I got my first Mac on the 18th of January, 2022. I was 17 years old, having only experienced a 2017 iMac as the closest Mac relative.
One of the reasons I wanted to get a Mac after having used a Windows device for so long is the large amount of greatly designed software that is both enjoyable to use and improves workflow, which is unachievable on Windows devices.
After having my Mac for over two years now, I have fallen in love with Mac apps so much that I think if you were to bring me one, I would have tried it, heard about it, or used it. Every wrapper, webapp, productivity tool, gimmick, menubar app, clone; tried and tested, and I can safely say I've come up with the most definitive list of apps, alternatives, honourable mentions, for anyone looking to get some new kit for their Mac.
I'll be taking the approach of me getting a brand new Mac and installing apps in order of chronological importance. Please skip ahead if certain aspects do not resonate with you.
Blank State
Starting fresh, cleaning the Dock. Every Mac comes with 19 apps placed in the Dock, to both advertise Apple's services to their users, while also showing you how much you can do with macOS.
First step, remove as many as you can. These apps have no real purpose in the dock, in a functional manner. Each of these will either not be used, have a keyboard shortcut or gesture to activate, or have no functional purpose being in the dock, as we'll improve the experience later.
Essentials
Web Browser
I have spent the past two years conversing, arguing and debating about which is "the best" browser to use, both on macOS and Windows. The end result is a mixture of what the user's needs and pain points are.
In my case, as a designer, one of the most important aspects of the apps I use will always be that I enjoy the look and feel of the application while using it. Unlike something like a utility tool, a browser is an application I constantly am in, so making it feel like home is important to me.
With that said, my browser of choice is Arc by The Browser Company, for its attention to detail, native feel, and customisation options. Built on Chromium, it supports all Chrome extensions, and is optimised for web development and viewing.
The security of Arc is outlined in their privacy policy, which does not bother me as much as the more strict browser enthusiasts. Firefox and its many forks and skins also leave a lot to be desired, as they lack proper design, but excel in security, which is what their ideal userbase is more focused on.
App Launcher
From my perspective Raycast is the clear winner for its ease of use, large feature set, and design. While Alfred is functionally great, the design language, ease of use, and support is poor in comparison.
Both have some sort of concept of "Addons", where Raycast has plugins and Alfred has workflows. After using both, Raycast's implementation is miles ahead as it doesn't require the user to understand how the addon works, and doesn't allow editing of the addon's functionality, unless given options by the developer.
Aside from Raycast, for even faster opening and closing applications I use BetterTouchTool which allows me to set any combination of keys to open certain applications.
For instance:
✦ 1
– Open Arc
✦ 2
– Open Discord Canary
✦ 3
– Open Spotify
✦ E
– Open Eagle
✦ ⇥
– Open Telegram
✦ §
– Open Finder
I've found this to be the best part of my setup, as I don't need to constantly write the name of the application I'd like to use every time I'd like to launch it.
In order to get the desired effect above, I use an app called Karabiner-Elements to change the functionality of the right ⌘ key to simulate pressing ⌘ ⌥ ⌃ ⇧ at the same time.
Calendar
Picking a calendar might sound like a simple task, but the intricacies of calendar management are actually more complicated than most people think. Before even picking a calendar application, you first need to decide where your calendar will be hosted. Apple, for example, both hosts your calendar and allows you to view it, same for Google with Google Calendar.
Both services are the most popular choice for users who have a calendar, excluding Outlook for enterprise users.
My hosting service of choice, Google Calendar. I chose it after using Apple Calendar for the first half year of my Mac experience. I switched due to the large amount of third-party apps that don't support Apple's hosting method, such as Cron (now Notion Calendar).
I've found that unless you are using Apple's services, the choice of Apple hosting your calendar falls to bits.
After picking your hosting service, the next step is to pick an app that actually displays your calendar. I've chosen Cron (now Notion Calendar), simply for the quality of life features that it offers.
Amie came in close, but due to its to-do list feature – which I do not use, and therefore see as bloat – AI integration, and missing personal features, I couldn't stick to it.
Within the same realm as calendars, email also falls into the same issue of requiring both a hosting service and a client app.
My choice: Apple Mail. Strictly for its free addition to iCloud+ that allows for multiple custom domains and a catch-all for email addresses. My secondary choice would be Google's own email hosting, which I would still pair with Apple Mail, but due to the large cost difference, Apple as an email host was a no-brainer
Window Management
–––––
Audio
–––––
I got my first Mac on the 18th of January, 2022. I was 17 years old, having only experienced a 2017 iMac as the closest Mac relative.
One of the reasons I wanted to get a Mac after having used a Windows device for so long is the large amount of greatly designed software that is both enjoyable to use and improves workflow, which is unachievable on Windows devices.
After having my Mac for over two years now, I have fallen in love with Mac apps so much that I think if you were to bring me one, I would have tried it, heard about it, or used it. Every wrapper, webapp, productivity tool, gimmick, menubar app, clone; tried and tested, and I can safely say I've come up with the most definitive list of apps, alternatives, honourable mentions, for anyone looking to get some new kit for their Mac.
I'll be taking the approach of me getting a brand new Mac and installing apps in order of chronological importance. Please skip ahead if certain aspects do not resonate with you.
Blank State
Starting fresh, cleaning the Dock. Every Mac comes with 19 apps placed in the Dock, to both advertise Apple's services to their users, while also showing you how much you can do with macOS.
First step, remove as many as you can. These apps have no real purpose in the dock, in a functional manner. Each of these will either not be used, have a keyboard shortcut or gesture to activate, or have no functional purpose being in the dock, as we'll improve the experience later.
Essentials
Web Browser
I have spent the past two years conversing, arguing and debating about which is "the best" browser to use, both on macOS and Windows. The end result is a mixture of what the user's needs and pain points are.
In my case, as a designer, one of the most important aspects of the apps I use will always be that I enjoy the look and feel of the application while using it. Unlike something like a utility tool, a browser is an application I constantly am in, so making it feel like home is important to me.
With that said, my browser of choice is Arc by The Browser Company, for its attention to detail, native feel, and customisation options. Built on Chromium, it supports all Chrome extensions, and is optimised for web development and viewing.
The security of Arc is outlined in their privacy policy, which does not bother me as much as the more strict browser enthusiasts. Firefox and its many forks and skins also leave a lot to be desired, as they lack proper design, but excel in security, which is what their ideal userbase is more focused on.
App Launcher
From my perspective Raycast is the clear winner for its ease of use, large feature set, and design. While Alfred is functionally great, the design language, ease of use, and support is poor in comparison.
Both have some sort of concept of "Addons", where Raycast has plugins and Alfred has workflows. After using both, Raycast's implementation is miles ahead as it doesn't require the user to understand how the addon works, and doesn't allow editing of the addon's functionality, unless given options by the developer.
Aside from Raycast, for even faster opening and closing applications I use BetterTouchTool which allows me to set any combination of keys to open certain applications.
For instance:
✦ 1
– Open Arc
✦ 2
– Open Discord Canary
✦ 3
– Open Spotify
✦ E
– Open Eagle
✦ ⇥
– Open Telegram
✦ §
– Open Finder
I've found this to be the best part of my setup, as I don't need to constantly write the name of the application I'd like to use every time I'd like to launch it.
In order to get the desired effect above, I use an app called Karabiner-Elements to change the functionality of the right ⌘ key to simulate pressing ⌘ ⌥ ⌃ ⇧ at the same time.
Calendar
Picking a calendar might sound like a simple task, but the intricacies of calendar management are actually more complicated than most people think. Before even picking a calendar application, you first need to decide where your calendar will be hosted. Apple, for example, both hosts your calendar and allows you to view it, same for Google with Google Calendar.
Both services are the most popular choice for users who have a calendar, excluding Outlook for enterprise users.
My hosting service of choice, Google Calendar. I chose it after using Apple Calendar for the first half year of my Mac experience. I switched due to the large amount of third-party apps that don't support Apple's hosting method, such as Cron (now Notion Calendar).
I've found that unless you are using Apple's services, the choice of Apple hosting your calendar falls to bits.
After picking your hosting service, the next step is to pick an app that actually displays your calendar. I've chosen Cron (now Notion Calendar), simply for the quality of life features that it offers.
Amie came in close, but due to its to-do list feature – which I do not use, and therefore see as bloat – AI integration, and missing personal features, I couldn't stick to it.
Within the same realm as calendars, email also falls into the same issue of requiring both a hosting service and a client app.
My choice: Apple Mail. Strictly for its free addition to iCloud+ that allows for multiple custom domains and a catch-all for email addresses. My secondary choice would be Google's own email hosting, which I would still pair with Apple Mail, but due to the large cost difference, Apple as an email host was a no-brainer
Window Management
–––––
Audio
–––––