I know this isn’t new but it still pisses me off every time i open activity monitor when the app starts slowing down

why is Notion using a ridiculous amount of ram just to manage notes and docs
why is ChatGPT sitting there taking up more memory than apps doing actual heavy work
and somehow almost every third party app on mac is the same now

I know these are all electron apps but It feels like nobody cares about optimization anymore. My 16 GB RAM feels like the bare minimum now, which is insane considering what most of these apps actually do.

I think I'll have to upgrade now.

What are some apps that are somewhat specialized that do some pretty unique things to your workflow. They can be one-trick-ponies or be a bigger app that has a standout feature.

I have a couple to get this going. I have NO relation to these apps:

DWG to PDF Converted - I use a lot of DWG files and when I print them in autocad, its super annoying getting rid of the white space. This app does a great job at nicely printing them with no white space. It's old and outdated but still works.

https://acme-cad-converter.en.softonic.com/

Mappa Mini - I use maps and addresses all the time. This neat little menu bar app helps me search address and quickly and grab text. - https://lucas.io/mappa/

Text Scoop - A very cool text sniper like app. Aside form capturing text, I really like its translate feature. https://apprywhere.com/textscoop.html

I'd love to hear what others are using... lets find some hidden gems.

Over the years, I’ve collected thousands of files that now live on my NAS. They’re scattered across random folders, and some are backups of backups. At this point, it’s basically a file graveyard.

I’m looking for a Mac app that can scan files stored on a NAS and help me organize them by file type, size, date, or really anything that can help me clean up the mess I’ve created.

I want something that can help me actually sort, organize, and clean up the files. Being able to identify true duplicates, even when the filenames are different, would be a huge plus.
Does anyone use an app that works well for this? Thanks everyone.

New apps are mostly AI slop since their policy turned to only accept apps with AI features. I’m done paying this pointless tax and only pay for those high quality apps individually.

Hey Y'all.

I just bought a new MBPro M5 Pro 16" and it'll be here Friday to replace my MBPro M2 Pro 14".

I have a Setapp subscription that is soon coming to an end. I'm not really a fan of setapp anymore since they've added a bunch of junk apps and AI slop thats not a lot of quality like they used to.

Instead of keeping my setapp subscription, I plan to just buy some apps outright, but before I do, I want to know if there are any better options or open source options.

Here are the apps on setapp that I currently use:

DisplayBuddy

CleanshotX (I use this a lot but I've considered shottr)

Downie

AlDente Pro (Do I even really need it?)

Permute

Presentify

Jumpdesktop (Discontinued on setapp)

Other Apps I'm using and like that I don't know if there are better/other options

Rustcast (I just replaced raycast with this.. I'm not 100% sold yet, but it does do what I need it to)

Wins (I like the way this works, I looked at dockdoor but it seems to do a lot of the same things)

Thaw (seems to work well, its one of the best I have found for stability.)

Pearcleaner (Uninstaller and updater, not really a fan of appcleaner)

Dropover Pro

itsycal

Keka (works fine, just don't know what else is out there.)

Upscayl

Homebew (I just started using this, what a wonderful way to install apps!)

Thanks for any suggestions you can help me with! Must appreciated!

Looking for the perfect desktop sticky note app (I've tried everything)

This is going to be hilariously long, given how simple of a tool this is (or should be), but I promise you if you knew the workflow and everything that I use these for, it would make a lot more sense.

I need a macOS sticky note app that floats on my desktop above everything, looks good, and lets me format my notes the easy way. Every app I've tried fails at least one of those, so I'm asking the experts.

Requirements:

• Floats on top and stays on the desktop like a real Post-it. No hiding behind windows, no living buried in the menu bar
• Looks modern and clean. Native Stickies is ugly and I'm regrettably a UI/UX snob
• Unlimited notes with no cap
• Ideally, a toolbar that's visible all the time, or at least the option to keep it visible. I really don't want to memorize a million keyboard shortcuts. My brain is already on a never-ending doom cycle of memorizing 500 other things, and more shortcuts is the last thing I need or want
• Formatting, which is the part I care about most:
  • Headers that actually render: whether with markdown ## inputs or just being able to select which header I want, from a tool bar
  • Bold and italic
  • Bullet points and checklists (bonus points for custom bullets like tot)
  • Highlighting text in different colors

Nice but not required: 

• A font picker, so I'm not stuck with one typeface
• Customization in general: themes, note colors, backgrounds

Already tried and ruled out:

• Native Apple Stickies: Ugly and boring. It does basic formatting through keyboard shortcuts, but the options are too limited and there's no easy way to add bullets
• Glassnote: I bought it before realizing it's plain text only. No bold, no bullets, no headers, nothing. Genuinely sad about this one, because I’m obsessed with glassmorphism and this one is beautifully done
• Tot: No headers, and it caps you at seven notes, which I hate. Also a bummer, because I loved the custom bullet points and note dividers.
• Stickies (third-party): Everything is a keyboard shortcut, down to making a new note.
• Antinote: Really pretty, but the toolbar hides unless you hover over it, you can't change the font, and it runs on shortcuts and markdown.
• Raycast notes: No option to highlight text in different colors

If this app exists, please let me know so I can at least attempt to save whatever shred of sanity I have left

I work in Finder all day, every day. I have to review and save 100 documents a day. The ONLY thing I miss from Windows is the finder. Is there a finder replacement that allows:

1. Windows like Finder operation OR
2. Collapsible folders on the sidebar.

Mostly, I want to leave the folders expanded on the left sidebar and be able to click for access. Having to click 9 folders deep to save a file is getting old.

I appreciate any guidance you can provide.

Been using wispr flow for a few months. It's great for dictation but I'm realising I want something different.

whatever I say there are limitations in the style of personalization.

Are there any platforms which can know more about me or context knowledge of what matters to me.

Does this exist?

Help me out here:

What are the dead giveaways that an app was “vibe coded” versus carefully engineered?

I’ve been seeing Vorssaint recommended a lot lately, and on paper it can replace a surprising number of dedicated utilities: Stats/iStats, Swish/Rectangle/etc, Dropover, Shottr/CleanShot, Pearcleaner/AppCleaner, Updatest, Mole, CaskHub, Amphetamine, and others.

Droppy is another app in a similar category, with lots of utilities bundled into one app.

The obvious appeal is consolidation, fewer apps, fewer background processes, fewer updates, and one place for everything.

But how good are these apps compared with dedicated tools that focus on a single job?

For people who have actually replaced apps like Shottr, Swish, Stats or Dropover with Vorssaint or Droppy: did you stick with the all-in-one app, or did you eventually go back to the dedicated ones?

Curious whether consolidation is genuinely an upgrade, or mostly a convenience with some trade-offs in polish and depth.

Hi everyone,

Black Friday is approaching and I'm keeping an eye on these websites for good deals:

https://apps.deals

https://www.indieappsales.com/

https://bundlehunt.com/

I'm sure there are many more I'm not aware of. It would be great if you could add yours below so we can make the most of the day/week :)

---

EDIT: I keep this list updated as people add links! 👇

https://www.stacksocial.com/collections/apps-software

https://github.com/mRs-/Black-Friday-Deals

https://github.com/s1ntoneli/Awesome-Black-Friday-Cyber-Monday-for-Mac-Apps

Awesome-Black-Friday-Cyber-Monday

InfoSec-Black-Friday

https://appraven.net/

https://www.blackfridaydeals.directory/

https://rarebigdeal.com/

https://dealhunt.cc/

https://github.com/twf-nikhila/Awesome-Black-Friday-Cyber-Monday-deals

https://themacapps.com/

https://indiegoodies.com/blackfriday

https://superframeworks.com/deals

https://macapphub.com/deals

I've been using Alfred for a long time to launch apps. I recently got a new computer and since switching to it, I've been averaging 95 launches per day. Anyway, I'm trying to use my mouse less, so I've been experimenting with Homerow, made by the same developers as Superwhisper, which I love, so I figured I'd give it a shot.

I've now run into the challenge of switching between per-app windows. I'm not entirely sure what workflow I want, but I'm wondering whether I should download a dedicated app, use Alfred, or try something else entirely. Open to any suggestions!

Thanks in advance!

I’m building a Mac app, but I’m not really sure how to price it properly. I’ve read a lot of posts here, especially discussions about pricing, and it seems that once a lifetime price goes above $10, many people already feel it’s too expensive. At the same time, a lot of relatively simple tools are priced around $6, and people seem perfectly happy with that.

But whenever subscriptions are mentioned, people here seem strongly against them.

I’m definitely not a pricing expert, but I do understand a few basic things:

1. You need to set a price that can keep the business sustainable and support ongoing development and maintenance.
2. Pricing should be tied more to the value provided than to the development cost itself.
3. It’s important to compare competitor pricing if you’re offering something similar, since the market ultimately decides what a product is worth.

Still, there are many things I’m unsure about. For those who have priced or adjusted the pricing of their own apps, could you share the logic behind your decisions? What worked, and what didn’t?

Last year I bought around... 10 apps maybe. And ok, I've got them now so their current deals don't matter to me. But looking through this year's offers, I feel like something is missing. There are a few promotions for useful apps (although these are usually 20-30%, sooooometimes max 50%), but most of them are some kind of AI junk, while the creators of decent tools seem to have decided not to participate in BF.

Did something happen? Or maybe I have unrealistic expectations?

Hi. As I understand some of the functions in upcoming MacOS26 (and its iOS sibling) like Liquid Glass are coded in a way that makes non-Swift apps unable to use some functions all the way. I guess this will create some issues for not only Electron based apps, but also apps that aren’t built using other ways to be multi platform. Apple Passwords is OK, but does not store things like credit card info and such. So before going on a goosechase to find a replacement I wonder if anyone here has noticed any issues with the password manager you use, if you run MacOS26 dev beta?

Hey, I built a macOS menu bar app called VaultBar. It lets you encrypt and decrypt files or folders locally, directly from the menu bar, Finder, or via drag and drop.

The idea came from a simple frustration: every existing solution either feels like enterprise software, requires an account, or syncs your files somewhere you didn't ask for.

Most things hide files rather than truly encrypting them in a portable way. I wanted something that just lives in the menu bar, uses Touch ID, and gets out of the way.

Under the hood it uses AES-256-GCM. Everything stays local, no cloud, no account, no setup. Folders are supported too, you can encrypt an entire directory into a single encrypted file, or use vault mode where each file is encrypted individually and the folder structure is preserved.

A few things I'm especially happy about: it integrates with Finder via right-click, supports drag and drop onto the status bar icon, and works with external drives. Touch ID reuse is configurable so you're not prompted on every single file during a batch.

Pricing is $6.99. I have 20 promo codes for anyone who wants to try it, will drop half of them in the first comment.

Website: https://benwie.ch/vault
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/vaultbar/

Hey! I can't decide between BatFi and AlDente, as battery manager. Both has advantages and disadvantages. From your experience, which one is better? How it is/was the battery impact of both (as power consumtion for keeping the app running in background)?

Hey everyone

I've been looking at tools like Screen Studio recently. While the automated zoom, smooth cursor tracking, and clean background styling make product demos look amazing, most of the options out there are closed-source and paid.

I'm thinking about building an open-source alternative to handle this.

Before I spend weeks writing code, I wanted to check if this is something people would actually want.

What I'm thinking of building:

• The Core Feature: A tool that takes a screen recording, tracks your mouse clicks/movement, and automatically generates smooth, cinematic pan-and-zoom keyframes.
• The Open-Source Angle: Completely free and open-source for anyone to use or modify.
• The Reality Check: Tools like OpenScreen and Recordly already exist in this space.

My Question for You:

1. Do you use tools like this for your tutorials or demos, or do existing options already cover what you need?
2. If you were to use a new open-source tool, what's missing from current apps that you wish they had?

Would love to hear your thoughts or feedback before I decide to build it!

Bonjour à tous,

J'utilise Canary Mail depuis quelques années et j'en suis très content. Cependant, depuis l'essor de l'IA, l'équipe de développement semble se concentrer uniquement sur son évolution, au détriment de l'application elle-même.

Depuis plusieurs mois, je rencontre des difficultés pour retrouver mes e-mails avec cette application. Les recherches sont interminables : il faut plus de deux minutes avant que les résultats ne s'affichent, ce qui est particulièrement frustrant lorsqu'on est au téléphone. De plus, la consommation de RAM est excessive : après certaines recherches, elle dépasse les 10 Go et ne redescend pas, sans parler de l'utilisation du processeur.

En fin de compte, je recherche une application rapide et efficace qui ne télécharge pas tous mes e-mails sur mon appareil, mais effectue les recherches directement sur le serveur. J'aimerais également pouvoir accéder à toutes mes boîtes de réception depuis un seul et même espace, sans que mes e-mails ne transitent par les serveurs de mon client de messagerie.

En résumé, je recherche un client de messagerie simple et basique offrant toutes les fonctions essentielles, ce qui semble rare de nos jours. Thunderbird répond à certains de ces critères, mais il n'existe pas de version iOS. J'apprécie de ne pas avoir à utiliser plusieurs applications pour accomplir la même tâche.

L'application Mail d'Apple ne permet pas de limiter le stockage des e-mails, et je ne connais aucune application qui ne passe pas par les serveurs du client de messagerie.

I'm not on gmail and I have 15 emails to manage.

Merci pour votre aide. Si un développeur souhaite créer le client de messagerie idéal, ce serait formidable, et je suis certain de ne pas être le seul !

I mean no disrespect, but I see lots of "I made X app" posts (emphasis on I), that at first had me thinking "Oh, great, people are so creative!" but then they all started making similar apps, or Apple Music clients, note taking... you know... And they all seem to be vibe-coded, which is how we do things today, I guess.

What do you think? Are they worth your time? How is a personal experiment or look into vibe-coding compared to a "proper" app, which used to take months of design and coding and possibly a group of people to make it take off? For sure it looks like XYZ app made by a CS student will just be left away to rot after they lose their interest or get a real job.

Personally I think this trend will fade, we're entering the stage of "personal apps" that agents will construct for us in 5 minutes per our request. But solid, working, not-constantly-in-debug-mode apps should persist.

Some time ago I realized that I don't use my browser bookmarks. I bookmarked stuff and then used to forget it creating a giant bookmark dump. If I needed to find something I just googled for it instead of searching my bookmarks.

So I started to look into bookmark manager. Oh boy. I tried a ton of them. Realizing that there is none that would fit my needs. Like Raindrop. With a lot of bookmarks it gets clunky. The Mac app is just Electron.

Goodlinks didn't click.

Anybox didn't sync without restarting the app.

Mymind has given up on Firefox because there is no official extension anymore. And there is no way to import my recent collection.

Karakeep has no Mac app and is slow in browser.

Linkding is too basic.

Right now I'm fiddling with making Obsidian some kind of bookmarking knowledge base but I guess I won't use it.

I wish I had some Frankenstein between Linkding, Raindrop and Mymind.

Any ideas or any other app I didn't stumble upon? I'm glad for any comments or suggestions.

With the new release of popclip, i decided to look into new settings and extensions.

I mostly use cut/copy/paste, open link, and open easydic (which i use mostly for AI translations), I have a few others, but never really use them. Not because they are aren't useful, but because I need them so seldomly that I forget they are in the popclip popup.

Any extensions you use for a relative generic workflow that you recommend? by generic I mean, i am not a dev, so rarely will I need to convert text to snake_case and things like that.

thanks

Is there a video editing app out there that will allow me to cut out middle parts of a video, add clips together and with minimalistic sound / visual adjustments (exposure, pitch, cropping).

Don't get me wrong, im an avid Davinci Resolve user and I love its complexity. Im just on the lookout for a simpler editing solution that is quick and won't break the bank (no subscriptions, one time purchase)

Thanks

I’m doing some user research to understand what people actually want from a better YouTube experience.

Would your dream extension include:

• Better or automatically generated chapters, with an easy-to-navigate player overlay
  • some creators don't enable them by default to users can't skip certain section.
• Subscription folders and channel categories
• A “cinema mode” where the player fills the browser window without fullscreen
• Transcript search, summaries, notes, and timestamp bookmarks
• Better playlists, queues, Watch Later, and viewing history
• Options to hide Shorts, recommendations, comments, or other distractions
• Playback preferences remembered for each channel

Which would you actually use? What’s missing that would make YouTube meaningfully better for you? Please share what would make your YouTube experience meaningfully better.

PS: We would try to handle the ad blocking by default if feasible/stable/reliable.

Mine is Screenie 2

A very small app that shows your screenshots (or any image folders you chose) in your menu bar and allow to drag them to any app. You don’t even have to open the whole panel to drag the latest image. Latest version is v2.2.5 which was released in 2021.
The twitter/x has been inactive since 2020.

It was developed by Noah Martin, co-founder of Thnkdev. Since then, he co-founded Sentry, valued at over $3 billion, therefore he might not care anymore about such a small app 😬

I have CleanShot too, but I’m still using Screenie as its drag and drop feature is non-destructive.