The dirty secret of “best free Mac apps” articles is that half the apps aren't free — they're paid apps with a trial, or a free tier so limited it's a demo. This list is labeled honestly into three buckets: Truly free (no catch), Open source (free and you can read the code), and Freemium (a real free tier that's useful on its own). No bait.
💡 How to read this list
Truly free = costs nothing, ever. Open source = free + community-maintained + private. Freemium = the free tier is genuinely usable; you only pay if you want the extras.
Truly free essentials
One Thing
FreeIn our directoryPut a single task or goal in your menu bar
Puts a single task in your menu bar so you stay focused on what matters. Native, free and ad-free, from a respected indie developer. The whole app is one good idea executed perfectly.
View on SuperMacApps→Rectangle
Open sourceSnap windows to halves, quarters and thirds with keyboard shortcuts. The first app most people install on a new Mac.
Visit website↗Maccy
Open sourceA lightweight, no-nonsense clipboard history manager. Tiny, fast and free.
Visit website↗IINA
Open sourceThe modern media player macOS should have shipped — plays anything you throw at it, looks native, and is completely free.
Visit website↗LocalSend
Open sourceAirDrop for everyone — send files across Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android over your local network with no account and no cloud.
Visit website↗Open source power tools
Ice
Open sourceTame and hide a cluttered menu bar — a free, actively developed alternative to Bartender.
Visit website↗Stats
Open sourceLive CPU, GPU, memory, disk and network readouts in your menu bar.
Visit website↗Bitwarden
FreemiumA trustworthy, audited password manager with a free tier that covers unlimited passwords across all your devices.
Visit website↗Obsidian
FreemiumLocal-first Markdown notes and knowledge management. Free for personal use; your notes are plain files you own forever.
Visit website↗CoconutBattery
FreemiumCheck the real health and charge cycles of your Mac, iPhone and iPad batteries. The free version tells you everything most people need.
Visit website↗Freemium apps with a genuinely useful free tier
Hand Mirror
FreemiumIn our directoryA quick camera check, right from the menu bar
A one-click camera preview in your menu bar so you never join a call with spinach in your teeth. The core feature is free.
View on SuperMacApps→
Shottr
FreemiumIn our directoryScreenshot tool for designers, front-end engineers, and pixel professionals
A fast, powerful screenshot tool — scrolling capture, OCR, annotations and a pixel ruler. The free tier is plenty for everyday use.
View on SuperMacApps→
LookAway
FreemiumIn our directorySmart Screen Breaks, Blink & Posture Reminders for Mac
Smart screen-break, blink and posture reminders that adapt to how you work. A free, gentle way to protect your eyes and back.
View on SuperMacApps→
MacWhisper
FreemiumIn our directoryQuickly transcribe audio files into text on your Mac
On-device audio transcription with a free tier — drag in a file, get accurate text back, nothing leaves your Mac.
View on SuperMacApps→
Compresto
FreemiumIn our directoryReclaim 50GB+ Without Quality Loss
Shrink videos, images, PDFs and GIFs by up to 90% offline. The free tier handles plenty before you ever consider upgrading.
View on SuperMacApps→Truly free vs. freemium at a glance
| App | Type | Category | What you get free |
|---|---|---|---|
| One Thing | Truly free | Focus | The whole app |
| Rectangle | Open source | Windows | Everything |
| Maccy | Open source | Clipboard | Everything |
| IINA | Open source | Media | Everything |
| Hand Mirror | Freemium | Video calls | Core camera preview |
| Shottr | Freemium | Screenshots | Everyday capture & OCR |
| MacWhisper | Freemium | Transcription | Basic on-device transcription |
What's the difference between free and freemium apps?+
Truly free apps cost nothing and have no paid version (or it's open source). Freemium apps give you a usable free tier and charge only for advanced features. This list labels each one so you know before you download.
Are open-source Mac apps safe?+
Generally yes — the code is public and community-reviewed, which is why tools like Rectangle, IINA and Bitwarden are so widely trusted. Download from the official site or GitHub release, not a mirror.
What free apps should I install on a brand-new Mac?+
Start with Rectangle (windows), Maccy or Paste (clipboard), One Thing (focus), Ice (menu bar) and a password manager like Bitwarden.