#21311

Hi everyone!  

When I decided to put my database of the very best free software for the Macintosh on a Web site for everyone, I had no idea that I'd be filling an unfilled niche and that the site would be so popular.  There are other Web sites that list free software for the Mac, but few of them vet the software for usability and desirability.  

I also had no idea that there was SO MUCH really good free software for the Macintosh!  I've just drastically updated the page, and it's now up to 237 listings of really nice free software for the Mac!

FREE MACINTOSH SOFTWARE


Among the latest additions are very advanced graphics programs, programs that use AI to do things that were very hard/expensive to do previously (such as speech recognition/transcription), genealogy programs, and a number of nice utility programs.

If you haven't gone through all of the listings recently, it's worth looking through them again.  There are sure to be free apps that you will find that will prove to be invaluable.

The page is entirely non-commercial, I don't make a cent from it. 
I want to point out that I'm not an expert Web developer...far from it. I'm just an enthusiast. So the site looks a bit amateurish. But hopefully it is still very useful and interesting.

I also acknowledge that the site doesn't yet support HTTPS.  I'm getting to it. (If this turns you off, please just ignore the page, rather than harassing me about it.)

Please spread the word about the Web site to others!

By request, here are the most recent additions to the page:

Anatomy Model Puzzle 
Clipboard Manager 
Cling 
CMap Tools 
CotEditor
CustomShortcuts 
FamilyTreeBuilder
FoxIt PDF Reader 
FreeFileSync 
Freescaler 
Gramps 
iFan 
LocalSend 
Loop
Logseq 
MacPass 
Macsyzones 
Manager 
Mist 
MuCommander
Muscles Puzzle
NoCal 
Obsidian 
PDFGear 
Pearcleaner 
Pinta 
Quick Family Tree 
Tayasui Sketches  
Xapp 
Zettlr


__________________________________________________

Randy B. Singer
Co-author of The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th, and 6th editions)

Essential But Hard To Find Macintosh Software and Advice

__________________________________________________

#21312

That's a lovely list of apps to investigate!   Thanks for taking the time to vet new apps and maintain a constantly changing list.

I've found your app lists very interesting.  It's fun searching through them for gems that I use on my Mac.  I like that there are no distractions on your webpages, which I've never thought of as amateurish, just extremely useful.

I'm not at all concerned about HTTP, vs HTTPS, on your site.  We aren't entering any personal data on your webpages.

Show quoted text

On Apr 21, 2025, at 4:48?AM, Randy B. Singer via groups.io <randy@...> wrote:

When I decided to put my database of the very best free software for the Macintosh on a Web site for everyone, I had no idea that I'd be filling an unfilled niche and that the site would be so popular.  There are other Web sites that list free software for the Mac, but few of them vet the software for usability and desirability.  

I also had no idea that there was SO MUCH really good free software for the Macintosh!  I've just drastically updated the page, and it's now up to 237 listings of really nice free software for the Mac!

FREE MACINTOSH SOFTWARE


Among the latest additions are very advanced graphics programs, programs that use AI to do things that were very hard/expensive to do previously (such as speech recognition/transcription), genealogy programs, and a number of nice utility programs.

If you haven't gone through all of the listings recently, it's worth looking through them again.  There are sure to be free apps that you will find that will prove to be invaluable.

The page is entirely non-commercial, I don't make a cent from it.
I want to point out that I'm not an expert Web developer...far from it. I'm just an enthusiast. So the site looks a bit amateurish. But hopefully it is still very useful and interesting.

I also acknowledge that the site doesn't yet support HTTPS.  I'm getting to it. (If this turns you off, please just ignore the page, rather than harassing me about it.)

Please spread the word about the Web site to others!

By request, here are the most recent additions to the page:

Anatomy Model Puzzle
Clipboard Manager
Cling
CMap Tools
CotEditor
CustomShortcuts
FamilyTreeBuilder
FoxIt PDF Reader
FreeFileSync
Freescaler
Gramps
iFan
LocalSend
Loop
Logseq
MacPass
Macsyzones
Manager
Mist
MuCommander
Muscles Puzzle
NoCal
Obsidian
PDFGear
Pearcleaner
Pinta
Quick Family Tree
Tayasui Sketches  
Xapp
Zettlr

-- 
Bev in TX

#21313

On Apr 21, 2025, at 5:37 AM, Bev in TX via groups.io <countryone77@...> wrote:

Thanks for taking the time to vet new apps and maintain a constantly changing list.My pleasure!  I’m gratified that you find the site useful.

I had thought that at a certain point before this I would find it hard to keep on finding new free apps to add to the page, but they keep on coming.

I’m especially excited about the new AI-based apps that are coming.  The ones that I’ve recently played with are a bit like magic!

__________________________________________________

Randy B. Singer
Co-author of The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th, and 6th editions)

Essential But Hard To Find Macintosh Software and Advice

__________________________________________________

#21314

I appreciate the time and effort you put into this. ?

#21315

开云体育

I’ve been referring to Randy’s list for many, many years. I found many programs that I use routinely on this list and many more that I needed for just that one time!?

Here are a couple not on the list that I use routinely that others might find useful, particularly if you do any media work.?

MediaInfo () Available in the App Store for a dollar, but free on the website. This has solved many a mystery when the really expensive apps have let me down.

Grand Perspective () Again, on the App Store but free on the website. If you want to know what’s using all the space on your drives, this is the best. My absolute favorite for this task.?

Burn () Optical disc burning.?

KeepDriveSpinning () Just discovered this and it’s saving my sanity. All this does is add a system script that keeps external drives spinning while the system is awake. Very, very simple, but if you have drives that are constantly spinning down when you don’t want them to, this is the solution.

FF Works () A graphical UI for FF MPEG. Video encoding, transcoding, rewrapping, etc...

Shutter Encoder () Another graphical UI for FF MPEG. A bit easier to use.?

Another big, big thank you to Randy!

Cheers,

???????????????tod

Tod Hopkins
Video Producer?Editor?Technologist?

Show quoted text

On Apr 21, 2025, at 10:57?AM, Bayswater via groups.io <Bayswater@...> wrote:

I appreciate the time and effort you put into this. ?

#21316

开云体育

Another vote for Grand Perspective and for Burn, although I haven’t used the latter for a long time.

Otto

Show quoted text

On 21 Apr 2025, at 20:53, todhop via <hoplist@...> wrote:

I’ve been referring to Randy’s list for many, many years. I found many programs that I use routinely on this list and many more that I needed for just that one time!?

Here are a couple not on the list that I use routinely that others might find useful, particularly if you do any media work.?

MediaInfo () Available in the App Store for a dollar, but free on the website. This has solved many a mystery when the really expensive apps have let me down.
Grand Perspective () Again, on the App Store but free on the website. If you want to know what’s using all the space on your drives, this is the best. My absolute favorite for this task.?
Burn () Optical disc burning.?
KeepDriveSpinning () Just discovered this and it’s saving my sanity. All this does is add a system script that keeps external drives spinning while the system is awake. Very, very simple, but if you have drives that are constantly spinning down when you don’t want them to, this is the solution.
FF Works () A graphical UI for FF MPEG. Video encoding, transcoding, rewrapping, etc...
Shutter Encoder () Another graphical UI for FF MPEG. A bit easier to use.?

Another big, big thank you to Randy!