6 Awesome Apps on my MacBook I Can’t Live Without
Sometimes, the basic apps make a big difference!
It’s almost been 5 months since I switched from Windows to macOS and as a long-term Windows user, I think I’ve made the right choice.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a fan of Microsoft and Windows in general, but I find that macOS simply works better for my current needs, mainly due to the apps available that are not available on other platforms.
There are many great apps available on macOS, but I wanted to discuss 6 apps that have made a significant difference in my everyday life.
These are the apps that are helping me keep productive, and organised and that is helping me make content for you.
But without any further ado, here are my top 6 apps on my MacBook after almost 5 months with the device…
1. Setapp
I wanted to start this list with an app that I didn’t think I required but has made a big difference in my everyday life, especially when it comes to my side hustle.
The app in question is called Setapp and I like to call it the Netflix of app stores as it provides you with access to over 200 apps for a small monthly subscription.
I pay $12.49 per month to gain access to over 200 apps for 1 Mac and up to 4 iOS devices, but subscriptions start from as little as $9.99 per month for 1 Mac.
The subscription provides me with access to various premium apps, some of which I will be discussing in this article. But among the apps included are Spark, Ulysses, Craft, CleanMyMac X and many more.
The apps included in the subscription have helped me save money as I was able to combine several subscriptions into 1 and where the app I use isn’t available I can always find an alternative in the Setapp App Store.
I’m a big fan of what Setapp is doing, especially as it makes premium apps more affordable. That and the fact that I genuinely find this app helpful as a paying customer is why I decided to become an affiliate.
I highly recommend giving Setapp a try, you can get 7 days free to see whether you like it and whether the apps you want are available, it’s how I tried the app for the very first time. That is why I am leaving my affiliate link.
2. Spark
The second app I wanted to share is Spark, and it has been my default email app for many months.
My experience with the app is actually quite funny, as when they introduced premium subscriptions and their Smart 2.0 Inbox, I decided to leave the app and go back to Gmail.
That was a bad decision as I started falling behind in emails. That’s why, after a while, I decided to try Spark again, I returned to Spark and paid for the premium version, and it’s been my default email app ever since.
The app has some great features which help me achieve Inbox Zero and filter out all the noise from my inbox. With the number of emails I receive, this is a must-have feature, especially as I use Spark to manage all of my email accounts.
I also like the Gatekeeper feature, which helps me block emails that I don’t want to see in my main mailbox. The first time someone emails you, it gives you the option to decide whether you want to see emails from them again. I find that this works great for spam emails.
3. Reminders
Moving on to my main To-Do list app, Reminders. Oh, and yes, this is the default Apple Reminders app.
I’ve used many great To-Do list apps over the years, but I find that Reminders works best for my needs.
The app is simple, has a great interface and, most importantly of all, helps me remember the tasks I need to be getting on with.
I also like the fact that the app features Siri integration, which means that everything I ask Siri to remind me goes into the app. Great for when you need to add something to your to-do list quickly, such as adding a reminder when your washing is finished.
The app itself is far from the best in terms of features and compatibility, but it works for me and that’s what’s important.
My main complaint about the app is that it’s Apple only, so if I ever decide to move back to an Android phone, I will have to find something different. But it is accessible in the browser.
4. Notes
Staying on with default Apple apps, my main Notebook app is Apple Notes. I think that it’s a great notebook app that I use for many things, including logging content ideas, taking quick notes as well as the occasional project work.
Like with the To-Do list apps, I’ve tried many other apps such as OneNote and EverNote, but I find that Apple Notes works best for me.
That is not to imply that the other apps I tried are bad because they aren’t. I just like the simplicity and being able to organise my notes into folders.
I also like the fact that the app performs well, regardless of what device I use, I can easily access my notes on my phone and my iPad when I need to.
The main thing that irritated me about OneNote was that it was slow at opening notebooks, which was problematic when I needed to note something down quickly.
6. Ulysses
The last app on this list, and the one I am writing this blog post on, is Ulysses.
Ulysses has got to be one of my favourite apps for writing blog posts, and it offers some superb features, such as a built-in proofreader and the ability to publish blog posts directly from the app.
It supports platforms such as WordPress, Medium and Ghost, which is precisely what I need as I use all 3 of those platforms.
The app even supports markup, which allows me to concentrate on the writing without having to find features in apps such as Word, which can be unnecessarily complicated at times, especially for those who just want to write.
I’ve been using Word for many years and don’t get me wrong, it’s a good app and a powerful word processor, but I think that it has got too complicated for what it needs to be. Especially for those who just want to sit down and write.
Another reason that I like Ulysses is that the experience is great no matter if I’m writing on my iPad, my iPhone, or my MacBook. If I’m writing on my MacBook, but I need to catch a train or work somewhere else, I can easily continue where I left off on my iPad.
I know that many other apps can do this, but Ulysses seems to provide the best experience of moving from one device to another.
Before I forget, I am subscribed to Ulysses through my Setapp subscription!
Final Thoughts
To summarise this article, I tried and tested many apps, but these 6 are by far my favourites and the ones I’ve been using for the longest amount of time.
These are also the apps that I go back to after trying different apps, simply because they work best for me.
That’s the thing, you shouldn’t use apps simply because others recommend using them, you should try them yourself to see if they work for you personally.
An app should work for you, not the other way around!
There are many great apps out there, and I love discovering new ones, that is why I want you to share your top 3 Mac apps in the comments!
Disclaimer: This article contains Setapp affiliate links. Setapp has not sponsored this article, nor do they know I’m writing it. As a paying customer, I can personally recommend this app, that is why I have included my affiliate link. You can read more about the affiliate links I use here.