![]()
By Randy B. SingerCopyright © Randy B.
Singer, 2018-2025. All worldwide rights reserved.
Permission is hereby given to link to this site, but no other use is permitted without express written permission. Note: Any discrepancies between the prices listed on this Web site and the price on the developer's site are irrelevant. The price you should expect to pay is the price asked by the developer. 237
completely free products now listed!
One of the things that makes the Macintosh a great value is the wide array of excellent software applications that come with it at no extra charge. Apple’s included applications are surprisingly competent. But they don’t always provide everything, or exactly what one could want. And there are certain types of applications that simply don’t come with a new Mac. There are, of course, a huge number of commercial applications to do whatever you want with your Macintosh, but sometimes folks don't have the budget for commercial software. Fortunately, there are a large assortment of free applications for the Macintosh that are very much worth having, or which are at least worth checking out. I’ve tried to list as many such programs here as I know about, emphasizing software that I feel is either invaluable or highly desirable. Hopefully even long-time Mac users will find something new and useful in this list. NOTE 1: This Web site is not meant to be a comprehensive listing of all of the free software for the Macintosh. The applications listed here are limited to those that are easy to install, which work really well, and which are either easy to use or which are easy to learn to use. In other words, all of the software on this site has been vetted to make sure that it is user-friendly for your average Macintosh user, and of the same quality as commercial software. NOTE 2: This site does not list free demo software that is crippled. Only fully functional, truly free apps are listed! Important: If you are running a recent version of the Macintosh operating system, and you download software from somewhere other than Apple’s Mac App Store, when you go to launch that software you may get a dialog that says that you can’t open the application because it’s “from an unidentified developer.” This is simply Apple’s security measure telling you to be careful where you get your software from. This alert does not mean that the application is dangerous or that it won’t run on your Macintosh. Software that you get directly from a legitimate developer is just about always perfectly safe. You can open the application by... right-clicking (or Control-clicking) on the application’s icon, and then choosing Open; you will still get a warning dialog, but you can now choose to Open the application anyway, even if it comes from an unidentified developer. From this point on you can launch the application normally and there will be no warning dialog box. However, this doesn't work if the application is located anywhere but in the Applications folder. See: http://osxdaily.com/2012/07/27/app-cant-be-opened-because-it-is-from-an-unidentified-developer/ Why is this software free? ActivePresenter free edition (free) https://atomisystems.com/activepresenter/free-edition/?AFFILIATE=6732&__c=1 (Screen recorder and video editor. Designed primarily to create training courses.) AdGuard for Safari (free) https://adguard.com/en/adguard-safari/overview.html (Ad blocking extension for Safari.) Adobe Express (free; commercial version adds more features) https://www.adobe.com/express/?msockid=3a77bcdb92846eb222f7a83993fd6f35 (AI content creation app for making stunning social posts, images, videos, flyers, and more.) AltTab (free) https://alt-tab-macos.netlify.app/ (Really cool window switcher using the keyboard.) Amazing AI (free) https://sindresorhus.com/amazing-ai (Describe an image using text, and your computer will create the image you describe!!) (NOTE: Requires a recent Macintosh with an "Apple Silicon" processor.) Amethyst (free) https://ianyh.com/amethyst/ (Simple window manager.) AmorphousDiskMark (free) https://katsurashareware.com/amorphousdiskmark/ (Measures the read/write performance of your hard drive.) Anatomy Model Puzzle (free) https://digital-gene.com/app_anatomymodelpuzzle.php?lang=en https://apps.apple.com/us/app/enjoy-learning-anatomy-puzzle/id563130137 (An educational puzzle game to learn human anatomy.) AppCleaner (free) https://freemacsoft.net/appcleaner/ (Macs don’t really need uninstallers, but for those who really want one, AppCleaner allows you to quickly, easily and thoroughly uninstall unwanted apps.) Arc browser (free) https://arc.net Review: https://tidbits.com/2023/05/01/arc-will-change-the-way-you-work-on-the-web/ (New paradigm Web browser using AI.) Audacity (free) https://www.audacityteam.org (Multi-track audio editor and recorder.) Aural (free) https://www.mactools.pro/Aural (Audio player. Supports a wide range of audio formats, including FLAC, MP3, and AAC, ensuring compatibility with most music libraries.) BBEdit (free/$50) https://www.barebones.com/products/bbedit/ List of differences between free and commercial version: https://www.barebones.com/products/bbedit/comparison.html (The premier text editor for the Macintosh. ) BeeBeep (free) https://www.beebeep.net (Peer to peer instant encrypted office messaging. ) BetterDisplay/Pro (free/$15) (was: BetterDummy) https://github.com/waydabber/BetterDummy (Allows custom resolutions with external monitors. Some monitors don't look quite right using Apple's default resolutions. This utility gives you more resolution choices so that hopefully you can find the perfect one. Now compatible with Apple Silicon.) BGBlitz (free version) https://www.bgblitz.com/ (A supremely wonderful backgammon game. Addictive.) Big Red Clock (free) http://www.bigredclock.com (Big red numbers desktop clock with countdown timer and stopwatch features. Blender (free) https://www.blender.org/download/ (Very powerful 3D graphics program.) BLEUnlock (free) https://github.com/ts1/BLEUnlock (A small menu bar utility that locks and unlocks your Mac by proximity of your iPhone, Apple Watch, or any other Bluetooth Low Energy device.) Blip (free for personal use) https://blip.net/ (Fast file transfer directly between any two your devices. Requires a minimum of macOS 12.1 Monterey, iOS/iPadOS 15, or Android 9. The Windows version is still in development.) Review: https://tidbits.com/2024/09/06/appbits-use-blip-to-send-large-files-directly/ BlueStacks (free) https://www.bluestacks.com/features.html (Lets you run Android apps on your Mac!) Brave Web browser (free) https://www.brave.com/ (Apple provides it’s own Web browser with every Macintosh; Safari. Why would you want a different Web browser? Because Brave doesn't spy on you like many other browsers do. It's FAST, it blocks ads without the need for add-ons, it blocks trackers, and it has excellent compatibility with just about every Web site. Brave simply provides a safer, much more enjoyable browsing experience than other browsers.) More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brave_(web_browser) https://restoreprivacy.com/browser/secure/ Calibre (free) https://calibre-ebook.com/ (E-book collection manager and converter. Read e-books from other Platforms on your Macintosh. Substitute for iBooks.) CaseViewer (Donation Requested.) https://www.caseviewer.app/ (Legal case law finder. You can retrieve cases from a variety of publicly available sources, and have them formatted for easy study.) Clipboard Manager (free) https://github.com/nardellil/clipboard-manager (Allows multiple items to be copy and pasted.) Cling (free) https://lowtechguys.com/cling (File finder that uses its own index and fuzzy searches to search for things that Spotlight can't. It can even do searches using partial names or misspelled names.) ClipGrab (free) https://clipgrab.org (ClipGrab is a free downloader and converter for YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook and many other Web-based audio and video sites. It converts downloaded files to MPEG4, MP3 or other common formats in one easy step.) ClipTools (free) https://macmost.com/cliptools https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cliptools/id1619348240?mt=12 (Access things that you have previously cut and pasted. You can save clips, use powerful Smart Clips, paste the date or time in any format you wish, and/or paste boilerplate that you create.) Clipy (free) https://clipy-app.com (An advanced clipboard manager that will allow you to copy and store as many things as you like, and then export them in any order that you like. Invaluable for doing research and writing.) (NOTE: Don't let the Japanese on this product's Web page scare you. This app is entirely in English.) Clix (free) https://rixstep.com/4/0/clix/ (Learn to use the Macintosh's powerful UNIX command line, with training wheels to keep you out of trouble!) Clocker (free) https://abhishekbanthia.com/clocker/ https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/clocker-menubar-world-clock/id1056643111?ls=1&mt=12 (World clock integrated right into your menu bar, allowing you to quickly check up on your colleagues/friends/family in different time zones. Includes reminders feature.) CloudClip Manager (free) https://thinkbitz.com/cloudclip/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cloudclip-manager/id563362017?mt=12 (Sync your clipboard between your Macintosh and your iPad or iPhone. It's the easiest way to transfer phone numbers, websites, addresses, and more.) Clyde (free, commercial version has more features) https://theclyde.app direct download of free version: https://theclyde.app/s/Clyde10.dmg (Sets off an alarm on your MacBook if somebody attempts to steal it.) CMap Tools (free) http://cmap.ihmc.us http://cmap.ihmc.us/download/ (Mind map app. Empowers users to construct, navigate, share and criticize knowledge models represented as concept maps.) Coconut Battery (free) https://www.coconut-flavour.com/coconutbattery/ (Tells you about the health of your Macbook’s battery. When your laptop's battery gets down to about 80% of its original capacity, it’s time to think about getting a new battery.) Command X (free) https://sindresorhus.com/command-x (Move files via cut and paste in the Finder.) CopyClip (free) https://apps.apple.com/us/app/copyclip-clipboard-history/id595191960?mt=12 (Simple and efficient clipboard manager.) CopyLess (free, additional features available for a fee) https://copyless.net/ (Clipboard manager. Can store up to 1000 recent clippings.) CoreBreach (free) https://www.corecode.io/corebreach/CoreBreach/CoreBreach.html (Futuristic anti-gravity racing game.) CMap Tools (free) http://cmap.ihmc.us http://cmap.ihmc.us/download/ (Mind map app. Empowers users to construct, navigate, share and criticize knowledge models represented as concept maps.) CotEditor (free) https://coteditor.com/ (Lightweight yet powerful text editor.) CustomShortcuts (free) https://www.houdah.com/customShortcuts/ (Customize Mac menu keyboard shortcuts.) Cyberduck (free) https://cyberduck.io/download/ (FTP browser. “File Transfer Protocol” is how you move files to a server. More importantly, it’s how you upload HTML files to your ISP’s server to put them on the Web. There are a number of FTP programs for the Mac, but this one is free, easy to use, and fairly full featured.) DarkModeBuddy (name your price) https://insidegui.gumroad.com/l/darkmodebuddy (Automatically switch your Mac between light and dark modes based on your Mac's ambient light sensor.) darktable (free) https://www.darktable.org/ (A clone of Adobe Lightroom. A virtual light-table and darkroom for photographers. It manages your digital negatives in a database, and enables you to develop raw images and enhance them.) Davinci Resolve (free; commercial "Studio" version has more features) https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/davinci-resolve/id571213070?mt=12 (Professional video editing, color correction, audio post and visual effects!) Desktop Icon Manager - "DIM" (free) http://www.parker9.com/desktopIconManager2.0.html (Remembers and restores on command the placement of your desktop's icons. It’s way too easy to accidentally set the “View” for your desktop to something that re-arranges everything with no way to get back the organization you painstakingly set up manually. With one click, DIM puts your desktop icons right back where they were when you last saved their arrangement. Program can also instantly hide all of your desktop icons.) DetectX (free/$10 to register) https://sqwarq.wordpress.com (Looks for and eliminates all known adware. Will also remove some malware, but this isn’t a comprehensive solution for dealing with malware....fortunately you don't need a product to look for the latter because the Mac has built-in anti-malware software.) DiffusionBee (free) https://diffusionbee.com (A set of amazing AI tools for graphic artists!) draw.io Desktop (free) https://www.diagrams.net https://github.com/jgraph/drawio-desktop/releases/tag/v21.2.1 (Diagramming tool. For creating floor-plans, orginization charts, process flows, mind-maps, circuit diagrams, story maps and timelines.) DupeGuru (free) https://dupeguru.voltaicideas.net/ (Finds duplicate files by either name or content. Also works with music and photos.) EasyFind (free) https://www.devontechnologies.com/apps/freeware (File search app. Spotlight doesn't look everywhere on your hard drive for things. Spotlight is designed for speed and to keep you away from things that might get you in trouble. EasyFind looks everywhere on your Mac. It can even look for invisible files.) Easy Record and Trim (free) https://ithinkapps.com/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mp3trueedit/id731468939 (Allows you to record MP3 files and AAC audio files directly and then trim the recordings without any quality loss.) Easy Streaming (free) https://apps.apple.com/us/app/easy-streaming/id6449092750?mt=12 (Easy Streaming helps you to conveniently browse multiple streaming and video sites in one application, separate from your web browser.) Economix (free) http://y.callaud.free.fr/economix.html (Personal finance manager.) EdenMath (free) http://www.edenwaith.com/products/edenmath/ (Scientific calculator which does standard arithmetic, probability, and trigonometric functions.) eM Client (free/$50) https://www.emclient.com/ (Extremely full featured e-mail client. Includes calendars, tasks, contacts, notes, and chat features. Commercial Pro version adds features that the free version lacks.) Encrypto (free) https://macpaw.com/encrypto (Instantly encrypt and password protect your files or folders. Decrypt them with a double-click and enter the password. Not even the FBI can break this encryption. There is also a free version of this product for Windows, so encrypted files can be shared across platforms!) EnvelopeMagic (free) https://www.envelopemagic.com https://apps.apple.com/us/app/envelopemagic/id1516167860?mt=12 (App for printing envelopes. Requires macOS 11.5 or later.) eqMac (free. Commercial Pro version has more features.) https://eqmac.app/ (System Audio Equalizer. Make your music sound better by adjusting it for your speakers and environment.) Espanso (free) https://espanso.org/ (Text expander. Create snippets that when typed expand into often-used terms and boilerplate.) EtreCheckPro (free; additional features available for a fee) https://etrecheck.com/en/index.html (Helps you track down the cause of serious problems on your Mac. Can also remove annoying adware.) eul (free) https://apps.apple.com/us/app/eul/id1537133867 (System status monitoring app.) FaceTime (free) https://apps.apple.com/us/app/facetime/id1110145091 (Make audio and video calls for free.) FamilyTreeBuilder (free) https://www.myheritage.com/family-tree-builder (Genealogy program. Research and create a family tree.) Filezilla (free) https://filezilla-project.org (Cross-platform FTP and SFTP client.) FormulatePro (free) http://code.google.com/p/formulatepro/ (Allows you to fill in PDF forms on-screen and print them. Even locked ones. The latest version of Preview can do most of what Formulate can do, and more, but Formulate is really good at what it does, and makes it easier. ) Note: This application is not 64-bit and can’t be run under Mac OS 10.15 Catalina and later. Fotor (free/subscription. Commercial version adds more features.) https://www.fotor.com/mac/index.html (Easy to use, but powerful photo editing app.) FoxIt PDF Reader (free) https://www.foxit.com/pdf-reader/ (View, print, annotate, fill-in forms, and sign PDF documents. Alternative to Preview, but not an Adobe Acrobat Pro replacement.) FreeFileSync (free) https://freefilesync.org (Graphical file synchronization and folder comparison tool.) |