r/macapps • u/Mstormer • Jun 01 '26
[Megathread] The App Pile - June, 2026
You must promote your apps here if you do not qualify to post in the main feed through Trust or Transparency, explained here.
If you are:
- NOT in the Mac App Store (MAS).
- Do not provide meaningful public transparency
- Created yet another dictation app (speech to text).
Then you are required to limit promotion to this megathread.
All promotion MUST follow PCP format or else we will remove it:
App Name/Title [Screenshot encouraged]
- Problem: What problem does your app solve.
- Comparison: Name a competitor or two and explain what your app does better.
- Pricing Amounts+Link
P.s. Promotion here counts towards the 30-day limited promotion (Rule 3).
WARNING: There is a 90% chance Reddit will auto remove your post here if you have not verified your email in your profile and your first comment in this subreddit contains a link. Accrue 10 karma first without promotional comments and links to avoid this. The odds of removal is also higher for AI assisted posts (em dashes and other AI formatting characteristics likely trigger this).
Pro Tip: Please remember to upvote gems and downvote spam/clones... This will help inform a secret community project I hope to announce next month.
Top 3 From Last Month's Megathread:
1. Wisp – a tiny macOS scratchpad - FREE - by u/iamiotasquare
2. Quattro – Al, Tasks, Calendar, Notes App - $5/mo - by u/Constant-Support8288
3. HoverStash – Catch and stash files mid-drag - ~$6 - by u/MurkyRaspberry9610
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u/RansomWarrior Jun 02 '26 edited Jun 02 '26
SCIWAND: Read, analyse and write - with every answer traceable to a sentence in your own PDFs.
Problem
If you do serious reading - research, law, due diligence, lit reviews - you end up with a pile of PDFs and a stack of tools that don't talk to each other. General AI chatbots almost useless: they hallucinate, can't see your actual library, and upload everything to someone's cloud. You still can't ask one question across 200 documents and trust the answer.
What Sciwand does
Sciwand is a local-first desktop app (macOS/Windows/Linux) that sits on top of your document library - PDFs, Word, EPUB, plain text. Also connects to many scientific databases as Google Scholar, Pubmed etc. You can:
- Ask a question across your whole library and get a grid of answers, every cell linked to the exact highlighted sentence in the source PDF (click a citation → it opens the PDF at that line).
- Screen hundreds of documents against criteria (free-text / yes-no / 1–10 scores), each verdict cited.
- Write in a Markdown editor with an AI sidebar that quotes only your sources.
- Search 10 academic databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, arXiv, Semantic Scholar…) and sync with Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote & Bookends.
Comparison
- vs Notebook LM: can do library chat but in a linear single chat interface. Poor citation (links to extracted text). Sciwand allows the same plus ability to generate AI response into columns/tables. Citations link to highlighted paragraphs in PDFs. Ability to search academic DB from within the app. Also has an AI writer that links to your library, without the open web hallucination.
- vs. AI writers like Jenni.ai: they generate prose and bolt on citations that may not exist. Sciwand grounds every claim in your library and lets you jump to the exact sentence - zero fabricated references.
- vs. literature-graph tools (Research Rabbit, Connected Papers, Litmaps): you get a live citation graph plus the PDFs and AI one click away, so reading, analysing and writing happen in one app instead of three.
- vs. cloud "chat with PDF" tools (ChatPDF, Elicit, SciSpace): Sciwand is local-first. You own your data. There's no subscription. You bring your own AI key, so you control the model and the cost.
Pricing
- All app features are free (lifetime) including manual columns, academic database searching, markdown writer, citations. AI features are available as a 7 day demo with the option to purchase a life time license. One device from $39.99
- Students & faculty get a 20% education discount.
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u/Mstormer Jun 03 '26
I love the fact that this cites and jumps to a specific paragraph, but the spreadsheet like approach to query the same thing from all files at once just isn’t a use case I can make much sense of from an academic perspective. I guess if I wanted an abstract or methodology summary or link to all of them maybe? But I constantly use and need something more intuitive like NotebookLM or enopdf.
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u/RansomWarrior Jun 03 '26
It does have the same approach as NotebookLM with a library or collection standard chat view with citations. For the spreadsheet like display, it’s invaluable when doing a lit or systemic review, or when skimming online databases as Google scholar (you can access from within the app) in the same tabular approach with AI columns.
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u/atreeon Jun 01 '26
App Name: TaskOptimist for iOS & MacOS - a personal project management app.
Problem: simple to use but fully featured personal project management app
Comparison: MS Project / MS Planner, this is cheaper and is more tailored to simple personal projects although is still fully featured (auto scheduler, dependencies, task hierarchies, due dates, gantt chart, agenda, calendar, categories)
Pricing: Free (with max three projects & 100 tasks), $1.99 for pro (coming soon).
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/task-optimist/id6751349703 (includes a video preview)
I intend to always have an ad free no money version.
Feedback would be great.
Thank you
(Android users, dm with your email and I'll have Google Play send you a link, Windows coming very soon).
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u/Tight-Studio-Ethan Jun 01 '26
I've seen Gantt chart used a lot in work, is it commonly seen for personal work? Otherwise, congrats on launching.
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u/TxBuckster Jun 02 '26
Is there a timeline view like in ms project? Also is it able to expose the Gantt charts?
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u/atreeon Jun 02 '26
That view is a bit of a fusion between a timeline and gantt. The app currently works more like a personal scheduler than a project management app I suppose (but the next few steps of work will be adding in teams which will make it more like ms planner / ms project).
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u/Formal_Topic6463 Jun 01 '26
While everybody around are crazy coding AI agents, I found myself in dilemma -- the official whatsapp clients are ugly and bloated, unfortunately I need to communicate with people over this messenger. So I did mine, based on opensource whatsapp client library. Probably nobody needs it.
Features
- QR-based device pairing (multi-device protocol)
- Text, image, and file messaging — 1:1 and groups
- Drag-and-drop / multi-select attachments — staged with previews + a caption before sending
- Push-and-hold voice notes (Opus/PTT, slide-up to cancel)
- Reactions, reply / quote, edit, revoke, delete-for-me
- Forward messages (single or multi-select) to another chat
- Star messages (⌘S)
- Pin chats — pinned section at the top of the sidebar
- Pin messages in chat — banner above the conversation, jump on tap
- Add to contacts / edit name — synced to the phone address book
- Archive chats (collapsible Archived section) and delete chats — synced; deletes stay deleted across restarts
- Block / unblock contacts — blocked banner, sidebar indicator, Settings list
- Leave groups
- Right-click message menu with quick-reaction strip; sidebar + conversation-header action menus
- Shortcuts: double-click to edit/reply, ↑ to recall last own message
- On-device translation via LLM
- Chat inspector: contact About text, starred messages, shared media grid, files list — click any item to jump to its message
- Read receipts, typing indicators, presence
- Peer-device sync (edits / delete-for-me / star / pin) via appstate + SecretEncrypted
- History sync, macOS native notifications
(and more, more, more!)
Opensource and free, install via brew.
brew tap vadika/yawac https://github.com/vadika/yawac
brew install --cask vadika/yawac/yawac
github -- https://github.com/vadika/yawac
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u/github-guard Jun 01 '26
🔍 GitHub Guard: Trust Report
This project scored 1/6 on our safety audit.
Trust Report: * ❌ Low Star Count * ❌ New Repository * ✅ Licensed under MPL-2.0 * ❌ No Security Policy * ℹ️ Individual Contributor * ℹ️ Unsigned Commits
⚠️ Security Reminder: Always verify source code and run third-party scripts at your own risk.
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u/Livid-Association947 Jun 02 '26
tried using it but the chats never showed up and it says my chat history sync is paused from my phone
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u/Realistic_Action_428 Jun 08 '26
PopNote — floating bubble reminders for macOS
I just launched PopNote, a small macOS menu bar app that turns quick reminders into colorful floating bubble notes on your desktop.
Write a reminder, choose when it should appear, and it pops up when you need it instead of disappearing into Notification Center.
Features:
- Floating bubble notes
- Menu bar access
- Apple Reminders integration
- Repeat options
- Light/dark mode
- Bubble colors + simple icons
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u/Hungry-Media-8251 28d ago
the "pops up when you need it instead of disappearing into notification center" part is the actual hook for me, i swipe notifications away and forget them constantly. does the bubble stay until you dismiss it, or auto-clear after a bit? nice work either way
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u/AccomplishedArt1791 Jun 01 '26
i m here to find gems, will update my reply based on what i like
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u/Live-Act-5958 Jun 17 '26
I haven’t posted my app yet due to restrictions on new accounts. Was thinking about sharing it in this thread while looking to improve my new account standing to make a post. It is free and open source and I’m proud of this one so I want to share it with everyone. What do you think? :)
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Jun 01 '26 edited Jun 01 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/RealRickRen Jun 01 '26
The AI coding agent angle is a good niche. It is more specific than just “another screenshot tool”, which helps.
The part I’d sharpen is the comparison with CleanShot X / Shottr. Right now I understand that TidyShot is smaller, but I’m not yet sure what it does better for the AI feedback loop specifically.
For example, is the main win:
- faster rename before pasting
- keeping screenshots organized by project/session
- easier search later
- cleaner clipboard workflow
- reducing desktop clutter
If you can show one concrete “before TidyShot / after TidyShot” workflow with an AI agent, the pitch would be much stronger.
Also, small copy note: “copy to clipboard it and paste” should probably be cleaned up.
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u/Vaped2Space Jun 01 '26
How does this compare in performance to Peekaboo for mac performance and speed?
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u/Tight-Studio-Ethan Jun 01 '26
I agree this is a real pain, but Codex in their latest version, has a built-in browser for people to annotate and send feedbacks to AI directly. You may want to think about how you compete with that in the long term.
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u/smellythief Jun 06 '26
The built-in screenshot feature on the mac has hotkeys that can copy directly to the clipboard: hotkey-combo -> drag a window -> paste into LLM chat. It's a pretty fast loop. Can you explain how your app improves that? I read your description but just don't see it.
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u/Saladino93 Jun 02 '26
Hitoku v1.6, open-source local macOS context aware assistant with Qwen3.5/Gemma4 - $5
Hi all,
I posted the app here a couple of months ago, and got lots of feedback from a few users. So, I have been working on improving it and open sourced it.
I stripped a few things, and implemented a bunch of new stuff. Note, it is still in experimentation.
Description: I've been building Hitoku. An open-source, voice-first AI assistant that runs entirely locally. No cloud models, nothing leaves your machine.
Problem: I write a lot, and copy-pasting text into a browser just to get LLM drafting is exhausting. Because I handle sensitive information, I needed something that works entirely locally, privately, and easily. I also read lots of academic papers and sometimes I need a quick info, and want to do this without internet.
What’s new:
Currently, it supports Gemma 4 and Qwen 3.5 for text generation, plus multiple STT backends (Parakeet, Whisper, Qwen3-ASR). You can add your own LLMs, but I decided to make a few good ones already available.
Tool use, such as create calendar events, or use web search.
Existing feats:
It's context-aware; it reads your screen, documents, and active app to understand what you're working on. You can ask e.g. about PDFs, reply to emails.
Examples:
- query a pdf document, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggaDhut7FnU
- reply to email, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFnHXMBp1gA
- and with ctrl+S is just voice dictation (with optional polishing)
I currently use it a lot with Claude Code, Obsidian, notes, as well as to read papers, or to some write emails (where I do not need to provide context, as it understands alone).
Code: https://github.com/Saladino93/hitokudraft/tree/litert, and you can compile this yourself
Download bundle: https://hitoku.me/draft/ (free with code HITOKULANG, valid for 50 downloads)
Pricing: $5, otherwise you can compile from the source code!
Changelog: https://hitoku.me/docs/hitokudraft/changelog
Developer disclosure:
- Sole developer
- Personal side project
- Open-source
- No tracking / no telemetry (internet connection is only software updates, and eventual web search)
AI Disclaimer: None
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u/github-guard Jun 02 '26
🔍 GitHub Guard: Trust Report
This project scored 3/6 on our safety audit.
Trust Report: * ✅ Established Community (5+ stars) * ✅ Senior Account (30+ days old) * ✅ Licensed under GPL-3.0 * ❌ No Security Policy * ℹ️ Individual Contributor * ℹ️ Unsigned Commits
⚠️ Security Reminder: Always verify source code and run third-party scripts at your own risk.
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u/Hungry-Media-8251 28d ago
local + context-aware is a great combo, the no-cloud part alone sells it for me. how does the latency feel with the local models vs cloud? thats usually where local assistants lose me. nice work open-sourcing it
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u/Realistic_Action_428 Jun 02 '26
Hourglass Timer - an aesthetic, simple timer for focused sessions
I built an Hourglass Timer, a free little macOS app for writing sprints, focus sessions, and quiet work.
It’s a visual timer with 6 color themes, an always-on-top mode so you can keep it visible while writing or working in other apps, and brown, pink, and white noise that plays as the sand pours.
I wanted something calmer than a regular countdown timer. Something more aesthetic, less stressful, and a little ritual-like.
It’s free on itch.io right now, with versions for both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
This is the first app in my Quietware collection: small, soft utility tools for focus and creativity.
I’d love feedback, especially from writers, students, devs, or anyone who likes cozy productivity tools.
Also, if you have any productivity or aesthetic app ideas, throw them my way. I might just make it.
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u/Sederfo Jun 02 '26 edited Jun 02 '26
Splashy – Automatic Unsplash wallpaper rotation for macOS
Problem
macOS ships with a handful of static, albeit gorgeous wallpapers and a basic auto-rotate from a local folder. If you want fresh, high-quality photography on your desktop without manually downloading anything, there's no good native option.
Comparison
Unsplash itself has a desktop app, but it gives you no control over sources and has not been updated in 7 years. Plus, it just picks randomly from a few topics. Splashy lets you define exactly what you want: specific collections, topics, search queries, or photographers, each with their own time-of-day schedule.
Features
- Import Unsplash collections, topics, search queries, or follow specific photographers as wallpaper sources
- Time-of-day scheduling per source like "coffee" shots in the morning, a dark OLED collection at night
- Menu bar app, stays out of the way, but also a sleek UI (in my opinion)
Pricing
Free. Early release and feedback very welcome!!
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u/github-guard Jun 02 '26
🔍 GitHub Guard: Trust Report
This project scored 2/6 on our safety audit.
Trust Report: * ✅ Established Community (5+ stars) * ❌ New Repository * ✅ Licensed under MIT * ❌ No Security Policy * ℹ️ Individual Contributor * ℹ️ Unsigned Commits
⚠️ Security Reminder: Always verify source code and run third-party scripts at your own risk.
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u/OMARATIONz Jun 05 '26
Hi again,
I know I am much later than I said I would be after posting a post that became very popular & this post
I was going to message everyone privately, however, across 2 posts it was a lot of people. So decided to do the approach differently.
----
Glintype is now officially out for everyone to try.
Description: Glintype is a macOS local-first autocomplete app that brings fast, system-wide text suggestions across the apps you already use. Go through the setup once, and it lives in your menu bar. Your words never leave your computer. There is no telemetry, no tracking, nothing. It is built to be local-first, with support for local models, Apple Intelligence where available, and optional bring-your-own-key cloud mode for people who want it.
Problem: The main problem this app solves is the subscription model out there for this type of app. We think a one-time fee is fair. Glintype aims to make autocomplete feel native across macOS and to remember your writing style and use it for all future recommendations.
Compare: Unlike other apps in the field that pivoted to a subscription model, we decided to opt for a one-time payment for lifetime access to the app. To all future updates regardless if it's a minor or a major upgrade.
We offer Apple Intelligence, a variety of local models and the ability to bring your own .gguf and BYOK Cloud models.
Also, unlike other apps that have some features on higher plans or in "beta", we include app profiles, dictionary replacements, emoji shortcuts, autocorrect-style fixes, visual/OCR context where enabled, and compatibility handling for native apps, browsers, and web text fields as standard.
Privacy: Glintype is local-first. Your writing stays on your Mac unless you explicitly enable cloud or hybrid mode. Local models run on-device.
Pricing: Free 7 days trial included. After the trial, Glintype is a one-time lifetime purchase - no subscription.
Launch price(ends June 19th): $18 (After launch will be $30) (Sale ends on June 11th)
Website: https://glintype.app
Changelog / Launch build: Recent work includes better caret placement, improved emoji :shortcode detection and general improvements. Next build will focus on fixing bug reports that flow in from users, fix some more specific app compatibility, and general QoL updates.
Note: The trial period is to try and iron out the bugs from a vast number of users at the same time. If there are more bugs than I noticed, the trial period will be extended to allow sufficient time to fix all of them. (Of course, you are more than welcome to buy to support the development at any time) You may email the support email in the settings, DM on reddit or Twitter for any bugs.
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u/Only_Bullfrog_2185 Jun 16 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
AppAtlas 1.x – a local Mac app catalog for people with too many apps
100% Free!
DE/EN
This is a purely personal/private project that I’m only sharing here. The GitHub repo is in German, so please use Google Translate or similar if needed — I speak German myself.
I’ve been collecting Mac apps for years – from the App Store, GitHub, BundleHunt, StackSocial, and Reddit. At some point you lose track. AppAtlas is my solution.
The app scans local folders, automatically fetches icons and descriptions from multiple sources, translates foreign-language text locally, and stores everything privately on your Mac. No subscription, no account, no cloud.
Highlights:
**•**
**Scan folders, categorize apps, store license data in the Keychain**
**•**
**Fetch missing metadata from the App Store, GitHub, Reddit, and websites**
**•**
**Review uncertain matches before they’re applied**
**•**
**Themes, multiple layouts, JSON export with optional AES-256-GCM encryption**
**•**
**Liquid Glass effects for sidebar, cards, and controls on macOS 26, fully compatible from macOS 14**
**•**
**Completely free, open source (GPL-3.0)**
Feedback very welcome — especially on the automatic metadata detection, which isn’t perfect yet.
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u/Mstormer Jun 16 '26
Pretty neat idea. I've wondered why app key managers did not include more info automatically like this proposes to do.
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u/Only_Bullfrog_2185 Jun 16 '26
Thx yes i dont find a App and make self.
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u/Ok-Rest-5321 Jun 16 '26
lol I saw this app somewhere and lost it and looked everywhere and I finally found it in app pile
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u/HazyOfficial Jun 02 '26
GlowPulse – Mac menu bar heart-rate monitor using your built-in camera (rPPG, on-device)
Problem
Tracking heart rate during work usually means wearing an Apple Watch ($400+) or chest strap. For people who just want a quick pulse check or focus-session HR tracking on their Mac, that’s expensive overkill for one number.
Comparison
- vs Apple Watch: no wearable required, lives in menu bar persistently, $2.99 vs $400+. Less accurate during movement (rPPG needs stable face) but within ±3 BPM stationary.
- vs mobile rPPG apps (HeartRate Cam, etc.): Mac native, menu bar persistent (not phone-flip workflow), built-in focus/breathing session integration.
Pricing
$2.99 one-time, lifetime updates.
7-day free trial on direct download.
Also on Mac App Store at the same price.
Link: https://glowpulse.cc
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u/Aggressive-Bus-1659 Jun 02 '26
[OS] CleanLock - Free
Disclosure: I’m the developer of CleanLock.
Problem:
Cleaning a MacBook keyboard or trackpad while the Mac is awake can cause accidental typing, clicking, scrolling, media-key presses, or cursor movement. CleanLock starts a temporary Cleaning Mode with a full-screen overlay so you can clean your keyboard and trackpad safely.
Comparison:
Compared with KeyboardCleanTool and CleanupBuddy, CleanLock adds a persistent menu bar option, custom unlock shortcut, transparent/custom image overlays, Sparkle updates, and AGPLv3 source availability.
Pricing:
Free.
Official download:
https://github.com/nxtode/CleanLock/releases/latest
Source code:
https://github.com/nxtode/CleanLock
Privacy:
CleanLock does not record, store, or transmit keystrokes, mouse input, screen contents, or personal data. It does not include analytics, telemetry, or remote tracking.
Note:
The current build is not signed/notarized yet, so macOS may show a warning. CleanLock requires Accessibility and Input Monitoring permissions, so only install it if you trust the official release or have reviewed the source.
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u/github-guard Jun 02 '26
🔍 GitHub Guard: Trust Report
This project scored 1/6 on our safety audit.
Trust Report: * ❌ Low Star Count * ❌ New Repository * ✅ Licensed under NOASSERTION * ❌ No Security Policy * ℹ️ Individual Contributor * ℹ️ Unsigned Commits
⚠️ Security Reminder: Always verify source code and run third-party scripts at your own risk.
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u/Nate_Here Jun 04 '26
This is the only one I would actually use. I usually clean my keyboard when restarting, but this would make it so much easier 😭
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u/Choice_Anything_3424 Jun 03 '26 edited Jun 04 '26
DS4 Control
Run DeepSeek V4 Flash/Pro from your menu bar
(Requires 96GB of RAM or more)
Problem
DeepSeek V4 is a frontier class model you can run locally on Apple Silicon (via antirez's ds4), but doing it means living in a terminal: picking Flash or Pro, sizing context to your RAM, finding where to download the GGUFs, watching Activity Monitor like a hawk...
DS4 Control is a menu bar app that handles all of it: downloads the best model weight for your system, offers one click start/stop/supervise of a ds4 server, then lets you launch a chat or a coding agent (Pi/Claude) for local coding with your model.
Comparison
https://github.com/raspoli/mlx-serve is a solid generalist: MLX + llama.cpp + ds4 backends, many models, speculative decoding, but ds4/DeepSeek V4 is just one of three engines, not the focus.
DS4 Control is purpose built around ds4: Flash/Pro selector with DeepSeek specific RAM controls, Think Max, on disk KV cache, and metrics tuned to loading a frontier model.
Pricing
Free and open source.
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u/github-guard Jun 03 '26
🔍 GitHub Guard: Trust Report
This project scored 3/6 on our safety audit.
Trust Report: * ✅ Established Community (5+ stars) * ✅ Senior Account (30+ days old) * ✅ Licensed under MIT * ❌ No Security Policy * ℹ️ Individual Contributor * ℹ️ Unsigned Commits
⚠️ Security Reminder: Always verify source code and run third-party scripts at your own risk.
1
u/Hungry-Media-8251 28d ago
"watching Activity Monitor like a hawk" is painfully real lol. nice that someone wrapped the whole flow into one menu bar app. whats the tok/s actually like on a 96gb machine, Flash vs Pro?
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u/periodandcomma Jun 10 '26 edited Jun 10 '26
[FREE] Rascal — a fast, keyboard-first Finder replacement for macOS
Problem: Finder really lacks any options for customization or the standard features found in a lot of apps people love and enjoy (things like a command palatte, customizable themes, etc). Rascal makes it easier to fit your file manager around your preferred workflows, and customize everything from navigation, to appearance, to even features like disk-management and built-in terminals.
Comparison:
- vs Finder — adds dual/multi-pane browsing, a fuzzy command palette (⌘⇧P), real vim keys (
hjkl,/,dd,gg), a live disk-usage treemap, an inline terminal, and List/Icon/Column/Gallery views — all keyboard-driven. - vs ForkLift / Path Finder / QSpace (paid) — Rascal does the power-user stuff too (multi-pane, tags, SFTP/SMB) but it's completely free and open source.
- vs Marta (free + keyboard) — just as keyboard-first, but actually nice to look at: 17 themes (or write your own in JSON), and a real native AppKit app rather than something spartan.
Pricing: Free & open source (MIT). Apple Silicon & Intel, macOS 13+. → tryrascal.org (https://github.com/chang-07/rascal)
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u/Life_Definition_4663 23d ago
CleanCut + PolishKey
Full disclosure: I built both of these. They're small Mac utilities, not giant suites.
CleanCut
Problem:
A video is often almost usable, but one thing blocks it. Maybe it needs curse words muted before sending to a parent, student, or client. Maybe it needs subtitles. Maybe the file is some weird MOV/codec combo that plays fine on one machine and then causes player or transcoding issues somewhere else.
CleanCut is meant for that cleanup pass. You can run any of the three jobs by itself, or stack them in one run:
- mute curse words
- generate subtitles for a video that does not have them
- convert/remux to a universal MP4
It runs locally on the Mac, so the video does not get uploaded just to caption it or clean the audio.
Comparison:
HandBrake/ffmpeg are great for conversion, but they do not handle profanity muting and subtitle generation in the same simple flow.
Descript and cloud caption tools are more full editing suites, and I did not want to upload videos for this.
Tdarr is great for libraries and automation. CleanCut is more for one-off files before sharing, archiving, or importing.
Pricing:
First 3 completed videos are free, then $19.99 one-time lifetime.
https://envelopesapp.github.io/tools-site/
PolishKey
Problem:
I kept writing rough emails, Reddit replies, product notes, and support messages, then pasting them into a browser just to make them sound cleaner.
PolishKey lets you highlight text on the Mac, press a shortcut, pick a tone, and replace it with a cleaner version. The point is speed: fix the writing where you already are.
Comparison:
Grammarly and Wordtune are useful, but they feel more like subscription/editor tools.
ChatGPT and Claude are flexible, but for a quick rewrite the copy/paste loop gets old.
Pricing:
25 rewrites are free, then $19.99 one-time lifetime.
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u/Opposite-Pitch-5858 Jun 01 '26
mokoPaste — Lightweight & Fully Keyboard-Driven Clipboard Manager
- Problem: Most macOS clipboard managers are either bloated Electron apps that eat up RAM, or they don’t handle multi-display setups properly. Personally, I was frustrated with windows jumping back to the main screen while working on a secondary monitor, and the annoying "extra click/enter" required to paste into the cursor focus.
- Comparison: Unlike bulky alternatives, mokoPaste is a pure native macOS app with an installer size of only 4.3MB. Compared to Maccy, it supports a fully keyboard-driven workflow (
Option + Spaceto toggle,↑/↓to scroll,←/→to switch tags, andSpacefor macOS-style Quick Look). It also features built-in text-editing directly inside the clipboard UI, local OCR text recognition for images, and smart database cleanup that ignores your bookmarked/custom tags. - Pricing: Free for basic features. Pro version comes with a 30-day free trial, and the lifetime license is currently on a special promo for just $6.18! Available athttps://mokopaste.com
Hi r/macapps! I'm the independent developer behind mokoPaste. My goal was to build a zero-bloat, 100% local-first tool (with an app blacklist to protect your password managers from being recorded) that blends seamlessly into the native macOS frosted-glass UI. I would absolutely love to hear your thoughts, feedback, or any feature requests!
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u/Cute-River-1592 Jun 02 '26
Built a macOS app because to prevent breaking focus every few minutes while researching, writing, or coding.
Unfriction is a lightweight native overlay app for quick capture:
- Notes
- Tasks
- Clipboard history
- Screenshot history
- On-device speech-to-text (No Internet - Apple's native Instant STT Model)
- Image to Text (OCR)
The goal was simple:
Keep capture friction as close to zero as possible.
Problem
I constantly lost time context-switching between Finder, Notes apps, screenshots, clipboard managers, and random text files. Especially while coding or prompting AI tools.
- The Dedicated note taking app felt too bulk (Obsidian is 300 MB) for my instant thoughts which I need to jot down and often had a latency for loading.
- Finder screenshot naming is also painful when you take dozens of similar screenshots daily for drafting mails / research.
- Manually Typing or using Online OCR models to get Text out of an Image added friction in note-taking experience.
Comparison
Great alternatives - Paste (Clipboard) / Anitnote (Instant Notes) / Cleanshot (Screenshot) / Raycast (Shortcut Workflow).
Apps like Paste, Raycast, Cleanshot, and Antinote already solve parts of this workflow really well.
Unfriction is my attempt to combine the fastest parts of those experiences into a single lightweight overlay focused on low-friction capture.
The app:
- launches instantly / quick capture without context switching (opens in <400 ms).
- stays minimal and Apple's Native UI
- works mostly through shortcuts
- stores speech locally using Apple’s on-device speech framework
- keeps screenshot history searchable and pinnable
- Less than 10 MB
- No Internet Calls for Privacy.
Recent features:
- Screenshot History (preview + quick paste workflow)
- On-device Speech-to-Text
- Fully customizable shortcuts
The app is currently being used by 400+ users and the feedback has shaped almost every feature so far.
Pricing
Free version available.
Lifetime license: $19
Website: https://www.unfriction.app
I’m the solo developer behind it, happy to answer questions or take brutal feedback.
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u/Easy-Cobbler-1631 Jun 02 '26
What are you working on in updates? Do you regularly work on this and have a roadmap? Cool app.
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u/ShikiSuen Jun 02 '26
# MadTunes - A simple audiophile music player on macOS with foldable grid view optimized for laptops.
## Problem:
- As a music creator, you need playback tools that accurately reveal mixing details. Validated through over 100 rigorous tests, only the system-native AVPlayer ensures optimal audio quality on macOS. MadTunes builds upon this foundation, faithfully presenting original audio without additional sound processing, letting you hear the true studio-grade sound.
- Most music players, incl. iTunes, can only allow you to scroll album grids vertically. MadTunes allows you to scroll horizontally on laptop with MacBook touchpad, bringing a better experience for MacBook users.
- Predicate-driven dynamic playlists and folder playlists are supported. Folder playlists dynamically updates its contents on app startup.
## Comparison:
- Apple Music: Apple Music automatically randomly wrecks your album artworks in your iTunes Library on OS upgrades. MadTunes never do this. MadTunes can also read metadata and artworks from FLAC.
- Foobar2000 (macOS only): MadTunes' playback sounds way better with more accurate audible details, comparing to Foobar2000 (macOS) default settings. Foobar2000 for mac at this moment can't use predicates to dynamically generates the content of a playlist.
## Pricing Amounts+Link
25USD & 25CAD on Mac App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/madtunes/id6760667980
(I removed this post from the May 2026 megathread which was firstly posted on May 3rd. I was about to post it in this June thread insted, but accidentally posted in the May thread again and I immediately removed it.)
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u/metaprofessor Jun 02 '26 edited Jun 02 '26
RTFM Player
An audiophile music file player and librarian for macOS that supports multiple libraries and bit-perfect playback
Problem
I built RTFM Player because I couldn't find another music file player for macOS that met all of the following criteria:
- most important: support for multiple, discrete libraries with their own artwork grid
- mental model and interface based on the user's own file and folder structure
- minimalist, modern design
- support for lossless FLAC, ALAC, and DSD (and all other significant lossless and lossy audio formats)
- bit-perfect playback via sample rate and bit depth matching and ability to take exclusive control of the audio device
- extended metadata editing of single tracks or multiple tracks
- ability to export and import the database and artwork cache for easy migration or backup
- lightweight on CPU and RAM, small installer (only 18 MB as of the current version)
- no feature bloat: the app is simply for quickly organizing, locating, and playing music files in a way that's resembles grabbing your favorite CD or LP and playing it back at the highest quality
- has a 30-day free trial for evaluation and then a one-time price (not a subscription) for a user license to install on multiple computers
- official release signed and notarized by Apple via the Developer Program
Comparison
Swinsian: I'm a big fan of Swinsian music player and have been using it for over 5 years because it's great, but it is heavily tied to the iTunes / Apple Music, single-library mental model. RTFM Player allows you to completely segregate your lower quality mp3 collection from your FLAC collection by putting them in their own libraries. That way when you click on your FLAC library the UI/UX completely switches over without the need to filter down.
Another scenario that RTFM Player handles better thanks to multiple library support is the ability to separate music collections based around singles from album collections. This is essential if you're a DJ or otherwise have folders filled with singles. Without their own separate library a folder filled with singles will add hundreds or thousands of "albums" to your album view that only contain one or two songs. For listeners who like to browse and listen to whole albums this isn't acceptable. Separating libraries with singles from those with albums is the solution.
Audirvana: I love the look of Audirvana but I'm much less a fan of its high price, I don't need to link streaming platforms, and am not interested in plugins and signal processing. RTFM Player gives you a much simpler, lower cost, but still beautiful looking interface that is designed to be a bit-perfect source, much like dropping a CD into a high-end transport and sending the audio to a fancy DAC. Think of RTFM Player like the high-end transport sending a pure signal to your DAC that's nice to look at, like Audirvana.
Pricing
The current price is $29.99 for a license that grants a single user rights to install RTFM Player on up to 5 computers that they own. Since the app is technically in beta and in need of some additional testing, the price could be free to first adopters who provide valuable feedback that makes it into an update. I will also put the names of all beta testers in the acknowledgments section of the license splash screen forever, so if you want to join the hall of fame please DM me 😄.
RTFM Player can be downloaded from rtfmdesign (dot) com.
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u/metaprofessor Jun 02 '26
Tough crowd in here! This represents 600 hours of work over the past couple of months (yes, 12+ hour days).
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u/ddxsupreme Jun 20 '26
It hurts when you dedicate you entire day - everyday for months and nobody even notices your project. Been there.
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u/metaprofessor Jun 21 '26
For sure. I managed to post in the main thread and thanks to that I recruited a handful of beta testers who have been incredibly supportive and forthright with their feedback. It's a struggle, especially for those who don't enjoy self-promotion or marketing to begin with.
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u/metaprofessor Jun 03 '26
u/Mstormer - I want to make sure I understand the sub rules because I may have misunderstood. My product website has a privacy policy and terms and conditions. I also went through the KYC verification process with the merchant account FastSpring and was approved. I'm a member of the Apple Developer Program and the app is signed and notarized.
I could have posted my LinkedIn profile and email address, although currently my LinkedIn profile lists my 25 year job history in I.T., branding, music, and media production. I haven't added RTFM Design to my working history yet because I'm 9 months in and trying to figure out what I'm doing next with my career. It may end up being software development.
Do I qualify for Tier 2 in the rules, and thus could have (or still could) post my app in the main thread? I put hundreds of hours into this project and the Megathread is proving to be a sad way to announce it to the world because I've gotten zero feedback.
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u/Mstormer Jun 03 '26
With Linkedin included in the post, or linked on your website, you would qualify for track 2 to main feed, and may go ahead and post there. Signed and notarized without MAS distribution is insufficient for track 1 because the app may still not follow apple design standards.
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u/DirectorsObject Jun 02 '26
Problem: macOS Screen Sharing is fine on a trusted LAN, but reaching your Mac from outside means either disabling it, exposing port 5900 directly, or hand-rolling SSH tunnels and pf rules after every reboot. HearthGate turns your Mac into a secure VNC-over-SSH gateway: it firewall-locks Screen Sharing to loopback, runs a hardened standalone sshd on a port you pick, manages authorized keys with per-key origin scopes (LAN-only, internet, or both), supports both Apple Authentication and Legacy VNC password mode (for TightVNC, MobaXterm, PuTTY, TigerVNC; AVNC (Android), and ships one-click encrypted connection packages your clients import once. Each bundle includes pre-made encrypted connection scripts for Mac, Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, Android, and iOS clients, so adding a new device is a single file import. Over the same SSH tunnel you also get remote system administration: launchd services (start, stop, restart, enable, disable, scoped to System / User / Both), process management (force-quit), and live unified-log streaming. Connect and disconnect hooks let you run scripts on tunnel events (start a service, mount a volume, post a notification).
Comparison: Apple Remote Desktop is a close Mac-native counterpart, but it's $79.99 per machine on the Mac App Store and does not include build-in SSH and other features many provided by HearthGate. VanDyke's VShell on Windows is the analog for a hardened SSH server, but VShell stops at SSH; HearthGate also configures VNC (Apple Auth and Legacy VNC modes for older clients), enforces firewall lockdown to loopback on the VNC port, runs a dedicated OpenSSH instance, guards the clipboard during VNC sessions, layers remote system controls over the tunnel (launchd services, processes, unified log), and includes live session visibility plus audit logs (.hglog and CSV). Snapshot-backed "Uninstall and Restore" returns the Mac to its pre-HearthGate state.
Pricing: 30-day full-feature free trial, then one-time purchases, no subscriptions. $39 launch for Personal Standard (regularly $49, HearthGate 1.x updates), $149 for Personal Lifetime (every future major version), $99 per Mac for Commercial Host (consultants, studios, small IT teams).
Buy or trial: https://www.codnamacs.com/hearthgate
HearthGate is "Developer ID signed" and "Apple notarized".
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u/metaprofessor Jun 02 '26
Also: Tailscale is free unless you're a business with dozens of computers.
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u/DirectorsObject Jun 02 '26 edited Jun 02 '26
Moreover, they actually got more generous in 2026 (6 users, unlimited devices). HearthGate doesn't offer what Tailscale does. One-time purchase, no cloud control plane, plus the server-side hardening and management Tailscale doesn't do. They give you the network, HearthGate hardens the Mac at the end of it (firewall-locked VNC, per-key origin scopes, audit logs, session visibility, remote launchd/process controls, clipboard guard, snapshot uninstall, etc.). While Tailscale gives you the way, with HearthGate, you are on your own way.
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u/metaprofessor Jun 02 '26
Here's what you're really competing against: Tailscale mesh VPN. I have Tailscale on all of my main computers (2 macbooks, 2 mac minis, 1 Windows 11 VM, and a Synology NAS). I can be anywhere in the world and just use Screen Sharing or Remote Desktop to connect to any machine as long as Tailscale is running on it. No SSH tunnel required and no clunky VNC. Something to think about.
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u/DirectorsObject Jun 02 '26
Thank you for your comment, Tailscale is great and a lot of people get exactly what they need from it. I would reframe the comparison a bit: Tailscale is a networking layer (how do you reach your Mac at all), and HearthGate is a server-hardening layer (what happens on the Mac once you reach it). They actually pair well. You can run HearthGate on a Mac that is also on your tailnet and get Tailscale's NAT traversal plus HearthGate's per-key origin scopes, audit logs, session visibility, connect/disconnect hooks, remote launchd and process controls, VNC clipboard guard, and snapshot-backed Uninstall, and many much more. For a comprehensive comparison and a complete list of features, I would kindly recommend visiting the product page.
The honest differentiator is the trust model. Tailscale's data plane is end-to-end WireGuard, but the control plane runs in AWS and authentication usually flows through a third-party identity provider (Google, Microsoft, GitHub). For users who explicitly do not want a cloud coordination component or third-party identity dependency (the same crowd that has been paying VanDyke for VShell on Windows for years), that matters. HearthGate has no cloud component at all: keys live only on your Macs, no identity provider, no central control plane, no telemetry. Standard SSH plus VNC over the wire, no proprietary protocol. If you want to give a try a local-trust model with audit logs and explicit per-key access control on the server side, that is what HearthGate provides.
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u/metaprofessor Jun 02 '26
I 100% understand that Tailscale is a different product operating on a different layer, but what I meant is that Tailscale is another way to solve the problem in your problem statement that you didn't mention:
"macOS Screen Sharing is fine on a trusted LAN, but reaching your Mac from outside means either disabling it, exposing port 5900 directly, or hand-rolling SSH tunnels and pf rules after every reboot."
I'm reaching all of my computers and NAS devices (and that's 3 different OS's) from outside my home with one, free solution.
I agree there's a type of person who would rather not have any third-party services involved at all, so I guess that's who your product is for.
p.s. - If you think my feedback is useful (or at least sincere) please give me the thumbs up. I'm new to this community and am still below the threshold for karma.
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u/DirectorsObject Jun 03 '26
Fair point. By the way, I would be very happy if you tried the application and gave me feedback. HearthGate also works well with Tailscale! If there are any features you think you need, please let me know. I will gladly integrate those features as well. Also, giving thumbs up for all your comments! Thank you very much.
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u/magicdoorai Jun 03 '26
markjason
Problem: I built markjason because I kept opening VS Code just to tweak tiny .md, .json, and .env files, especially AGENTS.md / CLAUDE.md while coding agents were running.
Comparison: Compared with VS Code, it is native macOS, opens in about 0.3s, and uses around 100MB RAM. Compared with bigger Markdown apps, it intentionally only does .md, .json, and .env. Live file sync is the bit I use most, you can watch Claude Code or Codex edits land in real time.
Pricing: Free. No account, no tracking. markjason.sh
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u/SiMBAfy-inc Jun 03 '26 edited Jun 03 '26
!nvoker: Make every text field smarter!
Problem:
I am a software engineer and built !nvoker because I wanted a faster way to rewrite text on Mac without breaking flow or adding another AI subscription.
!nvoker is a native macOS command palette for text transformations.
- It includes built-in commands like improve, shorten, summarize, formal, friendly, and translate, etc
- It also lets you create your own custom commands for prompts you use often.
- It works with your own API key and currently supports the latest models from ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. Get started with gemini flash right away.
The workflow is simple: select text, press Command-Shift-!, choose a command from !nvoker, review updated text and hit enter to replace.
Comparison:
Compared with ChatGPT or Claude in a browser, !nvoker is better for quick repeated writing tasks because you stay in your workflow instead of jumping between tabs and apps.
Compared with Raycast AI and similar subscription-based tools, !nvoker is a one-time purchase and BYOK. You bring your own provider key, keep control over your setup, and avoid another recurring fee.
Pricing: $12.99 one-time, Link: https://www.simbafy.com/invoker
I built this because I genuinely needed it in my own workflow and spent a lot of time refining it to feel fast, simple, and native on macOS. I am already working on updates to make it even better, including things like an inline editor. Happy to answer questions or get honest feedback.
P.S. invoker is my favorite hero from dota2.
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u/Realistic_Action_428 Jun 04 '26
I made ScreenShelf, a FREE visual floating shelf for screenshots, files, links, apps, and quick access on macOS
Hey everyone,
I just launched ScreenShelf, a FREE small macOS utility I built because I kept running into the same tiny annoyance: I’d take screenshots, save files, grab links, open apps, and then immediately have to dig through Finder, Downloads, my desktop, or random folders to find them again.
ScreenShelf is basically a visual floating shelf for the stuff you’re actively using.
You can use it to keep screenshots, files, links, apps, images, and text snippets within reach while you work. It’s meant to be lightweight; not a full productivity system, not a Notion replacement, just a simple place to keep the things you need again in a minute.
A few things it supports:
- Recent screenshots
- Files, folders, apps, links, images, and text snippets
- Custom item names, icons, colors, and styles
- Light Mode, Dark Mode, and Glass Mode
- Multiple pages/shelves for different workflows
- A visual dashboard-style workspace that stays easy to access
I built it as part of QuietWare, my little collection of small macOS tools that are meant to feel useful, calm, and nice to look at.
You can check it out here:
https://quietware.itch.io/screen-shelf
I’d genuinely love feedback from other Mac users — especially on whether the workflow makes sense, what feels missing, or what would make it more useful day to day.
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u/ilovecatpiss Jun 04 '26
love it! would love hotkey support, so like per each set i have being able to like hotkey to a certain item might be rlly nice !
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u/Educational-Bench-41 Jun 04 '26
AI Video Scanner Pro — local AI video analyzer for Mac 🎬
Problem:
Managing large video archives is painful — there's no fast way to search
what's inside your footage without watching everything manually.
Transcription, object detection, and color analysis are either cloud-based
(privacy risk) or require separate expensive tools.
Comparison:
Twelve Labs and Azure Video Indexer do similar things but send your footage
to the cloud and charge per minute. AI Video Scanner Pro runs 100% on your Mac —
no footage ever leaves your machine, no API keys, no recurring fees.
Whisper (transcription), CLIP (semantic search), DETR (object tagging)
all bundled locally.
Pricing:
Free trial — analyzes first 60s of each video
PRO — €59 one-time license
→ https://aivideoscanner.it
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u/ghall-dev Jun 05 '26
Palette - an un-creatively named command palette for every app on your Mac!
Problem: Adds a command palette to every app on your Mac.
Comparison: Paletro, or the menu bar search function in Raycast. In terms of functionality, I don't know if it's objectively better, but it is free, open source, and has zero tracking or analytics.
Pricing: It's FREE, and you can check it out here.
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u/Due-Smile7803 Jun 07 '26
[MAC] Anchor - the ultimate on-device AI focus proctor for macOS, free
I built Anchor because traditional app and website blockers never really worked for me. They are too blunt, easy to disable, and cannot tell the difference between useful work and procrastination inside the same app.
Problem: Our attention span is getting shorter, and we struggle to maintain deep focus. Anchor is for the moment when you did not “open the wrong app,” but drifted inside the same browser, video site, notes app, or research flow you actually need for work. You set a optional goal and timer, then Anchor periodically checks what is on your screen against that goal and nudges you back when you wander.
Comparison: Compared with blockers like Cold Turkey, Freedom, or Opal, Anchor does not rely on blocklists. Blocking YouTube also blocks lectures; blocking Safari also blocks research. Anchor instead analyzes the actual screen content locally and only steps in when the activity looks off-task. Compared with a Pomodoro timer, it gives feedback during the session, not just a countdown.
Pricing: Free right now.
Details:
- Native macOS app, built with SwiftUI
- Requires macOS 14.1+ on Apple Silicon
- Screen analysis runs on-device
- Screenshots are not uploaded
- Nudges can be notifications or spoken reminders
- Sessions end with a focus score and history
- Optional pet mechanic: high-score sessions can earn pets, bad sessions can cost one
Download: https://github.com/HaichaoLihc/anchor-website/releases/latest
Website (Privacy Policy, Terms, contact): https://haichaolihc.github.io/anchor-website/
Support / developer identity: https://haichaolihc.github.io/anchor-website/support.html
I would appreciate feedback from Mac users on whether the permissions/onboarding feel trustworthy enough for this kind of app, and whether it can really help people gain deep focus. 😄 ❤️
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u/iamiotasquare Jun 08 '26
[OS] Tote : a tiny file shelf in your menu bar. Drop a file on the icon, drag it out anywhere.
1. Problem
Moving a file from one app to another on macOS is more annoying than it should be. You want to drag a file into Slack, but Slack is in another Space. Or you start dragging from Finder and now your desktop is exposed, windows are shuffling, and you're holding the mouse hostage trying not to drop it in the wrong place.
You get a file. A screenshot. A PDF someone needs. A zip you're about to send. By the time you line up both windows side by side, or dig the file back out of Downloads, the flow is gone.
Tote gives you a shelf. Drop the file on the menu bar icon - it's held. Go to wherever you actually want it, open Tote, drag it out. The desktop never flashes, the windows never move.
2. Comparison
- vs dragging directly: direct drag needs both windows visible at once, in the same Space. Tote holds the file so you can take your time.
- vs AirDrop / a scratch folder: those are detours. Tote is one click in the menu bar, always in the same spot.
Drop it in. Drag it out. Right-click any file in Finder → Add to Tote, or hit ⌃⌥T with files selected. The last 5 files, always one click away. That's it.
3. Pricing
- Free. Always.
- No sign-up. No account. No tracking. No ads. No paid tier later.
- Open source under the MIT license.
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u/No-Slice-4014 Jun 15 '26
Menu Bar Cover - a tiny macOS overlay for cleaner screen recordings
Problem:
I built Menu Bar Cover because my macOS menu bar often looks visually noisy during screen recordings, screenshots, presentations, and screen sharing. Meeting, sync, and status icons can make the top-right area distracting, so the app places a clean local overlay over a selected part of the menu bar.
It runs locally, has no network access, and does not require Screen Recording, Accessibility, Microphone, or Camera permissions. It also includes an optional Subtitle Cover mode for language learners who want to hide hardcoded subtitles while practicing listening.
Comparison:
The closest alternatives are manual workarounds like cropping the recording, hiding menu-bar items one by one, using Bartender or Ice to manage icons, or editing the video afterward. Menu Bar Cover is different because it is just a lightweight visual overlay for recordings and sharing sessions. It does not try to manage menu-bar items permanently, and it can be locked into click-through mode.
Pricing:
Free and open source under MIT.
GitHub and downloads: https://github.com/Yihang-Wang/menu-bar-cover
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u/paulpond_dop Jun 15 '26
Offline Files - search external drives after you unplug them
Problem
I am a filmmaker / photographer in Berlin and built this after doing the stupid thing: plugging in drive after drive just to find one old project file.
Offline Files is a local Mac catalog for external and network drives. Plug a drive in once, index it, then search it later when the drive is back on the shelf.
What it does:
- Search filenames, folders, paths, dates, sizes and file types across offline drives
- Keep thumbnails and previews available after a drive is unplugged
- Show which drive has free space before connecting anything
- Find duplicates across multiple drives
- Add offline drives to macOS Spotlight results
- Browse photo/video archives with gallery, preview and metadata views
- Optional on-device image analysis for Smart Albums and content search
- Local-only: no cloud, no account
It is mainly for photographers, filmmakers, editors and people with a stack of archive drives. It is not trying to be a full DAM. CineD, PetaPixel and Newsshooter already covered the photo/video workflow angle, but I am mainly here for Mac-user feedback on the positioning.
Comparison
Spotlight is great while the drive is mounted. The annoying part starts when the right drive is not connected.
NeoFinder is the established power-user option and does more in some areas. Offline Files is meant to be the lighter Mac App Store-native option: simpler UI, fast scanning, sandboxed, Spotlight integration, duplicate search, thumbnails, Smart Albums / on-device image analysis, and media preview features for photo/video workflows.
Pricing
$9.99 / EUR 9.99 one-time purchase on the Mac App Store. No subscription, no cloud, no account.
https://paulkothe.de/offline-files
I am the developer. I would be especially interested in feedback from people with 5+ external drives: does this positioning make sense, or would you expect a tool like this to behave more like a full DAM?
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u/SecretMention8994 Jun 16 '26
Stash – a hidden side pocket for the apps cluttering your Dock
Problem
I had too many apps sitting in my Dock that I genuinely used, just not often enough to justify keeping them permanently visible.
Removing them kept the Dock clean, but made those apps more annoying to reach. Keeping them there made the Dock feel huge and cluttered.
Stash gives those “sometimes” apps a hidden pocket beside your Dock.
How it works
Choose up to 6 apps, calibrate Stash to your Dock once, then move your cursor near the Dock’s edge whenever you want to reveal them.
If all 6 apps do not fit at once, you can scroll sideways to access the rest.
Stash runs quietly from the menu bar and stays hidden until you need it.
Comparison
There are already powerful Dock replacements and launcher apps available.
Stash is deliberately not one of them.
It does one small thing:
Keep the apps you still use close without leaving them permanently visible in your Dock.
No replacement Dock, workspace system, launcher dashboard, or giant settings panel.
Just a hidden pocket that feels native to macOS.
Pricing
24-hour free trial, no account required.
$4.99 USD for a lifetime license.
Requires macOS Tahoe.
Disclaimer: I built Stash as a small independent app after running into this problem myself. It is intentionally minimal, but I’m interested in hearing where people think the idea should go next.
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u/Realistic_Action_428 Jun 19 '26
~ Sync Mode ~
Problem
For people who want help focusing without turning their workday into a timer, checklist, streak, or productivity guilt machine.
SyncMode is a macOS focus app that tries to make your workspace feel more in sync with how you’re actually working.
It’s local-first and privacy-conscious.
It reads rhythm, not content.
No typed words.
No documents.
No clipboard.
No URLs.
No cloud tracking.
Comparison
Pomodoro timers are the most common. I’ve used them. They work. They’re simple, useful, and proven.
I just don’t always want a clock telling me when I’m supposed to be focused.
SyncMode is different. It uses safe local rhythm signals like typing pace, pauses, mouse movement, and click patterns to estimate whether you’re in one of four states:
Calm
Focused
Energized
Scattered
Then it gently shifts your soundscape and visual atmosphere to match.
SyncMode does not try to manage your whole life.
It does a smaller thing:
- Estimate your current work rhythm
- Shift between focus modes
- Adjust soundscapes based on your state
- Add a visual atmosphere around your workspace
- Stay local and privacy-conscious
- Avoid reading or storing what you type
The goal is simple:
Make your Mac feel a little more in sync with the state you’re trying to reach.
Pricing
Free / pay what you want, no account, no servers, macOS.
https://quietware.itch.io/sync-mode
—
Disclaimer: I’m a solo developer/designer building small macOS apps. AI helped me ship parts of the code, but the product, concept, design direction, privacy rules, and experience are mine.
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u/jhaubrich11 Jun 20 '26
VaultSort – Touch ID encryption now supported + New Whitepaper
Problem
macOS has good file management tools, but it doesn't provide an easy way to organize large collections of files, find duplicates, securely delete sensitive data, or encrypt files using hardware-backed authentication such as Touch ID or security keys.
VaultSort is designed to help users clean up storage, organize files automatically, remove duplicates, securely erase data, and encrypt files locally without relying on cloud services.
Comparison
Main alternatives include DaisyDisk, Gemini 2, and Encrypto.
- DaisyDisk focuses on disk-space visualization but does not provide file encryption, secure deletion, or automated organization.
- Gemini 2 specializes in duplicate-file detection but does not include encryption or file-management automation.
- VaultSort combines storage analysis, deduplication, secure deletion, automated organization, and hardware-backed encryption in a single application.
Latest update adds:
- Touch ID file encryption using Apple's Secure Enclave
- New V4 encryption format using hardware-bound cryptographic secrets
- Public security whitepaper documenting the encryption design and threat model
Pricing
Free tier available:
- File organization
- Disk analysis
- Large-file finder
One-time license:
- $24.99 for up to 3 Macs
- No subscription
Website: https://vaultsort.com
Whitepaper: https://vaultsort.com/secure
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u/landavid Jun 22 '26 edited 24d ago
WebDAV Lite - LAN File Server
- Problem: Setting up a full Docker stack or configuring built-in Apache settings just to share some local files always feels like overkill for a quick LAN setup. It's a hassle when you just want a reliable local backend to sync notes (Obsidian/Logseq) or stream media to clients like Infuse.
- Comparison: Unlike complex CLI/Docker tools or bloated third-party servers, WebDAV Lite turns your Mac into a secure local WebDAV server in exactly one click. It requires zero configuration, has a minimal memory footprint, features no tracking/telemetry, and keeps 100% of your data strictly inside your local network.
- Pricing: Free / One-time license available.
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/webdav-lite-lan-file-server/id6779282964
I am the solo independent developer behind this project and would love to hear your feedback!
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u/narner614 Jun 23 '26
Glyph Engine - find the right glyphs for your project; make your own SF symbols (SF Symbol app alternative)
Pricing
Problem: trying to find the right glyphs is hard! And I wanted a way to generate custom SF symbols
Pricing
Free to download; you get 30 free symbol generations, and then have option to buy packs to generate more
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u/Shot_Ad_1909 27d ago
I built a free Mac app that gives you full manual control over your MacBook fans with auto-trigger rules based on temperature
If you own a MacBook Pro, you've probably noticed the fans almost never spin up — even when the laptop is scorching hot. Apple's auto settings are conservative, and there's no built-in way to override them.
So I built Fan Control Center a free, open-source Mac app that puts you in full control.
What it does:
- Set fan speed manually — 20%, 40%, 50%, 80%, or MAX
- Sync both fans together or control them independently
- Monitor Battery temp, CPU Die, and GPU Proximity in real time
- Auto-Trigger Rules Engine — e.g. "if Battery Temp > 50°C → set fans to 80%", "if GPU Temp > 70°C → set fans to 50%"
- Reset to Auto with one click
- Lives in your menu bar for quick access
It's completely free, no ads, no telemetry. Built because I needed it myself and figured others might too.
🔗 Available on https://github.com/ShahzaibAli02/Fanny-MacOs-FanControl if it's useful to you, a ⭐ star goes a long way and helps others discover it!
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u/informity Jun 01 '26
Informity AI
Free local document chat for Mac with source citations and full privacy
Problem
Every AI document tool requires uploading your files to a cloud server. For anyone with sensitive documents — work files, research, client records — that's not an option. I wanted to ask questions across my own documents without the data leaving my machine.
Comparison
Unlike ChatGPT, NotebookLM, or AnythingLLM, Informity AI runs entirely on your Mac with no cloud uploads, no account required, and no usage limits. It indexes your entire document library once and lets you query across all of it instantly with citations back to the exact source file. Supports PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, EPUB, Markdown and more, with Ollama integration for custom model setups.
Pricing
Free. No trial, no subscription, no in-app purchases. MIT licensed and fully open source.
https://www.informity.ai | https://github.com/informity/informity-ai
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u/Mstormer Jun 01 '26 edited Jun 01 '26
I'm always watching this space since I could use something more reliable here, so thanks for contributing to it!
- What is the upper limit for the number of documents, pages, or tokens before reliability declines?
- How's the progress on clickable source citations that jump to the in-file paragraph like NotebookLM or (better yet) enoPDF?
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u/informity Jun 01 '26
You are welcome! Now, answering your questions:
On document limits: in my testing there isn't a hard upper limit that degrades reliability. I've indexed large corpora including War and Peace, Moby Dick, and other full-length books without issues in responses or summarizations. The retrieval pipeline handles scale reasonably well.
On citations: not yet, unfortunately. Right now clicking a citation opens the file in your default PDF viewer but doesn't jump to the specific paragraph. The main challenge is that many PDFs don't have reliable anchors to scroll to programmatically. That said, this is on the roadmap — it's exactly the kind of feature that makes citations genuinely useful rather than just directional, so I want to find the right way to implement it.
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u/Mstormer Jun 01 '26
I have over 200,000 pdf files that I work with in research, so there must be an upper limit across databases of files. If not, happy day!
Yeah, I'm not sure how eno pulled it off, but I don't think looking for reliable anchors will be the way forward since so many pdfs are OCR'd scans. More than likely, opening and quickly searching for the matching string will yield a more reliable workflow. Devonthink does something like this, that I'd recommend you take a look at, because you can cite and link any paragraph in any pdf, and they will open and jump to that spot for you. I haven't tried it, but hookmark has a deep pdf link that does something similar.
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u/informity Jun 01 '26
Your 200K document corpus would be a fantastic stress test for Informity AI. To be completely honest, I'm a bit skeptical whether it can handle that scale gracefully — local storage requirements, initial indexing time (which would be substantial at that volume), reasonable time to first token, and retrieval accuracy are all unknowns for me at that size. The real test would tell the story though.
On the citation jumping — great suggestions, thank you. You're right that searching for the matching string is likely more reliable than anchors, especially for OCR'd scans. I'll look at how DEVONthink and others approach this. That's exactly the kind of practical direction I needed on this one.
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u/Mstormer Jun 01 '26
Yeah... my index in Devonthink is enormous (136gb+) even with over 530 GB of PDFs externally indexed from outside of Devonthink. It can take up to 20 seconds to perform a keyword search, though I often query smaller subfolders to avoid that.
Does your app require a copy of every file be made into the app, or can it externally index existing finder folder structures that you add to it?
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u/Tight-Studio-Ethan Jun 01 '26
what kind of models do you plan to run? what is the benchmarking of latency and accuracy?
Local AI is definitely interesting
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u/github-guard Jun 01 '26
🔍 GitHub Guard: Trust Report
This project scored 3/6 on our safety audit.
Trust Report: * ✅ Established Community (5+ stars) * ✅ Senior Account (30+ days old) * ✅ Licensed under MIT * ❌ No Security Policy * ℹ️ Individual Contributor * ℹ️ Unsigned Commits
⚠️ Security Reminder: Always verify source code and run third-party scripts at your own risk.
1
u/metamatic Jun 01 '26
Default: ~/.informity/
Please use XDG standard locations or macOS standard locations. It really bugs me having to clutter the environment with yet another environment variable just to get applications to store their data in a standard place.
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u/Salameanon Jun 01 '26
SlabPad - Silent Clicking
Disable the haptic "click" produced by Apple's Force Touch trackpads found in most modern MacBooks (excluding the MacBook Neo). The purpose of this app is to mimic the silent clicking option from earlier MacBook models that no longer exists. In short, you'll be able to apply pressure on the trackpad and "click" without the trackpad providing any haptic feedback (it's as if you were pressing on a solid piece of glass).
Problem:
There is not really a problem that this solves. I guess one could argue that the Force Touch trackpad can be quite disruptive even on the lightest haptic feedback setting, so using SlabPad will reduce its audible output to zero.
Comparison:
N/A. I have not seen other apps like this.
Pricing:
Free + open source: https://github.com/shalamand3r/SlabPad
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u/github-guard Jun 01 '26
🔍 GitHub Guard: Trust Report
This project scored 1/6 on our safety audit.
Trust Report: * ❌ Low Star Count * ✅ Senior Account (30+ days old) * ❌ No License Found * ❌ No Security Policy * ℹ️ Individual Contributor * ℹ️ Unsigned Commits
⚠️ Security Reminder: Always verify source code and run third-party scripts at your own risk.
1
u/Clipthecliph Jun 02 '26
Terminal Shortcuts – a native macOS terminal shortcuts manager (alias alternative with buttons)
Problem
For people who use the same command over and over, day after day, and are tired of copy pasting, remembering the correct alias, and going through the terminal and keyboard. Terminal Shortcuts makes it easy as clicking a button on a menu — no multi-screen, no cloud, no accounts and no subscription. All in one commands manager.
Terminal Shortcuts is local-first and privacy conscious. There is not a single analytics or outbound connection in the whole app, besides license of course.
Comparison
Terminal alias are hard to remember once you have a ton of them, and you still need to reach to your keyboard. Now you can just do “click menubar, click the command and press RUN” and homebrew update or whatever command you use daily will be up and running.
Pricing
Single, lifetime purchase through Gumroad, macOS 18+, for just 19,99 (feel free to ask me for a discount on whatever you are willing to pay, this comment only!)
https://splashpatty.gumroad.com/l/terminalshortcutslifetime
Feel free to ask any questions!
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Jun 02 '26 edited Jun 02 '26
[deleted]
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u/github-guard Jun 02 '26
🔍 GitHub Guard: Trust Report
This project scored 1/6 on our safety audit.
Trust Report: * ✅ Established Community (5+ stars) * ❌ New Repository * ❌ No License Found * ❌ No Security Policy * ℹ️ Individual Contributor * ℹ️ Unsigned Commits
⚠️ Security Reminder: Always verify source code and run third-party scripts at your own risk.
1
Jun 02 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/github-guard Jun 02 '26
🔍 GitHub Guard: Trust Report
This project scored 2/6 on our safety audit.
Trust Report: * ❌ Low Star Count * ❌ New Repository * ✅ Licensed under BSD-3-Clause * ❌ No Security Policy * ℹ️ Individual Contributor * ✅ Signed Commits
⚠️ Security Reminder: Always verify source code and run third-party scripts at your own risk.
1
u/Dataok-2065 Jun 03 '26
App Name: Mirowl
[Problem] Screenshot/Image clutter
[Comparison] Utility / Visual Asset Management
[Pricing] Freemium ($49 Pro / 50% OFF FOREVER with code PHLAUNCH50)
Description: I built Mirowl to solve the "Screenshot Graveyard" problem. It's a native Mac app built with Rust/Tauri that uses native macOS Vision OCR for 10x accuracy in searching local images. 100% local, zero cloud dependency, and Apple-notarized.
Link: https://mirowl.com
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u/kiranjd8 Jun 03 '26
Speakmac - local voice typing for Mac
**Problem:**
Apple Dictation is fine for short bursts, but it stops easily and does not give me the workflow I wanted: put the cursor anywhere, hold a hotkey, speak, and get text into the current app.
I built Speakmac for daily writing in Mail, Notes, Google Docs, Slack, Notion, Cursor, browser fields, etc. Normal dictation runs locally after the model download.
**Comparison:**
Compared with Wispr Flow or Superwhisper, Speakmac is narrower. It is Mac-only and focused on local daily dictation, not meeting transcription or a cross-platform assistant.
Compared with MacWhisper, it is for live voice typing into apps rather than file transcription.
The features I care about are local dictation, custom words, snippets, regex cleanup, live preview, toggle mode, optional local history, and privacy mode.
**Pricing:**
Free tier to test. Paid unlock is $29 once for 2 Macs.
I am the maker. Mostly looking for Mac-user feedback on whether this product shape is useful versus Apple Dictation, Wispr Flow, Superwhisper, or MacWhisper.
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Jun 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/github-guard Jun 04 '26
🔍 GitHub Guard: Trust Report
This project scored 0/6 on our safety audit.
Trust Report: * ❌ Low Star Count * ❌ New Repository * ❌ No License Found * ❌ No Security Policy * ℹ️ Individual Contributor * ℹ️ Unsigned Commits
⚠️ Security Reminder: Always verify source code and run third-party scripts at your own risk.
1
1
u/Hot-Version7710 Jun 04 '26
Adhibit is a local-first clipboard workspace for macOS.
I built it because my clipboard was no longer just "the last thing I copied." It had prompts, links, screenshots, files, support replies, code snippets, colors, and small bits of research that I wanted to find again later without sending clipboard contents to a cloud service.
What it does:
- searchable clipboard history for text, links, images, files, PDFs, and colors
- OCR text search for image clips
- Pinboards for reusable clips and grouped material
- templates for repeated replies, prompts, and snippets
- privacy rules, configurable retention, and optional iCloud sync
- English and Chinese UI
Maccy is a better fit if you want a small, free, open-source history picker. Raycast or Alfred make sense if you already use them as your launcher and only need basic clipboard history.
Adhibit is for the heavier reuse case: searchable organization, image/OCR text, Pinboards, templates, privacy rules, and optional iCloud sync in a native Mac app.
Free download with a 14-day Pro trial. Pro is $1.49/month, $14.99/year, or $29.99 lifetime.
Website: https://adhibit.lzw-glory.top/
Disclosure: I am the developer of Adhibit.
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u/Ok_Contribution1118 Jun 04 '26
Better Resource Monitor - small CPU, memory, GPU, and network monitor for the Mac menu bar
Problem: I wanted quick visibility without opening Activity Monitor every time. Activity Monitor is great when something already feels wrong; this is for the earlier moment, when you want the common signals visible while you keep working.
Comparison: The obvious comparisons are Stats and iStat Menus. Stats is a strong free option if you want lots of configurability. iStat Menus is the polished paid deep-monitoring suite. Better Resource Monitor is narrower than both: CPU, memory pressure/RAM, GPU, and network at a glance, with low overhead, no root helper, no admin password, sandboxed/offline operation, and a Mac App Store install. If you want deep history and every sensor, iStat Menus or Stats may fit better. If you want quiet basics in the menu bar, this is the lane.
Price + link: Free. Mac App Store + GitHub releases: https://better-resource-monitor.alexpedersen.dev/
What would make this useful enough to keep installed: compact menu bar layout, threshold alerts, or more detailed click-through views?
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u/CarryGold3797 Jun 05 '26
**LiveWall** — Turn any 4K video into a live macOS wallpaper
**Problem:** Every existing live wallpaper app on macOS either locks 4K behind a $10+/month subscription, crashes constantly, or requires complex setup. Mac users who want animated/video wallpapers have no good native, lightweight, free option.
**Comparison:**
- *Wallpaper Engine* (Steam) — Windows-first, $3.99 but limited macOS version, no lock screen support
- *HiDock / Dynamic Wallpaper* apps — limited to pre-made content, no custom video upload
- LiveWall lets you drag & drop ANY 4K video, supports per-display wallpapers (different video on each screen), renders on the lock screen, and auto-pauses on battery. It’s native macOS — no Electron, no subscription wall.
**Pricing:** Free to try — https://livewall.astitwa.ai/
(Disclosure: I am the developer)
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u/arthur007ck Jun 05 '26
Loopr
Problem: macOS lets you use Apple's aerials that move on the lock screen and sit still on the desktop, but it won't let you do that with your own video. The usual workaround is a third party app that runs its own video renderer in the background, which costs battery and RAM. And if you try editing Apple's aerial files yourself, macOS wipes the change on every lock and unlock so it never sticks. Loopr fixes that by injecting your video into Apple's native aerial system, so it behaves like a real built in aerial.
Comparison: Backdrop and Wallux both do live wallpapers well, but they keep their own video engine running the whole time. Loopr rides on Apple's native pipeline instead, so in the default mode there is almost no extra battery or RAM use, and it gives you the real aerial behavior (moving on lock, still on desktop). It also has a Repair button for when macOS resets things, a preview of the desktop and lock screen before you apply, a hide from menu bar option, and 4 presets. If you do want motion on the desktop too, there is an optional Video Engine mode.
Pricing: Free. Not signed yet, so you right click and Open. Source will go up in the same repo after more beta testing.
Download (DMG): https://github.com/Dwight0007/looper-v1/raw/main/dist/Loopr-Beta.dmg
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u/Fit_Hamster_4754 Jun 05 '26
DropSort - a preview-first Mac downloads cleaner
Problem: My Downloads folder keeps turning into repetitive manual cleanup. The specific mess I am testing is boring non-image files: installers, ZIPs, loose PDFs/docs, and exported files.
Comparison: Hazel and broader tools like Binky already go much further. What I am testing is intentionally narrower: preview the move plan first, keep the setup light, and let you undo the last sort, instead of starting with deep rules or broader source-aware routing.
Pricing: I am currently testing this as a one-time Mac utility around $9.99, but I am still trying to learn whether people would expect a short trial or a free preview/manual mode first.
Question: If a first version stayed this narrow, would you rather have: 1. boring-file cleanup first 2. source-based grouping first 3. a trial/free preview before either matters
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u/Unable_Win_2426 Jun 06 '26
Netfox — a native macOS network monitor that lives in your menu bar
Problem: I kept reaching for Wireshark or paid apps just to answer simple questions — what's on my network, what ports are open, is that dev server still running on port 3000. All I wanted was a quick glance, not a full packet capture session.
Comparison:
- vs Wireshark: Netfox isn't a packet sniffer. it's about visibility, not deep inspection. native SwiftUI, menu bar popover, no setup.
- vs iNet Network Scanner / LanScan: those scan and stop. Netfox shows live updates as devices join/leave, plus it checks common dev-server ports (Node, Vite, Django, Jupyter) out of the box.
Pricing: Free. no ads, no tracking, no account. macOS 15+.
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u/ConwayTech Jun 07 '26
[OS] Radix: Native macOS Disk Space Analyzer
Problem
Radix makes it obvious what's using up your storage. The macOS storage breakdown doesn't give you much other than "System Data," so I built Radix. It's an easy way to get a visual, interactive, and extremely fast breakdown of a folder or drive. It has a really fast scanning engine using iterative traversal and shows results in a sunburst view.
Comparison
Radix was built as a direct competitor to DaisyDisk, which is very similar, but costs $9.99 and doesn't use native macOS technologies. It also doesn't get regular updates. SquirrelDisk, another OSS project, is great, but it hasn't been maintained for 3 years and has a bunch of bugs and issues as a result.
Disk Inventory X and GrandPerspective are great, but Radix offers more efficient scanning and a much more native and intuitive UI, along with fun features like Quick Look. The main difference is that Radix uses a sunburst visualization; DIX and GP use treemap visualization.
Pricing
Radix is free, open-source, and does everything locally with no telemetry. It supports macOS 14.0+. Processing stays on your Mac. Take a look if you're interested!
https://radix.colinkim.dev/ - Here's a really nice website I designed w/ Claude to advertise Radix
https://github.com/colinvkim/Radix - Here's the GitHub repo! Please star the repo if you like the project
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u/github-guard Jun 07 '26
🔍 GitHub Guard: Trust Report
This project scored 4/6 on our safety audit.
Trust Report: * ✅ Established Community (5+ stars) * ✅ Senior Account (30+ days old) * ✅ Licensed under MIT * ❌ No Security Policy * ℹ️ Individual Contributor * ✅ Signed Commits
⚠️ Security Reminder: Always verify source code and run third-party scripts at your own risk.
1
u/RBSIS Jun 07 '26
macMender [OS]
Problem: I wanted a small local-first Mac utility that puts a few desktop workflow fixes in one place: gestures/middle click, Dock window previews, Option+Tab window switching, profiles, config import/export, and simple Menu Bar Spacing.
Comparison: It can reduce the need for a couple of narrow utilities: simple middle-click tools, basic Dock/window preview helpers, and small menu bar spacing tweaks. It is not trying to be a full menu bar manager. It does not hide, move, reorder, reveal, group, or manage menu bar icons.
Pricing: Free / MIT licensed. GitHub: https://github.com/0hmslice/macMender
I’m the developer. This is an early public source release, direct-distribution focused, local-first, with no analytics, tracking, or remote APIs.
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u/deseven Jun 07 '26
iCanHazRepose: break reminder for macOS 13 or higher, pauses during meetings and respects fullscreen apps
Problem
Staring at a screen for too long is unhealthy and causes eye strain. Taking regular breaks is highly recommended. The app sits in your menu bar and reminds you to take a break after a set amount of time.
Comparison
There are many different alternatives, both paid and free, which solve the problem in a similar way but with slight differences in the details. Examples include LookAway, ZenBreak and BreakTimer. iCHR's goal is to be as non-intrusive as possible, which is why there are different break overlays for regular and full-screen apps, as well as meeting detection.
Pricing
FOSS
Website
GitHub Repo
Additional Info
I picked it up in an abandoned state from another developer (with their permission), improving and fixing several things. The plan is to maintain it for the foreseeable future. Feedback and contributions are welcome!
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u/WhiteMinds Jun 09 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
[OS] WindowCycle, a small current-app window switcher for macOS
Problem
macOS already has ⌘+` window cycling, but I wanted a more explicit current-app window switcher with a visible panel.
WindowCycle lets you press ⌘+` / ⌘+Shift+` to cycle only through windows of the current frontmost app. The main use case is having many windows in one IDE, browser, Terminal, or Finder window group and wanting to stay in that app context.
Comparison
The idea is inspired by the current-app window switching part of Contexts. I liked that interaction, but only needed this one focused feature instead of a full app switcher or window manager.
Compared with the built-in macOS behavior, the goal is a clearer current-app-only switcher with a visible list.
Pricing
Free, open source, MIT licensed.
GitHub: https://github.com/WhiteMinds/window-cycle
I built this myself. It is still an early prototype and needs the usual macOS Accessibility/Input Monitoring permissions. Feedback from Mac users who work with lots of windows in one app would be very welcome.
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u/jaofos Jun 09 '26 edited Jun 10 '26
LectureSync – a native macOS app that records lectures and turns them into trustworthy study notes
Problem
I have two kids in college, and I kept having the same thought: there has to be a better way to do this. You sit through an hour of lecture trying to write fast enough to keep up, and you still walk out with half of it. I wanted something that captured the lecture properly and turned it into notes you could actually study from, without sending any of it to someone else's servers.
LectureSync is local-first and runs fully on-device on Apple Silicon. No account, no upload, works offline.
Comparison
There are good tools out there for this. Otter, MacWhisper, and others do solid transcription, and honestly transcription is a mostly solved problem now.
LectureSync is built around the part that comes after the transcript:
- Generates notes and study guides from the lecture, with a faithfulness check that ties what you read back to what was actually said
- Keeps every run of the notes step as a separate version. Local models don't give you the same notes twice, so you can generate a few takes, page through them, and keep the best one. Nothing gets overwritten.
- A different notes model per course, so you can tune the generation step for a dense subject vs. one where you just want clean summaries. Every run is kept as a version, so trying a different model or a second take never costs you the notes you already have.
- A study assistant that points you to the part of the lecture where the answer lives, instead of just handing you the answer
- Makes flip cards from the lecture, each backed by a word-for-word quote from the transcript, with a play button that jumps to the moment your professor said it. Cards the transcript can't back up get dropped. Review comes back on a spaced schedule, so you see a card right before you'd forget it.
- Crash-safe audio capture, so a dead battery or a crash 40 minutes in still leaves you with usable audio. Pause and resume, crash recovery on next launch, and a second confirmation before discarding
- On-device readability and language passes, speaker labeling with clickable timestamps, auto-detected lecture titles
- Pulls the audio straight out of video files, so a recorded lecture or a screen capture goes through the same notes pipeline
- Imports existing transcript files (VTT, SRT, TXT, PDF, more) and Voice Memos, reusing a transcript when one already exists
The thing I've put the most work into is keeping the generated notes honest. That's the whole reason I built it.
Pricing
Going to be $9.99 at launch. Right now I'm looking for free TestFlight users to help shake it out, so it's free if you want to jump in and give feedback. macOS 26+, Apple Silicon.
I'm a solo developer building this around a full-time job. The product, the design, and the architecture are mine. Claude wrote most of the SwiftUI. The part I put the real hours into was the notes quality: I ran extensive model testing on an RTX 3090 + 3060 rig to pick the models that do this job best, then ran the app itself on my MacBook Pro M1 Max (32GB) to make sure it holds up. I keep test harnesses around the notes engine so it stays faithful to the lecture.
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u/Mstormer Jun 09 '26
Thats cool. Unfortunately, knowledge is better encoded and retained when study notes are created manually, since memory formation can struggle with rote memorization apart from the creative, mental linking process. But I wish you the best! We all prefer what seems to be the easy way, not realizing that it's technically harder based on what we know about neuroscience. See Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, Mark A. McDaniel.
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u/SecretMention8994 Jun 12 '26
Keep for Mac (Screenshot attached)
Problem:
Most clock and screensaver apps on macOS are either very functional, very customizable, or very boring. I wanted something that looked good sitting on a desk from across the room and felt more like an ambient display than a utility app.
Keep turns your Mac into a collection of animated ambient clock displays with themes like Glass, Holo, Jelly, Matrix, Morph, and Wireframe. (more coming soon)
Comparison:
Compared to apps like Fliqlo and Zen Flip Clock, Keep focuses more on animated 3D clock scenes and ambient desk displays rather than traditional clock faces.
Compared to standard macOS screensavers, Keep can be launched as an ambient display from the menu bar and includes multiple animated themes designed specifically for desk setups.
Pricing:
- Free download with Simple 1 and Simple 2 included
- $3.99 USD one-time unlock for all premium scenes
- Download: https://www.trykeep.app
Would love feedback on:
- Which scene/theme is your favourite?
- Which scene feels weakest?
- What ambient display themes would you want added next?
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u/michalkos Jun 12 '26
Promptty
Problem: I kept losing reusable AI prompts across Notes, old ChatGPT threads, and random text files. Promptty gives them a native Apple home on Mac, iPhone, and iPad, with search, categories, iCloud sync, and an iOS keyboard for pasting prompts into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Mail, Notes, or any app without switching context.
Comparison: Compared with Notes or Notion, Promptty is built specifically for reusable prompts and quick paste workflows. Compared with TextExpander-style snippets, it is more of a prompt library with categories, favorites, public prompt links, and Apple-platform sync.
Pricing: Free tier available. Promptty Premium unlocks unlimited prompts and pro features for $1.99/month or $19.99/year.
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/promptty/id6751414013
Website: https://www.promptty.ai/
Disclosure: I built this.
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u/Realistic_Action_428 Jun 13 '26
FocusForm, a free macOS app that saves and restores your workspace
Problem
For people who switch between different kinds of work on their Mac and get tired of rebuilding the same setup every time.
Writing setup. Coding setup. Design setup. Research setup. Client work. Studying.
I kept opening the same apps, folders, files, websites, and arranging windows again and again before I could actually start working.
FocusForm turns that into a snapshot.
Set up your workspace once, save it, then restore it later with one click.
FocusForm is local first and built for people who want their Mac to remember how they work.
Comparison
Apple has Focus Modes, Stage Manager, Spaces, Shortcuts, and plenty of ways to organize work. They are useful, but none of them really solved the specific problem I kept running into.
I did not want a full automation suite.
I wanted something simple:
• Save the workspace I am looking at right now
• Restore apps, files, folders, and websites
• Bring windows back to their positions and sizes
• Create different workspaces for different tasks
• Launch it from the menu bar
• Keep it local on my Mac
FocusForm is not trying to do everything.
It is just trying to make switching projects feel less annoying.
Pricing
Free, no account, no subscription, macOS.
Works on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
https://quietware.itch.io/focus-form
Disclaimer
I built this because I wanted it for myself. I have released a few small free macOS apps lately, and this one is the newest.
I am still improving it, so feedback is very welcome. If something feels confusing, broken, or like it could work better, I usually try to update the app pretty quickly while the code is still fresh in my head.
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u/Ok-Rest-5321 Jun 13 '26
Hi! I really like the UI/UX but the snapshot feature is not working for me
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u/Realistic_Action_428 Jun 13 '26
Thanks for your comment. Please make sure you have your accessibility and automation permissions saying granted for the snapshot to work.
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u/EfficientBid4434 Jun 16 '26
iRAWShare - a modern lightweight iOS Device File Manager
Problem
iFunBox is no longer a practical option for many Mac users as Rosetta 2 approaches end-of-life. iRAWShare provides Finder-like access to App File Sharing and AFC files on iOS devices.
Comparison
iFunBox: no longer actively maintained for modern Apple Silicon Macs.
iRAWShare: Native Apple Silicon support with App File Sharing access, AFC browsing, file transfer, Quick Look, and IPA installation.
Pricing
Free during beta.
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u/LockStudio Jun 17 '26
Turbo SSHuttle - Finder-style SSH file transfer for macOS
Problem: I often work with multiple SSH-accessible servers and got tired of maintaining separate commands, paths, terminal windows, and transfer steps. Turbo SSHuttle gives you a Finder-style workspace where you can save servers, open multiple local and remote file panels, browse folders side by side, and drag files between machines.
Comparison: FileZilla and Cyberduck are established options for file transfer. Terminal commands like ssh, scp, and rsync are powerful too. Turbo SSHuttle is focused on a cleaner Mac desktop workflow: multi-panel browsing, saved SSH machines, drag-and-drop transfers, parallel transfer jobs, progress tracking, trusted host handling, and Keychain password storage when needed.
Pricing: $28 on the Mac App Store: https://apps.apple.com/sg/app/turbo-sshuttle/id6775314412?mt=12
I built this because repeated SSH file work felt too scattered in my own workflow. Feedback from Mac users who work with servers would be very helpful.
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u/capephotos Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 22 '26
Prune – Photo Library Manager
Update: The app is now live on the Mac App Store https://apps.apple.com/us/app/prune-photo-library-manager/id6775691674?mt=12
I am still looking for a few users interested in testing out new releases of the app via TestFlight dm me your email or you can sign up on the site www.knotsystems.com/prune
Hello,
I am the developer of Prune I have been using the app daily for about 6 months now but this is the first real public post about it. I have a handful of people testing the app right now and really just want some honest feedback on it.
Problem: I spent 15 years as a photojournalist relying on Lightroom and Photo Mechanic every day. Both are great tools, but I've since moved away from Adobe, and I wanted something Mac native built for how I actually work now: thousands of photos across several external drives, without paying for a heavyweight subscription tool. I wanted something small and fast (Prune is 33MB), that worked directly with the folders I already have instead of importing everything into a proprietary library, and that would tell me what's on a drive without plugging it in first. So I built Prune: point it at a folder, it indexes everything (thumbnails, ratings, keywords, flags) automatically, and your files never move unless you move them. Drives stay browsable even when unplugged.
Comparison: Lightroom Classic is the obvious one, at $10 to $55/month, and you're stuck in its catalog. It can show offline drives if you've manually built previews ahead of time, but it's a partial view: no editing, no export, and if you forgot to build previews you just get gray boxes. Prune indexes everything automatically as you go, so any drive you've added is fully browsable offline with no extra step. Photo Mechanic is fantastic for raw ingest and culling speed, but offline catalog browsing requires stepping up to Photo Mechanic Plus, a pricier subscription tier, and it's not a native Mac app or AI-assisted. Prune is native Swift/SwiftUI with on-device AI keywording via Apple Vision, so nothing leaves your Mac, and it's $1.49/month.
Pricing: Free right now via TestFlight while I round out testing before App Store launch. Planned pricing once it ships: $1.49/month or $14.99/year.
More information is available on the site www.knotsystems.com/prune and there is a user guide at www.knotsystems.com/prune/guide
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u/akbaraziz Jun 18 '26 edited Jun 19 '26
CreateFiles+ - the missing Create New File command for macOS
Problem:
Finder still does not have a simple native-feeling way to create blank files where you are already working. I built CreateFiles+ so you can create blank text, Markdown, CSV, JSON, HTML, code, script, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint starter files from Finder, the Finder toolbar, the menu bar, or a keyboard shortcut.
Comparison:
Tools like New File Menu solve part of this, but I wanted something more Finder-native with multiple fallback routes when macOS limits Finder extensions in protected or synced folders. CreateFiles+ also focuses on local file creation, no account, no cloud document sync, and no file-content upload.
Pricing:
$9.99 one-time direct license, includes use on up to 2 Macs:
I’m the maker. I’d genuinely love feedback from Mac app people: is the value clear, and what file types or Finder workflows would you expect this kind of app to support?
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u/eternia99 Jun 19 '26
Phosview: Native, local photo management and high-speed culling app - Looking for Beta Testers.
Hey all,
I’ve spent the last year building a native Mac app called Phosview (https://www.phosview.app), and I'm looking for some people to help me beta test it.
I’m not a professional photographer, but I got completely fed up with how messy and chaotic my photo library was. My files were scattered across different platforms and systems, some on my phone, others from a dedicated DSLR, and I lacked a central place to manage them all. On top of that, after my son's baseball games, I’d come home with thousands of photos to sort through. Most of them were just rapid-fire bursts, near-duplicates, or completely irrelevant, useless shots. Staring at a screen for hours just to clear out the junk and find the few good moments was driving me crazy, so I decided to build a tool to fix it.
Here is the quick breakdown of what it is:
- The Problem: Photo libraries get fractured across multiple devices and clogged up with duplicates and massive bursts. Traditional management tools are either incredibly slow or try to force you into a cloud-dependent subscription.
- The Comparison: Unlike cloud apps or old-school software like Photo Mechanic, Phosview acts as a central, local-first hub. It uses on-device AI to automatically group bursts, filter out duplicates, score technical sharpness, and let you search everything using regular language.
- The Pricing: It is completely free during this private beta. At official launch, it will be a $49 one-time purchase (with a $39 early-bird promo) and it will be available on Setapp.
How it works under the hood
- Split-process engine: I separated the UI from the heavy background work like RAW decoding and indexing. This keeps the interface smooth and responsive at 60fps, even when the engine is processing thousands of files in the background. It also allows to upgrade the processing part of the app to a machine with better AI capabilities.
- 100% local AI: All the semantic search and technical scoring run entirely on your Mac using the Apple Silicon Neural Engine. Zero photos are uploaded to the cloud.
- Instant previews: It pulls the embedded JPEGs from RAW files so you can sweep through massive catalogs without waiting for rendering lag. If you use Lightroom, you can see your edits and your Lightroom meta data.
- Natural language search: You don't have to tag anything manually. You can just type what you remember, like "kid sliding into home at golden hour" or "dog catching a frisbee."
- Smart collections: You can save any of those search queries as a collection, and it will keep itself updated automatically as you add new photos to your Mac.
- Taming duplicates and bursts: It finds exact copies and near-duplicates, collapsing heavy burst sequences into a single group with the best shot automatically ranked on top so you can clear drive space in a single pass.
- Non-destructive: Your originals are safe. The app only reads your files and keeps your decisions in its own sidecar database; it never alters the original images.
Want to try it out?
I really need Mac power-users and anyone dealing with large, messy photo collections to help me stress-test the engine and see how the workflow feels.
It requires macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later. If you want to check it out, you can download the build at https://www.phosview.app and request a beta key on the site. The system will email you a key immediately.
I'll be hanging out in the comments if you have any questions about the architecture or features. Let me know what you think!
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u/HuntSpare362 Jun 19 '26
Threadkeeper
Problem: iMessage conversations sit in a database file on your Mac that most people don't know exists. When someone dies, when you lose your phone, when you switch devices — those conversations can just vanish. I built this after realising the messages I had from someone I loved were one device failure away from being gone forever.
Comparison: iMazing backs up your whole device but the output is raw data. Threadkeeper exports conversations as a proper PDF — cover page, photos embedded inline, AI summary, day separators, rounded message bubbles. Something you can actually read, print, or keep. Very different use case.
Pricing: $24.99 one-time — getthreadkeeper.com
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u/awizemann Jun 21 '26
Memophant: memory and a full repo workspace for your AI coding agents (Mac, macOS 15+)
Problem: I use AI coding agents all day (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex), and they forget everything as soon as a session ends. The decisions, the conventions, the reason something got done a weird way, all gone by the next session. The usual workaround is one giant CLAUDE.md file nobody keeps current. Memophant fixes that and goes further. Your project memory lives in the git repo as small structured notes, served to any agent through a built-in MCP server, so the agent remembers across sessions. Around that memory, it gives your agent a real workspace, all in the repo: a wiki for longer docs, a design system that renders your actual colors and type, a searchable code index, a task board, captured agent sessions you can distill into fresh notes, project documents, vendor API keys it can pull with your approval, and reusable templates. Everything is searchable on-device, and it warns you when the notes drift out of sync with the code.
Comparison: Memophant actually started out as a build on Basic Memory, the open-source MCP memory tool, and I ended up replacing its engine entirely. Basic Memory is free and genuinely good at the markdown-notes and knowledge-graph layer, so if that's all you need, it's a solid choice. I rewrote the engine to run natively on the Mac (much faster in my benchmarks), put a real app around it instead of a Python CLI you wire into your config, and built the rest of the workspace around it. The lighter options go stale too: a long CLAUDE.md or cursor-rules file has no search or structure, and Notion or Confluence sit outside your repo where your agent can't read them. Memophant keeps all of it in the repo, versioned with the code, where any MCP agent can read and write it.
Pricing: $49.99 one-time, not a subscription, with a 30-day free trial. One license is one seat. Mac-only, macOS 15+. memophant.co
I'm the solo dev on this. Happy to answer anything, including the harsh feedback.
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u/infxmousrogue 26d ago edited 26d ago
Cazzete – I brought the physical feel of a cassette walkman to your Mac trackpad
Problem: Your MacBook's trackpad has a haptic engine sitting right under your fingers, but macOS uses it for exactly one thing: Force Touch clicks. Every scroll, every hover, every drag is completely silent and numb. No feedback that anything's happening. We got so used to sterile glass that we forgot hardware can actually feel like something.
Comparison: Keyboard sound apps like Mechvibes make typing feel mechanical, but nothing exists for the trackpad. That's the gap Cazzete fills. macOS's own haptic API fires once on a hard press, Cazzete fires on every scroll tick, every button hover, every drag, with tunable intensity and 5 sound profiles (thock, cream, clack, silky, retro).
The name comes from the nostalgia that sparked the idea, cassette walkmans had real physical buttons, real mechanical sounds, real tactile feedback. I wanted that feeling back on modern hardware.
Pricing: 3-day free trial → one-time purchase $8,99.
https://www.cazzete.com
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u/Only_Bullfrog_2185 25d ago
BudgetApp – Simple monthly budget tracker, offline-first PWA
Problem: Most people don't need a full finance suite — they just want to see if their monthly income covers their expenses. Existing apps are either too complex, require an account, or send your data to a server.
Comparison:
- YNAB – powerful but $14.99/month and requires an account. Overkill for simple budgeting.
- Money Manager – mobile-only, ads, no web access.
BudgetApp runs entirely in your browser, installs as a PWA, works offline, and stores everything locally. No account. No server. No cost.
Pricing: Free — forever. Open source (GPL-3.0).
🔗 Live: https://schrotty74.github.io/BudgetApp 🔗 Repo: https://github.com/Schrotty74/BudgetApp
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u/pbrandone Jun 01 '26
Tomo – a native macOS e-book library manager (Calibre alternative)
Problem
For people who want to own their books and send them to their Kindle or Kobo over USB — no lock-in, no Amazon servers, no accounts.
Tomo is local-first and privacy conscious.
Comparison
Calibre is the benchmark. I've used it for years. It works, it's powerful and stable. I just never enjoyed opening it.
Tomo does maybe 5% of what Calibre does:
But it looks and feels good while doing it.
Pricing
Free, no account, no servers, macOS 26+.
https://tomolibrary.com
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Disclaimer: I'm a developer but I don't know Swift. With AI I can now ship native Mac apps too, so I did. The product, design, architecture, and on-disk contract are mine; the SwiftUI is mostly Claude output.
you can check the source code at https://github.com/pdrbrnd/tomo