Whether you’re a seasoned Mac user or a newcomer to the macOS ecosystem, one thing remains consistent—finding great apps can enhance your productivity, creativity, and overall user experience. In 2025, the macOS App Store and third-party developers continue to deliver outstanding software that doesn’t cost a cent. From productivity boosters to creative tools and system utilities, this guide highlights the best free macOS apps available today. Each app on this list offers value without asking for your credit card—though many also offer optional premium upgrades.
Productivity Powerhouses
1. Notion
Notion has secured its place as one of the most popular productivity apps across platforms, and it continues to thrive on macOS in 2025. This all-in-one workspace combines note-taking, task management, database creation, and collaborative features into a sleek, intuitive interface. With templates for everything from daily planners to project trackers, Notion is incredibly versatile. Whether you’re a student managing coursework or a remote worker planning weekly sprints, Notion offers a flexible and free solution.
2. Obsidian
For those who prefer Markdown-based note-taking and local storage, Obsidian is a dream come true. Unlike cloud-based services, Obsidian stores your notes locally and organizes them with a knowledge graph, enabling you to visualize your ideas and their connections. With support for plugins, themes, and a community-driven ecosystem, Obsidian empowers users to customize their workflows. It’s perfect for researchers, writers, and knowledge workers who prefer privacy and offline access.
3. TickTick
TickTick is a powerful to-do list and task manager app with a clean, distraction-free interface. Its free tier is generous, offering features like smart lists, task priorities, and calendar integration. TickTick’s macOS app is lightweight and efficient, making it ideal for users who want a seamless way to stay organized without needing to subscribe to a premium tier. The app also includes a Pomodoro timer, habit tracker, and Eisenhower Matrix—all for free.
Communication and Collaboration
4. Microsoft Teams (Free Tier)
While Microsoft Teams is often associated with corporate environments, its free version continues to be a solid choice for group communication and collaboration. macOS users can take advantage of chat, video conferencing, file sharing, and integration with Microsoft Office web apps without spending a dime. Whether you’re working with a small team or organizing a club or community project, Teams remains a robust option in 2025.
5. Slack (Free Version)
Still a staple for startups and digital professionals, Slack remains a strong contender for team communication in 2025. Its macOS app is smooth and responsive, allowing users to create channels, share files, integrate with apps like Google Drive, and use shortcuts for faster communication. While the free version limits access to older messages and integrations, it’s still ideal for small teams or casual collaborations.
Internet and Cloud Tools
6. Brave Browser
Privacy and speed define the Brave browser, which has steadily gained traction among macOS users. Brave blocks trackers and ads by default, offers a built-in Tor window for anonymous browsing, and uses fewer system resources than many other browsers. In 2025, Brave’s macOS app continues to deliver fast performance, excellent tab management, and support for Chrome extensions—all without compromising your privacy.
7. Bitwarden
In an age where digital security is paramount, Bitwarden offers a free, open-source password manager with end-to-end encryption. The macOS app syncs seamlessly with browser extensions and mobile apps, providing secure password storage and autofill capabilities. Bitwarden’s generous free tier supports unlimited devices, making it a top choice for managing credentials without a paid subscription.
8. Proton Drive
As part of the Proton suite of privacy-focused tools, Proton Drive gives macOS users a secure way to store and share files. With end-to-end encryption, Proton Drive ensures your files are protected from prying eyes. The free plan includes 5GB of storage—enough for many users’ documents and media—and integrates well with other Proton services like Proton Mail and Proton Calendar.
Creativity and Design
9. Krita
Krita is a professional-grade digital painting and illustration app that rivals paid alternatives like Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter. Available free on macOS, Krita supports brush stabilization, layer management, HDR painting, and a wide variety of formats. In 2025, Krita continues to be the go-to tool for artists, illustrators, and comic creators seeking powerful tools without a subscription.
10. Blender
Blender’s name is synonymous with 3D modeling and animation—and its capabilities continue to grow. In 2025, Blender is even more powerful, supporting everything from sculpting and rigging to video editing and visual effects. The macOS version runs smoothly on Apple Silicon, and its open-source nature means it’s continually evolving thanks to a vibrant community. Whether you’re working on a short film or exploring game development, Blender remains unmatched in its value.
11. Darktable
For photographers who need RAW editing without Adobe’s price tag, Darktable is the free alternative to Lightroom. This open-source app offers advanced features like non-destructive editing, tethered shooting, and a customizable interface. It runs natively on macOS and supports Apple Silicon for faster processing. With regular updates and a devoted user base, Darktable continues to impress in 2025.
Utilities and System Enhancements
12. Rectangle
macOS has improved window management over the years, but third-party tools like Rectangle still fill in essential gaps. Rectangle allows you to snap windows to edges and corners using keyboard shortcuts, greatly enhancing multitasking on large displays or ultrawide monitors. It’s lightweight, open-source, and one of the most useful free utilities you can install.
13. KeepingYouAwake
Sometimes you need your Mac to stay awake during long downloads, presentations, or rendering jobs. KeepingYouAwake is a menu bar app that prevents your Mac from going to sleep, acting as a modern alternative to the now-deprecated Caffeine. It’s tiny, unobtrusive, and works flawlessly in macOS Sonoma and beyond.
14. AppCleaner
Deleting an app on macOS doesn’t always remove all its associated files. AppCleaner is a tiny utility that helps you perform thorough app uninstalls by finding and deleting related files and folders. It’s a must-have for users who frequently test or rotate software and want to keep their systems clean.
15. Stats
If you’re curious about your Mac’s CPU usage, RAM, battery health, or network activity, Stats is a beautifully designed, free monitoring tool for your menu bar. It’s lightweight, supports macOS Sonoma, and even offers customization so you can see only the stats that matter to you.
Media and Entertainment
16. VLC Media Player
No list of free macOS apps would be complete without VLC. It plays nearly every audio and video format under the sun and offers advanced controls for subtitles, playback speed, and audio filters. VLC’s open-source nature keeps it adaptable and highly functional, and its 2025 version is fully optimized for Apple Silicon chips.
17. HandBrake
HandBrake is a powerful video transcoder that lets you convert media files into nearly any format. Whether you’re compressing videos for sharing or ripping DVDs for backup, HandBrake delivers fast performance and high-quality output. The app has continued to evolve with new presets and codec support in 2025, making it an indispensable tool for video enthusiasts.
18. Lunar
If you use an external monitor with your Mac, you’ve probably noticed that macOS doesn’t provide a great way to control display brightness. Lunar fixes that by enabling precise brightness and contrast control—even on third-party monitors—right from the menu bar. Its basic functionality is free and incredibly useful for dual-monitor setups.
Developer and Tech Tools
19. Visual Studio Code
Visual Studio Code (VS Code) remains the most popular code editor for a reason. It supports a vast number of programming languages, has an incredible ecosystem of extensions, and runs beautifully on macOS. In 2025, VS Code is more customizable and performant than ever, making it perfect for everything from Python scripts to full-stack web development.
20. iTerm2
Power users still love iTerm2, the advanced terminal replacement for macOS. With features like split panes, search, hotkey windows, and scripting support, iTerm2 helps developers and sysadmins work more efficiently. Its active community and regular updates ensure it remains compatible with the latest macOS versions.
Education and Knowledge
21. Anki
Anki is a powerful flashcard app based on spaced repetition, ideal for learning languages, medical terms, or anything else that benefits from memorization. Its free macOS app syncs with AnkiWeb and mobile devices, allowing learners to study anywhere. The 2025 version includes UI improvements, better syncing, and new community plugins.
22. MuseScore
For musicians and composers, MuseScore is a free notation software that lets you create, edit, and print sheet music. It supports MIDI input, multiple staves, and playback features. MuseScore is constantly updated with user feedback and is one of the most comprehensive tools available for music composition at no cost.
Final Thoughts
macOS in 2025 remains a platform rich with possibility—and thanks to the open-source community and generous developers, users don’t need to pay for quality software. From boosting productivity and creativity to enhancing system performance and communication, these free macOS apps offer something valuable for every type of user. Whether you’re a student, artist, developer, or casual user, there’s no shortage of excellent tools available to elevate your macOS experience.
As always, while the apps mentioned here are free, consider supporting developers through donations, feedback, or by upgrading to premium versions if you find the tools essential to your daily workflow. Free software is more than a price point—it’s a testament to the power of community, collaboration, and accessibility in the digital age.