Best apps for Mac
286 apps
Top Mac apps ranked by the community
Simplenote is a free note app from Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, that sticks to plain text with optional Markdown, tags and quick search. Notes sync instantly across web, desktop and mobile apps, every change is kept in version history, and notes can be shared with collaborators or published as a web page. The apps are open source.
8 Simplenote alternativesPros
- Free, ad-free and fast plain-text notes
- Instant sync across web, desktop and mobile
- Version history keeps every change to a note
Cons
- No images, attachments or rich formatting
- Organization is limited to tags and search
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesRoam Research is an outliner for networked thought that helped popularize bidirectional links, block references and daily notes pages among researchers and writers. Every page and block can be linked and embedded elsewhere, a graph shows how ideas connect, and Roam Depot provides community extensions. It is a paid subscription after a trial period.
8 Roam Research alternativesPros
- Pioneer of block references and bidirectional links
- Daily notes pages make quick capture a habit
- Roam Depot adds community extensions
Cons
- Paid subscription after the trial, with no free plan
- The outliner and its conventions have a steep learning curve
- Mobile use is less comfortable than on desktop
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesCraft is a document and note-taking app with a native, polished design on Mac, iPhone and iPad, also available on Windows and the web. Notes are built from blocks and nested pages with backlinks, can be shared as public web pages or edited together in real time, and include AI writing help, tasks and daily notes.
12 Craft alternativesPros
- Polished native design on Mac, iPhone and iPad
- Block-based pages can be shared as public web pages
- Real-time collaboration plus built-in AI writing help
Cons
- The experience is best on Apple devices, other platforms feel secondary
- Advanced features and AI usage are reserved for paid plans
- Less suited to large databases than Notion-style tools
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCapacities is a note-taking app that organizes knowledge as objects such as people, books, meetings and ideas, each with its own properties and templates, instead of folders. Objects link to each other through backlinks and a graph, daily notes collect everyday thoughts, and the Pro plan adds an AI assistant. It is developed by a small team in Germany.
8 Capacities alternativesPros
- Object types like people, books and meetings give notes structure
- Backlinks, graph view and daily notes connect ideas
- Available on web, desktop and mobile with sync
Cons
- The object-based approach takes time to get used to
- The AI assistant and some features need the Pro plan
- Cloud-based storage gives less control than local-first apps
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesUpNote is a note-taking app with a clean editor, notebooks, tags and links between notes, available on the web, Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android. Notes are stored locally for offline use and synced across devices, with a web clipper and Markdown shortcuts. The free version is capped at a small number of notes, and Premium can be bought once or as a subscription.
11 UpNote alternativesPros
- Clean editor with notebooks, tags and links between notes
- Apps on every platform, including Linux and the web
- Premium is available as a one-time purchase
Cons
- The free version is capped at a small number of notes
- No shared notebooks or real-time collaboration
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesNotesnook is an open source note-taking app that encrypts every note end to end on your device before syncing it. It offers notebooks, tags, rich text with Markdown shortcuts, an app lock, a private vault and a web clipper, on the web, desktop and mobile. A free plan is available, and the sync server can also be self-hosted.
9 Notesnook alternativesPros
- Every note is end-to-end encrypted on your device before syncing
- Open source apps on web, desktop and mobile
- The sync server can be self-hosted
Cons
- Fewer integrations and plugins than mainstream note apps
- Some features are limited on the free plan
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceCategoriesApple Notes is the free notes app included with iPhone, iPad and Mac, synced through iCloud and also reachable on the web at iCloud.com. It handles checklists, tables, Apple Pencil sketches, document scanning and searchable text in images, plus shared notes and folders, tags, smart folders and locked notes.
9 Apple Notes alternativesPros
- Free and built into every iPhone, iPad and Mac
- Document scanning, Pencil sketches and text search inside images
- Shared notes and folders with real-time collaboration
Cons
- No native apps for Windows or Android, only iCloud.com
- Fewer organization options than dedicated knowledge tools
Cost / LicenseFreeProprietaryCategoriesFantastical is a calendar app from Flexibits, first built for Apple devices and now also available on Windows, that creates events and reminders from plain sentences such as lunch with Sam Friday at noon. It combines Google, iCloud and Exchange calendars, adds calendar sets, weather and meeting proposals, and a Premium subscription unlocks Openings booking pages.
8 Fantastical alternativesPros
- Natural language input turns plain sentences into events
- Combines Google, iCloud and Exchange calendars in one view
- Calendar sets switch between work and personal contexts
Cons
- Many features require a Premium subscription
- No Android app, unlike most rival calendar apps
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesNotion Calendar, formerly Cron, is a free calendar for desktop, web and iPhone that works on top of Google Calendar accounts and connects to Notion databases, so pages with dates appear next to meetings. It is designed for keyboard-heavy users, with many shortcuts, a menu bar for joining calls, multiple time zones and availability sharing.
8 Notion Calendar alternativesPros
- Free, fast and designed for keyboard use
- Shows dated Notion database pages next to meetings
- Handles multiple time zones and availability sharing well
Cons
- Built on Google Calendar accounts, a poor fit for Outlook or iCloud users
- Few planning features beyond the link with Notion
Cost / LicenseFreeProprietaryCategoriesMotion is a planning tool that uses AI to place tasks on your calendar automatically based on deadlines, priorities and meetings, and reshuffles the plan when things change. It combines a calendar, task manager, project views and booking pages, and has expanded into AI agents and docs for teams. Access starts with a free trial rather than a free plan.
11 Motion alternativesPros
- AI places tasks around meetings and deadlines automatically
- Replans the day when priorities or meetings change
- Combines calendar, tasks, projects and booking pages
Cons
- No free plan, only a trial
- Priced well above traditional calendar and to-do apps
- Handing your schedule to an algorithm can feel hard to control
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryMiro is a visual collaboration platform built around an infinite whiteboard where teams run workshops, brainstorms, retrospectives and planning sessions with sticky notes, diagrams and mind maps. It offers thousands of community templates, AI features for clustering and summarizing content, and integrations with Jira, Slack, Teams and Zoom.
12 Miro alternativesPros
- Huge library of community templates for workshops and planning
- Integrations with Jira, Slack, Teams and Zoom
- Apps on the web, desktop and mobile
Cons
- Free plan limits the number of editable boards
- Large boards can become slow and cluttered
- Per-seat pricing adds up for big teams
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesFigJam is the collaborative whiteboard from Figma, used for brainstorming, user flows, retrospectives and diagrams alongside design files. It offers sticky notes, stamps, voting, timers, widgets and plugins, AI that can generate boards or diagrams from a prompt, and shares accounts and libraries with Figma, which keeps product and design teams in one tool.
12 FigJam alternativesPros
- Shares accounts and libraries with Figma design files
- Playful facilitation tools such as stamps, voting and timers
- AI can generate boards and diagrams from a prompt
Cons
- Most valuable for teams already using Figma
- Free plan limits how many boards you can keep
- Fewer advanced diagramming features than dedicated tools
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesdraw.io, also known as diagrams.net, is a free and open source diagramming tool from JGraph for flowcharts, UML, network, BPMN and org charts. It requires no account, saves diagrams wherever you choose, such as your device, Google Drive, OneDrive or GitHub, and is available as a desktop app for offline use and as an integration for Confluence and Jira.
10 draw.io alternativesPros
- Completely free and open source, with no account required
- Saves diagrams to your device, Google Drive, OneDrive or GitHub
- Offline desktop app plus Confluence and Jira integrations
Cons
- Interface looks dated next to modern whiteboard tools
- Real-time collaboration is more limited than in paid rivals
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesPlatformsXmind is a mind mapping app for brainstorming, planning and note-taking, with structures such as logic charts, org charts, fishbone diagrams, timelines and matrices. It offers themes, an outliner view, a pitch mode for presenting maps and AI features to expand ideas, on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android, with a free version and a paid Pro subscription.
9 Xmind alternativesPros
- Many structures, from logic charts to fishbone diagrams and timelines
- Native desktop and mobile apps that work offline
- Pitch mode turns a map into a presentation
Cons
- Key features require the Pro subscription
- Focused on mind maps rather than freeform whiteboarding
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesSlack is a workplace messaging app that organizes conversations into channels by team, project or topic, with threads, direct messages and huddles for quick audio or video calls. A large app directory and an open API connect it to most business tools, and Slack Connect lets companies share channels with clients and partners. AI summaries and search are available on paid plans.
9 Slack alternativesPros
- Huge app directory connects to almost any business tool
- Slack Connect shares channels with clients and partners
- Huddles make quick audio and video calls effortless
Cons
- Free plan hides older message history
- Paid plans get costly for large teams
- Constant notifications can hurt focus
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesMicrosoft Teams combines persistent team chat, channels, video meetings, webinars and calling in one app tied to Microsoft 365. Files live in SharePoint and OneDrive and can be co-edited in Word, Excel or PowerPoint without leaving the conversation. It suits organizations already standardized on Microsoft 365, and Copilot adds meeting recaps and chat summaries on eligible licenses.
12 Microsoft Teams alternativesPros
- Chat, meetings and calls in one app tied to Microsoft 365
- Co-edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint files without leaving a conversation
- Enterprise-grade admin, security and compliance controls
Cons
- Can feel heavy and slow, especially on older machines
- Channels, chats and files can be confusing to navigate
- Less appealing outside a Microsoft 365 environment
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesDiscord is a chat platform built around servers, each with its own text channels, voice channels and roles. It started with gamers but now hosts communities of every kind, from open-source projects to study groups, with drop-in voice rooms, screen sharing, threads and forums. Bots extend servers, and an optional Nitro subscription adds perks such as larger uploads and higher-quality streaming.
11 Discord alternativesPros
- Drop-in voice channels make spontaneous conversations easy
- Roles, bots and permissions scale to very large communities
- Generous free tier across desktop, mobile and the web
Cons
- Not designed for workplace compliance or admin controls
- Busy servers and notifications can quickly feel overwhelming
- Text messages are not end-to-end encrypted
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesMattermost is an open-source collaboration platform offering channels, threads, calls and playbooks for structured workflows. Organizations can run it on their own servers or in a private cloud to keep full control of their data, which appeals to engineering teams, public agencies and regulated industries. Plugins, webhooks and an API connect it to DevOps tools like GitLab, Jira and Jenkins.
8 Mattermost alternativesPros
- Self-hosting keeps full control over data and infrastructure
- Strong DevOps integrations with GitLab, Jira and Jenkins
- Playbooks structure incident response and repeatable workflows
Cons
- Self-hosted deployments need ongoing admin work
- Smaller app ecosystem than Slack
- Advanced compliance and enterprise features require paid plans
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceCategoriesRocket.Chat is an open-source communications platform that can be self-hosted or used as a cloud service. Besides team channels, threads, direct messages and calls, it includes an omnichannel module that routes website chat, email and messaging apps to support agents. Its marketplace and APIs let organizations customize it heavily, and self-hosting suits teams with strict data residency needs.
9 Rocket.Chat alternativesPros
- Omnichannel module routes website chat, email and messaging apps
- Self-hostable open source platform for strict data residency needs
- Marketplace and APIs allow deep customization
Cons
- Self-hosted setups require regular maintenance and upgrades
- Some features are reserved for paid editions
- The wide range of settings makes administration complex
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceCategoriesElement is a messaging app from the team that created Matrix, an open standard for decentralized, federated chat. Rooms, direct messages and calls are end-to-end encrypted, and people on different Matrix servers can talk to each other like email. Individuals can join a public server for free, while organizations and governments self-host or buy Element's enterprise server suite, with bridges to other chat networks.
12 Element alternativesPros
- End-to-end encryption by default for private rooms and messages
- Federated Matrix network, so no single company controls your chats
- Open source and self-hostable, popular with public sector bodies
Cons
- Encryption keys and device verification can confuse newcomers
- Running your own Matrix server takes real technical effort
- Fewer business integrations than mainstream team chat apps
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceCategoriesZulip is an open-source team chat app whose threading model files every channel message under a named topic, so people can catch up on several discussions without losing context. It supports Markdown, code blocks and LaTeX math, and integrates with common developer tools. It can be self-hosted for free or used through Zulip Cloud, which suits open-source projects, research groups and remote teams.
8 Zulip alternativesPros
- Topic-based threading makes catching up on discussions easy
- Markdown, code blocks and LaTeX suit technical teams
- Free to self-host under an open source license
Cons
- The topic model takes some getting used to after Slack
- Video calls rely on external services such as Jitsi or Zoom
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceCategoriesChanty is a team messaging app aimed at small and mid-sized teams who want something simpler than larger chat suites. It offers public and private conversations, audio and video calls with screen sharing, and a built-in task manager with a Kanban board, so messages can be turned into tasks. A free plan covers small teams, and integrations connect it to common workplace tools.
8 Chanty alternativesPros
- Simple interface that small teams pick up quickly
- Built-in Kanban task board turns messages into tasks
- Free plan is enough to get a small team started
Cons
- Smaller integration catalog than Slack or Microsoft Teams
- Task management is basic compared with dedicated tools
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesWhatsApp is Meta's messaging app for text, voice notes, photos, group chats and voice or video calls. Personal messages and calls are end-to-end encrypted by default using the Signal Protocol, and each account is linked to a phone number. Companion apps run on desktop and the web, and WhatsApp Business lets companies chat with their customers.
8 WhatsApp alternativesPros
- Huge user base makes it easy to reach almost anyone
- Personal chats and calls are encrypted by default with the Signal Protocol
- WhatsApp Business lets companies talk with their customers
Cons
- Owned by Meta, which collects metadata about how you use it
- Every account is tied to a phone number
Cost / LicenseFreeProprietaryCategoriesTelegram is a cloud-based messaging app that syncs chats across phones, desktops and the web, with very large groups, broadcast channels and an extensive bot platform. Its client apps are open source, but the server is not, and only the optional Secret Chats are end-to-end encrypted. Telegram Premium adds extras such as bigger uploads and faster downloads.
10 Telegram alternativesPros
- Cloud sync across phone, desktop and web
- Huge groups, broadcast channels and a powerful bot platform
- Open source clients that are fast and polished
Cons
- Regular chats are not end-to-end encrypted, only Secret Chats are
- Secret Chats do not sync across devices and are unavailable in groups
- Server code is closed, unlike the client apps
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceCategoriesSignal is a free, open-source messenger run by the nonprofit Signal Foundation. Messages, calls, group chats and media are end-to-end encrypted with the Signal Protocol, and the service is designed to collect as little metadata as possible. Registration requires a phone number, though usernames let you chat without sharing it, and the app has no ads or trackers.
10 Signal alternativesPros
- Signal Protocol encrypts messages, calls and groups end to end
- Run by a nonprofit, with minimal metadata and no ads
- Usernames let you chat without revealing your phone number
Cons
- A phone number is still required to register
- Fewer of your contacts are likely to use it than mainstream apps
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesViber is a messaging and calling app from Rakuten Viber, offering one-to-one and group chats, voice and video calls, stickers, and large public communities and channels. Chats and calls are end-to-end encrypted by default, and disappearing messages are available. Paid Viber Out credits let users call regular mobile and landline numbers.
8 Viber alternativesPros
- Chats and calls are end-to-end encrypted by default
- Large public communities and channels
- Viber Out credits let you call regular mobile and landline numbers
Cons
- Ads and sponsored content appear in the app
- A phone number is required to sign up
- Widely used in some countries but rare in others
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesThreema is a privacy-focused messenger from Switzerland that end-to-end encrypts messages, calls, groups and files. Each user gets a random Threema ID, so no phone number or email address is required, and the address book is only synced if you choose to. The apps are open source and sold for a one-time fee, while Threema Work targets companies and public institutions.
9 Threema alternativesPros
- No phone number or email needed, thanks to a random Threema ID
- Swiss company with a strong privacy focus and GDPR compliance
- One-time purchase instead of ads or a subscription
Cons
- Being a paid app discourages contacts from joining
- Smaller user base than mainstream messengers
Cost / LicensePaidOpen sourceCategoriesSession is an open-source, end-to-end encrypted messenger that needs no phone number or email: an account is just a randomly generated Session ID. Messages are relayed through a decentralized network of community-operated nodes using onion routing, which hides IP addresses and limits metadata. It supports one-to-one chats, small private groups and larger communities on desktop and mobile.
9 Session alternativesPros
- No phone number or email: an account is just a random Session ID
- Onion routing hides IP addresses and limits metadata
- Decentralized network of community-operated nodes
Cons
- Messages can arrive more slowly than on centralized apps
- Small user base compared with mainstream messengers
- Losing your recovery phrase means losing your account
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesSimpleX Chat is an open-source messenger that does not assign users any identifier, not even a random one: contacts connect through one-time links or QR codes. Messages are end-to-end encrypted and pass through relay servers that keep no user profiles, and anyone can run their own relays. It supports groups, voice and video calls, disappearing messages and multiple chat profiles.
9 SimpleX Chat alternativesPros
- No user identifiers at all, not even random ones
- Anyone can run their own relay servers
- Groups, calls, disappearing messages and multiple chat profiles
Cons
- Connecting through one-time links is less convenient than a contact list
- Small user base, so few contacts will already be on it
- Using one account across several devices is limited
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesOlvid is an end-to-end encrypted messenger developed in France that works without a phone number, email address or central user directory: contacts are added by exchanging codes in person or through trusted introductions. Its security has been certified by ANSSI, the French cybersecurity agency, and its apps are open source. Messaging is free, with paid subscriptions for advanced features and for businesses.
8 Olvid alternativesPros
- No phone number, email or central user directory required
- Security certified by ANSSI, the French cybersecurity agency
- Open source apps on desktop and mobile
Cons
- Adding contacts in person or via introductions slows onboarding
- Small user base, so most contacts will need to install it
- Advanced features and business use require a subscription
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceCategories
