Awesome Native macOS Apps

A curated collection of beautiful, lightweight, and truly native macOS applications that deserve more recognition.

Discover high-quality macOS apps built with native technologies (Swift, SwiftUI, AppKit) that are fast, efficient, and respect your Mac's resources. This list focuses on apps that feel like they belong on macOS — no Electron bloat, just pure native performance.

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Contents

• What Makes an App "Native"?
• Analytics & Monitoring
• Audio & Music
• Backup & Sync
• Browsers & Web
• Calendar & Time
• Clipboard Managers
• Color Pickers
• Database Tools
• Design Tools
• Developer Tools
• Email & Communication
• File Management
• Git & Version Control
• Image & Graphics
• Markdown Editors
• Menu Bar Apps
• Network Tools
• Note-Taking & Writing
• Password Managers
• PDF Tools
• Productivity
• Screenshot & Recording
• Security & Privacy
• System Utilities
• Terminal & Shell
• Text Editors
• Video & Media
• Window Management
• Contributing
• Related Lists

What Makes an App "Native"?

Apps on this list are:

• ✅ Built with native macOS frameworks (Swift, SwiftUI, AppKit, Objective-C)
• ✅ Lightweight and resource-efficient
• ✅ Follow Apple's Human Interface Guidelines
• ✅ Feel fast and responsive
• ❌ NOT Electron or web-wrapper apps
• ❌ NOT resource-heavy cross-platform apps

Analytics & Monitoring

• iStat Menus - Advanced Mac system monitor in your menu bar. Paid
• MenuBar Stats - System monitoring in your menu bar. Free Open Source
• Stats - macOS system monitor for CPU, GPU, memory, disk, and more. Free Open Source

Audio & Music

• BackgroundMusic - macOS audio utility to control volume per-app. Free Open Source
• Cog - Audio player for macOS with broad format support. Free Open Source
• eqMac - System-wide audio equalizer for macOS. Free Open Source
• IINA - Modern video player with native macOS design. Free Open Source
• MonitorControl - Control external monitor brightness & volume like native displays. Free Open Source
• NoiseBuddy - Control AirPods Pro listening modes from menu bar. Free Open Source
• Sleeve - Beautiful now playing display for Apple Music. Paid
• SoundSource - Superior sound control for macOS. Paid

Backup & Sync

• Arq - Backup your files to cloud storage. Paid
• Carbon Copy Cloner - Reliable Mac backup and cloning solution. Paid
• ChronoSync - Professional file synchronization for macOS. Paid
• Sync Folders Pro - Sync and backup folders on your Mac. Paid

Browsers & Web

• Orion - Lightweight WebKit browser with zero telemetry. Free
• Safari Technology Preview - Apple's experimental Safari build. Free

Calendar & Time

• Fantastical - Calendar app with natural language input. Subscription
• Itsycal - Tiny menu bar calendar. Free Open Source
• Meeting Bar - Menu bar app for your calendar meetings. Free Open Source

Clipboard Managers

• Clipy - Clipboard extension with snippet support. Free Open Source
• CopyClip - Lightweight clipboard history manager. Free
• Maccy - Lightweight clipboard manager with search. Free Open Source
• Paste - Beautiful clipboard manager with cloud sync. Subscription
• Unclutter - Files, notes, and clipboard manager in one. Paid

Color Pickers

• ColorSlurp - Best color picker and organizer for macOS. Freemium
• Pika - Beautiful color picker for macOS. Free Open Source
• Sip - Collect, organize and share colors. Paid

Database Tools

• Beekeeper Studio - Modern SQL editor and database manager. Freemium Open Source
• Postico - Modern PostgreSQL client for macOS. Paid
• Sequel Ace - MySQL/MariaDB database management. Free Open Source
• TablePlus - Modern native database management tool. Freemium

Design Tools

• IconJar - Icon management tool for designers. Paid
• Sketch - Professional digital design for Mac. Subscription
• xScope - Measure, inspect, and test on-screen graphics. Paid

Developer Tools

• CodeEdit - Native code editor for macOS. Free Open Source
• DevCleaner - Clean Xcode cache and derived data. Free Open Source
• DevToys - Swiss Army knife for developers. Free Open Source
• DevUtils - All-in-one offline toolbox for developers (42+ tools). Freemium
• Paw - Advanced API tool for Mac. Paid
• Proxyman - Native HTTP debugging proxy. Freemium
• RocketSim - Enhance Xcode Simulator productivity. Freemium
• SF Symbols - Browse and export Apple's SF Symbols. Free
• SwiftFormat for Xcode - Code formatting for Swift. Free Open Source

Email & Communication

• Airmail - Lightning fast mail client for Mac. Paid
• MailMate - Advanced IMAP email client with keyboard control. Paid
• Mimestream - Native Gmail client for macOS. Paid
• Spark - Smart email client with team collaboration. Freemium

File Management

• Commander One - Dual-pane file manager for macOS. Freemium
• ForkLift - Advanced dual-pane file manager and FTP client. Paid
• Hazel - Automated organization for your Mac. Paid
• Path Finder - Powerful Finder alternative. Paid
• Quick Look plugins - Useful Quick Look plugins for developers. Free Open Source

Git & Version Control

• Fork - Fast and friendly Git client for Mac. Free
• GitFox - Git client with a focus on simplicity. Paid
• GitUp - Git interface you've been missing. Free Open Source
• SourceTree - Free Git client from Atlassian. Free
• Tower - Powerful Git client for Mac. Paid

Image & Graphics

• Acorn - Full-featured photo editor designed for humans. Paid
• ImageOptim - Compress images without losing quality. Free Open Source
• Pixave - Ultimate image organizer and viewer. Paid
• Pixelmator Pro - Powerful native image editor. Paid
• Retrobatch - Batch image processing for Mac. Paid
• xScope - Measure, inspect and test on-screen graphics. Paid

Markdown Editors

• iA Writer - Focused writing app with beautiful typography. Paid
• MacDown - Open source Markdown editor for macOS. Free Open Source
• Marked 2 - Markdown preview and conversion. Paid
• MWeb - Pro Markdown writing and note-taking. Paid
• Typora - Minimal Markdown editor and reader. Paid

Menu Bar Apps

• Bartender - Organize your menu bar icons. Paid
• DatWeatherDoe - Simple menu bar weather app. Free Open Source
• Dozer - Hide menu bar icons to give your Mac a cleaner look. Free Open Source
• Hand Mirror - One-click camera check from menu bar. Free
• Hidden Bar - Hide menu bar items. Free Open Source
• Ice - Powerful menu bar management tool. Free Open Source
• Itsycal - Tiny menu bar calendar. Free Open Source
• MenubarX - Browser in your menu bar. Freemium
• One Thing - Put a single task in your menu bar. Paid

Network Tools

• Little Snitch - Network monitor and firewall. Paid
• Micro Snitch - Monitor camera and microphone access. Paid
• NetNewsWire - RSS reader for macOS. Free Open Source
• Surge - Advanced network toolbox for Mac. Paid
• WiFi Explorer - Scan, monitor and troubleshoot wireless networks. Paid

Note-Taking & Writing

• Bear - Beautiful, flexible writing app. Freemium
• Craft - Native document editor with sharing. Freemium
• DEVONthink - Document and information management. Paid
• FSNotes - Modern notes manager for macOS. Free Open Source
• iA Writer - Focused writing app with beautiful typography. Paid
• Notational Velocity - Modeless note-taking application. Free Open Source
• Notebooks - Write, organize, and manage information. Paid
• nvALT - Fork of Notational Velocity with additional features. Free Open Source
• The Archive - Note-taking app for writers and researchers. Paid
• Tot - Elegant text collection on menu bar. Freemium
• Ulysses - Professional writing environment for Mac. Subscription

Password Managers

• 1Password - Industry-leading password manager. Subscription
• Bitwarden - Open source password manager. Freemium Open Source
• Encrypto - Encrypt files with AES-256 encryption. Free
• KeePassXC - Cross-platform password manager. Free Open Source
• MacPass - Native KeePass client. Free Open Source
• Strongbox - Native KeePass client for macOS. Freemium Open Source

PDF Tools

• PDFgear - Free PDF editor for macOS. Free
• PDF Expert - Fast, robust PDF editor. Paid
• PDFpenPro - Professional PDF editing for Mac. Paid
• Skim - PDF reader and note-taker. Free Open Source

Productivity

• Alfred - Productivity app for macOS with powerful workflows. Freemium
• BetterTouchTool - Customize input devices on your Mac. Paid
• Due - Reminders with persistent alerts. Paid
• Fantastical - Calendar app with natural language input. Subscription
• Focus - Block distracting websites and applications. Paid
• Keyboard Maestro - Automate applications and websites. Paid
• OmniFocus - Professional-grade task management. Paid
• Raycast - Blazingly fast extendable launcher. Freemium
• SelfControl - Block distracting websites. Free Open Source
• TaskPaper - Plain text to-do lists. Paid
• Things - Award-winning task manager. Paid
• Tot - Elegant text collection on menu bar. Freemium

Screenshot & Recording

• CleanShot X - Capture your Mac's screen like a pro. Paid
• Gifox - Delightful GIF recording and sharing. Paid
• Kap - Open-source screen recorder. Free Open Source
• ScreenFloat - Screenshot utility with floating thumbnails. Paid
• Shottr - Screenshot tool with advanced features. Free
• Xnapper - Take beautiful screenshots instantly. Freemium

Security & Privacy

• Cryptomator - Multi-platform client-side encryption. Free Open Source
• KnockKnock - See what's persistently installed on your Mac. Free Open Source
• Little Snitch - Network monitor and firewall. Paid
• Lulu - Open-source firewall for macOS. Free Open Source
• Micro Snitch - Monitor camera and microphone access. Paid
• OverSight - Monitor mic and webcam access. Free Open Source

System Utilities

• AlDente - Charge limiter to extend MacBook battery life. Freemium Open Source
• AppCleaner - Thoroughly uninstall unwanted apps. Free
• Background Music - Control audio per-application. Free Open Source
• Balenaetcher - Flash OS images to SD cards and USB drives. Free Open Source
• coconutBattery - Check battery health and status. Free
• DaisyDisk - Analyze disk usage and free up space. Paid
• Endurance - Extend your MacBook's battery life. Paid
• EtreCheck - System configuration and diagnostic reporting. Free
• Hand Mirror - One-click camera check from menu bar. Free
• iStat Menus - Advanced Mac system monitor. Paid
• Lungo - Prevent your Mac from going to sleep. Paid
• MonitorControl - Control external display brightness and volume. Free Open Source
• Onyx - Multifunction utility for macOS. Free
• Rectangle - Window management with keyboard shortcuts. Free Open Source
• Stats - macOS system monitor. Free Open Source
• Thaw - Powerful menu bar management tool. Fork of Ice, lower resource usage. Free Open Source
• The Unarchiver - Extract many archive formats. Free

Terminal & Shell

• Alacritty - GPU-accelerated terminal emulator. Free Open Source
• iTerm2 - Terminal emulator for macOS. Free Open Source
• Kitty - Fast, feature-rich GPU-based terminal. Free Open Source
• Terminal - Built-in macOS terminal. Free
• Warp - Rust-based terminal with modern features. Free

Text Editors

• BBEdit - Professional text and code editor. Paid
• CodeEdit - Native code editor for macOS. Free Open Source
• CotEditor - Lightweight plain-text editor. Free Open Source
• MacVim - Vim text editor for macOS. Free Open Source
• Nova - Beautiful native code editor from Panic. Paid
• SubEthaEdit - Code, write, and edit with collaborative features. Free Open Source
• TextMate - Powerful text editor for macOS. Free Open Source
• VimR - Neovim GUI for macOS. Free Open Source

Video & Media

• HandBrake - Open source video transcoder. Free Open Source
• IINA - Modern media player for macOS. Free Open Source
• Movist Pro - Powerful movie player for macOS. Paid
• Permute - Easy-to-use media converter. Paid
• QuickTime Player - Built-in media player for macOS. Free
• Subler - Mux and tag MP4 files. Free Open Source
• VLC - Cross-platform multimedia player. Free Open Source

Window Management

• Amethyst - Automatic tiling window manager. Free Open Source
• BetterSnapTool - Window management via snap areas. Paid
• Divvy - Window management at its finest. Paid
• Loop - Window management made elegant. Free Open Source
• Magnet - Window manager that snaps windows into position. Paid
• Moom - Move and zoom windows with ease. Paid
• Rectangle - Window snapping via keyboard shortcuts. Free Open Source
• Rectangle Pro - Professional window management. Paid
• Swish - Control windows with trackpad gestures. Paid
• Yabai - Tiling window manager for macOS. Free Open Source

Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please read our Contributing Guidelines before submitting.

How to Contribute

1. Fork this repository
2. Add your app to the appropriate category in alphabetical order
3. Follow the format: [App Name](link) - Brief description. \License/Price``
4. Verify the app is truly native (Swift/SwiftUI/AppKit)
5. Create a Pull Request

App Requirements

Apps must meet ALL these criteria:

• ✅ Built with native macOS technologies
• ✅ Lightweight and performant
• ✅ Actively maintained (updated within the last 2 years)
• ✅ Available for download
• ✅ No malware/spyware

What NOT to Include

• ❌ Electron apps
• ❌ Web wrappers
• ❌ Abandoned projects (no updates in 2+ years)
• ❌ Apps with malware/suspicious behavior
• ❌ Cross-platform apps with poor macOS integration

Related Lists

• awesome-mac - Comprehensive macOS software list
• open-source-mac-os-apps - Open source macOS apps
• awesome-swift-macos-apps - Swift macOS apps
• awesome-macos - Curated macOS applications

Star History

License

To the extent possible under law, the contributors have waived all copyright and related rights to this work.

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