org.
- Microsft-to-do
The Microsoft To-Do app is a useful addition for users of Microsoft 365, formerly known as Office 365. This to-do list application works well on multiple platforms and serves as a flexible task manager for users who are at home or on the go. It serves as a daily planner with a straightforward to-do list format. It improves the user experience by enabling synchronization with other Microsoft apps across different devices. Microsoft To-Do is a free download from the Apple Mac Store for users who want to simplify task management within the Microsoft ecosystem.
- Grids
Although you can use your favorite web browser to access Instagram, you might not get the optimal experience when using the image-sharing service. Grids is a free application that dramatically improves your Mac’s Instagram browsing experience. Grids have a simple and effective interface that ensures quick loading times and has a variety of layouts for Instagram photo and video viewing. For ease of content zooming, it has an expanded view mode. It’s noteworthy that some common Instagram functions, like watching Stories and sending direct messages, are only available with the Grids Pro edition. If you subscribe to the Pro version every month, it costs $2.50, and if you subscribe to it annually, it costs $1.
- Pixelmator Pro
Pixelmator Pro is one of the best photo editing apps available on the App Store. Priced at $40, it may not be the most budget-friendly app. With more than 50 image editing tools including an extensive collection of vector tools, it offers special features like machine learning-powered photo editing tools. One more benefit of Pixelmator Pro, a powerful substitute for Adobe Photoshop, is that it only costs a single payment as opposed to Adobe’s monthly subscription model.
