These are the apps I have open every day. Not a curated list of what I think sounds good, just the tools that are actually running on my Mac right now. I left out the obvious: web browsers, code editors, and the apps everyone already knows about, and focused on the tools that genuinely changed how I work.
Two of them I built myself. I included those because they are a big part of my daily workflow and I use them just as much as everything else on this list. The other eight are tools I have picked up over the years that earned a permanent place in my setup.
1. Raycast: Spotlight Search
Raycast replaced Spotlight for me years ago, and I have not looked back. It does everything from launching apps and managing clipboard history to running system actions and using AI. I have it mapped to Command + Space, replacing the native Spotlight search, and use it constantly throughout the day.
The clipboard history alone is a lifesaver. I often copy something and need to access it again later. I know other apps like Maccy and Paste exist for this, but Raycast handles it so well that it is one less app to install.
What makes Raycast so powerful is the extension store. You can add tools and shortcuts that integrate directly with other apps on your system. My most used extensions are all really basic and just include a color picker, symbol and font picker as well as a Homebrew manager, but there are hundreds more. It has really become the center of my whole workflow.
I recently tried Raycast Pro after using the free version for several years. I really enjoy having AI available directly from Spotlight search and through the companion app on iOS. The Pro plan costs around 8 EUR per month and also unlocks unlimited notes, themes, and more, though I mainly use it for AI. For note-taking I prefer SnappyNotes, and I do not care much about extra themes.
Raycast is free with a lot of functionality. If you only install one app from this list, this might be it.
2. Radial: The Radial Menu for macOS
Full transparency: I built this one.
Radial is a shortcut launcher that puts a modern and feature-rich pie menu right at your cursor. Hold a key and a radial menu appears exactly where your mouse already is. Every item in that menu is a shortcut you can set up yourself, and these shortcuts can do nearly anything imaginable from launching apps and managing files to multi-step workflows.
The most common starting point is text snippets. Save your email opener, your address, a standard reply, any phrase you type repeatedly, and trigger it anywhere on your Mac with one gesture. Beyond that, you can build an app launcher, set up quicklinks to your most visited URLs, open files and folders instantly, run keyboard shortcuts without memorising the key combination or even make use of AppleScripts.
Where it gets truly powerful is multi-step workflows and AppleScript integration. You can chain any sequence of actions into a single macro: open a project folder, launch VS Code, start the dev server, and load a browser tab. All from one gesture.
Radial is also context-aware. It automatically detects which app you are using and only shows the actions that are relevant. When I am in VS Code, my menu shows Git actions, Code Snippets, terminal commands, and build tasks. When I switch to Finder, it changes to file operations and quick navigation. When I open Photoshop, I get export presets, color filters, and layer shortcuts. You set it up once per app and it switches automatically.
Some things I use it for daily: inserting text snippets like email replies and code templates, launching groups of apps and tiling windows for a specific workflow, running AppleScript to automate things macOS does not have a shortcut for, and quickly jumping to files, folders, and URLs.
Using this app, I've found that I can easily save around 10 to 15 minutes a day with a simple setup, and some days much more when utilizing its extra poweful features. Over a year that adds up to more than 40 hours.
The app is €14.99 as a one-time purchase with a 7-day free trial, while students, educators, and existing AppVerge customers get 30% off.
Radial also has a Community Presets store where users share their own menus for others to install with one click. If you do not want to build everything from scratch, it is a great place to start. Popular ones include a Finder workflow with batch renaming, quick text file creation, and an open-in-terminal shortcut, as well as a Photoshop workflow covering color grading, export settings, and more.
3. SnappyNotes: Sidebar Note-Taking
Also mine, but I use this every single day. SnappyNotes is a modern notepad that lives on the side of your screen. It opens instantly with a gesture or hotkey so you can take notes while working, without switching apps or breaking your focus.
It's super fast and light weight. You move your cursor to the side of your screen or open it with a keyboard shortcut and start typing. It's always available on the side of your screen when you need it. There is no complex hierarchy to manage. Notes support full Markdown syntax, sync across iPhone and iPad, and are fully searchable. You can also enter a full-screen focus mode for distraction-free writing.
I use SnappyNotes for project ideas, quick temporary notes while working, light research, meeting notes, and anything that needs to be saved but does not need a home in a bigger system.
SnappyNotes is also available on iPhone and iPad with real-time sync across all devices. The price for macOS is 9.99 EUR with a 7-day free trial, with the iOS and iPad versions for free.
4. Things 3: Task Management
Things 3 is my favorite to-do app. It looks beautiful and works smoothly across Mac, iPhone, and iPad. You can create projects, set deadlines, add tags, and organize your life.
What I like about Things is how simple and focused it is. There is no AI bloat or unnecessary features. Just a clean, beautiful to-do list that is always available on my phone and computer.
The one-time purchase of $49.99 for macOS, $19.99 for iPad, and $9.99 for iPhone is expensive, but it is by far my favorite to-do app and I am happy paying for it.
5. Clop: File Compression and Optimization
Clop is an app that lives in the background and silently makes a huge difference. It compresses images, videos, and PDFs automatically. Any image copied to the clipboard gets optimized, and you can also drag files to it manually. It works seamlessly, often without you even noticing, but saves significant space and helps avoid file size limits when sending files.
The compression generally does not lose much quality, and if it does, it is easy to undo. I also love the file type conversions. I can easily convert an image between JPEG, WebP, PNG, and other formats just by dragging the file to the corner of my screen.
The free version offers 5 compressions per session, after which you can relaunch the app for another 5. The Pro version costs 15 EUR one-time and allows unlimited compressions and conversions.
What I especially appreciate is that I do not have to think about it. It just works without getting in my way.
6. CleanShot X: Screenshots and Annotations
CleanShot X is one of the more recent additions to my workflow. It replaces the native screenshot tools with a far more capable set of features: window captures, scrolling screenshots of full websites, a fast built-in editor for annotations and highlights, text obscuring, background styling, OCR text recognition, and a screenshot history to find and annotate previous captures.
I have it configured to replace the native shortcuts. Command + Shift + 2 captures a specific window, Command + Shift + 3 captures full screen, Command + Shift + 4 captures an area, Command + Shift + 5 opens an all-in-one menu with screenshots amd recording, and Control + Command + O runs OCR to copy text from anything on screen.
One feature I especially like is that screen recordings can capture system audio. I regularly need this, and not many apps offer it.
The app costs around 29 EUR for one year of updates, or 8 EUR per month for continuous updates and unlimited cloud storage. I previously used Shottr, which covers much of the same functionality for screenshots but lacks screen recording.
7. Pure Paste: Clean Copy and Paste
Pure Paste is a tiny app that lives in the background and strips formatting from anything you copy to the clipboard. It stops pasting text with random fonts and colors into your documents.
It costs $4 for a lifetime license on the App Store, though older versions are available for free.
8. Loook: Break Reminders
Loook is an app I recently picked up on the App Store. It gently reminds you to blink, maintain good posture, take breaks every 20 minutes, and stay hydrated. It sits quietly in the menu bar and nudges you when it is time to step away from the screen.
It is a cheaper alternative to LookAway with most of the same features and an equally clean design. The app is free to download and use, with an optional lifetime upgrade of $12 for extra customization.
I find it to be a genuinely useful addition. It helps me remember to take occasional breaks and maintain a good posture throughout the day.
9. Marta: Dual-Pane File Manager
Marta is a fast, native, dual-pane file manager for macOS. Instead of managing multiple Finder tabs, you can have two directories open side by side. It is keyboard-friendly, has a built-in terminal, and includes a command palette for quickly searching files and running actions.
It is also completely free, and has become the Finder replacement I use daily.
10. Droppy: The Native Productivity Layer
Droppy is the newest app on this list, and one I immediately fell in love with. At its core, it makes use of the notch on newer MacBook models and brings Dynamic Island-like functionality to macOS, but it does so much more through its powerful extensions.
When you hover over the notch area (or a hidden pill on external displays), a menu opens with configurable widgets: media player, weather, webcam, reminders, terminal, and more. It also replaces system HUDs for volume and brightness, offers a floating basket for easier drag-and-drop (with quick sharing, file conversion, and AirDrop), and includes a clipboard manager and a basic menu bar manager to hide and show icons.
The latest version also added lock screen widgets, which I am a huge fan of.
There are extensions for music control, timers, text transcription, and window snapping, though I have not made much use of those yet. Having tried alternatives like DynamicLake, Alcove, and NotchNook, I prefer Droppy by far for its modern interface, stable performance, and low price.
The app costs just $6.99 one-time.
My Workflow
These 10 apps make up my daily setup. Raycast launches everything and gives me instant access to clipboard history and AI. Radial keeps my most-used shortcuts and macros one gesture away, always tailored to the app in front of me. SnappyNotes handles quick notes with automatic sync to my phone. Things 3 manages my tasks. Clop optimizes files in the background. CleanShot X handles screenshots and recordings. Pure Paste keeps my clipboard clean. Loook keeps me healthy. Marta replaces Finder for file management. And Droppy runs quietly in the background, replacing system HUDs and adding functionality to the notch.
Some of these apps are expensive. Others are cheap or even free. But all of them solve real problems. If you use macOS daily, I am confident you will find something on this list that improves your workflow. If I had to pick my three favorites, it would be Raycast, Radial, and Droppy.
Most of these have free trials or free versions. Try them out and see what fits. And if you are interested in any of my apps, Radial, SnappyNotes, and DockFix are all available at appverge.net/store.
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