More free Mac apps
There are plenty more completely gratis options to choose from
BBEDIT
From Bare Bones Software, barebones.com
> BBEdit is the leading HTML and text editor for Macs. It isn’t free, but after the 30–day trial period you can continue to use its basic features forever. And those features aren’t so basic: they include multiple clipboards and multiple undo, transparent editing inside compressed files, multi–file search and replace, easy text extraction, and more.
CYBERDUCK
From Cyberduck Team, cyberduck.io
> We sometimes describe Cyberduck as an FTP app but it’s much more than that. It’s a cloud browser with support not just for FTP and SFTP but also cloud storage, WebDAV, Amazon S3, BackBlaze B2, and more. If you find it useful, the full version it isn’t expensive.
TUNNELBEAR
From Tunnelbear, tunnelbear. com Also on iPhone, iPad
> Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are all the rage these days, and it’s easy to see why. They enable you to securely and privately access the internet anywhere, perfect for accessing your work’s servers from home, surfing the web and checking your emails in a café or bar, or for watching your favorite TV shows remotely when abroad.
THE UNARCHIVER From MacPaw, theunarchiver.com
> This app is a kind of silicon box cutter: if you need to unpack a compressed file, The Unarchiver can open it up for you. It opens Zip, RAR, LZH, disc images, some Windows installers and many more, and it does it with blistering speed and minimal user input.
Of all the VPNs out there, TunnelBear is one of our favorites — it’s super–easy to use, has client apps for Mac, iPhone and iPad, and enables you to connect to hundreds of servers in over 26 countries. It has a no–logs policy too, so your online activities really are safe from prying eyes.
For occasional use, it’s completely free, offering up to 500MB of data per month. Even its paid–for plans are suitably inexpensive.
TINKERTOOL
From Dr Marcel Bresink, bresink.com
> TinkerTool has been a firm favorite in the office for many years thanks to its ability to control obscure Mac settings. From silencing Finder sound effects to creating specific Stacks or disabling unwanted animations, with TinkerTool it’s easy to make your Mac just–so.
ZOOM
From Zoom, zoom.us
Also on iPhone, iPad
> FaceTime isn’t useful if you want to talk to people who aren’t on Apple devices. If you need a cross– platform alternative, Zoom is one of the best. It became a huge hit during lockdown thanks to its multi–user support: the free version can host up to 100 participants for up to 40 minutes at a time, making Zoom great for online quizzes, tutorials, presentations, and other group activities. It’s pretty good for one–on–one video chat too, and we like the ability to customize the background to make our homes look more interesting. Just make sure you password–protect your meetings to prevent strangers popping in.
BLENDER
From Blender Foundation, blender.org
> We’d ask how much you think professional– quality 3D rendering software should cost, but as this is a free apps feature you already know the answer. Blender would be a great app with a pro–level price tag; as a free open source app it’s a steal. It’s used in anime and Amazon Prime series, in VR environment design and industrial design. It’s built to handle the entire 3D pipeline, from modelling all the way through to rendering and video editing, and it runs happily on Macs with macOS 10.13 or later if you have 16GB of RAM and a decent graphics card.
HANDBRAKE
From The Handbrake Team, handbrake.fr
> HandBrake is a must–have for anyone who uses video. We’ve used it to convert downloads into formats our Macs can play and, even more usefully, to convert old home movie discs into Apple– friendly footage. It’s great for converting video for almost any destination. Andry Rasoahaingo - License CC-BY-SA 3.0, https://dedouze.com/
VLC
From VideoLAN Organization, videolan.org
> This free open source media player isn’t just a handy playback app, it’s also a time machine. It can play almost anything in almost any format, including some really old ones — RealVideo, anyone? If you want to watch it, it’s highly likely that VLC can play it.
AUDACITY
From Audacity Team, audacityteam.org
> It’s been around for eons, but Audacity remains a fantastic app for multi–track audio recording and editing thanks to its simplicity, plugin support, and lightning–fast performance. It’s the Swiss Army knife of audio for musicians and podcasters.