For those in Apple's world, the recently redesigned Things app includes to-do lists, reminders, goal-tracking and, on Mac, the ability to work in multiple windows. There is also a quick find. Mac Apps for Utilities & Operating Systems. Whether you want to optimize your system's productivity or your own, utilities should be in your toolbox. Best free Mac games. There are dozens of fantastic Mac games for the Mac. We round up our 35 favourites. Indeed, the Mac App store is positively packed with free games, and you can pick up.
I have been a heavy Windows user for the last decade or so (HP UNIX before that). I bought a 15 inch Macbook Pro to use at home exactly six months ago. (Still use an XP machine at work.) Over the last six months I have been adjusting to the Mac Operating System with mixed results (mostly good). My biggest challenge was learning which application to use to do things. Mac os break app. Again, this has been a mixed bag of results.
I have been able to find applications to replace most of my Windows applications without much problem. It’s pretty easy to find applications that will do anything I need, however the prices of many of these applications are a little bit nuts. (Coda? $100 for a glorified NotePad? Yikes!)
Here a list of extremely good and useful FREE applications that have added a lot to my experience of switching to a Mac.
I grouped my favorite free Mac applications into the following categories:
Movies on Popcornflix are distributed by Screen Media Ventures, LLC, that is a paramount of motion picture distributors. In terms of diversity, Popcornflix is one the best free movie apps for Mac with widest range of movies. The developers of Popcornflix claim that they created this app for the movie lovers who want “Great movies for free”. Best Free Games For Mac 2017 Apple fans are used to free gaming for the iPhone and iPad, but tend not to think so much about free games for macOS. This is a shame, because the Mac is a great games platform with plenty of.
Internet
Communication
Productivity
Multimedia
System Utilities
Blogging
Internet
Firefox – I guess I’ll lead off with the grand daddy of ’em all. Firefox is the model for all free software. It is absolutely my favorite piece of software ever. Free, cross platform (Mac, PC, Linux), extensible beyond belief. First of all, I don’t like Safari or Internet Explorer, so this is a must on any computer that I use.
Adobe Air – Adobe Air uses Flash and some other magic sauce to take web based applications and turn them into desktop applications. There is a growing list of small, simple applications that give you control of many of your favorite web services. (See Tweet Deck above.)
Alternatives – Google Chrome, Opera, Flock
Productivity
Open Office – I really despise the Mac version of Microsoft Office and iWork is cute, but not good enough for me. Open Office does make a 'barely acceptable' substitute for the Windows version of Office if you absolutely refuse to part with any cash. It is definitely a more useful, and ugly tool than iWork. Seriously, don’t be a cheap skate, this is somewhere that you should spend a few bucks.
Evernote – Evernote allows you to easily capture information in any environment using whatever device or platform you find most convenient, and makes this information accessible and searchable at any time, from anywhere. Visit my Evernote tutorial to see how useful it can be.
Plaxo Sync – If you have Contacts, Appointments, Notes, and To Do’s on your Mac and some other places, Plaxo will automagically sync them all. What other places you say? Here’s a few that you may have heard of: Gmail, Google Calendar, Yahoo, Hotmail, Windows Live, and AOL. Do you have scattered out-of-sync data across any of those services? Well I don’t.
Alternatives – Neo Office, Google Docs, Zoho Office.
Communication
Skype – Skype is the king of the hill when it comes to Voice over IP applications. Besides making free (or really cheap) phone calls, you can do a lot of other useful things with Skype. Video Conference, Instant Message, Remote Control other computer, and more (*using a combination of plugins).
Adium – Awesome multi-network Instant Messenger tool. You can connect to all of your IM networks (AOL, Yahoo, MSN, Google, ICQ, Jabber, and Facebook ) to let you chat with any of your contacts. Clean, light, and simple; everything you need. Not quite as good as Digsby for Windows, but still great.
TweetDeck – This is a desktop application, built on Adobe AIR, that allows you to view and interact with your Twitter and Facebook streams. TweetDeck splits your stream into multiple columns, so that you can see what’s happening from multiple vantage points. If you follow a lot of people, this will help you keep it all straight.
Thunderbird – I’m a huge Gmail fan, but if you must use a desktop email application, this is a good choice. Mozilla’s open source answer to Microsoft Outlook. You can do Email, Contacts, and Calendaring very similarly to Outlook. It’s built using the same open, extensible platform as Firefox, so there is a big collection of extensions to augment it’s functionality. Turbocharge Thunderbird with these plug-ins.
Alternatives – Meebo, Gmail
Multimedia – Photos, Audio, and Video
Picasa – First of all, I’m not a fan of iPhoto. I just don’t like the way it works. Manage your photos like a champ. If you have more than 10 photos on your computer, you MUST get Picasa. Organize, search, display, and share your photos in a way that will make you really appreciate your camera.
Mac mail notification app. VLC – This is a stripped down media player that will play any audio or video format ever created flawlessly. It opens lightning fast and begins playing your files. Light, fast, simple!
Boxee – Boxee’s free software lets you navigate all your personal movies, TV shows, music and photos, as well as streaming content from websites like MLB, Netflix, Pandora, Last.fm, and Flickr from one screen with a remote. This HD content can be played on your TV by hooking your Mac to the inputs on the back. If you have an iPhone, there is a remote control application that allows you to control it all from your couch (Of course it’s free!).
Miro Player – Open-source, non-profit video player and podcast client. Torrents made easy, RSS made beautiful, with tons of gorgeous HD video.
Hulu Desktop – Hulu Desktop is a great viewing experience for your personal computer. It’s optimized for use with an Apple remote control, allowing you to navigate Hulu’s entire library with just six buttons. You know you want some.
Hand Brake – If you want to make 'backup copies' of any of your 'legally purchased' DVDs, this is the simplest application out there. You can make copies that will play on your iPod, iPhone, PSP, or any other portable device from Hand Brake.
Alternatives – Songbird
Utilities
uTorrent – The best way to download huge files is with BitTorrent technology. My (current) favorite BitTorrent client is uTorrent. Nothing spectacular, just a solid tool that fills an important role.
DropBox – Put your files into your Dropbox on one computer, and they’ll be instantly available on any of your other computers that you’ve installed Dropbox on (Windows, Mac, and Linux too!) If you work on more than one computer, this is a life saver. See how incredibly Dropbox syncs files on multiple computers in this tutorial.
Monolingual – I only operate my computer in one language; English. So why do I need a bunch of localization files for the Mac OS wasting space on my hard drive? Monolingual is a handy utility that reclaims this wasted space in a few simple clicks. https://schoolsusa.weebly.com/home/can-you-download-ie-for-mac. It also gets rid of files for non Intel processors, assuming you’re on a relatively new machine. I usually run it after I install any system upgrades or new software.
Filezilla – My favorite FTP client. Quick, simple, and easy. Microsoft outlook 2016 mac server error. There are probably some better free FTP clients for Mac, but it does everything I need, and works just like the Windows version, so there was no learning curve.
AppCleaner – One of the weirdest things about a Mac is the way that you uninstall applications. I don’t see any obvious way to completely and cleanly uninstall software from my machine. That is where AppCleaner comes in. Just go to your Applications folder and drag the unwanted application onto the AppCleaner window and it’s gone. It also cleans up all of those hard to find preference files too.
Smultron – I miss NotePad++ from Windows so much. It is a simple, clean text editor that allows me to edit HTML, PHP, CSS, and any other format files. Smultron is the best free text editor that I have found on the Mac platform yet. I’m desperately hoping that someone will give me a better suggestion in the Comments below.
LogMeIn free – LogMeIn Free gives you fast, easy remote access to your PC from any computer with an Internet connection. Pretty handy way to get to your personal files from your Work, Friend’s, or Family’s computer.
Chicken of the VNC – Chicken of the VNC is a VNC client for Mac OS X. A VNC client allows one to display and interact with a remote computer screen. In other words, you can use Chicken of the VNC to interact with a remote computer as though it’s right next to you. The VNC server is built right into the Mac OS. Just go to System Preferences> Internet & Network> Sharing and turn on the Remote Management service. Check out this tutorial on some of the cool things that you can do with VNC software. (It’s Windows based, but all of the principles are the same.)
Zipeg – Zipeg is the easiest way to open Zip, Rar, and any other type of archive files. Plus, it has a cool little sheep for a logo. Yeah, I’m sure there are tons of other good ones, but I really like the little sheep.
Quicksilver – Just start typing the first few letters of a program, file name, or folder and Quicksilver will pull it up in front of your eyes. Then, just hit enter and open up whatever you were looking for. There’s a reason the word quick is in the name. This will shave hours of hunting and clicking through menus and folder off your life.
Alternatives – Transmission, Cyberduck
Blogging
Qumana – I still have not found a desktop blogging tool that I love on the Mac, but I just recently discovered Qumana and like it a lot. I has most of the features that I need. The biggest one that it doesn’t have, (code snippet clipboard) I have been able to get with Snippely.
Snippely – Snippely is a basic text and code organizational tool. Instead of storing bits of code, quick notes, and memos in text files all over your hard drive, this application will let you save and organize “snippets” in one convenient location. A snippet is a collection of one or more pieces of code and notes. Snippets are stored in groups for organization and quick retrieval. If you write or maintain a lot of code, this is a must.
Skitch – I have to take screen shots of things all the time. On my PC, I use Snagit, the best screen shot tool in the world. Skitch does a great job of capturing, editing, and annotating anything on your screen. If you document anything, this will become a trusted friend.
Full Disclosure – Windows, I just can’t quit you!
There are a few Windows applications that I just replace satisfactorily. The best thing about my new Mac is that you can run Parallels to load a full Windows Virtual Machine that integrates sleeplessly with the Mac OS. So, what application would make me commit the ultimate blasphemy of running Windows on a Mac you ask? Well here goes:
Windows Live Writer Best free mac cleaner. – Quite simply the best blogging tool available, for any amount of money, on any operating system. Period!
Microsoft Office 2007 – Let’s face it, Office for Mac just sucks. Excel is utterly unusable. PowerPoint is OK, but not great and Word is just OK. I know, iWorks has some cool eye candy, but when you need to get real work done, you need the right tools. Confession: if I just have to preview an Office file and I don’t have Parallels running, I’ll just use Open Office.
Techsmith Camtasia – I love how Camtasia works for recording, editing, and producing screencasts. Just Subscribe via iTunes to the VitaminCM.com podcast to see some of Camtasia’s handy work. UPDATE: Techsmith just released a Mac version last week. I downloaded the trial and am pretty sure I’ll buy it. They are currently working on a Mac version of Snag-It, which is the best screen capture software around. Can’t wait.
What are Your Favorite Free Applications?
OK, I showed you mine, now you show me yours. There are so many more great applications that I just don’t know about. Please write in anything that I left off the list in the comments.
There is a List of Free Windows Apps Too
See the list of the 22 Best Free Windows Applications.
Do you always find yourself browsing the Apple App Store? We’ve got good news. Every new Mac already comes with a built-in Apple App Store, which is pinned to the Dock. That means, in just one click, you will have instant access to thousands of paid and free Mac apps and we know you are excited to visit the App Store. But, before you begin downloading apps, you have to know that Apple has just updated its security settings. So, you need to grant your system access to install certain apps.
If you can’t wait to get started with using your Mac, consider installing these top free Mac apps first:
1. Adium
Do you find it time-consuming to open all your chat accounts every time you open your Mac? Perhaps the developers of Adium felt that, too, which is probably why they created this app.
Adium is a useful communication app that lets you bring together all your chat accounts, including Hangouts, MSN, Messenger, and a lot more, onto a single platform. You can customize it by downloading plug-ins to let you change certain elements such as the interface color and font style.
Once you install Adium, an animated duck icon will live in your Dock. If its color turns to green, it means you have a message. If it holds up an “Away” sign, it’s suggesting that you have set your status to Away.
2. Caffeine
If you have Starbucks, your Mac also has Caffeine. However, unlike Starbucks, it does not cost your Mac a single dollar to stay energized and awake.
When you install this amazing free app, a small coffee cup icon will be created beside your menu bar. If you click on it, your screen will instantly power up, preventing your Mac from entering the sleep mode.
Caffeine is an ideal app for those who enjoy watching movies or love long reads. With this installed on your Mac, you need not keep moving your mouse to keep your computer awake. Simply turn on this app and you are all set.
3. Dropbox
There comes a time when storage becomes an issue on your Mac. Luckily, Dropbox is here to provide our computer with more free storage.
What’s great about this app is that anything saved here can be shared with other individuals. Of course, the owner has to grant permission to them first.
Dropbox is basically a file storage app that you can access locally or through any Wi-Fi enabled device. Although it’s initially free with 2.5 GB of storage space, you have the option to upgrade your account for more storage space.
4. Transmission
If you often download videos and software, then Transmission is for you. This app is a reliable BitTorrent client that comes with a user-friendly interface and a set of customizable options.
With Transmission, you can queue your downloads and set timers for when to stop or start them. Although it is open source, its developers claim that it does not show any third-party ads nor track its users. Thus, you are secured as you use it.
Since it does not use up a lot of your memory, rest assured it does not slow down your Mac while it’s running. Then again, just to be sure, you might want to install Tweakbit MacRepair. This amazing tool can help optimize your Mac for top performance.
5. VLC
Now, what will you do with all the videos you downloaded using Transmission? Of course, you’ll watch them. That’s where VLC comes in.
There are a plethora of media players nowadays, but nothing beats the versatility of VLC. Not only can it play almost every media file; it can also be customized to match your needs.
Best Free Mac Apps 2014 Free
Under its surface, there is a wide assortment of features that you might want to take advantage of. You can convert videos into other formats. You can also use it to subscribe to podcasts.
6. Itsycal
The time and date in the menu bar are already very helpful when it comes to keeping up with your schedules and meetings. However, what if we tell you that there is an app you can use to have total control over your appointments?
Itsycal is an interesting app that can be used in place of your Mac’s existing clock. As the name suggests, this app adds a little but useful calendar to the menu bar with a list of your upcoming appointments.
The next time you want to organize your appointments and meetings, you know what app to use. Don’t worry. It will not cost you anything to get this app!
7. Evernote
Evernote remains unbeatable among all note-taking apps, and there’s a good reason behind it. This app is easy to use. You can also organize your notes quickly and easily. In addition, it syncs with almost any web-based service you can think of.
And because it is one of the widely used apps today, it’s not surprising why its developers created numerous browser add-ons and extensions that support it.
While Evernote is initially free with basic functionalities and about 60MB of uploads allowed per month, you can upgrade your service to a premium version to enjoy more features.
8. Spotify
If Apple Music isn’t for you, you can try Spotify. It’s the best alternative for those who want to try what’s outside the Apple realm.
Spotify grants you access to its whole music catalog, allowing you to search for and listen to artists, albums, and tracks at no cost at all.
If you want, you can also create your own playlists based on your music preferences. Spotify has every song genre you can think of – hip-hop, acoustic, jazz, rock, pop, alternative, and a lot more.
9. SuperPhoto
Do you love taking photos? Is photography your passion? If so, you will need a fun and creative photo app. SuperPhoto is one.
SuperPhoto allows you to experiment with photos and create something very artistic. This app comes with loads of free filters, frames, patterns, brushes, and textures for you to turn ordinary photos into something extraordinary.
Like other apps in this list, SuperPhoto is free to use. But, you can upgrade for a certain fee to access more amazing features.
As its name implies, Unarchiver lets you open any .zip or .rar file in less than a minute. Not to mention, this app also supports a wide array of file formats that need extracting. Isn’t that good news?
Unarchiver is totally free to use. All you have to do is download the app from the official website.
Conclusion
Free Mac Apps Downloads
Mac has no shortage of interesting, useful, and free Apps. Unfortunately, we can’t include all of them on this list. If your favorite free Mac app is not here, let us know in the comments section. We’d like to know why you love it!
Best Free Mac Apps
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