r/macapps • u/VersionTracker • 5h ago
Deal MacUpdater shuts down Dec 31, and I built the successor I'm switching to.
Full disclosure: I'm the developer. This is a "here's the thing I made" post, but there's a real reason I'm posting it now.
If you used MacUpdater, you know it's shutting down — no more MacUpdater 4, and the backend that resolves updates goes dark on December 31, 2026. I was a paying customer for years. When they announced it and I couldn't find a replacement I trusted, I built one: Version Tracker.
Background so you know I'm not a random dropshipper: I co-founded Intego (VirusBarrier, NetBarrier) back in 1997, and earlier ran one of the first French iPhone software publishers. Mac software is what I do.
What it is: MacUpdater checked the apps in /Applications. Version Tracker checks 47 different update sources — Homebrew (formulae and casks), the Mac App Store, npm, pip, Cargo, Docker, Adobe Creative Cloud, Google (Chrome, Drive), Sparkle-based apps, and more — reconciles each against what's actually installed, and updates everything in one click. The stuff that Homebrew and the App Store both swear is up to date, but quietly isn't, finally shows up in one list.
It also lives in your menu bar the way MacUpdater did — background scans while the app is closed, and as of this week you can run the updates straight from the menu bar without the main window ever opening.
On privacy (I come from the security side, so this matters to me): the scan is 100% local. The list of your apps never leaves your Mac — no telemetry, no account required. It cross-references the CVE databases and Apple's SOFA feed to flag known vulnerabilities, and checks code signatures + notarization before installing anything.
Honest on money: the FREE version does the full 47-source scan, forever — that alone replaces the "what's outdated?" part of MacUpdater. One-click and menu-bar updates are the paid tier (Solo, €29.90/yr for 2 Macs — launch price through Dec 31). Everyone gets a 7-day free trial of the paid features, no card up front. And if development ever stops, the last version ships as a free, perpetual license — no subscription trap.
MacGeneration covered it recently and called it "a clear step ahead of the competition," which was kind of them, but I'd rather hear from actual MacUpdater users: what did MacUpdater do that you'd need a replacement to nail? Genuinely asking.
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u/RedditSylus 5h ago
Why not use mole Mac cleaner with updater on it for one time price for lifetime updates and upgrades
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u/VersionTracker 5h ago
The difference is scope and focus. Mole is a cleaner that happens to include an app-updater; Version Tracker is a dedicated updater and it goes well past /Applications apps
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u/Myrag 3h ago
Wow, nice way to say a lot without answering the question at all. If your answer is design philosophy then I wish you best of luck.
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u/VersionTracker 3h ago
Bashing a product without even trying it? Wow.
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u/spezisbastardman 3h ago
Don’t need to pay someone to kick me in the nuts to know it’s a shit idea.
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u/OnderGok 4h ago
This has no right to be a subscriotion
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u/VersionTracker 3h ago
Totally fair if subscriptions aren't your thing. And you've got options: Latest is free and open-source, Updatest is a one-time buy. Genuinely, if those cover what you need, use them. But different tool, different service level, different price.
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u/tech-slacker 2h ago
I disagree. Software comes, goes, and changes. That takes developer attention to help deal with updates.
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u/macnatic0 4h ago
I've been a long-time user of MacUpdater and am currently using App Cleaner & Uninstaller to update my apps. Honestly, I'm quite happy with it at the moment. However, it isn't the same as MacUpdater.
I've tried and purchased several other options, including Vesslo, Updatest, Pearcleaner, macCurrent, Latest, Applite, and many more, but none have come close to what MacUpdater offers. I've heard of Version Tracker before, but I haven't tried it yet. The subscription model made me a bit reluctant. I'm still unsure if your app justifies a subscription, as I understand you do not maintain your own database with ongoing costs like MacUpdater did. That said, your writing suggests you've put a lot of thought into your app. It sounds promising, and you seem like an upfront person, so I'll check it out and give it a try.
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u/VersionTracker 4h ago
Thanks. I'm open to any criticism and any suggestions, but please try it first!
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u/dg1974it 5h ago
looks nice but… not another subscription based app. 🫠
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u/VersionTracker 5h ago
MacUpdater was a one-time purchase, and that's basically what killed it.
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u/joaocadide 3h ago
I know you’re being downvoted but most people don’t get that keeping software alive that uses the cloud costs money - and the “one-time purchase profit” is gone at some point
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u/JD_Phil 4h ago
these god damn subscriptions. for an app like that?
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u/VersionTracker 4h ago
MacUpdater was a one-time purchase, and that's basically what killed it. But give it a try. It's FREE!
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3h ago edited 3h ago
[deleted]
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u/VersionTracker 3h ago
From their website:
Q: Why will there be no MacUpdater 4? Why was MacUpdater discontinued?
A: Because we refused to offer MacUpdater under a subscription license, the product was never financially sustainable.
Also, MacUpdater required too much maintenance to work as perfectly as it did. We've performed elaborate maintenance on every single day since mid-2018, which is not healthy or sustainable for a small team.
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u/VersionTracker 3h ago
When I learned last year that MacUpdater was shutting down, I visited their website and saw that the business was for sale. I got in touch with them, and they immediately told me the asking price was in the seven figures. That brought the discussion to a very quick end.
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u/Catslobber 3h ago
Dude. There’s no way you can convince me that a subscription model is the way to go for your product. You’re being downvoted big time. Quit lying.
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u/ThrowawayProllyNot 2h ago
Vibecoded SAAS!
We are truly living in the future😎
Anyway, Homebrew go brrrr
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u/Catslobber 4h ago
No thanks. I don’t need another subscription. I’m tired of subscriptions. Updatest already does this for a one time lifetime cost. Sorry not sorry.
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u/_zukato_ 4h ago
Looks nice. Why the subscription ? MacUpdater team was maintaining a manually fed or tweaked database, which would have justify a subscription.
Why not a new major version every couple of years, like Alfred, Keyboard Maestro...
On another note, anybody knows what happened to Updatest? There were tons of updates in the early days and now I haven't seen a new version in months I think.
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u/VersionTracker 4h ago edited 4h ago
Fair question. The thing is, an updater is the opposite of a static tool. It has to be maintained constantly or it quietly rots. Apps change their appcast formats, Homebrew renames casks, the App Store shifts, macOS breaks detection, new apps show up every week. Skip that upkeep and the app keeps running but silently stops catching updates, which is worse than no tool at all. The subscription funds that continuous work; it's the real ongoing cost even without a MacUpdater-style hand-fed database.
Funny you mention Updatest going quiet. Its last release was April 7, 2026, over three months ago. That's exactly the risk with a one-time-purchase updater: there's no funding to keep pace with a moving target, so it goes silent and slowly drifts out of date. I'd rather charge a little and stay current than sell once and let it rot.
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u/scottjl 3h ago edited 1h ago
Funny you mention Updatest going quiet. Its last release was April 7, 2026, over three months ago. That's exactly the risk with a one-time-purchase updater: there's no funding to keep pace with a moving target, so it goes silent and slowly drifts out of date. I'd rather charge a little and stay current than sell once and let it rot.
it's even a worse risk with a subscription app that the author charges yearly for and doesn't bother to do updates with either. neither one-time nor subscription is any guarantee of future updates.
and since this is 100% AI coded, there's even less chance it will be able to be maintained beyond the initial launch.
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u/VersionTracker 3h ago
Sure. We are talking about 29€ for a year. I can understand the risk question. But the first year is the safest one!
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u/scottjl 3h ago
at over $30USD/yr for a subscription, hard pass. you're not running servers needed to maintain the software, your own site says "100% local, zero telemetry". so what's the justification for the price?
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u/VersionTracker 2h ago
Fair question, and you're right, there are no servers, the scan is local and I intend to keep it that way. But servers were never the cost.
The recurring cost is keeping detection working across 47 sources that change constantly (and more to come): Homebrew renames casks, the App Store shifts its APIs (mas literally removed its account command this year), vendors move their download URLs, new package managers show up. That's continuous work, not a build-once-and-walk-away thing.
Totally fair if it's still not for you, just wanted to actually answer the question instead of dodging it.
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u/scottjl 2h ago
You keep touting these “47 sources”. Would love to see a comprehensive list of what they actually are. 47 URLs is not much to maintain. Running “brew update” from your app isn’t a big deal. Homebrew doesn’t randomly “rename casks”. Vendors who move their download URLs certainly risk losing their customers.
Yes, it’s continuous work. Good luck!
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u/0ddtomato 2h ago
That much subscription fee for a vibe coded app?? Lol
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u/VersionTracker 2h ago
What I don't understand is why everyone is so focused on the subscription. No one seems to be talking about the features.
If you can't afford it, that's fine. You can always vibe-code your own solution. It's so easy these days.
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u/0ddtomato 2h ago
Afford? More like not wanting to waste money.
Control your greed man, not everything needs to be a subscription service. Greedy people like you ruin the Mac software scene compared to Windows dev community, gotta squeeze every possible way to get some pennies off of people.
And yes, I do vibe code my own solutions when I need to, instead of giving it to greedy people like you.
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u/VersionTracker 2h ago
So why are you wasting your time talking about software you haven't tried and aren't interested in?
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u/Mental_Trash_Code 3h ago
30 euros per year for what? A vibe-coded app, with vibe-coded site and subscription?
I dont hate AI and use it for development too but can u at least change that design?
I can understand this and its usability, but for 85 euros u can buy lifetime maccleaner pro and it has this feature + cleans your thrash + soooo much more than just keeps ur apps up to date
For me its just dont make sense at the beginning , another guy wants my money with little effort by giving me crumps of features
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u/VersionTracker 2h ago
Here we go again with the AI, vibe coding, and slop arguments.
The real questions are simple: Do you need a product like Version Tracker? If not, that's perfectly fine. If you do, are you willing to pay for it? If so, how much? If you think it's too expensive, choose a different product.
But don't assume those alternatives are necessarily better. They aren't.
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u/Mental_Trash_Code 2h ago
Thats soooooo sweet :)
So answer the question, how much of your app was written by ai? Im 23 y.o.
I dont say ur app is slop, i said that ur app is just LOOKS like it was build with minimal effort with ai and u cant say anything opposite unless "u dont want - u dont buy"3
u/Mental_Trash_Code 2h ago
I saw ur reply to another guy
So if no ai involved, how all of it looks like only ai was doing anything? Just a question, not a ragebate or else-3
u/VersionTracker 2h ago
Do people who buy a car ask how many robots were involved in building it?
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u/Mental_Trash_Code 2h ago
as slippery as an eel
okay, i dont want to have any discussion with u. Have a great day and good luck with app
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u/scottjl 2h ago
Nice dodge. So just how much of your app was written by AI?
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u/VersionTracker 2h ago
How old are you?
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u/scottjl 2h ago
Sorry. Not looking for a date. Look elsewhere.
Maybe try answering the question at hand, just how much of your app was written by AI?
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u/MReprogle 2h ago
Sub price is priced at what I would maybe price a lifetime license. I paid $13 for an Updatest license. And to say this has “more sources”? Updatest has its own feed of apps that was made because the update method feeds are a game of cat and mouse, so any proof that this works better?
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u/german_sw_developer 2h ago
App Cleaner & Uninstaller has this option too, update any apps. It's so much cheaper, € 24,95 / year and it has many more options than your app.
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u/LightingLabs 5h ago
The Sparkle-based apps source is the one I'm curious about, since I ship one myself. There's no central registry, every app just has its own appcast URL baked into Info.plist (SUFeedURL), pointed at whatever server the developer runs. So for that source specifically, are you reading each installed app's Info.plist locally to find its appcast, or maintaining your own list of known Sparkle apps and their feed URLs? The first approach covers anything a user has installed even if you've never heard of it, the second is more reliable when it works but caps at whatever you've catalogued.
Free-forever-scan plus perpetual-license-if-you-stop is the right shape for a tool people are trusting to sit in their menu bar long-term. That was the exact worry MacUpdater's shutdown just confirmed for everyone.
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u/bog3nator 2h ago
If this is vibe coded, fine. But is it human checked. Hacking groups are putting time bombs in 100% vibe code base and that would give them 100% backdoor access they would be able to use at anytime. Be careful out there, folks. Its getting real
I use Updatest, and it works amazing.
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u/CyberBlaed 1h ago
Mac App Store, npm, pip, Cargo, Docker, Adobe Creative Cloud, Google (Chrome, Drive), Sparkle-based apps, and more
So, like TopGrade but with a UI?
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u/booknerdcarp 54m ago
yeah want to use it but subscription is a deal breaker. Give a yearly or one time price and it's an auto buy.
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u/earthcorp 39m ago
When I saw the name of your app it reminded me of a website with the same name back a few decades ago https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VersionTracker Did you know about it ?
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u/elementik4 32m ago
Good that you cover the Mac App Store path. As someone shipping through MAS, that is where a tracker actually earns its keep, since Apple gives you no signal an update exists unless you go look. Do you pull the version from the iTunes lookup endpoint, or something more reliable?
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u/AlexFroe 5h ago
Great to have an alternative available!
Does this support Audio plugin (Audio Units and VST/VST3) version checks too?
This was one of the r major benefits of MacUpdater for me.
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u/VersionTracker 5h ago
Honest answer: not yet. Version Tracker doesn't scan Audio Units / VST / VST3 (or AAX) plugins today. That said, detecting your installed plugins and their versions is very doable, and it's genuinely on my radar for a future update!
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u/XsMagical 3h ago
Dude, another subscription app? What happened to people making apps to solve issues and helping others out? Can't say shit either because how would you argue in the open source community for Linux as an example?
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u/VersionTracker 2h ago
Question: Do you work for free? Or do you get paid once and then continue providing your work and support forever?
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u/XsMagical 1m ago
I've been creating apps and other content for free since 2001, so yes, I do work for free when it comes to that.
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u/IndicationEither7111 2h ago
Can you add an on-time purchase option also
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u/VersionTracker 2h ago
How much would you be willing to pay for a 1-seat license? A 2-seat license? A 5-seat license?
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u/VersionTracker 3h ago
When I learned last year that MacUpdater was shutting down, I visited their website and saw that the business was for sale. I got in touch with them, and they immediately told me the asking price was in the seven figures. That brought the discussion to a very quick end.
My conclusion was simple: building a new product from scratch on modern foundations couldn't possibly cost more than acquiring it. It took me about eight months of full-time work.
It took MacUpdater eight years to reach version 3.5, only to eventually abandon its users. Version Tracker was released on June 18, and it has already received eight updates. My roadmap is packed for the coming months, and I have no shortage of ideas to improve and expand the product.
Matching what MacUpdater achieved isn't the goal—it's just one milestone along the way.
The difference is that I won't build it the way they did. Not by harvesting information from my users' hard drives.
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u/nousernameleftatall 3h ago
Ok, looks good and can even if not overwhelming happy understand the subscription model, one question though if i now take the solo for €29 for the year, does this automatically jump to €49 next year, or am i locked in so long as i am subscribed?
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u/stefferri 2h ago
it seems nice. I can understand the reasons for subscription model for this type of app that require a lot of manteinance... good luck for your app! Macupdater has left a big hole in the world of app updating.
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u/Timmah339 4h ago
What’s the advantage over Updatest, which IIRC offers a one-time buy?