Apps with Plugins & extensions
75 apps
Top Plugins & extensions apps ranked by the community
Vim is a highly configurable modal text editor derived from the Unix vi editor, preinstalled on many Linux and macOS systems and available for Windows. Editing is driven by keyboard commands and motions, and behavior is extended with Vim script and a large ecosystem of plugins. Created by Bram Moolenaar and now maintained by its community, it is charityware that encourages donations to help children in Uganda.
7 Vim alternativesPros
- Preinstalled on most Linux and macOS systems
- Very efficient modal editing once motions become second nature
- Lightweight, fast and ideal over SSH
Cons
- Steep learning curve for newcomers
- Modern IDE features depend on plugins and configuration
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesNotepad++ is a free source code editor for Windows and a popular replacement for the built-in Notepad. Written in C++ on the Win32 API and the Scintilla editing component, it starts quickly and stays light while offering syntax highlighting for dozens of languages, tabs, macros, regular expression search and replace, and a plugin manager. It is open source under the GPL and maintained by Don Ho.
7 Notepad++ alternativesPros
- Starts instantly and stays light on resources
- Syntax highlighting for dozens of languages, tabs and macros
- Free, open source and extendable through a plugin manager
Cons
- Windows only, with no native macOS or Linux version
- Lacks the debugging, Git and project tools of a full code editor
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesPlatformsAndroid Studio is the official development environment for Android, built by Google on the IntelliJ platform. It provides Kotlin and Java editing, a visual layout editor, Jetpack Compose previews, an emulator, profilers and Gradle builds for phones, tablets, Wear OS, Android TV and cars. Gemini in Android Studio adds AI help for writing code and fixing errors. It is free on Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS.
7 Android Studio alternativesPros
- Official, complete Android toolkit, free on all desktop systems
- Emulator, profilers and Compose previews built in
- Gemini helps write code and fix build errors
Cons
- Heavy on RAM and CPU, especially with the emulator running
- Gradle builds can be slow on large projects
Cost / LicenseFreeProprietaryCategoriesGNU Emacs is a free, extensible text editor built around an Emacs Lisp interpreter, so almost every part of it can be reshaped. It supports programming with language servers through Eglot, debugger integration and built-in shells, and many people also use it for Org mode notes and planning, email and file management. Packages install from ELPA archives. It is part of the GNU Project and licensed under the GPL.
7 GNU Emacs alternativesPros
- Almost every part can be reshaped with Emacs Lisp
- Org mode is a powerful system for notes, tasks and planning
- Huge package ecosystem through the ELPA archives
Cons
- Steep learning curve and unusual default keybindings
- Needs significant configuration to match a modern IDE
- Can slow down with heavy configurations or very large files
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesInsomnia is an open source API client from Kong for designing and debugging REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket and server-sent event APIs. It supports collections, environments, scripting, test suites, mock servers, OpenAPI design and plugins. Projects can stay local, sync with Git or live in the cloud with end-to-end encryption, and paid plans add team collaboration and enterprise controls.
6 Insomnia alternativesPros
- REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket and SSE requests in one client
- Projects can stay local or sync through Git instead of the cloud
- Built-in mock servers, test suites and OpenAPI design
Cons
- Team collaboration and enterprise controls require a paid plan
- Storage options (local, Git, cloud) changed across versions and can be confusing
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceCategoriesHTTPie is a family of HTTP clients designed to make working with APIs readable and quick. The open source command-line tool offers an intuitive syntax, built-in JSON support, colorized output, sessions and plugins, and is widely used in scripts and documentation. HTTPie for Web and Desktop adds a graphical interface with collections and environments, and HTTPie AI turns plain-language prompts into requests.
6 HTTPie alternativesPros
- Readable command-line syntax that is easier to type than curl
- Formatted, colorized JSON output makes responses quick to scan
- One tool covers terminal scripts and a graphical app on desktop and web
Cons
- The graphical app has fewer testing and automation features than full API platforms
- Not preinstalled like curl, so scripts carry an extra dependency
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesRapidAPI for Mac, formerly known as Paw, is a native macOS HTTP client for building and testing API requests. It supports environments and dynamic values, imports and exports OpenAPI and other API descriptions, generates client code in many languages, syncs projects for teams and can be extended with JavaScript extensions. It is now maintained by Nokia, which does not officially support upcoming macOS releases.
6 RapidAPI for Mac alternativesPros
- Truly native macOS interface that feels fast and polished
- Dynamic values chain responses, environments and computed fields
- Generates client code in many languages from a request
Cons
- Mac only, so mixed-OS teams need another client
- No official support for upcoming macOS releases, which makes its future uncertain
Cost / LicenseFreeProprietaryCategoriesPlatformsYaak is a desktop API client created by Gregory Schier, the original author of Insomnia. It handles REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket and server-sent event requests, stores them as files that work with Git, and supports plugins for auth, importers and template functions. No account is required and secrets can be encrypted. Yaak is open source under MIT and free for personal use, with a paid license for use at work.
6 Yaak alternativesPros
- Requests are stored as plain files that work well with Git
- No account needed, with optional encryption for secrets
- Fast, clean desktop app from the original author of Insomnia
Cons
- Use at work requires a paid license
- Younger project with a smaller plugin ecosystem than Postman
- Desktop only, with team sharing handled through Git rather than a cloud workspace
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceCategoriesNetlify is a hosting and deployment platform that builds sites straight from a Git repository and serves them from a global network. Every pull request gets a deploy preview, and serverless functions, edge functions, form handling and build plugins cover dynamic needs without managing a server. It works with most frontend frameworks and static site generators, and offers a free plan alongside paid tiers for teams.
10 Netlify alternativesPros
- Deploy previews for every pull request, straight from Git
- Built-in forms, serverless and edge functions without managing servers
- Works with most frontend frameworks and static site generators
Cons
- Costs can rise quickly as traffic and build usage grow
- Less suited to long-running backends or heavy server workloads
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesPlatformsVLC is a free and open source media player from the VideoLAN non-profit that handles most video and audio formats, DVDs, audio CDs and network streams without installing extra codecs. It supports subtitles, hardware decoding, filters, format conversion and streaming, and can be extended with add-ons and skins. It runs on desktop and mobile platforms, with no ads, tracking or paid tier.
9 VLC media player alternativesPros
- Plays almost any file, disc or stream without extra codecs
- Free and open source, with no ads or tracking
- Available on desktop and mobile platforms
Cons
- Interface looks dated next to more modern players
- Advanced settings are buried in complex preference menus
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesmpv is a free, open source media player for the command line with a minimal on-screen controller. Built on FFmpeg and descended from MPlayer, it plays a wide range of formats, renders high-quality video with GPU shaders and hardware decoding, and is configured through text files and key bindings. Lua and JavaScript scripts extend it, and the libmpv library powers front ends such as IINA.
9 mpv alternativesPros
- Excellent video quality with GPU shaders and hardware decoding
- Highly scriptable with Lua and JavaScript
- libmpv powers other front ends such as IINA
Cons
- Minimal interface with no menus or playlist manager by default
- Configuration lives in text files, which deters casual users
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesIINA is a free, open source video player for macOS built on top of mpv. It wraps mpv's broad format support and hardware decoding in a native Mac interface with dark mode, Picture-in-Picture, trackpad gestures and Touch Bar controls. It can fetch subtitles from online sources, play YouTube and other web streams through youtube-dl compatible tools, and supports plugins written in JavaScript.
7 IINA alternativesPros
- Native macOS interface with Picture-in-Picture and trackpad gestures
- mpv engine plays almost any format with hardware decoding
- Fetches subtitles online and plays web streams
Cons
- Available only on macOS
- No media library management or media server features
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesPlatformsJellyfin is a free, open source media server for hosting your own movies, TV shows, music, books and photos and streaming them to web, mobile, TV and desktop clients. Forked from Emby in 2018, it has no premium tier or tracking: hardware transcoding, live TV and DVR, multiple users and plugins are all included. The server runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Docker and many NAS devices.
9 Jellyfin alternativesPros
- Completely free, with hardware transcoding and DVR included
- Open source, with no tracking and no premium tier
- Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Docker and many NAS devices
Cons
- Client apps are less polished than Plex or Emby on some devices
- Remote access needs manual setup such as a reverse proxy or VPN
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesKodi is a free, open source media center, originally known as XBMC, designed for the big screen and remote controls. It organizes local and network movies, shows, music and photos with artwork and metadata, plays nearly every format, and is extended through add-ons, skins and PVR backends for live TV. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and small devices such as the Raspberry Pi.
9 Kodi alternativesPros
- Big-screen interface designed for remote controls
- Extensible with add-ons, skins and PVR backends for live TV
- Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and the Raspberry Pi
Cons
- Setup and configuration take time for newcomers
- Third-party add-ons vary in quality, and some carry legal or security risks
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesEmby is a media server that organizes your movies, shows, music and photos and streams them to apps on the web, mobile devices, smart TVs and consoles. It supports multiple user profiles with parental controls, automatic metadata and live TV. The server and basic apps are free, while an Emby Premiere subscription unlocks extras such as hardware transcoding and DVR. Emby moved away from open source in 2018.
7 Emby alternativesPros
- Streams to web, mobile, smart TVs and consoles
- Multiple profiles with parental controls and live TV
- Automatic metadata keeps libraries well organized
Cons
- Hardware transcoding and DVR require an Emby Premiere subscription
- No longer open source, unlike its fork Jellyfin
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategories
