Apps make your Mac amazing. Here are some I find useful, so you may too.
Raycast
Free for Core Features (which are good enough for me) Learn More
Raycast is an app launcher and so much more. It’s one of my all time favorite apps. Some people think Spotlight is enough, but I disagree. Raycast offers many features (and speed) not found in Spotlight, that you have to check it out.
I only put my most used apps in my Dock to keep it clean. Instead of having a full dock with many small icons, Raycast lets me have quick access to all my apps. To use Raycast you:
- Hit a keystroke (I set mine to Command–Escape).
- Start typing the name of an app you want to launch (or webpage, contact, etc.).
- Hit Return to launch it!
Raycast does more than just launch apps though. It has a clipboard history, keystrokes to arrange windows (better than macOS Sequoia because it alternates between windows sizes that are 1/2, then 2/3, then 1/3 of the screen), search contacts, and so much more.
Backblaze
$9/month (or less if you pay by the year) Learn More
Your data is too important to not back it up! A good backup strategy is to keep 3 copies of your data, in 2 different physical locations. First is your Mac, second should be a Time Machine backup, and third should be an internet backup (in case your home burns down or gets robbed). For the online backup I recommend Backblaze, which I have used for years.
If you use the above link you get a free month, and if you purchase Backblaze I’ll also get a free month.
Keka
Free on their website, $5.99 on Mac App Store Learn More
Keka is a must have for anyone that works in a cross-platform environment! Apple’s built in Zip Archiver includes special Mac invisible files such as .DS_Store files. Mac users don’t see these files, but PC users do. Keka creates .zip files without these files, so Mac and PC users both get nice clean zip files! Keka is free if you download it via their website, or you can pay for it on the Mac App Store.
CleanShot X
$29 one-time payment, or $8/month (paid annually) Learn More
macOS has good built in screenshot tools, but when I need more functionality (such as freezing action with a cursor visible) I used CleanShot X.
ImageOptim
Free (Open Source) Learn More
A must have for web designers! PNG, GIF, and JPEGs exported from Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. can be shrunk even further without loss of quality. Just run them through ImageOptim and it typically reduces their filesize.
Transmit
$45 Learn More
Transmit is the gold standard of FTP apps. It’s fast, reliable, and has a ton of features.
Cyberduck
Free (Open Source), Donations Welcome Learn More
Cyberduck is the best free FTP app I’ve found so far. It that has a nice interface, is easy to use, and performs well. Be careful when downloading though. I sometimes see ads with download links for other software that you don’t want, so be sure to use the proper download links!
ScreenFlow
Free Trial, $169 Learn More
If you need to capture videos of your screen ScreenFlow is awesome. It not only lets you capture your screen, but it also lets you edit the captures, put various clips together, add callouts, audio and more. I use Screenflow to record my YouTube videos as well as the video demos for my InDesign scripts.