macOS has a lot going for it: seamless integration with other Apple devices, fantastic security, and stellar performance. That’s especially the case with the energy-efficient and powerful Apple Silicon, leading people to use older MacBooks longer than ever before.
But its built-in apps leave a lot to be desired, whether it’s the basic photo editing tools, the lackluster screenshot utility, or the better but still lacking Spotlight search. Thankfully, I’ve found a few free apps that replace core experiences and fix issues that Apple still hasn’t addressed in macOS.
Affinity
Like Photoshop, but truly free
Affinity is an amazing, free, no-BS full-fledged photo editor that reminds me a lot of Photoshop. It combines pixel and vector editing, and even includes AI tools via Canva Pro.
By default, you probably use the Photos app in macOS to do image editing, but it’s limited to the most basic edits. Affinity lets you manipulate layers; most of the tools are the same as they are in Photoshop, and it’s very fast. For those who are serious about manipulating pixels but don’t want to pay a fortune for Photoshop, Affinity is perfect. I use it every day on my Mac.
Shottr
Better screenshots with amazing markup
I constantly need to take screenshots in macOS. Whether I’m writing about an app and need to take precise screenshots with markup, or I’m trying to explain a process to someone, the built-in screenshot tool in macOS doesn’t pass muster.
The free app Shottr solves screenshots in macOS. You can set it up to work with a hotkey (much better than the clunky default one). It has brilliant built-in markup tools that let you add text, place arrows, and call out anything you need to emphasize in a screenshot. Shottr also offers several advanced options, such as the ability to upload to a cloud service with one click.
Shottr can do all kinds of screen captures, from an isolated selection (my favorite) to scrolling webpages or full-screen screenshots. As for pricing, it’s free for 30 days, after which it will begin asking you to pay (the upgrade is $12 and unlocks additional features).
I have not been using Shottr for more than 30 days, so I can’t tell you how annoying the upgrade prompt is. But from what I’ve seen, $12 is a good price for one of the best screenshot tools for macOS. And if you can live with the nagging, the free version should keep working.
Again, my favorite part of Shottr is the markup tools. You can highlight, draw, place (and bend) arrows, write text, place any shape, add images, and more. If you ever need to explain something to someone from a screenshot, or if you’re a developer making screenshots for an app store, Shottr makes life much easier.
Raycast
What Spotlight should have been
Whether through Alfred or LauncherBar, developers have been trying to fix Spotlight for years. The problem is that Spotlight in macOS is too limited; it hasn’t evolved to work the way I do by integrating AI and workflows for apps I use every day. Raycast is the solution, and it’s incredibly powerful if you spend time setting it up to work for you.
The capabilities of Raycast are incredible; it would take an entire guide to fully explain what it does. To summarize, Raycast lets you use text prompts (brought up by a hotkey) to do anything you can image on your Mac. Here’s a compilation of what it can do with just a text prompt:
- Integrate into Slack to send messages, open a channel, search messages, view unread messages, and more.
- Answer questions via AI with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Sonar (you can pick the version of any model with Raycast AI).
- Add new calendar entries or retrieve your schedule.
- Window management: set windows to split screen, bottom third, bottom half, or any combination.
- Solve a math problem with a calculator.
- Search the clipboard history, or ask a question based on previous clipboard entries
- Ask Gemini Nano Banana to make any image
Raycast is free to use, though if you pay $8 per month to get Raycast Pro, you get unlimited access to AI queries from the search bar (the free version only gives you 50 queries). In addition, Raycast Pro gives you unlimited clipboard history, custom themes, and cloud sync.
The most important features are free, and there’s a lot to explore.
This Is the One Productivity App I Can’t Live Without on My Mac
Once you use this app, there’s no going back.
- OS
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macOS, Windows, iOS
- Price model
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Free, Premium
Fill the holes Apple created
The macOS app ecosystem has never been more vibrant, and developers are especially keen to fix the many gaps Apple has created by limiting the operating system to the basics. And with Apple’s M-series chips, the performance ceiling is gigantic, letting you install apps to your heart’s content without fear of impacting performance.
With the right apps, macOS works the way you do. These three apps are free (two have paid upgrades to add more features, plus Affinity offers more to Canva Pro users) and fix several of the problems Apple has yet to address.
