At TheSweetBits, we heavily depend upon screenshots, especially for preparing the best how-to content and reviews for our readers. It also means we have to use the best screenshot apps available for macOS. And we thought we should recommend some of these tools to those in need.

Key takeaways

• CleanShot X is the best all-in-one screenshot and screencast app for Mac.
• Xnapper offers a quick way to turn screenshots into share-worthy images.
• LightShot is a great free screenshot app that packs standard features.
• Snagit for professionals who need screenshots and video recordings.

Read along if you want to know how exactly these apps made it to the top!

About built-in macOS screenshot.app

Again, you can access the native screenshot utility on Mac using some keyboard shortcuts.

• You can press Shift + Command + 3 to capture a screenshot of the entire screen.
• You can press Shift + Command + 4 to capture a screenshot of a select area.
• You can press Shift + Command + 4 + Space Bar to capture the screenshot of a specific window.

The Good

By default, macOS will save the screenshots to the Desktop. But, of course, you can change the location through the Screenshot app settings. You can also use the app to record a video of the screen. Apple has integrated a timer into the Screenshot app as well. So, it’s all a piece of cake.

The Bad

Despite all these standard features, the native screenshot utility is not enough when you want to take better screenshots. For instance, there are no options for enhanced annotation or editing. You cannot customize the entire workflow and enable the cloud-sharing, either.

The Worse

Also, you cannot use the native screenshot utility everywhere. For instance, it does not let you capture the content from Apple TV. These issues might come your way if you have to take professional screenshots regularly.

On the bright side, most third-party screenshot apps can help you overcome these issues! They also offer multi-device syncing, scrolling screenshots, and advanced editing tools.

But you should know what’s best for your needs.

Best screenshot apps to snip on Mac

We tested over 20 screenshot apps for Mac and chose the best four options (Read the full rundown of how we select tools to feature on TheSweetBits blog). More importantly, we have recommended the best apps for particular needs. For instance, if you need ultimate editing options, we have one recommendation. On the other hand, if you want something straightforward, there is something else.

#1 CleanShot X — Best overall screenshot app

Even after years, CleanShot X remains the best overall screenshot app for Mac. It packs all the core features you would expect from a screenshot/screencast utility. By any level of comparison, CleanShot X is way better than the built-in macOS screenshot app.

Accessing CleanShot X is a breeze, either through the menu bar or keyboard shortcuts. You can capture screenshots in various modes, including area selection, full screen, individual windows, and scrolling shots. A built-in timer helps schedule your captures precisely. We regularly use the options for OCR screenshots as well as screen recordings.

Editing is effortless with CleanShot X’s extensive annotation tools. Crop, highlight, redact, draw, mark, and add shapes and text to tailor your screenshots perfectly. Sharing is equally convenient – upload with a single click and copy the link to your clipboard. Advanced features like team management and self-destruct control ensure secure and efficient collaboration.

It is also impressive that you can customize almost every aspect of a screenshot. For instance, you can select the background for the image or how it interacts with other graphical elements. We use CleanShot X as an annotation utility for images from other apps as well.

Pros

• An intuitive and productive UI
• It integrates so well with macOS
• It offers advanced editing options
• Suitable for content creators

Cons

• Many features are limited to the paid version

Pricing: You can use the basic features of CleanShot X for free. But the paid version costs $29 (one-time payment) or $9.99 per month per user of Setapp subscription.

Also: read our full CleanShot review here.

#2 Xnapper: Best for quick and beautiful screenshots

Xnapper is probably one of the most underhyped screenshot apps for Mac. It allows you to capture stunning screenshots and share them in a jiffy. While doing it, you do not have to worry about how it looks on target platforms, either.

It packs many features that make our lives easier. For instance, you can use automatic balancing to get optimized screenshots in a click. Similarly, social media templates can save time when preparing screenshots in bulk. We loved how you can use multiple presets to save your preferences for later. Once done, you can select a preset to make specific changes.

We also loved the annotation tools from Xnapper. Even though some of these features are in the beta stage, you can count on them. In the end, you can easily annotate the screenshots based on your needs. For us, it is convenient to add tutorial elements like highlights and instruction graphics. It also brings the standard set of features for drawing and markup.

An area where Xnapper needs improvement is sharing. Unlike CleanShot X, Xnapper does not offer options for built-in sharing. It does not have a cloud storage option, either. Considering how share-worthy Xnapper screenshots are, we would love to see such features in the package.

Pros

• Instant, share-worthy screenshots
• Plenty of social media templates
• Auto-balancing and presets

Cons

• No built-in cloud sharing options

Pricing: While a free trial is available, unlocking the full potential requires a one-time purchase of $24.99, or $9.99 per month per user from a Setapp subscription.

#3 LightShot: Best free screenshot app for Mac

LightShot is the best free screenshot app for Mac by all means. Before I shifted to CleanShot X, LightShot was my go-to option for great screenshots. So, if you do not want to spend money on a screenshot tool, you can check out LightShot.

Setting up and using LightShot does not take more than a minute. You can capture screenshots of the selected area with just two clicks. Once you have captured an area, you can access the annotation/editing tools from the integrated widget.

Though not a lot, the editing tools from the LightShot package are sufficient for most users. You can add a variety of elements and annotate the screenshot. You can also add text boxes and shapes to the image. It also features an integrated sharing interface that helps you instantly upload and share screenshots with ease.

You will receive a notification once the file has been uploaded. Then, you can copy the link and share it with others. Unlike Snagit, LightShot does not consume a lot of system resources. So, you can use the screenshot function even while running heavy-duty apps. Once you have set up the hotkeys, you won’t even know the presence of LightShot.

Pros

• A simple and lightweight design
• It does not consume many resources
• You can easily upload and share screenshots
• You get standard editing options

Cons

• It lacks multiple screen capture modes.

Pricing: LightShot is free to use and does not contain any ads. You can download it from the official website, and the app is also available for Windows, Chrome, Opera, and Firefox.

#4 Snagit: Best for screenshot & screen recording

Snagit is often called the best screen capture software for professionals. We think this fully-fledged tool from TechSmith deserves a place on this list. We recommend you consider this app if you need advanced editing and screen recording capabilities.

Snagit’s core features are designed for optimal results. For example, you can record video and audio when you capture the screen — a suitable approach for recording tutorials and presentations. Beyond standard all-in-one and scrolling screenshot options, Snagit offers support for creating animated GIFs and recording screens from your macOS and iOS devices.

Despite its feature set, we found the editing options on Snagit to be smarter and easier to use. For instance, the ‘Step Tool’ simplifies creating informative tutorials, while the ‘Grab Text’ tool seamlessly extracts text from screenshots. Additionally, pre-made layouts and templates expedite the creation of polished videos and GIFs.

You can easily share your screenshots with other platforms as well. For instance, Snagit easily integrates with Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Word. By the way, you can also capture screenshots or record videos from most apps.

Pros

• Snagit enables a professional workflow
• Advanced features for editing videos
• It supports video and audio recording
• Excellent tech support and community

Cons

• It does not offer a free version

Pricing: You can purchase Snagit 2024 for a yearly subscription of $39.99, which is reasonable enough. You can explore education/enterprise discounts as well.

Read our full Snagit review here.

Other candidates

Here are some of the other screenshot apps we looked at:

#5 Droplr: Best for cloud-based workflows

Droplr is a comprehensive screenshot tool compatible with both Mac and Windows. It primarily caters to business and enterprise users, offering high-resolution screen capture capabilities along with cloud storage and enhanced security features, all available through a monthly subscription. It seamlessly integrates with platforms such as eBay, Mailchimp, Intercom, Slack, and more.

Once your screenshot or recording is complete, it’s automatically saved to your Droplr cloud account, with a link conveniently copied to your clipboard for instant sharing with your team. While it offers the option to record videos in 4K resolution, there are limited video editing capabilities, primarily limited to trimming the video length.

Pricing: Droplr is starting at $6/month. A free trial is available.

#6 Monosnap: Best for business use

We recommend you check out Monosnap if you are looking for additional features for sharing screenshots within your business. Even though it packs the standard editing/annotation features, the better focus is on how easily you can create a workflow with screenshots.

Though Monosnap does not have as many features as CleanShot X, there are ample ways to annotate or edit your screenshot. You can use tools like highlighter, blurring, shapes, and text. You can also export the image to your desired photo editor app.

You can do more with the enterprise plan from Monosnap. It will give you access to awesome features like team management, quality control, custom sharing, and enterprise-grade security. You can also get tailor-made workflows.

Pricing: You can get a limited free version, which gives you 2GB of cloud storage and supports most formats. If you want additional features, the non-commercial and commercial plans cost $2.50 and $5, respectively.

#7 Gemoo Snap: Best multipurpose screenshot app

Gemoo Snap is a new, free and easy-to-use snipping app for taking quick screenshots for any kind of project. It can also recognize text (OCR) for grabbing unreadable text from the image.

We love the Screenshot & Beautify feature as it allows us to capture screenshots and beautify them by adding annotations, arrows, text, shapes, and numbers. The core editing tools from Gemoo Snap still save more time for video creators, marketers, and project managers. It is impressive that you can set up hotkeys for almost all types of screenshot needs.

Pricing: Gemoo Snap is free and it is compatible with both Mac and Windows OS. There is also a Chrome Extension that helps take screenshots from the web page.

#8 MarkupHero: A free option for markups

MarkupHero is another free screen capture and annotation tool for macOS. You can use the app on not only Mac but also Windows, Linux, and Chrome. As its name suggests, the app delivers an experience focused on annotating your screenshots.

We also love how integrated MarkupHero is with the web platform. It means you can share your annotations and ideas with others. Furthermore, you can edit your notes on the go. The app offers some collaboration-oriented features in the enterprise plan.

Pricing: You can get a free version of MarkupHero, which is excellent.

#9 Shottr: Free & lightweight screenshot App for Mac

Shottr is a killer choice if you have an old Mac! The app weighs only 1.5MB but delivers several cool features. For instance, you can get scrolling screenshots and markup screenshots on your Mac. In addition, the app lets you zoom in on pixels as well.

What’s more, you get advanced options like OCR and M1-optimized performance. It even comes with a color picker, a feature we have not found elsewhere. Overall, the package looks okay. However, it could use better integration with macOS.

Pricing: Shottr is a free app, but it is regularly maintained and updated.

#10 Skitch: For simple and straightforward

Skitch is a straightforward screenshot app for Mac, and it comes from Evernote. So, if you use Evernote for your note-taking needs, Skitch will easily integrate with your workflow. The User Interface is simple, and you can quickly add shapes and text content to the image.

More importantly, you can share your screenshots with Evernote with a single click. But, of course, there are options to share the screenshot with third-party apps. However, we thought the performance aspect could be better.

Pricing: Skitch is available for free, though.

#11 Awesome Screenshot

Awesome Screenshot is not technically a Mac snipping tool. On the other hand, it lets you create beautiful screenshots and recordings from your web browser. You can get this extension for popular browsers, such as Google Chrome and Edge.

Despite being a browser extension, Awesome Screenshot packs ample features for capturing video content and screenshots. You can resize the screenshot, set it up to share the content with people online as well. You can use the extension to capture windows other than the browser too.

Awesome Screenshot is free to use for the most part, but some features may require upgrades. But it works great for in-browser screen capture.

Bonus option: TextSniper

If you have been looking to capture a small portion of the screens to save text, images, videos, and files that are impossible to copy-paste, then the TextSniper app is worthy of mention here. TextSniper is a Mac snipping tool that helps capture and copy text from images, PDF files, videos, or any other digital sources that contain text.

The app is quite simple and easy to use, it uses OCR technology, you simply select ‘Capture Text’ from the menu bar,  and the text inside the selection will be quickly recognized and copied to the clipboard. This is a convenient and effective technology that extracts and recognizes any text that is non-editable and non-searchable on your Mac’s screen. Read our full review of TextSniper here.

Pricing: TextSniper starts price at $7.99, you will have a 7-day money-back guarantee, and you can also download and give the app a try.

Choosing the best screenshot-taking app

Here’s the thing about our coverage of the best screenshot apps for Mac.

You can expect a better screenshot-capturing experience, no matter which app you choose. However, if you want to know our opinion, here is what we think.

We recommend CleanShot X as the best screenshot app for macOS for apparent reasons. It packs almost all the features you need to take professional screenshots. At the same time, it does not stress out your Mac, either. It offers a free plan, but we think the premium upgrade is a worthy investment.

Equally impressive is Xnapper, which has become our favorite recently. Xnapper makes it effortless to create screenshots and turn them into something worth sharing. In our daily lives, Xnapper is a time-saver that does not compromise quality.

You may also check our comparison article: CleanShot X vs Xnapper: Which screenshot tool is best?

But, hey, feel free to check out other options (including the free ones) if you have specific needs.

* Readers like you help support TheSweetBits. When you buy something through the links in this article, we may get a small commission at no extra charge to you.

<p>The post The Best Screenshot Apps for Mac (Free and Paid) first appeared on TheSweetBits.</p>

Sure, there are official ways to transfer your data, such as using Quick Start, Finder/iTunes, or iCloud. However, sometimes you may need a more streamlined and customized solution. That’s where third-party iPhone transfer and management software comes in to make things easier.

In addition to filling the gaps left by Apple’s solutions, third-party iPhone managers and transfer tools offer many features, including:

• You get more control while transferring data between two iPhone devices.
• The majority of third-party tools have an intuitive UI.
• You can enjoy many additional features like encryption, selective backup, and restore.
• There are many options you can choose from.

In short, you can transfer, manage, and back up iOS data in a way easy, fast, and you like. It also means you will have better control over your data on iOS devices.

The best iPhone transfers and managers

Let’s agree at this point that Apple’s solutions for managing your iPhone are not the best.

So, you have only one option when you want to transfer data from and manage your iPhone: third-party iOS managers.

But, as you can guess, there are tens of iOS management and data transfer apps. You may not know which one suits you the best, either.

Here’s what we did. We tested over 20 tools from two subcategories. Now, we have narrowed things down to 9 apps.

These are the best 3 options you have in the market.

• iMazing 3: best go-to iphone manager
• AnyTrans: best go-to iphone transfer
• Dr.Fone: best all-in-one iphone toolkit

#1 iMazing 3: Best go-to iPhone manager

iMazing is the go-to iPhone manager for everyone with an Apple device. With its latest update, iMazing 3 is essentially what iTunes/Finder should have been. We recommend this all-in-one iPhone manager to control almost everything on your iPhone.

Pros

• It offers a collection of powerful tools.
• Incredible compatibility with iOS/iPadOS devices.
• A smooth user Interface that suits pros and beginners.

Cons

• Wireless connection module needs work.

We love almost everything about iMazing. Most of its features, from the smooth installation to full access to your iPhone, are designed for pros. At the same time, we can also easily recommend this for beginners. Thanks to its intuitive UI, you can always focus on the things you want.

Here are some core capabilities:

• Complete restorable backups for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and Vision Pro.
• A simple user interface that makes it easy to manage multiple devices.
• Data exploration features with specific modules for photos, messages, voicemail, calendar, etc.
• Advanced tools for data transfer, OS installation, and device console.

We also love the focus iMazing has on security features. For instance, instead of accessing the information directly from the iPhone, it creates a real-time backup that you can use for restoring. This way, you do not have to connect your phone and wait minutes for the data to load.

However, we are not the biggest fan of the Wi-Fi transfer feature. It often comes across issues and generally feels sluggish. But it doesn’t affect the iPhone management process in general.

Pricing: You can get iMazing 3 for $39.99. You can also avail of some promotions and business discounts.

Also: Read our full iMazing review here

#2 AnyTrans: Best go-to iPhone transfer

AnyTrans for iOS is the best iPhone transfer tool we can positively recommend. It offers all the essential features, including backups, phone cloning, and easy data transfer. Compared to options like Android File Transfer, it is an incredible option.

Pros

• It offers a good balance between iPhone transfer and management tools.
• Additional utilities for creating ringtones, converting media, and recording.
• A powerful app management utility.

Cons

• It lacks wireless connectivity.

Even though AnyTrans for iOS is designed for data transport, you can manage a few aspects of your iPhone similar to iMazing (see our detailed iMazing vs. AnyTrans comparison). For instance, there is a full-on module for music and other media. Similarly, you can choose between multiple backup and restore solutions to keep your data safe.

We also loved how you can use the following utilities:

• Manage iCloud files using Finder or Windows Explorer.
• Create custom ringtones from local files or Media Library.
• Download, install, uninstall, and manage applications.
• Mirror your iPhone to your computer and use it for recording.

As far as the UI is concerned, it is easy to set up AnyTrans. It also has Quick Start links that allow you to access features like backups and home screen manager. We loved the option to manage social messages from applications such as WhatsApp and Viber. You can back up, transfer and restore messages from this app.

Even then, we would appreciate an option to connect your device to AnyTrans wirelessly. Right now, you need a USB connection to access your device.

Pricing: $39.99 for a one-year subscription; $59.99 for one-time purchase.

#3 Dr.Fone: Best all-in-one iPhone toolkit

Sometimes, you need the best of both worlds, and Dr.Fone brings this balance into the picture. At its core, Wondershare Dr.Fone is a toolbox. It offers powerful tools like screen unlock, virtual location, system repair and phone transfer.

Pros

• Dr.Fone offers a wide range of tools for various phone-related tasks.
• Easy to navigate, suitable for all user levels.
• Available for both Windows and macOS.

Cons

• Costly: It can be a bit expensive, especially for the full-feature set.

There is even a password manager that you can use to recover passwords from your iOS device. However, once you connect your iPhone via USB, you will find many options to manage data from your device. It starts with an excellent dashboard, which gives you an overview of the device.

Some things you can do with Wondershare Dr.Fone are:

• Manage different aspects such as photos, music, videos, apps, books and even reminders.
• A fully-fledged backup management and history module.
• A screen mirror function that works smoothly.
• A robust set of professional device management tools.

In particular, we like the options for password management and data recovery. The data recovery statistics from this application are pretty good as well, and the phone transfer feature might come in handy when you want to transfer your devices.

One caveat we found is that you have to install the Dr.Fone Link application on your iPhone to send files to the device from your Mac or PC.

Pricing: The complete toolkit is available for $94.95, but you can get the basic version for $29.95.

iPhone transfer alternatives

Here are some alternatives for a standalone iPhone data transfer tool for Mac or PC.

#4 EaseUS MobiMover

EaseUS MobiMover is a relatively straightforward option for sending files from your PC/Mac to your iPhone and vice versa. It works just right out of the box as well.

The app’s core feature is Transfer & Manager, which lets you go through audio, pictures, videos, podcasts and messages on your phone and transfer them. However, you also get a few quick transfer options for phone to Mac, Mac to phone and phone to phone.

Surprisingly enough, you get a backup and restore option for your device or something specific, such as WhatsApp. There are a handful of media utilities, such as a video downloader and HEIC to JPG converter.

Pricing: Free, Pro version starting at $29.95.

#5 Wondershare MobileTrans

If you are looking for the simplest iPhone data transfer tool, you might want to check out Wondershare Mobiletrans.

It offers quite a few options through a super simple menu. You can go for WhatsApp Transfer, Phone Transfer, Backup, and Restore. In all these sections, you get a couple of options. For instance, when it comes to Phone Transfer, you can transfer data from phone to phone or import data to your computer.

There is also an option to transfer iCloud data to a new phone. We also liked how straightforward the backup process is. It even has an option to recover deleted WhatsApp data on Android devices. So, you can use this single app to manage your iOS and Android devices.

Price: $49.99 per year; $64.99 for lifetime.

#6 WALTR PRO

WALTR Pro is arguably the best and most efficient way to transfer files or media to your iPhone. The process is straightforward.

You connect your iPhone and open WALTR Pro. Then, you drag and drop anything you want to transfer to your device. WALTR Pro will intelligently categorize them and put the file where it belongs. It can transfer all types of files this way.

This drag-n-drop transfer tool does more than push suitable files onto your iPhone. It can intelligently convert anything that you throw at it. So, if you want to transfer a file that doesn’t work with iOS, WALTR PRO will convert it into a format that does.

Pricing: You get WALTR PRO and other apps for $9.95 monthly.

iPhone manager alternatives

Here are some other options you have when you need a dedicated iPhone manager.

#7 AltTunes

AltTunes is a new iPhone management tool from Softorino that is currently available for Windows. However, the macOS version will be released soon.

AltTunes is designed to work as a complete replacement for iTunes for Windows. This tool can manage your device and transfer content to a new device without needing iTunes or iCloud. Judging by the other apps we love from Softorino, AltTunes will also be a massive relief for macOS users.

You also get nifty features, such as exporting text messages and songs and managing your storage space. And all of this is made easy by a very intuitive user interface. We particularly love that AltTunes uses WiFi for easy data transfer.

Price: $9.95 monthly for Universal License.

#8 DearMob iPhone Manager

DearMob iPhone Manager is another alternative out there. You can use it as a dedicated iPhone manager.

It checks all the essential boxes for managing files on your iPhone. For instance, you can use the app to transfer photos(Apple ProRAW supported!), music, videos and other files. Where it lacks is actual utilities that help you. For example, it does not have an app installer or SMS export feature.

It is also a little restrictive because you need to take a backup of your device first. More importantly, despite having few features, it is not the most affordable option. I also think the UI needs much work compared to the other options we have covered.

Pricing: Starts at $29.95 per year.

#9 CopyTrans Manager

CopyTrans is another Windows-only iPhone manager working with iPhones, iPads and iPod touch.

This is a straightforward app and offers plug-and-play access to your device. It focuses on managing video and backups for your device. You can also use the built-in tools to organize your picture library or edit the photo albums on your iPhone or iPad.

Even though CopyTrans advertises itself as an iTunes alternative, it does not have many features we found on iMazing and AllTunes. On the bright side, you get advanced features, such as converting your iPhone into a USB drive.

Pricing: $29.99 for the bundle.

Comparison table

Tips and tricks for using iPhone management tools

• Regular backups: Ensure you regularly back up your iPhone to avoid data loss.
• Explore features: Spend time exploring the features of your chosen tool to make the most of it.
• Use wired connections: For faster and more reliable transfers, use a wired connection instead of relying on WiFi.
• Keep software updated: Ensure both your iPhone and management tool software are up to date for the best performance.
• Secure your data: Use encryption features available in some tools to secure your data backups.

The FAQs

Q: Can I use Apple’s official tools to transfer data to a new device?
A: Yes, you can use Quick Start to wirelessly transfer everything from your old iPhone directly to your new one, or opt for iCloud to restore from a recent backup. If you prefer a wired connection, you can also use Finder or iTunes on your Mac or PC for an encrypted backup transfer. For those switching from Android, Apple’s Move to iOS app simplifies the process by allowing you to transfer essential information quickly.

While transferring data using these methods is generally manageable for many users, it can also become overwhelming due to time demands, complexity, and potential data loss concerns.

Q: How do I choose the right iPhone transfer / manager?
A: Look for an intuitive interface that feels easy to navigate. Make sure the software is compatible with your iPhone model and the latest iOS version you’re running. Consider the features you need, such as basic data transfer, backup and restore options, or advanced functionalities. Weigh the price against the value offered, and check for information about regular updates to ensure the software stays secure and functional.

Pro Tip: Many software developers offer compatibility lists on their websites or within the app store listing. This will help you confirm if the tool works with your specific iPhone model.

Q: Can these tools access my super-secret photos?
A: While these tools can transfer your photos, they can’t bypass your iPhone’s built-in security features. Your secret cat meme collection is safe! However, it’s always a good idea to use reputable software and keep your iPhone locked with a passcode or Face ID for added security.

Q: Do I need to jailbreak my iPhone to use these transfer managers?
A: Absolutely not! These tools are designed to work with standard, non-jailbroken iPhones. Jailbreaking is not recommended for most users and can potentially void your warranty.

Q: Can I use these tools to transfer data to my Android friend’s phone?
A: Most of these tools are iPhone-specific, but some offer cross-platform support, allowing data transfer to Android devices. It’s like building a bridge between iOS island and Android land!

The future of iPhone data management

Peering into the crystal ball (which looks suspiciously like an iPhone screen!), here’s what we see for the future of iPhone data management:

• AI-Driven Personalization: Imagine a transfer tool that learns your preferences and streamlines your data management. AI might soon make this a reality, suggesting data to keep, backup, or delete based on your habits.
• Seamless Cross-Device Syncing: With advancements like iPhone mirroring currently being developed in macOS Sequoia, transferring data between devices could become as simple as dragging and dropping from your iPhone screen directly to your Mac. This will enhance the integration between iOS and macOS, allowing for more intuitive workflows across your devices.
• Enhanced Data Security: As our digital lives evolve, so will our need for robust security. Expect future tools to offer advanced encryption methods and biometric authentication features as standard options.
• Augmented Reality Integration: Picture managing your iPhone data in a 3D space, manipulating files like a digital Tony Stark. AR could revolutionize how we interact with and visualize our digital content.
• Predictive Transfers: Future tools might anticipate your needs, automatically suggesting data transfers based on your habits and upcoming events. Imagine a prompt like “Heading to the beach? Let’s transfer those summer playlists and e-books!”

Stay tuned as these trends and innovations continue to shape the future of iPhone data management. The integration of features like iPhone mirroring with macOS Sequoia marks the beginning of more seamless and efficient data management solutions. Keeping an eye on these developments can help you stay ahead in managing your iPhone’s data efficiently!

The final call

We have tried our best to cover almost all the best options, but if you are looking for some easy suggestions, here they go.

• If you need a balanced iPhone manager and data transfer tool, you should always go for iMazing.
• But if you need an easy way to transfer content between your iPhone and Android, AnyTrans is a quick option.
• If you need a full toolkit to access, fix, recover and manage your phone, Dr.Fone is great.
• You should also consider EaseUS MobiMover Free if you need a completely free option.

But, feel free to get a free trial version to see if it meets your needs best.

* Readers like you help support TheSweetBits. When you buy something through the links in this article, we may get a small commission at no extra charge to you.

<p>The post Best iPhone Manager & Transfer Software (2025) first appeared on TheSweetBits.</p>

What we are saying is this: fonts are essential. Picking the wrong font for even the right design can ruin the design altogether. But, how do you collect and manage the various fonts out there? You’re in the right place if you use a Mac for your design workflow.

TL;DR: the best Mac font managers right now

• Typeface 3
• FontBase
• Extensis Connect Fonts
• RightFont
• FontAgent
• Webfont
• flipping typical
• Fontcloud
• Monotype Fonts

Basics on macOS fonts

Just like every other Operating System, macOS requires many fonts to function.

The system ships with various fonts belonging to different categories. However, only some of them are the most essential for the OS and most third-party apps to function correctly.

The list includes fonts like AppleGothic, Arial, Comic Sans, Georgia, Impact, Tahoma, Times New Roman, Verdana, etc. However, if you use the iWork suite, you need more fonts like Chalkboard, Optima, Baskerville, Papyrus, Futura, etc. As you can guess, these are some of the cleanest-looking fonts too.

So, on an ideal day, you should not remove the mentioned fonts from macOS. Of course, you can’t remove most of them if you use macOS Catalina or later. But, as a designer or developer, these fonts are not enough. You can’t make the best design using these fonts alone. Apple recommends developers use fonts other than the standard ones we mentioned.

Well, that’s why macOS allows you to install third-party fonts on your Mac. According to Apple,

macOS supports TrueType (.ttf), Variable TrueType (.ttf), TrueType Collection (.ttc), OpenType (.otf), and OpenType Collection (.ttc) fonts. macOS Mojave adds support for OpenType-SVG fonts.

So, if you have a font with the extensions mentioned above, you can install it on macOS. Double-clicking on the font file will handle the installation for you. Quite simply, if you ask us.

But, you don’t always need all the fonts. You may have to disable, group, and manage fonts in general.

That’s why you need a font manager.

What about Apple’s own Font Book?

So, macOS ships with a decent utility called Font Book.

Font Book is the native font manager for macOS, offering you a platform to access/manage the fonts installed on the Mac. As you can see, the latest version of Font Book brings a lot of handy features.

You can see the list of System and User-installed fonts and categorize them. When you select a single font, it also shows a preview of how it looks. You can also create smart collections using this utility. At first look, you may think the Font Book is enough.

But, then, you should understand that a designer needs to handle hundreds of fonts at best. It’s when you’d start noticing some severe limitations with the Font Book utility. For instance,

• Font Book lacks many smart organization and customization options.
• It offers fewer options to compare and contrast two different fonts/variations.
• You also get limited options while trying to manage an individual macOS font.
• Font Book does not work with web-based font libraries such as Google Fonts.

These are some reasons why many professionals prefer using a third-party font manager on Mac.

It’s just that you should have the best of the best.

The 9 best font managers for Mac

Let’s look at some of the best font managers available for Mac. Don’t worry; we have hand-picked options from different categories.

How we evaluate and test apps

Our testing environment was simple. We had a moderately fast Mac mini with M1. To keep everything straight, we hand-tested more than 20 apps from the market and tried to use almost all the features. Based on our testing sessions, we’ve found the following 9 options of your dreams. (Read the full rundown of how we select tools to feature on TheSweetBits blog.)

#1 Typeface 3 (best overall)

Typeface 3 is a dedicated font manager for Mac and our favorite. We can easily recommend Typeface 3 for anyone needing complete font management experience. The latest version, Typeface 3, packs many features you cannot find on Apple’s Font Book or many other font managers.

Intuitive UI

Even if you are entirely new to fonts, Typeface 3 can help you navigate your way through. The UI allows you to focus on the specific aspect of the font(s) you consider. For instance, you can either have an overview of the font or explore how each character looks.

Font Compare

You can explore various font organization features in the Typeface 3 package. We are talking about additions like font filters, synced directories, multi-tagging, duplicate removal, tag export, etc. Its advanced “font compare” toggle lets you preview and compare two fonts side by side, you can also preview a font in different scenarios, like body text layouts.

Focused Management

If you deal with thousands of fonts, you will love the font management features on Typeface 3. For instance, you can enable specific font groups and use them as you want. In addition, the program integrates so well with macOS that it does not even feel like a third-party app.

Incredible Compatibility

Typeface 3 works great with other tools and platforms. First, you can easily import and manage fonts from Google and Adobe Fonts. It even comes with a drag-and-drop font activation feature for your favorite apps. You can seamlessly use it with Adobe CC and MS Office suite.

Pros

• Built and optimized for macOS (Apple Silicon, native)
• It packs font compare and many other features for professionals
• A lightweight app packed with productivity-focused options
• Advanced font management features and compatibility

Cons

• It does not offer a free version; only a free trial is available

Pricing: Typeface 3 offers a free trial, after which you need to pay $39.99. Alternatively, you can get the app via a Setapp subscription.

#2 FontBase (best free)

We recommend FontBase to designers who need to manage multiple fonts for free of charge. Compared to other tools we have mentioned, FontBase is a simpler option. At the same time, the program offers a clear overview of all the fonts you have installed.

Straightforward UI

Instead of adding so many options, FontBase has chosen a simple look. On the sidebar, you can find different categories and collections. On the right-hand side, you can see a representative list of fonts. So, when you search for fonts, you can see how they look in real-time.

Google Fonts Support

Like other options, FontBase also offers support for Google Fonts. It can easily download and install all the fonts from the Google Fonts library. In addition, you won’t have trouble organizing these fonts, thanks to features like nested folders and universal search.

Made for Beginners

Altogether, FontBase has been made and optimized for beginning designers. The core features allow you to organize and discover new fonts you need for projects. While the core app is free, a FontBase Awesome subscription offers additional features like auto-activation, multiple views, tag support, etc.

Pros

• A straightforward User Interface design with a sidebar
• Full support for Google Fonts and OpenType features
• Its features are made and optimized for beginning designers
• Advanced categorization and searching options for fonts

Cons

• Many features require the FontBase Awesome subscription
• FontBase lacks font comparison options for the most part

Pricing: FontBase is free; You can get additional features with the FontBase Awesome package, which costs $3 per month.

#3 Extensis Connect Fonts (best cloud-based)

Extensis Connect Fonts, formerly known as Suitcase Fusion, has undergone significant transformations since its integration into Monotype’s ecosystem. This cloud-based font management solution is designed to streamline the workflow of designers and creative professionals by providing advanced features that enhance font organization and usage.

Cloud-Based Management

Connect Fonts allows you to manage the font libraries in the cloud, ensuring easy access from multiple devices. This feature is particularly beneficial for teams working remotely or across different locations, as it facilitates seamless collaboration on projects.

AI-Recommended Font Pairings

One of the standout features of Connect Fonts is its AI-driven font pairing recommendations. When a user selects a font, the system suggests complementary fonts that work well together, streamlining the design process and enhancing aesthetic coherence in projects.

Collaboration Tools

You can create shared libraries of fonts and creative assets, ensuring that all team members have access to the same resources and maintaining consistency across projects. This is particularly useful for teams using Adobe Creative Cloud and other popular design tools.

Pros

• Automatic font pairing suggestions
• Intuitive font search functionality
• Auto-activate fonts in Adobe apps and Sketch

Cons

• The interface might not be as modern

Pricing: 15-day free trial is available, Connect Fonts is $9 per user per month; you can also purchase digital asset manager Connect Assets with separate subscriptions.

#4 RightFont

RightFont is another great choice for those who need a neat font manager for macOS. In many aspects, this app is similar to Typeface 3. However, some differences may appeal to specific purposes. For instance, RightFont offers a better layer of integration with professional apps.

Professional UI

The User Interface of RightFont is optimized for professional needs. It makes the best use of screen space to give you a neat overview of multiple fonts. In addition, the sidebar comes in handy more often than you think, mainly if you deal with thousands of fonts.

Better Integration

RightFont integrates itself better with macOS and other professional apps. For instance, the app can enable specific fonts when you open documents. Similarly, you can easily switch between fonts when using software suites like Adobe Creative Cloud and Affinity Publisher.

Powerful Search

The search function within the RightFont app is quite impressive for most people. It helps you search by the name and filter based on criteria such as category, weight, format, activation status, etc. Once again, if you use hundreds of fonts for a project, you can count on this feature.

Pros

• It offers better integration with macOS and professional apps
• You can sync with online font libraries like Google Fonts and Adobe Fonts
• It provides optimized performance for Apple Silicon-based Macs
• You get a reliable and space-optimized User Interface

Cons

• It lacks options for comparing different fonts
• It would be nice to see a tag-based categorization system

Pricing: Free trial available; individual license costs $59 and offers free updates for 12 months. You can also avail of discounts if you buy multiple licenses.

#5 FontAgent

FontAgent is an enterprise-centric font manager for Mac. The app has an old-school UI compared to other tools, and some people may struggle to get started. However, from an industrial point of view, you get some advantages.

Maximum Performance

FontAgent 10 has been optimized for Apple Silicon-based Macs. Therefore, you can enjoy better previewing and activation options within the package. The developer Insider also offers cloud-native solutions in an integrated and flexible font management platform to organize, distribute and control your fonts in your private cloud or the Insider Cloud.

Metadata Management

Compared to its contenders, FontAgent has better options for metadata management. This feature will come in handy if you deal with different aspects of fonts during design. You can also integrate tags and categories to organize the content better.

Catalog Management

You can enjoy additional features in catalog management as well. For instance, you can track where you are using a specific font. Similarly, there are options to detect duplicates and manage them better. In the end, the complicated UI becomes helpful in some situations.

Pros

• It is designed and optimized for enterprise needs
• FontAgent offers advanced metadata management
• Catalog management options are rich and effective
• It creates a suitable environment for collaboration

Cons

• The User Interface is old-school and complex
• The setup requires a lot of time

Pricing: A free trial is available; a Standard license of FontAgent 10 for Mac costs $99, but it does not provide upgrades.

#6 Webfont

Webfont is different from the other macOS font managers we have mentioned. This app lets you organize, maintain and share custom icon fonts and SVG sprites. You can also use its collaboration features if you work with icon fonts.

Complete Control

Webfont provides you with maximum control when it comes to custom font management. You can quickly import icons, customize the font, export them and use them for everyday needs. You would not have trouble with the steps, either.

Integrated Sharing

The Webfont app for macOS makes it easy to share custom icon fonts and SVG sprites with other apps and platforms. You can select the font and click on the Share button, and that’s it. This feature will be helpful if you work as a team where you need to manage multiple icon fonts.

Collaboration

Despite being a simple app, Webfont offers excellent collaboration features. You can invite designers to your team and share the collection with them. If you bring developers to the discussion, they can copy the CSS code directly and start working.

Pros

• A lightweight app with a pleasant User Experience design
• Suitable for individual and organization-level use-cases
• Optimized for managing custom font collections with ease
• Webfont makes it easy to create custom fonts and export them

Cons

• It does not work with standard fonts
• It lacks font comparison and metadata options

Pricing: Webfont is free to use, but you can have only 16 icons per project. You can get the Pro version for $9.99 per year if you want more icons in a project.

#7 flipping typical

If you are looking for a simple way to give you a WYSIWYG heads up of your fonts right in your browser, Flipping Typical may be the right thing for you. It’s a web browser font management tool that offers a quick font comparison on their website – where basically you can type any text and see the result with all the classic typefaces in real time – Pretty cool!

You can simply visit flippingtypical.com, type in some words and they instantly display in the typefaces you have installed. We like it because it’s good for brainstorming a quick font choice.

Pros

• have a quick overview of your fonts
• View fonts in bold and italics
• Direct and simple interface

Cons

• Only on browsers

Pricing: completely free!

#8 Fontcloud

Fontcloud, designed by Creative Fabrica, offers an simple font management solution within its all-in-one design tools ecosystem. As a creative professional, we found Fontcloud to be a valuable resource for storing fonts in the cloud and exploring a wide range of typefaces through its lightning-fast user interface with intelligent search capabilities.

One of the standout features of Fontcloud is its exceptional ease of use. Sorting through multiple font options becomes a smooth process, and the ability to view all characters within a font with a simple click is a time-saver during the design phase.

Fontcloud offers a secure backup service that is entirely free to use. However, for access to the platform’s unique features, such as graphic assets, distinctive fonts, and embroidery designs, a subscription purchase is necessary.

Pros

• User-friendly interface.
• Convenient font sorting and quick access from any location.
• Effortless preview of all font characters with a single click.
• Free secure backup service for added data protection.

Cons

• Subscription required to access exclusive features.

Pricing: It’s FREE.

#9 Monotype Fonts

Monotype Fonts happens to be the last option that you may need a font subscription service. As you may know, Monotype discontinues their FontExplorer X family of traditional font management products. With access to one of the world’s largest font libraries, designers can choose from thousands of fonts suitable for various use cases.

The platform not only provides a wide selection of fonts but also enables you to experiment with different styles and typography sets. Its user-friendly interface allows for the creation of countless prototypes. The Monotype Studio feature included in the subscription allows for easy categorization of fonts and a preview of how they will appear in different formats before the design process begins. Additionally, premium fonts can be tested before purchase.

Pros

• Vast selection of thousands of fonts
• Simplified activation and deactivation of fonts
• Extensive library for efficient font organization

Cons

• Pricing may be considered steep for some users
• Font comparison can be challenging

Pricing: starting at $99 per year for an individual user.

Tips for picking a font manager

So, you have seen the best font managers for Mac. But how do you pick the right one for your needs? Well, here are a few tips that can help you. We have made these tips into a few questions you can answer — and decide.

• What kind of designer are you?

Your expertise in design matters a lot when choosing a font manager. For example, if you’ve just started and need a place to organize your font collections, you’re better off with something like RightFont or FontBase.

On the other hand, if you want to delve into the world of fonts and customize every detail, you have to choose an advanced font manager. In that case, we recommend something like Typeface 3.

• Which software do you use?

Every design process has a preferred set of software for its workflow. Anyway, you have to consider the flow while picking a font manager. If you didn’t know, many font managers could integrate with software suites like Adobe Creative Cloud and iWork.

So having a font manager that can work with these tools on-demand is a huge relief.

• How many fonts do you have?

The size of your font collection — or the potential collection — also plays a role in deciding which is the best font manager for your needs. Because not all font managers are made alike, some can handle heavy-duty tasks better than others.

So, if you have a vast collection of 2000+ fonts, you need an advanced manager. On the other hand, if you have a well-curated collection, you can survive with minimal alternatives.

• Do you use web-based platforms?

If you use web-based platforms, such as Google Fonts or Adobe Fonts, you need a font manager that offers support for both. For instance, both Typeface 3 and Extensis Connect Fonts can work with several online font libraries, including paid ones.

Typeface 3, our top pick, has a one-click import option to download all the fonts from Google Fonts. If you value these features, you should ensure the support first.

• (How much) Do you want to pay?

This article covers both free and paid font managers for Mac. Even in the paid section, you can find products that vary between $20 and $150. You can pick any font management tool depending on your style and features.

The right font manager can boost your productivity like anything, just like an underpowered font manager can slow you down. So, we recommend understanding your needs and choosing the product accordingly.

On top of all these, you should also consider basic concepts like security, privacy, and reliability. You can do this by choosing products from trusted developers, which is the case for all software suites we’ve recommended above.

Tips for managing fonts on Mac

If you have found the right manager, here are some font management tips for Mac that you can follow.

• You should always try to refine your collection of fonts. While it’s good to have thousands of fonts on your Mac, they also add load on the system. Also, finding the right font may take time, even when you have tens of categories.
• Making the best use of smart collections is a great way. Most font managers have an option to create a smart collection, to which fonts are automatically added. This way, even if you forget to put fonts into categories, you will benefit from a well-organized font library.
• Using web font libraries is also an excellent way to keep font management under control. For example, a simple sync with Google Fonts can give you a comprehensive collection of suitable fonts. This is way better than downloading and installing individual fonts from the web.
• Instead of using the predetermined directories on macOS, transfer your fonts to a new folder. It will help you in the smooth management of fonts, even without a dedicated manager. Even in the worst case, you can open up this folder and delete the files — thereby removing the fonts.

We hope these tips help you manage fonts well on your Mac.

The future of typography

The future of typography is brimming with exciting possibilities, driven by technological advancements, changing user preferences, and a continuous search for meaning and expression. Here are some key trends and predictions shaping the typographic landscape:

• Variable fonts become the norm, flexibly adapting across screens and devices.
• AI-powered tools generate diverse and adaptable typefaces.
• Personalized font choices emerge with generative design, shaped by user preferences and context.
• Open-source collaboration leads sustainable font development.

FAQs

• How do I manage my fonts on Mac?

Managing your fonts is easy, and all you need to do is run the Font Book app on your Mac or go to the library folder and look for the “Fonts” folder, or you can also use any other third-party app such as Typeface to manage all your fonts quickly.

• Where do fonts go on a Mac?

All your fonts are stored in the library folder. You can view the folder by holding the “Option” key and clicking on Library. Finally, look for (Library/Fonts), and you will see all the available fonts.

• Do fonts slow down my Mac?

Fonts are small files that don’t impact your Mac’s performance. However, if you have many fonts, it can get a little choppy as all your apps need to scan through many fonts to select the one to use.

• What font does Apple use?

Apple uses their proprietary “San Francisco” or SF font, first released in 2015. It is present across all your Apple devices, making the experience consistent and easy to remember.

• How do you download fonts on a Mac?

Downloading fonts on Macs is as easy as downloading the font from your browser, going to the download folder, running the .ttf file, and installing the fonts by clicking on the “Install Font” button. Finally, just use a font manager and select the font as default.

• How do I turn off protected fonts on a Mac?

You can remove or disable all the protected fonts on your Mac. Just run the Font Book app and then click on a font. Now, click the “Disable” or the “Remove” button to turn off the protected fonts.

Conclusion

We have shared everything that helps us effectively manage and use fonts on macOS. We have made even the product picks based on our months-long experience. And we have been using many of these programs for years. So here are some quick recommendations based on what we have discussed above.

• Typeface 3 is the best option for most people; it provides a seamless font management experience on Mac, thanks to its brilliant features.
• If you need a simple font manager, you can check out FontBase, which is entirely free to use and excellent to manage.
• On the other hand, if you have custom enterprise and cloud needs, you can get Extensis Connect Fonts, which comes with customization and digital assets management.

As we have said, always choose a font manager that suits your needs. Getting an advanced font manager by paying more than $100 doesn’t make you a Pro at fonts. Understanding this, you must select a font manager that suits your requirements.

* Readers like you help support TheSweetBits. When you buy something through the links in this article, we may get a small commission at no extra charge to you.

<p>The post Best Font Manager Apps for Mac (and a Few Tips) first appeared on TheSweetBits.</p>

Preview in Mac is a great PDF viewer and annotator, but it’s not enough for editing. Normally, people have to convert the PDF file to something else and edit it afterward. That isn’t the most convenient option, either.

That is why a fully-fledged PDF editor for Mac makes sense! Fortunately, there is an impressive variety of Mac PDF editing programs.

And, Adobe Acrobat Pro is most people’s go-to option.

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC is great, but…

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC has been the standard for PDF editing for quite a long time. Considering that Adobe built the format, it’s quite not surprising. Anyway, it’s not a great reason to keep using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC as the macOS PDF editor.

The Good: Acrobat Pro DC is undoubtedly one of the most powerful PDF solutions out there. You can get the best results if you use other Adobe products. If you use Adobe Reader to view PDF documents, you can have the benefits of a familiar UI as well.

The Bad: Even then, Acrobat Pro DC does not offer the best User Interface in town. Sure, it gets the job done, but that’s not enough. We cannot recommend Acrobat Pro DC when you want to edit multiple documents and manage everything with ease.

The Ugly: Acrobat Pro DC is damn expensive. It comes with a monthly subscription charge of $14.99. Adobe Pro 2017, an older, standalone version, is available for a hefty price tag of $449. These rates are way beyond what a normal user can afford.

We believe these reasons are enough for anyone to look for an Adobe Acrobat alternative — or one better PDF editor for Mac.

What makes a good Adobe acrobat alternative?

There are quite a few alternatives to Adobe Acrobat, and most of them do the job quite well. However, before we start exploring them, it would help to look at the criteria that help decide the best PDF editors on your Mac.

Simple user interface: The PDF Editor must have an easy-to-use UI. It must be non-distracting and functional. We always recommend a UI that works well with single-document and multi-document management, and a multi-tabbed design is great.

Easy & advanced PDF editing: Advanced editing tools are a must-have in a PDF editing tool. Automated selection recognition is great since it enables easy editing of other components like images, boxes, shapes, and signatures.

Pricing: One of the reasons we need an Acrobat alternative is the pricing aspect. Therefore, we have to find PDF editors that offer better value for money. It does not always mean paying less than Acrobat. Instead, we are looking for programs that offer a balance between their price and features.

Additional Features: The ideal PDF editor should have additional features as well. On top of the list are Optical Character Recognition, PDF security management, and Digital Signing. You may, indeed, go for a minimal editor, though.

Top Adobe Acrobat alternatives for Mac

In the past two weeks, we looked over 20 PDF editing apps for personal use and evaluated 10 professional-grade options. Based on our thorough evaluation, we’ve handpicked these tools that stand as worthy replacements for Adobe Acrobat Pro. Additionally, we’ve outlined the specific purposes for which each app shines. Read the full rundown of how we select tools to feature on TheSweetBits blog.

• PDF Expert: Best Overall For Mac/iPadOS
• PDFelement: AI-Powered PDF Editor
• Nitro PDF Pro: Premium Option
• pdfFiller: Web-based Acrobat Alternative
• PDF Chef: for Beginners/Personal Use
• Able2Extract Professional: For Professional PDF Management
• ABBYY FineReader: Best For OCR Capability

#1 PDF Expert: Best Overall For Mac/iPadOS

PDF Expert is one of the most popular PDF editors, available for Mac, iPad, and iPhone. It lets you annotate, edit, scan & OCR, and export PDF documents efficiently. With the latest update, PDF Expert has acquired plenty of advanced features, especially for macOS Sonoma. This comprehensive PDF editor is the best choice when you need a hassle-free PDF experience across macOS, iOS, and iPadOS.

UI

PDF Expert has an intuitive User Interface design focused on productivity. The multi-tab design makes it easy to manage many PDF documents simultaneously. In addition, because there are four sections, you won’t be bombarded with too many buttons or toolbars. Instead, you can conveniently shift between options to edit, annotate, OCR, or export.

Editing Options

The PDF editing tools in the PDF Expert package are sufficient for most people. In addition to standard annotation tools, you also get Stamp and Signature support. You can also use PDF Expert to remove and add different elements to a document. We tried editing multiple types of documents with PDF Expert, and the tool could manage everything easily.

Compatibility

PDF Expert is available for both macOS, iPadOS, and iOS. It also enables content sync between the devices. So, if you want to access documents you created using PDF Expert for macOS, you can easily do it from an iPhone or iPad. On iPad, you can expect more from PDF Expert thanks to native support for Apple Pencil. We also love the PDF Expert widgets on Mac and iPad.

Additional Features

We love the Smart Scan feature attached to the OCR module. You can open a scanned PDF, go to the OCR & Scan section, and scan the document. It does an impressive job of recognizing text and arranging everything. Then, Smart Enhance uses AI to make your scanned PDF look better. The quick options to compress PDFs and password-protect documents are also impressive.

Pricing

The multi-device bundle from PDF Expert is available for $79.99 annually, providing you with access to Mac, iPad, and iPhone. However, if you just want the Mac version, you can get a lifetime license for $139.99. PDF Expert offers a seven-day free trial as well.

PDF Expert vs. Adobe Acrobat Pro

In terms of features, pricing, and compatibility, PDF Expert is a more balanced package than Adobe Acrobat Pro. We also noticed that PDF Expert offers more options to create a PDF document from scratch. The best part is that PDF Expert works great natively on your Mac, even if you do not have other Adobe products. At the end of the day, this PDF editor does not take up a lot of system resources, either.

#2 PDFelement: AI-Powered PDF Editor

It’s time we normalize getting the best out of AI, and PDFelement brings the power of AI to PDF editing. The best part about PDFelement for Mac is that it is a great PDF editor even without the AI tools. You get a clean and powerful environment to deal with various PDF documents. You get all these features while paying half what you would for Adobe Acrobat.

UI

PDFelement for Mac has one of the most pleasant UI designs we have seen on a PDF editor, too. It looks so pretty, and you can easily manage multiple PDF documents without bothering about the clumsiness. The customizability of the UI is also impressive in that you get to choose what appears on the screen. Like PDF Expert, PDFelement also lets you toggle between different sets of tools.

Editing Options

Even when we exclude AI editing options, the editing capabilities of PDFelement are impressive. For instance, in the edit system, you can easily choose between different elements and modify them. And when you want to redact or encrypt the document, you have tools right under the specific table. Once again, the tool could handle almost every PDF document we threw at it.

Compatibility

PDFelement is also one of the most compatible PDF editor apps we have seen. The dedicated apps are available for Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad and Android. You can also use the scanning app to bring the content straight to the PDF editor. Lastly, there is also an option to use these services from the cloud. But as you can guess, many of these cross-platform devices are only available on the premium plan.

Additional Features

We noticed that PDFelement comes with several tools, including AI-powered ones. For instance, you can OCR and watermark the content or add page numbers as you wish. There are also options to crop pages and arrange them as per the design. The AI tools include instant translation, proofreading, and an AI sidebar which makes document management easier.

Pricing

PDFelement comes with a couple of options when you need premium features. There is a yearly plan that sets you back at $79.99, or you can get the permanent version by paying $40 more. The premium plans offer AI features via ChatGPT as well.

PDFelement vs. Adobe Acrobat

Compared to Adobe Acrobat, PDFelement for Mac is a more intuitive and user-friendly option. You also get the benefits of Artificial Intelligence by paying almost half the price. Overall, it has what it takes to replace Adobe Acrobat on any day. You should also consider how feature-rich PDFelement is compared to the Adobe counterpart.

#3 Nitro PDF Pro: Premium Option

Nitro PDF Pro (formerly PDFpenPro from Smile Software) is one of the best PDF editing options available for macOS. So, if you need a PDF editor that can get the job done without compromising performance and usability, you should consider getting this instead of Adobe Acrobat. However, unlike the other products we have covered, Nitro PDF Pro is a rather expensive option, but you get certain benefits in terms of scalability.

UI

We cannot say that Nitro PDF Pro has the best or the most intuitive UI. However, it gets the job done when it comes to the essential editing, annotating and form-filling tasks. But when you want to set up things and scale the proportions of your work, the UI becomes a game-changer. It would have been nice to see a few more customization options, though.

Editing Options

While there are standard editing options, you might need some time to figure out how they work. On the other hand, it feels elementary to annotate or modify the PDF. There are additional options for drawing and filling form items within the PDF document as well. However, you get the upper hand when it comes to inserting new pages and adding DOC entries to the document.

Compatibility

Nitro PDF Pro for Mac is now managed by Nitro, which is an industry leader when it comes to PDF solutions. So you can make use of the products across different platforms without worrying about performance or major changes in the UI. Even if you want to go to the enterprise level, the e-signing and information management features from Nitro are impressive.

Additional Features

Compared to Adobe Acrobat and most of the alternatives, Nitro PDF Pro is a focused PDF editor. It translates to the tool having fewer additional features. However, you will be able to customize and use the features according to your needs. But you will have to choose them from one of the available subsections. You have advanced OCR capabilities, which are the best in the industry.

Pricing

As we said earlier, Nitro PDF Pro is an expensive option, and you will have to pay $140 to get your hands on this tool. There are options for subscriptions, but they are also expensive. On the bright side, you can have access to Nitro PDF Pro with a Setapp subscription, which you can get for just $10 a month.

Nitro PDF Pro vs. Adobe Acrobat

Even though both Nitro PDF Pro and Adobe Acrobat are equally expensive, Nitro PDF Pro offers a couple of options that you can’t find on Adobe. For instance, advanced control over the OCR process and enterprise scalability are some things that you should look forward to. And it is great that you have options to access the tool through other subscriptions like Setapp, which is not the case with Adobe.

Read our full Nitro PDF review.

#4 pdfFiller: Web-based Acrobat Alternative

If you are looking for a performance-focused but convenient web-based alternative to Adobe Acrobat, you should check out pdfFiller. This platform comes with all the features you need to create and edit PDF documents, enable protection, and carry out tasks such as e-signatures. And you can explore all these features from the same interface.

UI

As you can expect, pdfFiller has one of the best UIs we have seen on web-based PDF editors. When you get started, you can upload or import the PDF document before you start the editing process. For what it’s worth, the web-based editor works as efficiently as you would expect a native editor to work. As long as you have a stable internet connection, you can expect the best performance too.

Editing Options

The editing options with pdfFiller are pretty straightforward and content-focused. As soon as you open the interface, you can select the element that you want to modify. For instance, when you select a picture, you have an option to move it to someplace else. On the other hand, through the simple shortcuts on the side, you can easily insert signatures, watermarks, and even fillable fields inside the document.

Compatibility

Perhaps the best thing about PDF filler is that you don’t have to worry about which device you access it from. Even if you open it from a mobile device, you can expect a decent editing experience. For those who are on the fly, it means you don’t have to install a native client on your device. And as we said earlier, an internet connection would ensure that everything is working super fine.

Additional Features

If you are willing to pay, the premium plans from pdfFiller offer many options that you can’t find elsewhere. For instance, you get to create reusable templates and offer easier options for US legal forms. There are also options to collect and export data with little effort. The ability to set up advanced workflows and online FAQ support is also impressive when you think from an enterprise point of view.

Pricing

If you don’t want to use the restrictive free plan, you can choose between three plans, which start from as low as $8 a month. Compared to Adobe Acrobat, it is a very inexpensive option, but the features that you get will depend on the price you are ready to pay.

pdfFiller vs. Adobe Acrobat

Even though Adobe Acrobat offers certain web-based features, they are not as efficient as the ones we have come across in pdfFiller. And compared to this difference in features, the price you pay for PDF filler is incredibly low. Therefore, it is a great alternative if you prefer managing PDF documents using a web-based interface.

#5 PDF Chef: for Beginners/Personal Use

Are you looking for a super simple PDF editor that is suitable for beginners? In that case, PDF Chef is a suitable option. You might have heard the name through its set of web-based tools, but the desktop version for Mac is a great option for most users with personal needs. You can avail all these benefits without worrying about the security of the PDF documents in question.

UI

The first thing you would notice about the user interface of PDF Chef is that it is a bare-bones structure. On the left side, you get a sidebar and there are options for editing the document. You can also choose between multiple viewing options and the zooming amount at your convenience. Once again you have a multi-tabbed design which is a great option for managing multiple documents.

Editing Options

Even though PDF Chef does not have a lot of editing options, the available options are pretty straightforward. You have a collection of buttons to insert images, text elements or a signature, and you can change each element through the sidebar that appears on the right. There is a separate menu for annotation as well if you would like to make changes on that side of the PDF.

Compatibility

PDF Chef could be the least compatibility-friendly option on this list. Currently, the desktop version is available only for Windows and macOS. And there is no way to sync between different devices. So that is an area where the simplicity of the tool becomes a problem for some people at least. But if multi-device syncing and a similar UI on mobile devices are not an issue, the compatibility aspect of PDF 2022 should be just fine.

Additional Features

Once again, PDF Chef does not have many additional features to talk about. But, if you are looking for specific features, you can check out the online version, which is known for its utility-oriented take. However, I would appreciate it if the developers could add at least a basic version of OCR. Currently, you need another tool if you want to deal with scanned PDFs.

Pricing

The pricing plans of PDF Chef are pretty straightforward. You can get the PDF Chef cloud plan by paying $35.99, and you get access to the macOS, iOS and web versions of the tools. However, if you want a lifetime license of just the macOS app, you can simply pay $45.99, and you get 1 GB of cloud storage for 6 months.

PDF Chef vs. Adobe Acrobat

It must be obvious that PDF Chef is not as feature-rich or advanced as Adobe Acrobat. But, on the bright side, you don’t have to pay as much as you would for Adobe Acrobat Pro. Furthermore, when you need a simple user interface and rather optimized workflow for editing and annotating PDF files, PDF Chef is something that you can rely on. The pricing options as we have seen are pretty reasonable for most users.

#6 Able2Extract Professional: For Professional PDF Management

If you are looking for the same set of features that you get on Adobe Acrobat Pro but do not want to pay as much, you should consider getting Able2Extract Professional. Due to this reason alone, Able2Extract Professional becomes a smart choice for those who want to handle a wider variety of PDF documents at an enterprise level.

UI

Because it is designed for professional purposes, Able2Extract Professional 18 comes with a rather complex user interface. One might find it a little intimidating at first, but you can master the entire toolbox and the tab system within a few minutes. It is worth noting that you can have better control over the document because the options are spread across different tabs.

Editing Options

The editing options on Able2Extract Professional 18 are impressive indeed. For instance, you can adjust existing elements, and you get definitive options for redacting and deleting information. You also get separate tools to manage form-based elements within the PDF document. Under the review tab, you can also add stamp highlights and sticky notes to make sure that you are navigating through the PDF properly.

Compatibility

Because it’s an enterprise-level tool, able to extract Professional 18 comes with a better line of compatibility. The tool is available for Windows and macOS, and you can make it work on mobile devices as well. But the best part about the compatibility aspect of this PDF editor is that it can scale itself according to your requirements.

Additional Options

The first thing you would notice among the additional features of this tool is the incredible support for files and batch conversion options. For instance, you can easily convert HTML, AutoCAD and image files with the help of this tool. There are also options to enable searchable PDF, which is another way of saying OCR. Finally, there is an option to extract data from the tables that you may find in a PDF document.

Pricing

The full license of Able2Extract Professional 18 is available for $199.95. But, if you just want to use the tool for 30 days, you can get the 30-day license for just $99.95. While it’s true that the tool is expensive, the sheer number of features that you get on the package is just impressive.

Able2Extract Professional vs. Adobe Acrobat

Able2Extract Professional is a better option than Adobe Acrobat Pro if you are looking for advanced control and compatibility. Because this tool is made for advanced users, you have the option to use multiple file formats and have finer controls over each element in a PDF file. Considering that this is a power tool and that you can save the money that you would otherwise spend on multiple utilities, it is a reasonable pick.

#7 ABBYY FineReader: Best For OCR Capability

ABBYY FineReader is the best PDF editor and Acrobat alternative when you need the best results in terms of OCR. Therefore, it is a common pick for those who want better control over scanned PDF documents and other files that one might come across at the professional or enterprise levels. But it is important to note that ABBYY FineReader does not compromise on the standard PDF editing features either.

UI

The first thing we noticed about ABBYY FineReader is that it comes in a colossal package. It is because the OCR capabilities of this tool are off the charts. On the bright side, once you have set up the tool, the user interface looks pretty simple, and you can get the hang of all the features in a few minutes. The quick conversion options make sure that you can turn scanned documents into editable content.

Editing Options

The editing options on the ABBYY FineReader app are pretty rich. You have the option to go through different tabs and enable different types of edits. And the detection algorithm is pretty quick in that it can recognize what kind of content you are dealing with on each page. And once you are done, the export options are also pretty good.

Compatibility

The compatibility aspect of the ABBYY FineReader app is impressive in that it works with different sources. For instance, when you want to scan something, you can use the continuity camera option or a connected scanner. The huge package of the tool has been optimized to work natively on Mac. The tool also has features so that you can easily accommodate scanned content.

Additional Features

As we said earlier, the biggest strength of this tool is the OCR capabilities. You can use this tool to OCR documents that are made in different languages, and the support and accuracy of these conversions are increasing day by day because we are dealing with enterprise-level software. You can also expect on-time support, which is great when you are scaling.

Pricing

As opposed to what you may think, ABBYY FineReader PDF for Mac is not an expensive option. You can get the 1-year license of this tool for just $69, which is not much compared to the features you get.

ABBYY FineReader PDF vs. Adobe Acrobat

If you can prioritize OCR, accuracy and finer controls over increased compatibility, ABBYY FineReader PDF is indeed a better option than Adobe Acrobat. And considering the features you get in the package, the price you pay is pretty low as well. However, we should note that the FineReader PDF OCR app is colossal and takes up plenty of resources on your Mac. And it is not an option we recommend if you want to keep a minimal load.

Read our full Abbyy FineReader review.

Free options you can try

#8 UPDF Editor

UPDF PDF Editor is a great option when you need a free Adobe Acrobat alternative for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android. The free version of the app packs almost all the features you need for reading, editing, annotating and converting PDF documents. You can also integrate features like OCR and PDF compression, and the AI ability to do all these things in batch is great indeed.

#9 Preview in macOS

The preview and notes apps in macOS Sequoia have also gotten so much better these days. And you can expect better PDF editing options later this year. So if you want to keep things minimal and want to stick to something free, you should always use the preview app. Even though it might not have fully-fledged PDF editing options, it is great for annotation and markup.

#10 Acrobat Reader

Finally, you can use Acrobat Reader for basic edits on the PDF. Even though it is a PDF reader, you get basic options for annotating and markup options on the PDF document. So, if you don’t want to create a document from scratch or remove something major from the content, it is an option that you can consider. It might be a little annoying because of the regular pop-ups, though.

FAQs

Is there a free version of Adobe Acrobat available for Mac?

Yes, Adobe offers a free version called Adobe Acrobat Reader for Mac, which allows users to perform basic PDF tasks like viewing and filling forms. However, advanced editing and professional features require a paid subscription. For more robust free or affordable alternatives, apps like Nitro PDF Pro or UPDF provide enhanced editing options for Mac users.

What is the Apple equivalent of Adobe Acrobat?

Apple’s built PDF app, Preview, is the native equivalent to Adobe Acrobat on Mac. It provides a user-friendly interface for viewing, annotating, signing, and filling PDFs.

Can I rely solely on Preview instead of Adobe Acrobat on Mac?

For most Mac users, Preview is sufficient for everyday PDF tasks like reading, annotating, signing, and basic form filling. It is faster, free, and well-integrated into macOS. However, if you require advanced PDF editing, redaction, complex form creation, or enterprise-level features, Adobe Acrobat or other paid alternatives like PDFelement or PDF Expert are better suited. Many users keep both apps installed and use Preview for simple tasks and Acrobat for advanced needs.

The bottom line

So, these are the good alternatives to Adobe Acrobat for macOS you can find today. We have tried to suggest PDF editors that work well for particular needs. We hope it helps you choose the right one.

If you are still confused and want a PDF editor that’s easy and effective and similar to Adobe Acrobat, you can go with our pick, PDF Expert. As far as you don’t need anything fancy out there, that choice won’t go wrong. However, if you think you need more advanced features to manage documents, we recommend Nitro PDF Pro or Able2Extract Professional. But if you need the power of AI to improve your PDF documents, you can check out PDFelement.

* Readers like you help support TheSweetBits. When you buy something through the links in this article, we may get a small commission at no extra charge to you.

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Virtual Machine software, also known as VM software and desktop virtualization tools, makes it possible for you to run other operating systems within your Mac. Because these virtual desktops use virtual hardware, it is not necessary to reboot your Mac to run Windows or Linux. Instead, you can open the corresponding VM software and run the OS.

With the unleashed power of Apple Silicon chips, Macs have come a long way with virtualization. So, you get a lot of options when you need powerful virtual machine software for your MacBook, iMac, or Mac mini. It can be a little confusing, though.

To make sure you make an informed decision, check out our guide on the best virtual machine software for Mac.

TheSweetBits’ top 3 VM software picks

• Parallels Desktop: best for overall ease of use and seamless Windows integration.
• VMware Fusion Player: best for advanced users who need maximum control over their virtual machines.
• VirtualBox: best for free and lightweight virtual machine solution.

Virtualization on Macs

Since macOS Big Sur, Macs support both Intel and Apple Silicon processors. While this is great for Mac apps, it adds complexity to virtualization.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Intel Macs: Virtualization is straightforward. Popular operating systems like Windows and Linux run smoothly due to their established presence on Intel platforms.
• Apple Silicon Macs (M1/M2/M3): Virtualization options are more limited. While ARM versions of Windows 11 exist, they achieve compatibility by emulating x86 processors. So, you’re essentially running a virtual machine with Windows for ARM, further emulating an x86 environment. This can impact performance.

The takeaway: Virtualization on Intel Macs remains simpler, while Apple Silicon users face limitations and potential performance trade-offs.

Because of these limitations, choosing the right virtual machine software is even more important for Apple Silicon users. Here’s a breakdown of the best solutions we found.

Best virtual machine software for Mac users

We tested over 20 virtual machine options for Mac and picked the top 3 (see how we choose our tools). Discover the best solutions for running Windows or other operating systems on your Mac, including Parallels, VMware, and VirtualBox.

#1 Parallels Desktop: overall ease of use & seamless integration

Parallels Desktop is currently the easiest and most efficient way to run Virtual Machines on your Mac. Even though it packs many more features than traditional virtual machine software, Parallels Desktop works just as efficiently when installing Windows, Linux, or Chrome OS on your MacBook or iMac. After using this tool for over a couple of years, we believe Parallels Desktop deserves the top position on this list.

Getting Started

After you have installed Parallels Desktop on your Mac, it takes only a few minutes to start using your first VM.

Parallels Desktop gives you two options to create a VM during the setup wizard. First, you can use one of the existing operating system ISO files from your storage. Or, you can directly download popular OSs like Linux or Windows from the official source. In the second method, the setup becomes super-quick because Parallels Desktop knows what you are downloading. As a result, you will have a ready-to-use virtual machine in a few minutes.

So, we’d say that it is effortless to get started with Parallels Desktop. This feature is helpful if you do not have experience with virtual machine software.

What We Loved

First and foremost, Parallels Desktop is incredibly easy to use. You do not need technical expertise from start to finish. But, if you have experience with virtualization and VMs, you can go all the way in. In addition, the app offers a significant level of customization options. In other words, it is safe to say that Parallels Desktop brings the best of both worlds.

But you should not judge Parallels Desktop based on ease of use. This virtual machine software does not hold back in terms of performance, especially if you have an Apple Silicon Mac. Regardless of the OS you are running; you can expect near-native performance on your Mac computer. It is almost like using the OS on a different device, but it is within your Mac.

Parallels Desktop also comes with a suite of utilities aptly named Parallels Toolbox. This collection contains many valuable apps you may need while dealing with multiple Operating Systems. For instance, you can use one of the utilities to set up alarms, record the screen content, and set up a world clock. Of course, these options are in addition to the standard customization options available for every virtual machine.

We should also remember that Parallels Desktop for Mac is primarily designed to run Windows on Mac. It does this job so well that you may not need to purchase a separate Windows PC in the first place. You also get several excellent features like Coherence Mode, using which you can launch Windows apps right from the macOS dock.

What Could Be Better

While Parallels Desktop offers a seamless experience of creating and managing virtual machines, the tool is not perfect. For instance, you may notice that Parallels Desktop does not provide many features when you set up a Linux virtual machine. You cannot use the Coherence Mode or use the power utilities. You may come across additional limitations based on the Linux distro you are running.

We also noticed that ultimate customization options on Parallels Desktop are only available in the Business or Pro editions. For instance, if you want to explore advanced virtual networking tools or Visual Studio plug-ins for development, you must pay an additional price. It may not be a great option if you have a limited budget.

Availability and Pricing

Parallels Desktop for Mac is available for Intel-based and Apple Silicon-based Mac notebooks and desktops. It works great with the latest M2 Pro processors as well. However, you should not expect the best speeds using Intel-based Macs.

The Standard Edition of Parallels Desktop is available for $89.99 as a one-time payment. However, if you like the Pro or Business editions, you have to pay $119.99 and $149.99 per year, respectively. The company has some exciting offers for students and educators.

Pros

• Easy setup.
• Good performance (especially on Apple Silicon Macs).
• Extensive customization options, pre-configured options for popular OS installations.
• Suite of helpful utilities (Parallels Toolbox).

Cons

• Limited free features.
• Advanced customization requires a paid Pro or Business edition.

Our Take

Parallels Desktop is ideal for users who prioritize a user-friendly experience and want to run Windows on their Mac as smoothly as possible. It offers features like Coherence Mode, which lets you run Windows apps directly from the macOS dock, mimicking a native experience.

#2 VMware Fusion Player: maximum control over your VMs

VMware Fusion Player is another great virtual machine software for Mac, especially when you need better control over your VMs. As you may know, VMware is one of the trusted names in virtualization and related technologies. And VMware Fusion is currently the gold standard in the industry. However, VMware Fusion Player has been optimized for ease of use and better control without all the technical expertise.

Getting Started

Installing VMware Fusion Player on Mac is an easy task. You can download the installation file from VMware official website and finish the installation in a few minutes.

However, unlike Parallels Desktop, VMware Fusion Player does not offer many direct-installation options. It means you have to download the ISO file on your own and use the file to create the virtual machine. On the bright side, you can drag and drop the file into the VMware Fusion Player interface. Therefore, if you have some technical expertise with virtual machines, it may come in handy while dealing with this virtual machine software. Unfortunately, we also had to spend considerable time with this setup.

While we do not think the getting-started process is a dealbreaker, we would love to see something simpler, especially considering that VMware Fusion Player is made for a versatile audience.

What We Loved

One thing we love the most about VMware Fusion Player is the amount of control it offers. It does not matter which OS you virtualize; the app gives you great power. For instance, if you want to set up the virtual machine as an independent device in terms of the network. You also get better control over how the machine consumes resources. These features are helpful when running a virtual machine on your MacBook.

Compared to Parallels Desktop, VMware Fusion Player works great with a better variety of platforms. It is a great option to try little-known Linux distros or a fork of Chrome OS. Again, it is possible due to how much control a user gets in the process. When you start, VMware Fusion Player shows different options to create a custom virtual machine with the correct firmware, configuration, and other aspects.

For instance, if you want professional-level virtualization, you may want to install the Photon OS build from VMware. Fortunately, the app has a pre-built profile for these containers, making the whole ordeal much more effortless. Therefore, if you want to experiment with virtual machines and exclusive builds, we suggest you go with VMWare Fusion Player instead of other options.

We also loved that VMware Fusion Player remains easy to manage once you have set it up. For instance, it will automatically save the state of the virtual machine when you close the window. So you can resume the task you were doing. In addition, the ability to change almost every aspect of the VM, including network and removable media, is impressive.

What Could Be Better

We felt that VMware Fusion Player is not optimized for beginners. While we understand that the app has a professional design, it would not hurt the developer to include some direct-install options. It will help users get the latest OS version from the official source. In addition to saving time, such a feature can be a great path toward ensuring security.

Getting the maximum performance on Windows within Mac is also tricky when using VMware Fusion. We would love to see some optimization on this matter. In particular, saving and retrieving the status of the VM takes an extended amount of time compared to how Parallels Desktop does it. The previous problem, which puts the burden of finding the latest OS version on the user, does not help, either.

Availability and Pricing

VMware Fusion Player is available for macOS and Windows, among other platforms. You can download the app from the official website. As you can guess, this virtual machine software has complete support for M1 and M2 chips from the Apple Silicon series.

One great thing about VMware Fusion Player for Mac is its multiple licensing options. So, if you want to build a VM for non-commercial needs, you can get a free license from VMware, which also offers customer tech support. But if you want advanced features, premium plans start at $149.

Pros

• Powerful customization options.
• Good performance with various operating systems.
• Supports a wider range of guest OS options compared to Parallels.

Cons

• Less user-friendly setup compared to Parallels.
• Might require some technical knowledge to use all features effectively.
• free version has limited features.

Our Take

VMware Fusion is ideal for Developers, IT professionals, or users who need to run specific Linux distributions or custom OS builds. It provides granular control over resource allocation, networking configurations, and advanced features like nested virtualization.

#3 VirtualBox: free and lightweight virtual machine solution

Since its beginning, VirtualBox from Oracle has been a go-to virtual machine software for Mac. However, the app was a little late to bring native support for Apple Silicon chips. However, at the time of writing, VirtualBox works great with M1 and M2-powered MacBooks, iMacs, and Mac minis. So, we believe this free-to-use app should be one of the options worth your consideration.

Getting Started

Even though Oracle VirtualBox is not as advanced as other virtual machine software on this list, we found it incredibly easy to set up your virtual machine.

As it happens, VirtualBox does a great job assisting you in the process. For instance, when you click the New button and select the ISO file, VirtualBox will identify the OS and fill in some sections for you. This feature can make things easier if you do not know how to set up a custom virtual machine on your Mac. However, you should not expect it to work with not-so-known operating system images. Overall, we would not say the setup process is too complex.

Once you have set up your virtual machine, VirtualBox will show everything on a single dashboard. It seems more straightforward than the other options we have tried.

What We Loved

We should start with how lightweight VirtualBox is compared to other virtual machine software, such as VMware Fusion or Parallels Desktop. It also means you do not have to worry about the app taking up much storage space or system resources. Rest assured, it keeps all the Operating System images you’ve installed via VirtualBox.

Despite being simple and having a minimal software footprint, VirtualBox offers a lot of room for customizing the virtual machine. For instance, you can choose between an automated or manual installation. Naturally, you will find the second option more interesting if you want to customize how the virtual machine works. However, whenever there is an option for automated installation, VirtualBox will show the option.

Because it is designed for various users, VirtualBox offers additional controls from easy interfaces. So, if you want to send a keyboard command to the virtual machine, it will be easier. Of course, you might miss out on advanced features like the Coherence Mode in Parallels Desktop, but it is another story altogether. In short, for the most part, we loved how

What Could Be Better

Despite its simplicity, the UI of Oracle VirtualBox is old-school, to say the least. As a result, VirtualBox can be less intuitive than other apps for running virtual machines. Therefore, we think the app is due for a UI refresh shortly. We also noticed that the UI has been kept this way so people can manage multiple VMs from a single scene.

Performance boosting is also something we would like to see in VirtualBox. At this point, the app does not offer any option to improve the performance of the VMs. You should not expect any features like Coherence Mode or hybrid mode. In short, VirtualBox does not cut it if you want to create a VM that runs as well as the Mac or PC you are using.

Availability and Pricing

VirtualBox is available for the latest version of macOS, including Ventura. If you have an M1/M2 Mac, you need to download the beta build of VirtualBox. At the time of writing, the public build of VirtualBox does not have native support for Apple Silicon.

As far as pricing goes, Oracle VirtualBox is completely free to use. Therefore, you do not have to pay anything, even if you want to use the virtual machine software for commercial needs. However, despite being free, Oracle is known for on-time updates and community support.

Pros

• Completely free and open-source.
• Lightweight and easy to install.
• Decent level of customization for basic needs.

Cons

• Simpler interface compared to Parallels or VMware.
• Might require some technical knowledge for setup.
• May not offer the best performance for resource-intensive tasks.

Our Take

VirtualBox is ideal for casual users who need a basic and free option to run a single virtual machine for occasional use or testing purposes. It’s a good choice for users who prioritize saving storage space and system resources.

Alternatives to virtual machines

We have already looked at the best virtual machine software for Mac. However, you can also use the apps below to run Windows on Mac in different ways.

#4 CrossOver

CrossOver is an app that lets you run Windows apps on macOS without installing a Virtual Machine. It is an advantageous method when you do not want a complete system running inside your Mac. It is also available for Linux and ChromeOS. In case you are wondering, CrossOver works by creating a compatibility layer on top of macOS.

As you can guess, CrossOver works fine with Apple Silicon and Intel-based Macs. So, even if you have an old MacBook where you want to run Windows apps, there is a way. It is also impressive that CrossOver’s DirectX 12 has the potential to significantly improve compatibility for Windows games on Mac, and its package does not cost much compared to the other premium solutions. In short, if you need a way to run Windows without the complexities of emulators and licenses, you should check out CrossOver.

#5 Windows 365 Cloud PC

Windows 365 Cloud PC is one of the easier methods to run Windows on Mac. However, technically, you do not run a version of Windows on macOS. On the other hand, the system resources are on the cloud, and you basically stream the PC to your Mac. As you can guess, the biggest limitation of this method is that you always need a stable internet connection.

However, if you can manage a faster internet connection, you should try Microsoft 365 Cloud PC service. The service is from Microsoft, so you can avoid worries about compatibility issues. You can install almost anything on the cloud PC, browse the web, and even do software testing. However, this method is not cost-effective since you have to pay a monthly subscription fee.

#6 WineHQ

WineHQ is another compatibility layer that helps you run Windows apps on macOS, Linux, and a few other platforms. Because it is designed to run apps primarily, you do not have to worry about running the VM in the first place. Even though the system is not perfect, you will not have trouble running popular Windows apps on your Mac.

On the bright side, WineHQ is not an abandoned project. It receives regular updates from developers, thanks to the powerful community behind it. Impressive enough, you can use WineHQ to play Windows-based games on your Mac. On top of all these, the app is completely free to use and open source. However, it may not be a suitable option for heavy-duty virtualization needs.

#7 UTM for Mac

UTM is a free and open-source virtual machine software for Mac. It allows you to run various operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, on your Mac using virtualization or emulation. Virtualization provides better performance, while emulation allows you to run older or incompatible operating systems.

UTM also offers a gallery with pre-built virtual machines for popular operating systems, making it easy to get started quickly. While UTM may not be as feature-rich or performant as paid options like Parallels Desktop, it’s a great free alternative for basic virtualization needs.

#8 Apple Boot Camp

Boot Camp happens to be the last option that you should try for running Windows on Mac. As you may know, Boot Camp is designed to set up a dual-boot system of macOS and Windows. However, it means you have to restart your MacBook, iMac, or Mac mini to launch Windows. Therefore, it is not a convenient option if you need an integrated workflow.

The compatibility status of Boot Camp is also questionable to an extent. For instance, it doesn’t work on the new Apple silicon Macs (that is, M-series Macs), and there is official support for installing Windows 10 via Boot Camp, but we are unsure of what happens with Windows 11. On the bright side, setting up Windows or Linux on your Mac using Boot Camp does not cause extra. You also get a few benefits because the system is made by Apple.

FAQs

Is it legal to use a VM?

It is 100% legal to use a VM on your Mac. As we explained, a virtual machine on your Mac will use the system resources like an app. Therefore, it is like using any other app. However, you should think twice about legal aspects when it comes to owning the OS.

Can I run virtual machines on a M1/M2/M3 Mac?

Yes, you can run virtual machines on M1/M2/M3 Macs! Boot Camp isn’t available, but virtualization software like Parallels Desktop lets you run ARM versions of Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise after purchase.

What is the best virtual machine to use on Mac?

Even though each virtual machine has its advantages and disadvantages, we believe Parallels Desktop is your best shot at running Windows or other operating systems on your Mac. It works spectacularly when you like to set up Windows in the most seamless way possible.

Which is better? VMware or VirtualBox for Mac?

Although an advanced comparison may say otherwise, we believe VMware Fusion Player is the better option if you want maximum control over the virtual machine. On the other hand, you should go with VirtualBox if you need basic options at no cost.

Conclusion

Wrapping up, we believe we have provided all the information you need about setting up a virtual machine on your Mac. We are sure the top three options we have picked are fabulous in every way possible. But you should also try the other options if you are more interested in running Windows apps on your Mac.

* Readers like you help support TheSweetBits. When you buy something through the links in this article, we may get a small commission at no extra charge to you.

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You try to figure out what’s taking up your disk space by clicking the Apple logo on the top-left of the screen, selecting About This Mac, and hitting the Storage tab. You will get the example screenshot above.

Why does my Mac system require so much space?

What does it contain? Is it safe to clean some of those system files?

And how do I regain more space to store all my projects, movies or something even bigger?

There are special Mac cleaner utilities designed to help to easily clear disk space.  But before cleaning, it is important to use a disk analyzer tool to manage your disk space usage and find out what is taking up the most HD space.

The best Mac disk space analyzer apps

• The built-in tool you already have: Finder
• The best for effective analysis: DaisyDisk
• The best for analyzing and cleaning: CleanMyMac
• The best for free analysis: GrandPerspective

Why disk analyzer matters

Mysteriously Disappearing Storage Space. Sometimes, you cannot know what is actually consuming the storage space. Regardless that you will get the ‘Storage Full’ message while copying files. This has been a serious problem for macOS users ever since.

The APFS Snapshot Feature is Buggy. When you make TimeMachine backups or snapshots, it gets stored in your storage drive. Neither Finder nor ‘About This Mac’ can identify this and just label the snapshot with the System category, making it massive and prone to issues.

The In-built Storage Management is Ineffective. In case you didn’t know, macOS has an in-built storage management module. This should show you the files and folders taking up more storage space. However, it’s ineffective if you want to know the potential of free space in the device. You cannot deal with deep system files either.

macOS System Requires More Space. Compared to Windows or Linux, the macOS system needs more space for the core files. When you install a number of apps, this becomes insane. So, at the end of the day, you would want to know where free space is possible and clear things up.

These are just some of the most common reasons you should use a disk analyzer for Mac. Just like other apps, there are many macOS disk analyzers as well. So, choosing one would be tough. But, don’t worry, we’ve got it covered for you.

How to choose the right disk analyzer

We had prioritized our criteria while choosing a good space analyzer app from the big lot.

Performance is, undoubtedly, the first concern. We needed a tool that can go deep into your Mac and find out what can be deleted. This requires some serious algorithms and power from the developing part. We’re not looking for any kind of gimmicks.

Freeing up disk space is no rocket science. So, a disk analyzer tool should be easy to use as well. So, as power-packed and efficient as it may be, we needed a simple interface as well. This means that the disk analyzers you find here will be quite easy to use.

Diversity is also assured. We have covered different types of disk usage analyzers for Mac. Some let you clear the disk space based on while others represent the condition quite beautifully. At the same time, there some hybrid choices too.

To put together this list, we’ve checked out almost 20 different Mac disk space analyzers. Some were tiny but amazing tools, helping us identify and remove hidden space hogs with ease. Others, however, promised productivity features but made it difficult to understand where your storage was actually being used.

To test things, we downloaded and put each app through its paces with multiple analysis sessions, testing their ability to scan different types of files (personal documents, system files, large files), and assessing their user-friendliness. (Read the full rundown of how we select tools to feature on TheSweetBits blog.) After more than four hours of testing, here are the best Mac storage space analyzer utilities around.

The built-in tool you already have: Finder

The simplest and easiest way to check your storage space on your Mac is through using Finder or Disk Storage. It provides decent info about the total storage and what files are stored. However, it isn’t perfect and would only be perfect for basic tasks.

Click on the “Apple” menu and then on the “About This Mac” option.

Next, click on the “Storage” tab, and you should see the storage drive and how much space you have available.

You can also use Disk Utility. It is the perfect in-built tool as you can access it quickly enough, and you don’t have to wait for the scan process like other apps. You can also see the storage capacity on a graph, but the information on the spread is pretty limited.

You can access Disk Utility by going into Finder and scrolling down to the bottom section, where you will find a tab named “Utility” click on it and then look for Disk Utility and run it. You should see a pop-up similar to the screenshot above.

The best for effective analysis: DaisyDisk

DaisyDisk is a dedicated disk usage analyzer, made for Mac. A visual of disk usage helps you understand how the files and folders behave in relation to the available space. It also promises to bring back storage space to your Mac. Compared to the other methods of storage upgrades and device upgrades, DaisyDisk is pretty economical as well.

DaisyDisk has a simple, intuitive yet productive user-interface. As we said earlier, DaisyDisk will be showing you a perfect representation of storage space consumption. You will know what is taking up the space and what is not. Once you have scanned, you will see a window like shown below. It provides a diagram-based representation of storage space distribution.

Cloud storage scanning support – This is a new feature with the latest iteration of DaisyDisk, and it allows you to scan files on your cloud storage. It works with iCloud, Google Drive, and others to scan through all your files and recommend what you should delete or remove. While it won’t directly impact your physical drive, it would make your data storage much neater overall.

Real-time representation of storage data –  All your storage space would be visible in a circular graph structure or a pie chart that makes browsing through all your files easy and quick.

Compatibility with Apple Silicon – It is also compatible with Apple’s latest M1 Silicon chips, so you don’t have to worry about bugs or random errors, and you’ll be able to enjoy the full performance of the newer devices.

Easy to use and supports many devices – Finally, DaisyDisk is super easy to use with a one-click tool that can scan across all your files, and it also supports the latest and the oldest Macs without issues.

As we said earlier, DaisyDisk is available for Mac only. You can download the program from the official website of DaisyDisk or the Mac App Store. If you have a Mac running OS X 10.10 or later, you can use DaisyDisk without worries. It should be noted that the program has an incredibly lower footprint.

DaisyDisk is priced at a simple tag of $9.99. Compared to the amount of money you would otherwise spend — purchasing a USB drive or HDD, for instance —, it’s an awesome thing. However, DaisyDisk offers a limited free trial, in which you can scan your disks but cannot delete them.

In the right world, you don’t have to think twice before spending $9.99 for DaisyDisk. It’s a worthwhile purchase that will help you in the time to come. So that you know, DaisyDisk is being used by the commons and IT professionals across the globe.

Alternative: WhatSize

Of course, we believe in fair competition and unbiased comparison. Out of the 15+ disk analyzer tools we’ve considered for the guide, the following ones should be mentioned as worthy competitors. Among those, WhatSize is a definite alternative to DaisyDisk that lets you visualize the file system usage and clean up the Mac.

The good things first, WhatSize seems quite advanced in the first look. You have an option to customize the view and choose options like Pie Chart or Table.

Easy Cleaning Process. WhatSize comes with an inbuilt cleaning tool that you can quickly use to get rid of trash files, caches, or other large files.

Quickly Find Duplicate Files. WhatSize scan also works with duplicate files. So, when you run a scan, delete all the duplicate files to bring some available space to work on.

As it happens, WhatSize offers a bunch of features, but most of them are hard to master. We also find that it is not at all intuitive. You would need a few days to master how to use WhatSize for Mac. Coming to the pricing aspect, WhatSize is priced at $14.99, which is high. As we said earlier, the cleaning features in the program aren’t that effective either.

So, you should go for WhatSize only if you can handle such a complex tool at the end of the day. We also believe that the app is overpriced compared to the features of DaisyDisk, which sells for $10.

The best for analyzing and cleaning: CleanMyMac

CleanMyMac goes beyond simple disk space analysis. It’s a comprehensive cleaning suite that offers a powerful combination of analysis, optimization, and cleaning tools. Here’s what sets it apart:

Visual Representation: The intuitive interface provides a clear picture of your disk usage with detailed breakdowns by category (e.g., system files, applications, photos) and even visualizes usage with pie charts.

Storage Monitoring Tool: offers an in-depth view of disk usage, helpingyou identify large files, duplicates, and files hidden in macOS data categories. This allows you to stay informed about your disk usage and take action before space becomes a critical issue.

CleanMyMac Menu: adds a real-time monitoring feature that tracks system health indicators like CPU usage, memory availability, and storage levels, offering alerts for low space and suggesting cleanup actions. Simply open the CleanMyMac Menu and click the disk monitor. On top of the detailed menu, you’ll see which file types are taking up your disk space and how much is still available.

Dropbox Integration: Keep track of your Dropbox storage directly within CleanMyMac. The app securely connects to your Dropbox account to provide real-time usage information, helping you manage your cloud storage effectively.

You can download CleanMyMac for $39.95 per year. It also comes with a trial version that is worth using for free. It also has a one-time purchase which would cost you around $80-90 for a lifetime subscription.

Alternative: DiskDiet

Disk Diet is compact version compared to CleanMyMac X or the competitors above. Just like the competitors, despite its lean and light form, it qualifies as a dedicated tool that will analyze your Mac and clean up storage space — automatically. You don’t have to go and find what is taking up the space. Instead, the program will analyze the device and find potential areas like Trash, Cache, Application Logs, etc.

Of course, some downsides should be mentioned. First of all, you don’t get a clear picture of storage space consumption. You only know that a certain amount of storage space can be cleared. And, it should be noted that Disk Diet does not let you customize anything. You can select from extra options like old iOS Updates and Downloads, but that’s it.

One-click Performance Optimization. We recommend Disk Diet for only those who have less time to save storage space. It should be noted that the program is quite straightforward. You don’t have to deal with diagrams or anything whatsoever. It just wants you to click the Diet button and put the HDD on a space-consumption diet. Is it effective? Yes, it is, but it’s your take.

Clean Junk and Trash Files with ease. You can also use it to clean junk and trash files. The initial scan took less than a minute to complete, and the clean-up tool took around 3-4 minutes to clean everything.

Instant scans for large and unused files. As soon as you run the app, it starts scanning through all your files to provide instant and seamless information about your storage drive.

Disk Diet is also a paid Mac app, coming with a price tag of $9. It should be noted that DaisyDisk, which has the same price tag, does more than what it does. It offers a limited free trial that lets you clear 500MB max.

The best for free analysis: GrandPerspective

GrandPerspective is the best option when you want a graphical representation of storage space distribution on your Mac. It’s a completely free and open-source program that you can download without worries. The best part is that, unlike many free tools out there, GrandPerspective is regularly updated.

However, the core idea behind GrandPerspective hasn’t changed for the past few years. When you open the tool and scan a specific folder, you will see a box-based representation of storage space. You can click on the boxes to open, quick look, or delete the files to save space. GrandPerspective doesn’t offer a dedicated cleaning option, unlike the tools above.

We wouldn’t say that GrandPerspective has the most intuitive UI, but it’s not hard either. When you click on a box, you can see the file’s path, which is great. You will have to navigate again to find and delete the file better. Of course, you should consider that GrandPerspective wants you to pay nothing for using these features.

GrandPerspective becomes the go-to choice when you don’t want to spend money on disk analyzer tools. Of course, you will miss some useful features and tools by doing so.

Alternative: Disk Inventory X

Another free disk space analyzer, Disk Inventory X, has a tab on the left that shows you all the folders that occupy the maximum storage. However, the UI and overall distribution graph can feel a little cluttered.

The panel on the right shows you a very technical graph of all the allocated storage space. So, it won’t be very clear for beginners. It will take time to learn, but everything will get easier once you know the basics.

You can look at the allocation structure on the right and figure out which apps or files are using the most amount of storage, and then finally delete or transfer them to clean up your storage drive for some extra space.

Stay on top of your Mac’s free space

Choose any of the tools we’ve covered, and you can save GBs of space in your hard drive. However, you must choose an effective, safe, and trustworthy program — just like the top pick.

In DaisyDisk, you would not have to worry about system errors or unexpected crashes. You also have an intuitive way to deal with storage data representation. So, make sure you have that disk analysis tool to enrich your Mac.

However, if you’re more of a technical guy and want to deep dive into the nitty-gritty for a truly unique experience, then I would recommend using GrandPerspective for the flexibility and power it provides.

With that said, we have reached the end of today’s guide and hope you have an easy time cleaning the junk off your storage drive. For more help, make sure to check our related guides.

• How to Clear System Data Storage on Mac
• How To Fix ‘Disk Utility Can’t Repair This Disk’ Error
• How to Fix Slow Mac After macOS Ventura Update
• The System Monitor Apps to Check Your Mac’s Performance
• How to Clear RAM On Your Mac Computer
• macOS Upgrade – Not Enough Free Space. How To Fix?

* Readers like you help support TheSweetBits. When you buy something through the links in this article, we may get a small commission at no extra charge to you.

<p>The post Finding The Best Mac Disk Space Analyzer (Paid and Free) first appeared on TheSweetBits.</p>

Don’t get us wrong, the M1/M2/M3 SOC is fast and is the fastest of the chips that we’ve ever seen, but that doesn’t mean that you should leave everything to the computer and not do anything as it will consistently deliver poor results and keep on getting slower over time. However, using a system monitor brings a lot of benefits, and they are:

• In-depth monitoring of apps and processes.
• Maintaining a smooth user experience.
• Helps terminate unresponsive and unwanted tasks and applications.

Are you currently taking full advantage of all the techy help you can get?

If you are not sure, I’m glad you are here. As a Mac geek, I have been testing some system monitoring tools on my MacBook Air M2 13-inch running macOS Sonoma, and I’m happy to share my favorites with you.

The best Mac system monitor apps

• iStat Menus for most users
• TG Pro for temperature monitoring
• Sensei for performance monitoring and optimization
• iStatistica Pro for advanced system monitoring
• XRG for Mac for free performance monitoring

Understanding Mac’s Activity Monitor

Your Mac comes with a built-in system monitoring application known as Activity Monitor. It is excellent for closing unresponsive applications and seeing real-time CPU, Network, Disk status or Energy usage. So, how do you access the Activity Monitor? – Follow the steps below to get the activity monitor running for you.

• Firstly, Go to your “Applications” folder and then to the “Utility” folder.
• Then double-click on the “Activity Monitor”, which will bring up a window.
• This is the Activity Monitor app, and here you’ll see five tabs and a list of entries that changes every few seconds. The Tabs contain the following information – CPU, Memory, Energy, Disk Usage and Network.

Note: The Activity Monitor shows you real-time usage and power consumption. It also allows you to close and terminate all unresponsive tasks or tasks, hogging up too much performance.

Is the built-in Activity Monitor good enough?

The Activity Monitor is a decent app from Apple and is ideally suited to beginners. However, if you want to have extra control over what you’re doing and the processes running, you would have to opt for the third-party solutions listed below.

The Activity monitor helps you by displaying the main processes and the percentage load on the CPU and GPU. It can also force-quit any unresponsive application and help recover your Mac to a normal running state. However, there are many features and information that it misses or hides due to Apple’s clutter-free and simple design idealogy. Hence, third-party applications are better alternatives for the program.

Therefore, the built-in Activity is popular with beginners and casual users, while professionals use 3rd-party apps with more functionality and readily available data.

Best 3rd-party Mac performance monitor tools

To ensure that you receive only verified information, I do the following:

I have tested all the products covered in this article. When testing products, I compare all key parameters, including performance, customization options, widgets, and other significant features. (Read the full rundown of how we select tools to feature on TheSweetBits blog.) Based on our testing sessions, here are my top favorites.

iStat Menus – best for most users

Pricing: Free for seven days and then a $9.99 per month Setapp subscription, or you can purchase it for $14.15 and can be upgraded for $11.79 (includes six months of weather data)

iStat Menus is genuinely outstanding and delivers one of the best user experiences possible. It works by recognizing all apps and integrating the charts in the menu bar on top of your Mac to access the numbers quickly. It is also lightweight and runs in the background with zero to no performance hit.

Here is the complete list of items that iStat Menus keep track of and help monitor:

• Disk Usage
• Memory Consumption and Availability
• CPU and GPU performance
• Battery and Power Information
• Displaying data such as Weather, Network information, and Sensor state

iStat Menus offers a comprehensive graph page that helps us monitor the total time spent working and gaming, and this data helps me out by analyzing and taking out time for other day-to-day stuff.

You can also do this and enable the settings to make it more productive by:

• Go into the app and look for the CPU and GPU tab on the left-hand side of your screen.
• Click on the tab and now look for ‘Processes’ and clear any unwanted task or process you want to.

Note: You can explore different tabs to explore other options.

Customization Options

iStat Menus uses a menu bar integration method to display all the information. This can lead to problems such as a cluttered menu bar or accessibility concerns. However, you can lay these concerns to rest as iStat Menus is highly customizable.

You can choose what to display on the menu bar and what to hide on the menu bar. You also have the option to hide the icons from your menu bar temporarily and customize the update frequency so that the icons aren’t disturbing.

Performance Monitoring

As we have already discussed, the CPU and GPU tab helps you manage your processes and activities. Finally, the memory tab enables you to manage RAM consumption to improve performance and responsiveness all around the UI.

iStat Menus can also display various graphs and infographics of your workload so that you can manage and learn about your usage and gain ample insight into how your apps behave. The app is also quite a haven for developers and can help them check, and stress tests their app performance and requirements on the Mac.

Notifications and Weather Information

Finally, iStat Menus also provides many customization options for what notifications you want to receive. The notification feature allows you to have reports every time your Mac hits a specific condition or issue. For example, it helps you by notifying if your Mac heats up, overuses the CPU, or saturates the memory with background apps.

It also features a built-in weather information widget to help you monitor your area’s current and upcoming weather conditions. However, some of the weather tool features are locked behind a paid upgrade which is a bummer considering it is handy.

Pros and Cons of using iStat Menus

Pros

• It is feature-rich and can help you monitor a lot of stuff at once
• It has a menu integration system that displays data directly on every screen
• You can also set custom notifications, and it has a lot of customization settings for personalization

Cons

• The Pro package can get a little pricy
• Weather Information and Notifications can feel a little cluttered

In Short, iStat Menus is the perfect app if you want to monitor all your process activity and keep your device optimized for the best performance at all times. In addition, it helps save battery and improves responsiveness across the UI.

TG Pro – best for temperature monitoring

Pricing: Free – Trial Version, $10 – Pro Version

TG Pro is a diagnostics app that works the best with monitoring temperature and fan data. However, it also has system monitoring capabilities with CPU, GPU, Battery, and storage information that helps you maintain your device easily. Finally, it is the only app on the list that can accurately display all the temperature information for the new M1/M2 Macs, including any older gen models.

Here are all the features that TG Pro comes with:

• Automatic Fan Control and Cooling
• Easy access menu bar integration
• Customizable profiles
• Advanced logging and data management
• How can you use TG Pro to manage processes?

TG Pro can’t be used to manage apps directly, but it can help you control and monitor the device temperature and fan speeds. While Apple has its own thermal limit, all CPUs and GPUs inherently run better with colder temps. TG Pro is very useful due to the detailed report it presents. However, this is only useful if you know how to manage the temps of your Mac and cool it down for a better-boosted system.

Automatic Fan Control

You can control all the fans on your device with a quick access panel on the app. You can select the ‘Fan’ header on the top panel, and it will bring you to the screen that allows you to access all the fan information – speeds, boost, sleep, and other profiles.

It also helps you customize these profiles accordingly to the temperature of your device. Hence, you fine-tune all the settings for the best cooling process and indirect performance boosts.

Menu Bar Integration

TG Pro also has great integration with the default macOS menu bar, and it can help you quickly check all the data with just a single click. The app runs in the background with minimal system resources and constantly updates the information for accurate readings.

Customizations

TG Pro also has a lot of customization built in and also allows you to change the update frequency of the scans. Hence, you can truly optimize everything on your system and make cooling down your Mac a breeze.

Pros and cons of using TG Pro

Pros

• Easy to use
• Integrates with the menu bar
• Provides detailed information of the device temperatures

Cons

• Cannot monitor apps
• It doesn’t help clear RAM

In short, if all that you’re looking for is a temperature monitoring application, then TG Pro is the way to go. It has some of the most detailed information you can find, and it also works in the background with the quick and easy menu bar integration. Hence, it consumes a low amount of system resources and provides quality of life benefits by tuning the fan frequency curve and optimizing performance.

Sensei – best for performance monitoring and optimization

Pricing: Free — Trial version with limited features, $29 per year — Full package

Unlike most other tools on this list, Sensei is a complete suite to monitor and optimize your Mac for maximum performance. It comes with a wide range of advanced cleaning and monitoring features. Recently, the developers have included a feature called the Sensei Monitor, which lets you monitor system activities and statistics, and added support for many new temperature sensors and other hardware found in M1 and M2 Macs.

Despite being only a part of a full suite, the Sensei Monitor can compete with other options we have mentioned. Before we explore the Sensei Monitor in detail, we shall look at the core features of the Sensei package.

Sensei lets you:

• Keep track of system performance
• Clean up your system
• Uninstall apps completely
• Check the health status of your HDD or SSD drive
• Monitor all the temperature sensors and fans in your Mac in real-time
• Check the health of your MacBook battery easily
• Optimize the system

In other words, the package offers everything you need to keep your Mac running at full speed. The newly-added Monitor is a great addition, indeed.

About the Sensei Monitor

Once you have installed the app, you can access the Monitor feature from the left menu bar. A simple click on the Monitor tab will launch the interface on the right-hand side of the screen.

As you can see, the area is split into two sections: CPU and Widgets. This section is quite interactive and expansive. You can use it to monitor and track different aspects of your macOS device. Featuring a broad range of metrics ranging from software to hardware, it is built to give you powerful insights into the performance and health of your Intel or Apple Silicon Mac in real time.

Storage/CPU/Memory

In this section, you can get an overview of how the storage space on your Mac is being used. For instance, you can get to know the health and temperature of your Mac’s SSD. There is also a chart that shows you what is taking up the storage space.

Sensei also gives you insights about the RAM and CPU. You can also see the amount of pressure on the RAM, along with the top consumers. There is also an option to immediately quit the apps that consume a lot of resources.

When it comes to CPU stats, you can find one chart that tells you about CPU consumption. Right below, you can track the system uptime and temperature of the CPU. As we saw in the case of memory, the CPU pane will also show top consumers. And you can quit the apps from the same menu.

Battery/Cooling

Last but not least, the Battery/Cooling section of Sensei will provide you with all the basic details. For instance, you can view fan speed, sensor temperatures, even detect a faulty or failing battery in advance. There is also a way to know the current percentage and the number of charge cycles.

Pros and Cons of using Sensei

Pros

• Intuitive and effortless to use
• Integrates options for performance-boosting
• Provides an overview of the system

Cons

• It does not offer scheduling features

In short, Sensei is a great option if you need actionable monitoring data. Instead of giving you a lot of raw data, Sensei integrates optimization with the app. So, in a single click, you can free up RAM, cut down CPU usage, and improve storage space on your Mac.

iStatistica Pro – best for advanced system monitoring

Pricing: Free – Trial Version with limited features, $5.99 – Full Package

iStatistica Pro is an excellent alternative for iStat Menus, but it lacks the customization options that iStat Menus provide. It also includes a widget and a status bar menu that comes in handly while displaying a lot of information at once. So, if you don’t need the customization settings and don’t mind downloading a plugin for additional features, then, by all means, get iStatistica Pro.

The full version for iStatistica Pro has a lot of features and can help you manage the following:

• A complete System Monitor dashboard
• Bluetooth device battery information
• Sensors and Fans data
• Network activity monitoring
• Remote access through your iPhone
• Widgets and instant notifications

Note: You can access all the device information on a single screen, which can be a little clunky, but after a bit of experience, you would easily be able to navigate the entire UI and understand all the information.

App Management

App Management is simple and straightforward, with the main features directly being listed on the app’s home page. Here you can manage all the settings and even kill misbehaving or performance-hogging apps running in the foreground or the background.

You also get a detailed analysis report for all the performance hits and CPU and Memory utilization. Finally, it has graphs and other information related to battery and temperature that can help you better analyze and monitor your Mac apps.

Alerts and Notifications

Alerts and Notifications are a big part of monitoring and getting crucial information right at your fingertips, and iStatistica Pro has a robust alert management system that allows you to get notifications regarding the CPU utilization limit and memory utilization limit instantly notify you if your device hits that threshold.

Finally, you also get a companion app for your iPhone, and it lets you remotely access all the monitoring data right on your phone. It also has webhook commands and additional notification plugins, but it can get a little confusing for beginners, so try that when you get comfortable using the app.

Widgets

Widgets are a big thing for macOS, and iStatistica makes full use of them. It has multiple widgets that go on your home screen and provide you with crucial information regarding app, CPU, and memory utilization. It also helps track your storage data and network connectivity and bandwidth.

You can also add additional devices for monitoring, such as your Bluetooth-connected Apple Watch and headphones for easier access and battery management on the home screen.

Pros and cons of using iStatistica Pro

Pros

• Easy and seamless widget integration
• Powerful alerts and notification options
• A clubbed intuitive app management and data monitoring system

Cons

• The initial experience using the app may feel a little clunky
• Most features are locked behind a payment

In Short, iStatistica Pro is a great activity monitor app that helps you keep track of all the data and apps on your device. It also comes with an easy-to-use widget that integrates well with your system for quicker management and impressive performance boosts. Hence, making it perfect for people that look for convenience and an overall better UI design.

XRG for Mac – best for free performance monitoring

Talking about open sources, XRG for Mac is a functional system monitor tool  that you could try if you do want to monitor your Mac’s performance for free.

Yes, it is free to use and comes with almost all the features that a performance monitoring app should have. This app lets you monitor your CPU and GPU activity, memory usage, machine temperature, battery status, network activity, disk I/O, stock market data, and current weather.

There are also a handful of settings that you can customize to personalize your experience with this app, change units and modify the way data and graphs are displayed.

However, the way the numbers are displayed on it can get cluttered and cannot be compared to the visual aesthetics of iStat Menus, and it could take a while for you to figure things out with this app.

Nonetheless, it is a must-have if you are looking for a free tool to monitor your Mac’s performance and don’t mind spending some time figuring out the interface.

Other alternatives

In addition to the picks above, I tested a number of other tools that offer performance checking solutions. For example:

App Tamer ($14.95) – helps you tame the apps that hog your CPU. It’s a lightweight menu bar utility with the ability to detect the average percentage of your processor(s) being used by each app or access a graphical history of your CPU usage.

Monit (free) – A versatile open-source app that tracks various system metrics, including temperature, network activity, CPU, and battery. It offers a customizable interface and unobtrusive monitoring. Unfortunately, Monit is not compatible with macOS Big Sur or Monterey, which may be a deal-breaker for many users.

coconutBattery (free) – This basic app has been around the battery monitoring space since 2005 and does a fine job displaying the health of your Mac’s battery. It also comes with a companion app for your iPhone and iPad to track and manage their batteries as well. However, it is strictly a battery-monitoring app and cannot work as a fully functional activity manager.

MenuBar Stats ($4.99) – MenuBar Stats helps you monitor the performance of your Mac in a clean, sleek and straightforward interface. It has been ‘completely re-written from the ground’ and comes with modules such as CPU, disk, network, Bluetooth, fan, and more. Each of these modules can be accessed in the menu bar and/or the notification center of your Mac OS.

SMART Utility ($25) – All new Macs come with faster SSDs with high data transfer speeds and fantastic read and write rates, sometimes leading to drive management issues. SMART Utility is built to keep track of the health of all your drives and to diagnose any problem that may arise. It can also get information such as drive temperature, capacity, and health, making it great for Disk Utility software.

AlDente (free) – Finally, take a look at AlDente, which looks like a tiny yet powerful charge limiter app for MacBooks. Its Pro version offers advanced features like heat protection and custom charging limits, ensuring optimal battery health and longevity. By preventing overheating and limiting excessive charging, you can extend the lifespan of your MacBook battery.

FAQs

Is there a system monitor for Mac?

Yes, your Mac comes with a built-in System Monitoring application known as Activity Monitor. It is good for closing unresponsive applications and seeing real-time CPU, Network, Disk status, or Energy usage.

iStat Menus vs iStatistica Pro?

iStat Menus is a great Activity Monitoring application. And compared to iStatistica Pro, it can be a lot more feature-rich. So, we would recommend you stick with iStat Menus as it is impressive with what it does and is lightweight enough not to be a problem with the performance. See the detailed iStat Menus vs iStatistica comparison here.

Why is my MacBook Pro so hot?

There can be multiple reasons for your MacBook Pro getting so hot, but the primary one is that it’s being stressed with all the performance demands from applications and tasks. So, a quick fix is to use an Activity Monitoring app to identify the most demanding app and terminate it, so your device to cool down and regain all the performance it has lost. You may learn our guide on M2 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro Overheating.

What should the CPU usage percentage be for my Mac?

There is no set rule for what CPU usage percentage should be good for your Mac, but anything over 80% usage should be a cause for concern, and generally, you should max out the CPU at around 70-80% load and not more.

How to fix kernel_task CPU usage on Mac?

kernel_task is a variety of low-level processes that allow your computer to work and is a part of macOS. It won’t generally concern you, but it can sometimes be the biggest culprit in slowing down your Mac by utilizing the CPU to the max. However, you can fix this by restarting your Mac and updating it to the latest software update available.

How to get CPU temperature for the M1 M2 M3 Macs?

The M1/M2/M3 Macs aren’t compatible with most apps for temperature monitoring, but TG Pro works perfectly. So, you can download TG Pro from the link above and monitor your Mac without compatibility issues.

What to do if Mac temperature is too high?

If your Mac is overheating, it’s crucial to take action to prevent potential damage. Identify and close resource-intensive apps, clean dust from vents, adjust system settings, and keep software updated. For more advanced users, consider underclocking your CPU or reapplying thermal paste. By implementing these strategies, you can effectively manage your Mac’s temperature and ensure optimal performance.

TheSweetBits’ final advice

After spending over 20 years working with Macs, both old and new, there’s a premium tool I think would be useful to every Mac owner who is experiencing performance issues.

If you are looking for an all-in-one tool to monitor and optimize your Mac, we still recommend going for the Sensei package. However, if you are into in-depth statistics and features, you may have better luck with iStat Menus. On the other hand, if you want maximum control over your Mac, TG Pro is worth trying.

* Readers like you help support TheSweetBits. When you buy something through the links in this article, we may get a small commission at no extra charge to you.

<p>The post Best Mac System Monitor Apps for Performance Checking first appeared on TheSweetBits.</p>

Have you ever felt like you needed a person to help you plan and keep you focused to get you things organized so that you can study properly for your tests and write all your assignments properly?

Well, fear not because there are tons of apps to help you do just that and even help you remember your teacher’s name (We have all been there).

Here is a list of the best 30 Mac apps to help you become more productive and improve your grades. Dive in and unlock your academic potential!

Note: We understand that some schools and colleges rely on an AI-powered hybrid mode of education. Keeping this point in mind, we have updated the article and included apps that can help you offline and online.

Must-have Mac apps for students

#1 iStudiez Pro

Do you find it difficult to remember the name of your classes, let alone the full schedule? Well, iStudiez Pro is to your rescue.

This app lets you know what classes you have for the day and reminds you of the upcoming tests and due dates for your assignments. You can even calculate your GPA by entering your grades. So, you would know where you should focus more.

You can add your timetable details, such as the class name, instructor name, and class time, and keep them organized by colors and clean icons. It also helps you keep track of your assignments by letting you add the assignment name, your partner’s name (if you sync your contacts), the due date, etc.

It is a free app with no ads and is available on iOS, Windows, and macOS. You can buy the full version as an in-app purchase for $2.99 for mobile and $9.99 for desktop.

#2 Notion

Having a digital workspace where you can keep all your important things is essential. We are talking about notes, important links, calendars, etc. Notion makes this task possible and easier than ever.

The Notion app is available for macOS and (almost) all devices. You can create and store a variety of content. For instance, you can take lecture notes or set up a mini task management system. With Notion AI, you can essentially create and organize more than docs or notes.

Customizability is the best thing about Notion. You are not restricted when it comes to creating content. It also offers thousands of templates that you can choose from. Creators across the world come up with newer templates as well. In short, Notion is a must-have app if you are a student.

Notion is free to use, and you can create unlimited pages and blocks. However, if you need extra storage space and collaboration features, you may purchase the Personal Pro subscription for $4 per month.

#3 Ulysses

Ulysses is a better and dedicated writing tool every student should try at least once. It creates a serene environment for writing and thinking, which may come in handy while preparing an essay or writing a paper.

It is a simple markup-based text editor with auto-save and automatic backup, so you don’t have to lift your finger. In addition, it syncs files effortlessly through iCloud and allows you to do the same with your Google Drive, Dropbox, or hard drive.

One of its loved features is writing goals, which lets you set a goal count for a worksheet and add a deadline. It also allows you to add daily writing goals that motivate you to write daily. If you are into blogging or publishing, Ulysses was made for you, as it lets you publish directly to WordPress, Medium, and Ghost.

It can even let you write the next Romeo & Juliet or the idea for a million-dollar project or even the grocery list, and it all just costs you $5/month across all Apple products. Read our full Ulysses review for more.

#4 Things

Several apps overwhelm you with lots of customization options making you forget what you were supposed to do in the first place. But Things is how things should be in a To-do list app.

It is exclusively designed for the Apple ecosystem and is very powerful yet simple. If you get Things, you will get done with things. It doesn’t have a lot of customization options for themes, but it is excellent because simplicity is greater than customization.

It also has a Logbook feature to go back and look at all your completed tasks, giving you a sense of walking down memory lane when you open your childhood diary. It also uses tags and headings to create milestones or categories, giving you a nice clean structure for your list.

You can even add timely reminders by asking Siri, a nice little feature. It costs $49.99 for macOS, $9.99 for iPhone and watchOS, and $19.99 for iPadOS. You can check out the free trial for 15 days.

#5 Mate Translate

Are you learning a foreign language in college? Or, do you want to use some Latin in your next paper? Then, mate Translate is a fantastic macOS app that all students should have.

First things first, Mate Translate is designed for the Apple ecosystem. So, you can expect the best experience on your Mac, iPhone, and iPad. The translation app integrates well with other apps as well. For instance, thanks to the extension, you can get instant translation pop-ups on Safari.

Here’s the best part. You can use Mate Translate to translate anything between 103 languages, and the task is seamless. Instead of providing the translated meaning alone, Mate Translate offers accurate and excellent pronunciation examples. You can also count on features like cross-platform sync and a custom phrasebook.

Mate Translate is free to use; you can download the app from its official website and use it without any kind of constraints.

Best productivity apps for students

#6 Obsidian

If you value your privacy and don’t want your notes to be stored in a cloud database or want the freedom to customize your productivity app to fit your workflow, Obsidian may be the right thing for you.

Notion and Evernote are some of the favorite apps for note-taking and staying productive, but they have disadvantages such as security issues and being slow. It is a simple text note-taking app that does not store your notes in the cloud but locally on your device. This makes it faster as all your notes are present locally and not online.

One of the greatest features is its customization. With an international community and community plug-ins, you can build the productivity app to work and look exactly how you want. Every note you create in Obsidian is connected, thanks to features such as Backlinks and Outgoing Links.

The best part is it is completely available for free for personal use and $50/month for commercial use.

#7 BeFocused

Being focused on a task as a student with lots of distractions may sound challenging but Be Focused can help you do that. It is a simple Pomodoro timer that allows you to organize your study time into intervals.

This technique helps you complete your tasks by giving you 25-minute work and 5-minute break intervals. In addition, it allows you to customize the timing of your work interval, short breaks, and long breaks. The Long break is a timer that starts after you complete your target intervals for a task.

You can enter a task name and start the timer or even pause it whenever there is a quick distraction that hasn’t affected your productivity. It has a feature called Reports which gives you a summary of your tasks, such as the number of work intervals, skipped work intervals, completed tasks, and duration of a task.

Overall, it is a simple app that lets you focus on your workflow and keeps you out of social media distractions. It is a free app that is available for the Apple ecosystem. It also has a pro version for $4.99, including sync on all devices.

#8 MindNode

Studying a whole book for a single test may seem like the end of the world! But, with MindNode by your side, you can mind map all the important points and topics helping you to keep calm and stay organized.

Whether in the bathroom or the cafeteria, this app lets you capture your thoughts and brainstorm ideas. It has all the popular features in every productivity app, such as sync across all devices, focus mode, quick entry, customizable themes, and more.

It has a unique feature called Visual Tags, which lets you add more contexts to your thoughts and focus on the key points, and with 250+ stickers, you can add more simplicity to your thoughts and give life to your ideas.

It is available free only for the Apple ecosystem and has a premium version for $2.99/month or $19.99/year.

#9 Tick Tick

Tick Tick is a simple To-do List application that serves more than just striking out things from your list and offers you a variety of features such as integration with your calendar and other third-party apps, habit tracker, etc.

The best thing about this app is the Kanban view in the List feature, a simple way of structuring and checking your tasks. You can use it to organize and rearrange your list in a way that makes sense. You can also integrate the app’s calendar with the Apple calendar. It’s a premium feature, though.

There is also a feature called Pomo Timer, designed based on the Pomodoro technique. It helps you log distractions and stay more focused while at study. This is one of the best To-do List apps due to its subtle and minor features. For example, if you go into any of your tasks, you can track the progress of your tasks.

If you are still not sold, note that Marques Brownlee, aka MKBHD, uses this app to stay productive. You can download the free version of Tick Tick or get the premium version for $2.79/month or $27.99/year.

#10 1Password

As a student, you must keep things secure at this age, and you can’t even think of using the same password twice. Fortunately, 1Password is there for your rescue.

1Password is one of the best password managers for macOS and other devices. And it offers all the essential features you would expect for the price. In addition, since 1Password has been designed for families and businesses, it will also be suitable for your education-related needs.

You would not be disappointed if you looked at the features, either. Some include single-click sign-in, easy password sharing, multi-platform access, and a security dashboard. So you can manage the security of your online life from a single dashboard.

The personal plan of 1Password starts at $2.99 per month when billed annually. You can also go for the Families plan if you need sharing options.

Best utility Mac apps for students

#11 PDF Expert

Every student faces the problem of editing PDF files and converting them into Word/Excel documents for their assignments and essays, but times have changed now with the introduction of PDF Expert.

It is an all-purpose PDF editing tool that lets you edit the text in your PDFs for quick changes and convert it into other formats such as Word, PowerPoint, or Excel. You can add a page, delete a page, rearrange and add page numbers. You can also use a variety of annotation features to jot down your ideas while reading.

One of the key features is the OCR (Optical Character Recognition). It means you can capture scanned documents from your class and turn them into editable text using PDF Expert. It comes in handy during data-based research. You can also send password-protected documents for more security.

PDF Expert is available for macOS and iPadOS, along with a standard app for iPhone. You can get the entire subscription for $6.67 per month. You can also claim your 50% off student discount on PDF Expert.

#12 CleanShot X

While your Mac’s default screen capture tool serves its purpose, there’s a game-changer on the block – Cleanshot X.

Cleanshot X enhances your screenshot game by allowing you to add annotations. You can mark items with borders, shapes, add text callouts, and highlight elements, making your screenshots clearer and more informative. Setting a timer for screenshots is a breeze, ensuring you never miss crucial moments in online classes or presentations.

What sets Cleanshot X apart is its ability to extract text from images or scanned documents. This feature proves invaluable for students who need to transcribe content while taking notes or completing assignments.

But that’s not all; Cleanshot X also empowers you to capture video segments and transform them into GIFs, perfect for adding engaging visuals to your presentations or projects. Priced at just $29 as a one-time purchase, but you can get it with $9.99 per month of Setapp subscription.

#13 Snagit

If you learn media studies or film production, you need a robust utility to record and edit videos from your Mac, right? Snagit, one of the popular apps for the purpose, fits this description.

Snagit offers many features compared to the built-in screen recording feature on macOS. For instance, you can record at the highest quality possible. You will also have access to a great stock media library. The app also comes with iOS integration, which helps you record content from your iPhone or iPad.

There are some purpose-specific features as well. For example, you can easily create software tutorials and guides using Snagit. You also get features like media management and Closed Caption support. Last but not least, you can export your projects into various formats.

Snagit is a little expensive, though. Its plans start at $62.99, but you can get an educational discount if you have valid credentials.

#14 Bartender 5

Bartender 5 is the best macOS utility app we can confidently recommend to students. It does an excellent job of keeping your Mac’s menu bar clean and accessible.

The macOS menu bar may become messy if you use many menu bar apps. But, there are some excellent menu bar apps you cannot miss out on. Bartender 5 brings an easy solution by dynamically hiding and showing the many menu bar apps you have installed.

You can decide the essential icons you want on the menu bar and hide the rest. But, if you need those icons, you can access them from the Bartender menu. There are also some nifty features like hotkey support and customizable menu bar spacing.

You can download the free trial of Bartender and use it for up to four weeks. After that, you have to pay a one-time charge of $16.

#15 Alfred

Spotlight Search is great for finding things on your Mac and outside the Mac. However, you may want to check out Alfred, a Spotlight Search alternative on steroids.

Alfred is easily one of the best productivity Mac apps for students. It creates a comprehensive index of your Mac so that you can search for almost anything. You can also integrate Alfred with other apps like the Google Chrome browser.

The package also contains a number of mini-apps like a calculator, system commands, workflows, hotkeys, in-app media control, theming, and navigation. You can also integrate Alfred with apps like 1Password to efficiently manage sensitive information.

The core version of Alfred 5 is free to use. However, if you need powerful features like automation, you’d need to get the Alfred Powerpack.

Best writing apps for students

#16 Manuscripts

You have to write countless essays, papers, and dissertations as a school or college student, right? Here is a killer app that can keep you sane throughout the process.

Manuscripts for Mac is a free app that helps you write killer manuscripts with ease. You can manage almost everything regarding your work from the simple interface. For instance, reference management and outline navigation are superb features, indeed.

We think you will love Manuscripts if you work in the STEM field. It is easy to manage figures, tables, equations, and text content with Manuscripts when compared to using Word or Google Docs. Once done, you can export everything to a compatible format.

The best part? Manuscripts for Mac is absolutely free to use. So, you don’t have to worry about subscriptions or huge one-time fees.

#17 ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid (PWA) is like having a super-smart AI writing assistant right at your fingertips. It’s an online tool that’s great for checking your writing, fixing grammar mistakes, and making your work sound even better. What’s cool is that it works with almost everything you use, like Google Docs, Chrome, and even Scrivener.

Imagine you’re working on a school assignment or a creative piece. PWA is there to help with choosing better words, fixing grammar slips, and making sure your sentences flow smoothly. It’s not just about catching mistakes; it also helps with making your writing more interesting and easy to read.

If you’re just starting out, the free version lets you play around with it online. You can check up to 500 words at a time and get feedback on 23 different writing aspects. Plus, there’s a privacy guarantee, so your writing stays yours. If you’re feeling adventurous and want extra features, the premium version (starts from $10) is like unlocking a treasure chest.

#18 Quillbot

Quillbot is an AI-powered paraphrasing tool helps students to refine and enhance their written work. Utilizing natural language processing, Quillbot identifies areas for improvement in terms of word choice, sentence structure, and overall clarity, suggesting alternative phrasing and structures that maintain the student’s unique voice and style. This approach helps you polish the writing without compromising your individuality or creativity.

Quillbot’s plagiarism detection feature also safeguards you from unintentional academic misconduct by identifying potential plagiarism issues and providing guidance on avoiding them. The app suggests alternative phrasing and sentence structures without compromising the student’s own voice or style. The suggestions can be particularly helpful for them preparing essays, reports, or other academic assignments.

The app’s freemium model allows you to utilize its basic features without any upfront costs, while premium subscriptions (available for $15 per month) provide access to more advanced editing tools and features.

#19 MonsterWriter

If you thought Manuscripts was too advanced for your writing needs, you should check out MonsterWriter. It also creates a suitable environment for writing academic content.

The primary objective of MonsterWriter is to help you write a thesis or article. It even tries to make the task more enjoyable. Rest assured, you can focus on the writing part, as MonsterWriter handles formatting and arrangement.

Researchers will also love some excellent features like automatic typesetting and keyboard shortcuts. When you want to focus on the writing process, MonsterWriter will be a great assistant. Once you have completed writing a paper, you can export it to PDF, HTML, LaTeX, or Markdown.

A single-user license of MonsterWriter will set you back at $34.99, but it is a worthwhile investment. It offers a free trial as well.

#20 Mochi

One of the hardest things as a student is remembering what we studied. Here is where Mochi comes to play. It is powered by the Spaced Repetition System.

It is a simple app that lets you take notes, create flashcards, and help you study them using spaced repetition system. Spaced Repetition System (SRS) is a powerful flashcard technique that uses the principle of the forgetting curve, which says that you don’t quickly forget things if you are reminded of them frequently.

The app’s simplicity and best features, such as bi-directional linking between cards and adding attachments such as cloud syncing, make it worth your time. You can also use tags to group related cards and even import decks that are available online.

It is a free app that is available for Mac. However, it has a pro version which would cost you $5/month for additional features such as sync across all devices and cloud storage.

Best apps for hybrid learning

#21 Subjects

In the world of hybrid learning, where flexibility and organization are key, Subjects stands out as the perfect companion for students navigating their academic journey. Forget the hassles of traditional methods – Subjects empowers students to take control of their schedules and academic progress effortlessly.

Available on both macOS and iOS, Subjects allows you to log assignments, track deadlines, and update grades seamlessly. Its clean design enables you to organize your homework by subject, providing a clear overview of all your assignments at a glance. Set reminders for upcoming deadlines and bid farewell to the anxiety of forgotten assignments.

Subjects is available on the App Store and offer a one-week free trial period to try all its features. Opt for the monthly plan at $1.99 or the yearly plan at $9.99 to unlock the app’s full potential. If you’re a Setapp user, enjoy Subjects as part of your subscription.

#22 Studies

Studies is a Mac app that describes itself as an app for serious students. So if you think you are one, you can get it to manage different aspects of your school/college life.

Regardless of whether you have access to your campus, the Studies app will help you learn things better. To get started, you can create study notes for different subjects. You can also create flashcards that use a proven method for repetitive learning.

The app gives you on-time notifications when your submissions or learning sessions are due. The app can be a lifesaver if you handle multiple subjects in college. Additional features of the app include sync and in-depth statistics. It comes from the developers who made the Manuscripts app.

Studies for Mac is available for $24.99, and you can get the iOS/iPadOS version for just $4.99. This nifty app is also part of the Setapp bundle.

#23 KeyKey Typing Tutor

Better typing speed is never a bad thing, is it? With the help of KeyKey Typing Tutor, you can improve your typing speed as much as possible.

KeyKey Typing Tutor takes a different approach to help you increase your typing speed. It will also help you to develop muscle memory, which can boost your typing speed to the next level. It is not limited to QWERTY, either.

You can improve your typing speed in different layouts and languages. For instance, you get full support for QWERTY, DVORAK, COLEMAK, AZERTY, and Neo in English. In addition, the app supports typing lessons for languages like French, German, Italian, Russian, and Greek.

You have to pay $14.99 for a single license of KeyKey Typing Tutor. However, considering that a better typing speed can help you throughout your life, it is a small amount to invest.

#24 Presentify

Do you want to deliver better presentations by using clever screen annotations? Presentify will help you do it, and it is a must-have app in this age of hybrid learning and education.

Presentify is a fantastic choice because the app sits on your menu bar. From there, you can access various options for annotating the screen. Once enabled, you can draw on the screen anytime and anywhere. It will have a significant impact while explaining something to your classmates.

There are also options to highlight your mouse pointer and curser. You can easily change the highlight color and opacity. All these tasks go like clockwork without taking up a lot of system resources. Even if you do not deliver many presentations, you may want to use Presentify for screen recording.

Presentify is available for a one-time purchase of $5.99. You can also get this beneficial app via the Setapp subscription.

#25 Aeon Timeline

Whether you are planning your college journey or preparing a great project does not matter. But, you cannot do it without a proper timeline. Fortunately, you have an app like Aeon Timeline to help you.

Aeon Timeline is one of the most intuitive timeline creation apps we have tested. And we are sure students will love the design and customizability. Depending on the scale of the idea, you can create sub-sections and pointers.

For instance, if you want to learn the history of English literature, you can have multiple timelines for many books and even chapters. The number of combinations you can create is also impressive. We also love the app for its great environment for brainstorming and pitching ideas.

Aeon Timeline is a paid app that costs $64.99, but you can download and use the app for a few days. It can be used as a part of the Setapp subscription as well.

AI-powered apps for students

#26 ChatGPT

ChatGPT needs no introduction (but we’ll do it anyway). It isn’t just another chatbot – it’s a game-changer for students and anyone seeking knowledge. Developed by OpenAI, this AI powerhouse can simulate human-like conversations and answer questions across diverse topics.

Students, rejoice! ChatGPT offers instant answers, clarifies complex concepts, and even provides interactive study sessions. It’s a true leader in AI tools, empowering you to learn effectively and access information in a flash.

But ChatGPT is more than just a study buddy. Its natural language skills make it a virtual friend, ready to chat on any topic. Access the free GPT-3 module or unlock even more capabilities with the GPT-4 subscription.

#27 Otter.ai

Otter.ai is a nice option for capturing every detail of lectures, interviews, virtual lectures, classes or group discussions. This AI-powered notetaker automatically converts spoken words into clear, searchable text, even in noisy classrooms.

Otter AI tool offers real-time captions for students with hearing impairments or language learning needs. Plus, in virtual sessions, it automatically captures and integrates lecture slides with your notes, then generates a concise summary of key points, saving you time and effort.

Otter.ai is free to try, and subscription for pro users is available.

#28 Craft

Craft, an AI-powered document editor for macOS and iOS, might be your AI study buddy! It offers a beautiful interface, rich formatting tools, and pre-designed templates perfect for crafting various documents like project proposals, meeting notes, and even gratitude journals. Bonus: its AI Assistant can summarize information, translate languages, suggest titles, catch grammar mistakes and spelling errors, and even continue your writing – all accessible with a simple command.

But what makes Craft stand out for students? Imagine summarizing complex research papers with a tap, translating foreign language sources on the fly, or receiving AI-powered suggestions for essay outlines and titles. This not only saves valuable time but also sparks creativity and enhances clarity of thought – invaluable assets for any student. Plus, the clean and intuitive interface creates a distraction-free environment perfect for focused writing.

You can create up to 10 docs for free. Get 2 extra free docs per week after that. And subscription is available for unlimited access.

#29 Tutor.ai

Tutor.ai is an AI based tutoring platform that combines human tutors with AI to create personalized learning experiences, tailoring lesson plans and teaching styles to each student’s needs.

The platform connects with verified tutors across various subjects. Schedule virtual sessions, ask questions in real-time, and get personalized guidance tailored to your learning style and goals. The platform also adapts to your progress, adjusts difficulty, and identifies areas for improvement, ensuring you’re always challenged at the right level.

To start using Tutor AI, simply create an account on their website and take a quick quiz to kick off your personalized learning journey.

#30 Motion

As a student, you can leverage Motion‘s powerful AI features to stay organized, ace your classes, and simplify your entire study routine.

Motion isn’t just about organization. It’s your reliable study buddy, reminding you of important events like lectures, labs, and discussions. Its intelligent task management takes care of everything. Create one-time tasks for essays and projects, and set up recurring tasks for daily study sessions. With timely reminders, you’ll never forget a deadline or miss an important review session.

Motion provides 7-day free trial to help you check the features. Risk free. Cancel anytime.

Extra tips for productive studies

1) Break it down: We often get scared by the massive volume of books we have to study for a test, leading to procrastination. But by breaking down a big task into simple and smaller jobs, you will find the confidence to complete the task.

2) Set goals: You will not be able to finish all your tasks in a single session but what you can do is set yourself a goal to be completed within a certain period. By using Pomodoro timers, you can achieve that and keep yourself focused and productive.

3) Limit distractions: If you are surrounded by distractions, you will only find it difficult to study, but limiting your usage of devices with the help of apps like BeFocused and finding a quiet place to learn can help you improve your study sessions.

Embracing your new school year

The capacity to learn is a gift. The ability to learn is a skill. But the willingness to learn is a choice; you can choose to stay productive even if it is challenging to start.

The best way to start is by embracing your new school year and following our study tips.

We hope that the list of best Mac apps for students will give you the upper edge you need to excel at your school, whether on campus, hybrid, or online.

* Readers like you help support TheSweetBits. When you buy something through the links in this article, we may get a small commission at no extra charge to you.

<p>The post Top 30 Mac Apps for Students – Productive Study Guide first appeared on TheSweetBits.</p>

Compared to conventional project management programs, AI-powered alternatives help you save time without compromising productivity. While the exact numbers vary based on the context, we generally see savings of several hours per day. However, it is crucial to pick the best AI-powered project management tool.

We have made sure that you have plenty of options while choosing an AI-powered project management platforms from the list. As much as we would like to do, it is not possible to recommend one single project management tool as the best option for everyone. Even if we could choose one, it might not be the best choice in terms of the monetary budget for most people.

So, we have included fully-fledged PM programs that offer project management as a module. We believe this decision will help you choose the most suitable option depending on your requirements, budget, and the size of the project that you are planning to take control of.

Top AI-Powered PM Programs: At a Glance

• ClickUp
• Notion
• Monday.com
• Basecamp
• Asana
• Ayanza
• Project Insight

Factors we considered for top project management tools

Even though we have selected only the 7 best AI-powered project management tools for this list, the selection process was very complex. We had created a preliminary list of 20 tools, which were based on the reputation and popularity. Then we filtered the list based on the different sets of features that we needed.

Rest assured, we had to make sure that all these project management tools offered some kind of productivity boost thanks to AI. Here are some factors we considered while choosing the best ones.

• Overall Usability

First, we had to make sure that the project management tool was usable. That is, the tool must offer all the features one company, or a group of employees, would need to take care of a project from start to finish. In doing so, we had given importance to the UI, the set of features, and how analytically strategic the tool was designed.

• Scalability

We also understand that companies with different size of employees and different magnitude of work are looking for project management tools. In light of this point alone, scalability was a factor that we could not miss. Therefore, we have made sure that the project management platforms on this list are scalable top to bottom, which means you can add variables and make the system complex or simple as the needs be.

• Use of AI

As the title suggests, we were looking for project management apps that made use of artificial intelligence. Now, we did consider apps from different categories. First, there were project management systems that wholly used AI. Then there were project management programs that offered the AI module as an additional option. In both cases, we checked whether these AI modules or the AI features work flawlessly.

In addition to these, we also checked regular aspects like reliability, pricing, reputation. Therefore, we have full confidence recommending the AI-powered project management suites listed below.

7 best AI-powered project management tools

#1 ClickUp

ClickUp is an all-in-one AI-powered project management tool that claims to replace multiple apps that you normally use for your project management needs. The program positions itself as a complete alternative for platforms such as Asana and Trello and claims that you get to enjoy more features than these platforms can offer. ClickUp is being used by organizations such as Booking.com, IBM and Spotify to name a few.

ClickUp offers many modules, including documents, whiteboards, forms, time tracking, chat, collaboration, and of course, an AI-powered assistant. All these modules are designed to work in such a way that you can save time without compromising the quality of your project. There is also additional focus on effortless collaboration, enhanced visibility and streamlined workflows within the management suite.

Another factor that makes ClickUp one of the best AI powered project management platforms out there is its versatility. Because it’s made for everyone, you can choose between templates designed for teams such as project management, engineering, sales, marketing, product design, finance, HR, and IT. Once you have done this, ClickUp lets you import data from your previous PM tool like Asana, Monday, or even MS Excel.

ClickUp does not disappoint when it comes to AI utilities, either. You can actually check out the different AI tools available depending on the template that you have chosen. For instance, if you are looking at the marketing template, you can find many shortcuts to create an email campaign or plan a marketing event. Because these templates are integrated with the core modules of the system, they work so well.

And, you can make use of the three major modules when you want to involve in native project management. For instance, in the first one, you can visualize and plan the project, while the second module helps you collaborate thanks to live chat and multiple task interaction options. Finally, you can conveniently track the ongoing progress of the project from multiple levels.

Pros

• Rich and optimized templates
• It comes with better AI prompts
• Better integration options

Cons

• AI bundle requires a paid plan

Verdict

Overall, ClickUp has everything to be the next AI-powered project management for your organization or a small team. As far as the pricing is concerned, you can choose between multiple plans and there is a free plan which offers 100 MB of storage. You may need to get the premium plan if you are looking for specific features such as ClickUp Brain AI and unlimited storage.

#2 Notion

Unlike ClickUp, Notion is not a dedicated project management app. Instead, it is a versatile platform you can use to create documents, wiki platforms, and a project management suite. This connected workspace is now powered by AI, which helps you in the creation and maintenance of assets. You also benefit from the built-in collaboration features.

For reference, Notion is being used by a number of organizations, including Pixar and Figma. It means, among other many things, that you can use Notion projects to carry out different variety of projects and not worry about the scalability aspect eventually. The diverse options for integration and configuration also make a huge difference.

Starting with the basics, Notion projects let you view the progress of your project from different perspectives including timeline, status, and boards. Similarly, you can add elements such as checklists and deadlines to the calendar as you please. We also love the ability to automate the team workflow thanks to AI and other integrations. You can also create subtasks, set up assigning systems and access the databases easily.

The AI capabilities of Notion are pretty straightforward. For instance, you can use Notion AI to write higher quality project documents without spending a lot of time. Similarly, there are options to come up with automation ideas that you can use in a single click. Ultimately, you can use these designs and project documentations within the collaboration environment.

We should also mention that Notion Projects comes with plenty of templates that you can choose from. Most of these templates are so specific that they are tailored for different uses from different domains. Then again, you can integrate the system with apps like Figma, Slack and GitHub depending on the situation. It is also great that everything keeps in sync.

Pros

• Flexible and configurable
• Many integration options
• Less expensive options

Cons

• Some communication features unavailable

Verdict

Conclusively, we recommend the AI-powered project feature of Notion only if you are looking for some extra freedom and integration options. While you lose out on some features like communication and the hierarchical system of the organization, you benefit from the ability to create flexible documentation and seek the help of AI whenever you need.

#3 Monday.com

Monday.com is a different pick on this list because it does not primarily advertise its AI aspect. However, it is very clear from hands-on experience that Monday.com uses AI in many of its aspects. So, when you need an all-in-one platform for managing your organization—not just projects—, you should check out what the Monday.com package can do for you.

Because Monday.com is a versatile platform, you have some privileges while signing up. For instance, you can decide what would you like to manage using the platform. And when you select project management as the option, you get a very tailored template that contains frequently used options for project management. Thus, the AI-powered suite of monday.com is much recommended for beginners.

Once you get started, there are many features that you can use to improve the overall workflow in your organization. For instance, you can choose between multiple viewing options and create dashboards as you like. There are also options for simultaneous integrations and automations that you can create with supported applications.

Monday.com also offers full support for documents, which is beneficial when you want a streamlined communication system within your organization. Regardless of the template that you have chosen from monday.com, the AI-powered features are available to you, and they are most helpful when you rely on the service for automation and intelligent integration options.

Despite its versatility, we believe that Monday.com has been designed with a business approach in mind. Therefore, when it comes to managing process and sub-tasks, or even streamline your calendar, you get better control. For instance, you can handle business operations and other tasks involved in the project with ease. Once you are done, you can rely on transparent dashboards and reports to understand how far you have come.

Pros

• A complete OS for work
• Dedicated templates
• Fully-fledged system

Cons

• Fewer customization options

Verdict

Altogether, monday.com offers numerous options when you need a very reliable project management suite, which also doubles as a way to manage all aspects of your work. However, we noticed that despite its use of AI in multiple aspects, you don’t get an assistant. Therefore, it may not be an adequate option if you are looking for an AI assistant that can help you with writing, documentation, and organization, etc.

#4 Basecamp

Basecamp is another project management software that uses AI on most of its modules. However, it does not offer an independent module for AI, which means you don’t get many features that you might have seen on other project management programs. But this tool is designed to make sure that you can manage your entire project from a single screen, a single page for each project.

When you get started with Basecamp, the first thing you notice is how simple everything is. Compared to the other tools we have tested, this AI-powered project management suite has taken a refined approach towards user experience and design. Therefore, you can start with any form of organization and stay on track thanks to multiple modules such as To-dos, documents and files, and live chats.

As you move forward, you can also check out other features. For instance, you can automate many of the tasks and create workflows that everyone can access. As you can guess, there is also an option to get a clear bird’s-eye view of the entire project while also checking out all the potential integrations and applications that you can check out. And, collaboration on this project management suite is as easier as it gets.

As you would expect from any other AI powered PM tool, there are options for unified notifications and single-click automations that you can configure. You can also view how different activities within your organization took place using a feature that works like rewind. Finally, there are many ways to control how people can reach you within the organization.

As we said earlier, cloud soil support for platforms like Figma, Dropbox and Notion will be practical when you are handling multiple platforms at the same time. You might have already noticed that Basecamp has integrated Artificial Intelligence into most of its features. For instance, you have options to automate the scheduling process, and you can convert many of the regular tasks into simple buttons that get the job done.

Pros

• A refined project management tool
• Strategically designed modules
• Built-in support for docs and chat

Cons

• Lacks a dedicated AI assistant

Verdict

Overall, it must be clear to you that Basecamp is not the most feature-rich project management suite out there. But you should also understand that the refined nature of Basecamp is a deliberate attempt to offer a very refined experience to the user. So, when you need an AI-powered project management tool that doesn’t get on your nerves with too many notifications and modules, you should check out Basecamp.

#5 Asana

Asana is one of the most popular and trusted project management tools you can find in the market today. It has been in the industry for decades and is used by Fortune 100 companies like Amazon and P&G. Recently, the company introduced Asana Intelligence, a tailored AI solution that can help users save time and get rid of monotonous tasks. With this Asana Intelligence, the entire PM experience gets better.

Getting started with Asana is like a piece of cake, and there are ways to import your data from other popular project management apps. Once you do it, you can explore different modules on the system, including view modes, consistent tracking, and seamless collaboration. All these features work together to provide a rather automated system.

We believe Asana Intelligence deserves a lot of appreciation while talking about this AI-powered PM tool for multiple organizations. For instance, Asana Intelligence is designed to not only generate intelligent content but also fill the gaps on your strategy and plan. For instance, self-optimizing workflows make sure that you do not have to worry about the effectiveness of your project.

It is also impressive that Asana AI becomes very intelligent over time. It gathers real-time information about projects and can answer the different queries you may have. For instance, you can simply ask Asana for the current status of the project. Similarly, you can get summaries of action items from a meeting or campaign note. But these features need to be added to your organization separately.

In terms of pricing, Asana is not a cheap option, especially when you need the dedicated AI. It also becomes quite different from ClickUp in that the platform itself can work without the power of AI. As a manager, you need to decide whether you want to include the AI module into the system. Regardless, there is a free plan of Asana that you can use without many limits.

Pros

• Comprehensive to the core
• Endless integrations
• A tailored AI engine

Cons

• AI features are optional

Verdict

We recommend you check out Asana if you need a comprehensive platform to manage different projects. It checks all the basic boxes, and you can add features as you please. And, most importantly, you can integrate Asana Intelligence, which is tailored for project management needs. However, you must have the necessary resources for investment.

Other options you could consider

#6 Ayanza

Ayanza is another option you can check when you need a straightforward AI-powered project management tool. It packs AI-powered features in every module, ensuring savings of time at every stage. Therefore, you do not have to worry about deliberately using these features. For instance, Ayanza AI will help you in building strategies, brainstorming, writing, and summarizing.

It also has a pay-as-you-go feature depending on the number of documents you need. On the bright side, it does not restrict the features you get. For instance, even the basic free plan would offer you the basic AI tools for writing and assistance. Similarly, there are features designed to increase the productivity at all levels.

Therefore, if you need an affordable AI-powered project management suite, you should try Ayanza.

#7 Project Insight

Project Insight is another project management software you should check out. Like the other products from this list, Project Insight also uses multiple forms of intelligence to increase productivity. However, its primary objective is to provide actionable insights from the current status of the project. It also comes with features for time-tracking and issue tracking.

When you get started, you can also check out the multiple project templates available on Project Insight. Similarly, there are options to take care of invoices and the ability to integrate with multiple platforms including Outlook, Gmail, MS Teams, and Slack among many others. At the end of the day, you can also get customizable reports and document management so that everything is possible from a single page.

So, if you need a toned-down PM tool with AI, Project Insight is worth checking out.

FAQs

What AI tools are available for project management?

Multiple AI tools are available for project management, and they are not restricted to generative AI, either. As it happens, most project management tools integrate AI at different levels, while some of them use AI to summarize and create content for action items. Some of the tools use AI to automate the process and take intelligent decisions based on the workflow. Either way, these tools increase the overall productivity.

Does Asana use AI?

It is clear that Asana uses AI in multiple modules of the project management and work management suite. However, it is also important to mention that there is something called Asana Intelligence. Asana Intelligence has been designed so that AI can be well integrated into the everyday tasks that you have to conduct within an organization.

What is the AI tool to create a project plan?

Once again, you can use many AI-based tools to create a project plan. There are independent tools that let you create a project plan based on the information that you give in. Otherwise, you can use a project management tool that comes with a project planner that uses artificial intelligence on its core. The latter option is better when you are creating a project that works great across an organization.

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The bottom line

We believe this coverage of the AI-powered project management tools was very beneficial in creating a workflow that saves not only time, but the effort that you put into it. As we mentioned earlier, our list is very comprehensive in that you can find independent tools as well as comprehensive work management suits at a single glance. And we have gone deep into at least five of these tools so that you know what you’re going to get when you sign up, regardless of whether you go for a paid plan.

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<p>The post 7 Best AI-Powered Project Management Tools first appeared on TheSweetBits.</p>