The best productivity apps for Mac
Task managers, calendars, launchers and the quiet tools that keep a day moving.
Last checked · No paid placements
Our ranking
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$49.99Things 3Editor's pick
The task manager that feels like paper, only smarter.
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Free + ProRaycastEditor's pick
A faster way to do everything on your Mac.
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SubscriptionFantastical
A calendar that understands plain sentences.
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SubscriptionOmniFocus
Industrial-strength GTD for complex lives.
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Free + ProAlfred
The launcher power users have trusted for a decade.
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SubscriptionCardhop
Contacts, rebuilt around a single search field.
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SubscriptionTiming
Automatic time tracking that needs no timers.
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Free + ProSession
A focus timer that blocks the noise.
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PaidMela
Recipes, without the life story.
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$18.00Dato
The menu bar clock macOS should have had.
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PaidSoulver 3
A notepad that does the math as you write.
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$9.99PCalc
The calculator for engineers and scientists.
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SubscriptionReeder
One timeline for feeds, videos and social.
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Open sourceNetNewsWire
A free, open-source RSS reader done right.
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SubscriptionMimestream
A native Gmail client built on Gmail's own API.
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SubscriptionPaste
Clipboard history you can actually browse.
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Open sourceMaccy
A tiny, keyboard-first clipboard manager.
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Free + ProDropover
A floating shelf for drag and drop.
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PaidYoink
Park anything at the edge of the screen.
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$14.99Due
Reminders that nag until you do the thing.
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PaidCopse
A small, searchable clipboard history.
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PaidFinal Call
A full-screen countdown before every meeting.
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PaidRank
Search Console data turned into one SEO fix at a time.
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PaidCuewake
Notes that wait for you inside the app they belong to.
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Free + ProKlipto
A private clipboard manager with ordered pasting.
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Open sourceTinycast
A small open-source launcher that stays light.
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Subscriptionhora Calendar
A native Mac app for Google Calendar.
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PaidDropshare
Upload a file, get a link, using storage you choose.
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Free + ProMindNode
Mind maps that grow into outlines and plans.
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Free + ProDeskMinder
Quick timers and reminders that sit on your desktop.
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PaidSuperCmd
A Swift launcher with AI, dictation and screenshots built in.
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FreeDeck
A clipboard history that stays on your Mac.
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FreeClocker
World clocks and meetings in the menu bar.
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PaidJust Copy
Clipboard history that drops from the notch.
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PaidBusyCal
A deeply configurable calendar for busy schedules.
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PaidDot
Your day's events and reminders in the menu bar.
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Open sourceItsycal
A tiny calendar that lives in the menu bar.
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PaidPastebot
Clipboard history with filters and saved pastebins.
Productivity apps side by side
| App | Price | Mac App Store | Homebrew | Open source | GitHub stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Things 3 | $49.99 | Yes | No | No | – |
| Raycast | Free + Pro | No | raycast | No | – |
| Fantastical | Subscription | Yes | fantastical | No | – |
| OmniFocus | Subscription | Yes | omnifocus | No | – |
| Alfred | Free + Pro | No | alfred | No | – |
| Cardhop | Subscription | Yes | cardhop | No | – |
| Timing | Subscription | No | timing | No | – |
| Session | Free + Pro | Yes | No | No | – |
| Mela | Paid | Yes | No | No | – |
| Dato | $18.00 | Yes | No | No | – |
| Soulver 3 | Paid | No | soulver | No | – |
| PCalc | $9.99 | Yes | No | No | – |
| Reeder | Subscription | Yes | No | No | – |
| NetNewsWire | Open source | No | netnewswire | MIT | 10k |
| Mimestream | Subscription | No | mimestream | No | – |
| Paste | Subscription | Yes | paste | No | – |
| Maccy | Open source | No | maccy | MIT | 22k |
| Dropover | Free + Pro | Yes | No | No | – |
| Yoink | Paid | No | yoink | No | – |
| Due | $14.99 | Yes | No | No | – |
| Copse | Paid | No | No | No | – |
| Final Call | Paid | Yes | No | No | – |
| Rank | Paid | No | No | No | – |
| Cuewake | Paid | No | No | No | – |
| Klipto | Free + Pro | No | No | No | – |
| Tinycast | Open source | No | No | Yes | 8.7k |
| hora Calendar | Subscription | Yes | No | No | – |
| Dropshare | Paid | No | dropshare | No | – |
| MindNode | Free + Pro | Yes | No | No | – |
| DeskMinder | Free + Pro | Yes | No | No | – |
| SuperCmd | Paid | No | No | No | – |
| Deck | Free | No | No | No | – |
| Clocker | Free | Yes | clocker | No | – |
| Just Copy | Paid | No | No | No | – |
| BusyCal | Paid | Yes | busycal | No | – |
| Dot | Paid | No | dot | No | – |
| Itsycal | Open source | No | itsycal | MIT | 4k |
| Pastebot | Paid | Yes | pastebot | No | – |
Choosing a productivity app
What is the best productivity app for Mac?
Our editor's picks are Things 3 (one-time purchase) and Raycast (free + pro). Things 3: The task manager that feels like paper, only smarter.
Are there free productivity apps for Mac?
Yes. 13 of the 38 apps here are free to download: Raycast, Alfred, Session, NetNewsWire, Maccy, Dropover, Klipto, Tinycast, MindNode, DeskMinder, Deck, Clocker and Itsycal.
Which open-source productivity apps are there for Mac?
NetNewsWire, Maccy, Tinycast and Itsycal are open source, with code on GitHub.
How does MacWorthy pick these apps?
Every app is native to macOS, actively maintained and tried by hand before it is listed. Nobody pays to be included or to be ranked higher. Facts such as price and install commands were last checked on October 19, 2026.
Every productivity app we list
Things 3
The task manager that feels like paper, only smarter.
Raycast
A faster way to do everything on your Mac.
Fantastical
A calendar that understands plain sentences.
OmniFocus
Industrial-strength GTD for complex lives.
Alfred
The launcher power users have trusted for a decade.
Cardhop
Contacts, rebuilt around a single search field.
Timing
Automatic time tracking that needs no timers.
Session
A focus timer that blocks the noise.
Mela
Recipes, without the life story.
Dato
The menu bar clock macOS should have had.
Soulver 3
A notepad that does the math as you write.
PCalc
The calculator for engineers and scientists.
Reeder
One timeline for feeds, videos and social.
NetNewsWire
A free, open-source RSS reader done right.
Mimestream
A native Gmail client built on Gmail's own API.
Paste
Clipboard history you can actually browse.
Maccy
A tiny, keyboard-first clipboard manager.
Dropover
A floating shelf for drag and drop.
Yoink
Park anything at the edge of the screen.
Due
Reminders that nag until you do the thing.
Copse
A small, searchable clipboard history.
Final Call
A full-screen countdown before every meeting.
Rank
Search Console data turned into one SEO fix at a time.
Cuewake
Notes that wait for you inside the app they belong to.
Klipto
A private clipboard manager with ordered pasting.
Tinycast
A small open-source launcher that stays light.
hora Calendar
A native Mac app for Google Calendar.
Dropshare
Upload a file, get a link, using storage you choose.
MindNode
Mind maps that grow into outlines and plans.
DeskMinder
Quick timers and reminders that sit on your desktop.
SuperCmd
A Swift launcher with AI, dictation and screenshots built in.
Deck
A clipboard history that stays on your Mac.
Clocker
World clocks and meetings in the menu bar.
Just Copy
Clipboard history that drops from the notch.
BusyCal
A deeply configurable calendar for busy schedules.
Dot
Your day's events and reminders in the menu bar.
Itsycal
A tiny calendar that lives in the menu bar.
Pastebot
Clipboard history with filters and saved pastebins.