best business plan app for mac

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5 Best Business Plan Software in 2022

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When you’re starting a business, developing a strong business plan will be one of the first steps you take. Your business plan will cover everything from a detailed explanation of your products or services and pricing model to at least three years of financial projections—plus much more. Therefore, whether you’re not sure how to get started or you’re just looking to make the process easier, you may want to turn to business plan software for help.

In this guide, we'll break down five of the best business plan software options—discussing their pros, cons, features, pricing, and more—so you have all the information you need to decide which solution is right for your small business.

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The 5 best business plan software options

The right business plan software will make the process of writing your business plan much simpler. Like many business software solutions, however, there are a number of different business plan software options out there—each of which has a unique set of features, user experience, and price.

This being said, if you're looking for a place to start your search for the best business plan software, you can explore the five top options below:

How much do you need?

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We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

1. LivePlan

Best overall business plan software.

If you want template-rich, modern-feeling business plan software, then LivePlan may be the right pick for you. LivePlan excels with their user interface, which feels updated and slick, and also offers intuitive, easy-to-use features and options.

Their step-by-step instruction will help you kick things off from the beginning, and you can take advantage of their online learning center to continue to gain business skills.

Affordable plans, including pay-as-you-go option

No long-term contracts or cancellation fee; 60-day money-back guarantee

Modern, intuitive interface; cloud-based, can be used on Mac, PC, as well as tablets

Ability to create unlimited plans in one account; over 500 customizable templates

Variety of business resources including video tutorials, step-by-step instruction, and general customer support

Limited integration options

Challenging to enter your own financial modeling projections

Can be difficult to learn

Ability to create an unlimited number of business plans on one account

More than 500 business plan templates spanning various industries

Integration with Xero and QuickBooks Online

Real-time tracking of financial data with accounting integrations

Ability to export your business plan to Word or PDF

Expert advice and step-by-step instruction included

Performance dashboards for tracking against budgets and sales goals

Ability to create and export a one-page pitch executive summary

Annual plan: $15 per month, billed every 12 months

Six-month plan: $18 per month, billed every six months

Pay-as-you-go plan: $20 per month, billed once every month

2. GoSmallBiz

Best for multiple business management tools in one platform.

Next on our list of the best business plan software options is GoSmallBiz, which is much more than just a business plan software. With GoSmallBiz, you have access to business continuity planning software with features that cover creating a roadmap, working through business and legal forms, building a website, and more.

In this way, GoSmallBiz is great for startups or newer businesses looking to access multiple business management tools through one platform.

Unlimited business consultation and extensive library of online resources

Multiple business tools in one software

Website consultation analysis and business assessment

Industry-specific business plan templates with emphasis on financial projections and statements

Expensive monthly cost compared to alternatives

Limited business plan features

Entire business plan can only be exported to Microsoft Word

Outdated interface

Industry-specific business plan templates with step-by-step building wizard

Ability to create financial statements and projections

Free website hosting and website builder

Customer relationship manager with integration with MailChimp

Digital marketing dashboard with social media and Google Analytics integrations

HR document builder

Corporate minutes writer

Business documents library

Business courses library

Unlimited business consultation

$39 per month, no contracts, free cancellation

Best for simple, fast business plan creation.

If you're looking for free business plan software, Enloop will be one of your closest options—they offer an all-inclusive seven-day free trial, no credit card required. Additionally, unlike some of the other options on our list, Enloop is strictly dedicated to business plan creation, including automated text writing, financial forecast comparisons, and a real-time performance score that tracks your progress.

This being said, if you'd prefer the most straightforward, fast, and simple way to write your business plan, Enloop will be a platform worth considering.

Simple and straightforward software, solely dedicated to business plan creation

Seven-day free trial

Automatic text generation available to streamline the writing process

Affordable plans with annual discount option

Limited additional educational resources

Only one template option

No integration options

Ability to create three business plans with customizable text, images, tables, charts, and over 100 currency symbols and formats

Includes automatic text generation for each plan section that you can then customize

Automatically generated financial statements

Includes financial performance comparison analysis (using three ratios with Detailed plan and 16 with Performance plan)

Real-time performance score to track your progress

Ability to invite users to edit (two with Detailed plan, five with Performance plan)

Pass/fail report and certificate to help you identify issues with your plan

Free plan: Seven-day free trial with no credit card required

Detailed plan: $19.95 per month or $11 per month, paid annually

Performance plan: $39.95 per month, or $24 per month, paid annually

Best for startups looking to acquire funding or find investors.

Part of the Startups.com suite, Bizplan gets top marks for their user interface—it’s intuitive, easy to use, and modern. You’ll work with a step-by-step business plan builder to get exactly what you’d like from your business plan. It may remind you of a modern website builder, since it has drag-and-drop tools to build templates.

Moreover, for one subscription fee, you have access to all of the tools in the Startups.com network, including self-guided courses, how-to guides, masterclass videos, and more. All in all, with a direct connection to Fundable, Bizplan is a top business plan software option for startups looking to acquire funding and find investors.

Subscription gives you access to all Startups.com tools

Lifetime access subscription option

User-friendly drag-and-drop business plan builder

Excellent educational resources

Connection to Fundable great for businesses looking for capital

No free trial

No templates based on industry

No mobile access

Drag-and-drop templates for business plan building

Financial command center to track all business financials in one place

Unlimited account collaborators

Ability to share business plan online with investors

Online resources including self-guided courses, masterclass videos, how-to guides, mentorship access

Unlimited software use for Fundable, Launchrock, and Startups.com

Monthly plan: $29 per month

Annual plan: $20.75 per month, billed at $249 per year

Lifetime access: $349 one-time fee

5. PlanGuru

Best for financial planning and budgeting.

Finally, for some of the strongest financial features among business plan software options, including budgeting and forecasting, you might check out PlanGuru. Whereas the other solutions we've reviewed were first and foremost focused on writing a business plan, PlanGuru is dedicated to business financial planning —providing the tools you need to create budgets, financial forecasts, reports, and more.

Therefore, if you need a software solution that can streamline the financial piece of your business planning processes, PlanGuru will certainly have the most to offer.

Extensive financial tools and detailed forecasting, budgeting, and reporting capabilities

Substantial library of resources

Cloud-based and desktop options

14-day free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee

Expensive, especially for additional users

Only focuses on the financial aspect of business planning; no templates or tools for basic business plan writing

Difficult to use without prior financial knowledge

Cloud-based version of software, as well as locally installed Windows version (desktop version has a few more features)

Works with QuickBooks Online, Xero, and Excel

Budgeting and forecasting for up to 10 years

Over 20 standard forecasting methods

Formula builder to create custom methods

Ratios and KPIs

Dashboard and reporting tools

Help guides, video tutorials, knowledgebase, and live U.S.-based customer support

14-day free trial

$99 per month (additional users $29 per month)

$899 per year (additional users $299 per year)

What to look for in business plan software

Ultimately, it's up to you to decide, which, if any, of the best business plan software solutions on our list is right for your business.

So, if you're trying to figure out how to choose between the various options out there, it might be helpful to compare your top choices based on the following criteria:

Features: As we've seen different business plan software solutions offer different features. You'll want to look carefully at the feature list of any software and determine what features are most important for your business needs. Do you need an extensive library of templates with detailed customization? Would you prefer software that includes an online learning center for business skills? Are you looking for a solution that combines business plan writing with other tasks? It may be useful to list out your ideal feature set, so you can compare individual software plans to that list.

Price: Although you might be able to find some free business plan software options (or at the very least, free trials), in most cases, you'll need to pay a subscription fee to access the platform you choose. Therefore, you'll want to think about what your budget is for this business tool and what type of software is most cost-effective for your needs.

User experience: User experience can vary widely among different business plan software options. You’ll find some programs that are newer or have been recently updated. Others might have the kind of interfaces that felt new years ago but are now pretty out of date—and, subsequently, make them a little harder to use. The right user experience for your needs is genuinely a matter of opinion and comfort—nevertheless, it's worth testing thoroughly testing out a platform to ensure that it can truly work for you before investing in a monthly or annual subscription.

The bottom line

There's no doubt that properly crafting your business plan is important for the future growth and success of your small business. Luckily, the right business plan software should make the process much simpler.

This being said, whether you opt for one of the best business plan software options listed here, or another platform entirely, you'll want to take the time to compare multiple solutions and ensure you choose the one that's right for your business.

As we mentioned, it can be helpful to think about the features you're looking for, your budget, and your user-experience preferences ahead of time—that way, you'll have a set of criteria in mind as you explore different solutions.

Ultimately, perhaps the best thing you can do to find the right software is to actually test out the platforms themselves—either by using a free trial or a money-back guarantee.

This article originally appeared on JustBusiness, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

On a similar note...

Best business plan software of 2024

For planning your business finance

Best overall

Best budget, best established, best for speed.

• How we test

The best business plan software makes it simple and easy to plan your business finances in order to present them to a bank or investors.

1. Best overall 2. Best budget 3. Best basic 4. Best established 5. Best for speed 6. FAQs 7. How we test

The whole point of a business plan is that it allows you to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, not least via your Unique Selling Point (USP) ,and make product or service comparisons with competitors.

Of course, even the best business plan relies on estimates and guesstimates, as it's impossible to predict market changes, developments, and future performance under such conditions. 

Ultimately, though, a business plan will demonstratively prove why your business is a solid enough investment to risk putting money into, and shows that you have properly and thoroughly researched your market, and details the real potential of a new business opportunities.

Here then are the best business plan software providers currently available.

You may also be interested in our featured business guides on best business laptops , best business computers and best business smartphones .

The best business plan software of 2024 in fill:

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Reasons to buy

Reasons to avoid.

Bizplan is the online business planning tool that claims usage of 30,000 startup founders from the Startups.co platform. They use a guided creator that can break the big project down into the component pieces that get tracked with a Progress Tracker, and expert guidance each step of the way including templates that can be dropped in, and completed, along with simple integration of visuals along the way.

Additional resources are also provided via the Bizplan Academy, with lessons on relevant topics, for example, “Building a Brand: How to Tell a Powerful Brand Story,” and “Critical Path Your Way to Higher Revenues,” among the many offerings. Those that need even more assistance also can take advantage of an expert consultation from a financial expert.

• ^ Back to the top

2. PlanGuru

PlanGuru is a comprehensive, and powerful software package in the business planning space. Education is provided via a series of case studies at their PlanGuru University and a whole slew of video tutorials.

The feature set includes flexible budgeting that can handle a simple small business, or a larger multi-department operating budget, and financial forecasting that uses multiple methods, including intelligent and turn-key methods - twenty methods in total. Historical results can also be imported with the general ledger import utility which can then applied to produce a rolling forecast. They also offer PlanGuru Launch, a service to bring in expertise and is charged per hour of assistance.

A significant downside is Planguru charges a higher cost than other software options. The cheapest option is around $75 per month for one business entity when billed annually. While there is no free trial, PlanGuru does offer a 30 day money back guarantee. 

Our expert review:

Enloop is a great choice for business planning software for the cash strapped business as it is the rare offering that has a free tier. Step up up to the next tier, and this is no barebones product, as it has over 100 currency symbols, can automatically generate bank-ready financial reports, and even has automated text writing that can sync with financial data to turn it into text. There is also a real time performance score assigned, that dynamically changes as the business plan is strengthened.  

The plans start with the Free tier, which is limited to a single business plan with simple text, no images, and does not offer any advanced features. The next plan up is the Detailed plan, that supports three business plans, and offers a significant 55% discount when paid annually, making it even better value. This plan costs around $20 per month. For a more comprehensive package you can buy the Performance plan costing around $40 per month.

Read our full Enloop business plan software review .

4. LivePlan

LivePlan is business planning software that offers a simple pricing scheme as there is only a single plan to choose from. As they have a 15+ year track record, they offer a clean and simple interface, that can create business plans that look like they were done by an expert consultant, and the software includes a live dashboard that can track day-to-day performance. Those with writer’s block will benefit from the over 500 included sample plans that can be turned to for inspiration.  

Rather than complicate things with too many tiers to choose from, LivePlan only has a single plan which can be paid for monthly or annually.

5. Business Sorter

Business Sorter promises to simplify and speed up business planning and claims to be able to flesh out a plan in an hour or two, via a novel 273 card sort system that covers many common situations.

The ability to reword cards is included, or also to add cards to the already expansive deck, so no worries if there is not a pre-made card for your situation. Unlike some sites that have videos, the educational resources here are provided as PDFs and Word files, which can be quicker to access, but harder to follow for some learners. 

The lowest tier plan, Basic is fully featured, and includes up to three team leaders. 

Read our full Business Sorter review .

Other business plan software to consider

We've only covered some of the most popular business plan software platforms out there, but there are a number of other notables worth mentioning, plus a wide variety of providers of business plan templates. Below we'll briefly cover a range of some of the additional options out there that are worth considering to get your business plan right.

Go Business Plans is more of a consultancy than a software solution, but is worth mentioning for the simple fact that it's one of America's biggest business plan companies. While software might be able to do the job for you, if you're looking for significant funding, it's probably useful to get some professional advice, not least in terms of strategic planning, feasibility studies, and financial projections to ensure you have a solid base for your business plan.

Wise Business Plans provides a very wide range of templates to work from in constructing a business plan. These are particularly designed with funding in mind, no matter what kind of business you run. What is especially helpful is that Wise doesn’t simply deal with business plan templates for a diverse range of business types, the company also provides plan templates for franchises and non-profits.

Plan Writers  is another bespoke service that essentially listens to what you want and then puts the plan together for you. Again, this technically falls outside of business plan "software", but the chances are you'll use a software package as a platform to build from, and Plan Writers can then help you build up from that base.

Bplans is another provider of business plan templates, but goes beyond that with additional pitch and SWOT analysis templates. There are also business plan guides, industry reports, and a free course on writing a business plan. Bplans also publishes a lot of free-to-use articles on business planning, financials, and tax reporting, to help ensure you can keep your figures and projections accurate and compliant.

We've also listed the best free software for small business .

A business plan is essentially your roadmap to profitability from an initial investment. Whether it's your own money, or a loan from a bank, it's still a good idea to set up a business plan for yourself.

Main things to look to are a SWOT analysis to provide an idea of your business idea's strengths and weaknesses, as well as identify a unique selling point (USP) that will give your business an edge.

While business plans inevitably demand the use of figures, and while these can be impossible to be accurate with, at least by making intelligent guesses you can set yourself targets to work towards.

That's another common feature of a plan, so that specific periods you can review your business progress and make adjustments to your plan as required. This allows you to use real figures for your projections, allowing you to better plan ahead.

Which business plan software is best for you?

When deciding which business plan software to use, first consider what your actual needs are, as sometimes free platforms may only provide basic options, so if you need to use advanced tools you may find a paid platform is much more worthwhile. Additionally, free and budget software options can sometimes prove limited when it comes to the variety of tools available, while higher-end software can really cater for every need, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may require.

How we tested the best business plan software

To test for the best business plan software we first set up an account with the relevant software platform, whether as a download or as an online service. We then tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations. The aim was to push each business plan software platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.

Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar .

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The Best 7 Business Plan Software for Mac – Streamline Your Business Strategy!

• June 4, 2023

Table of Contents

In the world of business, having a well-drafted plan is critical. Business plan software helps users streamline their business strategy and create professional-grade plans that showcase their vision for their company. Business plan software is a powerful tool that can help entrepreneurs develop their ideas, pitch to investors, and track their progress. The right software can help simplify the business planning process, save time, and increase productivity.

However, with so many options available in the market, choosing the best business plan software for Mac can be a daunting task. In this post, we will introduce and compare the top 7 business plan software for Mac to help you make the right choice.

Video Tutorial:

What is business plan software.

Business plan software is an application that helps entrepreneurs create or improve their business plans. These plans typically detail a company’s overall strategy, goals, target market, competition, financial analysis, and more. Business plan software can help create professional-grade plans that showcase a company’s vision, mission, and goals. This software can help entrepreneurs get started with their business planning and provide guidance throughout the process.

Best 7 Business Plan Software for Mac Recommendation 2023

1. liveplan.

LivePlan is an award-winning business planning software that offers a step-by-step wizard to guide you through the entire process. It features easy-to-use templates, interactive forecasting tools, and a wide variety of customizable charts and graphs. You can also integrate your financial data with accounting software such as QuickBooks. LivePlan offers a 60-day money-back guarantee, making it a risk-free option for entrepreneurs.

Download Link

– Easy to use templates – Interactive forecasting tools – Compatible with QuickBooks – Live technical support available

– No free trial – Relatively expensive compared to other options – Limited customization options

Enloop is another popular business plan software that uses machine learning to assess the viability of your business plan. It offers easy-to-use templates, financial forecasting tools, and automated text writing tools. It also provides industry-specific data, such as market trends and competitor analysis. Enloop offers a free version with limited features, and paid plans with higher-end features.

– Uses machine learning to improve business plans – Offers industry-specific data – Free version available – Automated text writing tools

– Limited customization options – Limited financial forecasting tools in the free version – No technical support available in the free version

Bizplan offers a variety of business planning tools, including financial forecasting, team collaboration, and custom branding options. It also offers funding advice, with a network of investors and VC firms available to interact with. Bizplan offers a free trial period with access to all features, and paid plans are available with additional features and support.

– Custom branding options – Funding advice and investor network – Free trial available – Live chat and phone support available

– Relatively expensive compared to other options – No free version available – Limited customization options on lower-tier plans

4. StratPad

StratPad is a cloud-based business plan software that uses a step-by-step process to guide you through the planning process. It offers financial forecasting tools, team collaboration, and customized reports. StratPad also provides access to a community forum, where you can interact with other entrepreneurs and receive feedback on your plan. StratPad offers a free trial period, and paid plans are available with additional features.

– Community forum for feedback and collaboration – Customized reports – Free trial period available – Ability to export data to PDF or Excel

– Limited customization options – No 24/7 support available – No mobile app available

5. Business Plan Pro

Business Plan Pro offers a step-by-step wizard to guide users through the planning process. It provides industry-specific data, financial forecasting tools, and customizable reports. Business Plan Pro offers phone and email support, as well as a community forum for feedback and collaboration. A free trial is not available, but users can purchase the software with a 60-day money-back guarantee.

– Step-by-step planning process – Industry-specific data – Customizable reports – 60-day money-back guarantee

– No free trial available – Limited customization options – No mobile app available

6. PlanGuru

PlanGuru is a comprehensive financial forecasting tool that offers the ability to create detailed business plans. It also features a customizable dashboard that allows users to view data in real time and monitor their business performance. PlanGuru integrates with accounting software such as QuickBooks and provides a free trial for users to test out the software’s features.

– Comprehensive financial forecasting tools – Customizable dashboard – Integrates with QuickBooks – Free trial available

– Limited business planning features – Limited customization options – Does not offer support for non-financial metrics

7. GoSmallBiz

GoSmallBiz is a cloud-based tool that offers business planning features, along with numerous other tools targeted towards small business owners. It features a step-by-step planning process, financial forecasting tools, and customizable reports. GoSmallBiz also provides access to a customer support team for help with any issues or questions. GoSmallBiz offers a 30-day free trial, and paid plans are available with additional features.

– Step-by-step planning process – Numerous other tools for small business owners – Customizable reports – 30-day free trial

– Limited customization options – Relatively expensive compared to other options – No mobile app available

Comprehensive Comparison of Each Software

The table below provides a comprehensive comparison of each business plan software based on several evaluation criteria, including free trial, price, ease of use, and value for money.

Our Thoughts on Business Plan Software for Mac

Choosing the right business plan software depends on several factors, such as price, ease of use, and customization options. If you value simplicity and ease of use, LivePlan and Enloop may be good choices for you. If you’re looking for more advanced features and customization options, StratPad and PlanGuru may be better options. Finally, if you want access to a variety of other tools targeted towards small business owners, GoSmallBiz may be the right fit.

Overall, we recommend LivePlan for its user-friendly approach, interactive forecasting tools, and integration with QuickBooks. Additionally, LivePlan offers a money-back guarantee, making it a low-risk option for entrepreneurs.

FAQs About Business Plan Software

Q1: what should i include in my business plan.

A: A business plan typically includes an executive summary, company description, market analysis, competitive analysis, management and organization overview, product or service description, marketing and sales strategies, financial analysis, and funding request information.

Q2: How long does it take to create a business plan?

A: The length of time it takes to create a business plan varies depending on several factors, such as the complexity of the business, the amount of research required, and the availability of information. However, it typically takes several weeks to several months to complete a comprehensive business plan.

Q3: Can I use business plan software for a non-profit organization?

A: Yes, many business plan software options can be used for non-profit organizations, with some offering specific tools and templates tailored towards non-profits.

Q4: How much should a business plan cost?

A: The cost of a business plan can vary widely, with some plans costing as little as $10 and others costing several hundred dollars or more. The cost typically depends on the features and customization options offered by the software.

Q5: Can business plan software help me secure funding?

A: Yes, business plan software can help you create a comprehensive plan that showcases your business idea and financial projections to potential investors or lenders. However, securing funding is not guaranteed and ultimately depends on the viability and potential of your business idea.

In Conclusion

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5 Best Business Plan Software For Mac of 2024

Starting a new business is an exciting venture but a well designed business plan is essential to give you the best possible chance of making it a success.

A business plan not only helps you clarify exactly how your business is going to launch (or how its going) but it’s also essential to attract investors, banking finance and attract talent on board.

In this article, we’ve looked at the best business planning software that you can use on your Mac to help you get off the ground.

In our research, we found that there’s actually not a single business planning software that offers a Mac desktop app. In fact, there are very few that even offer Windows desktop apps as almost all of them are web based.

However, the good news is we found some excellent Cloud based ones that work in any browser on a Mac and in some cases, integrate with desktop accounting software on your Mac too.

Quick Navigation

Do You Really Need Business Plan Software?

1. liveplan, 4. planguru, 5. upmetrics, comparison table.

If you’re really on a shoestring budget, you can draw-up a business plan with word processing software or spreadsheet tools such as Excel and Numbers for Mac.

You can also use mind mapping software to help you brainstorm ideas and come up with a basic business plan.

However, using business planning software gives you a more detailed, structured approach and helps highlight your all important Unique Selling Points (USPs) better than a document or spreadsheet.

A business planner will help make it clearer what your strengths and weaknesses are and ultimately help you sell your idea more effectively.

If you’re not good with numbers, business planning software will also assist you in making financial forecasts which is something that word processing tools definitely can’t do.

However, a business planner is only as good as the data and figures you feed it. It can’t make an nonviable business idea sound viable and the effectiveness of it will of course depend on the financial estimates you give it being realistic.

With this in mind, here then are the best business planning tools that you can use on a Mac whether you’re a budding entrepreneur, seeking finance for an existing business or restructuring.

LivePlan has been around over 15 years and is one of the most widely used business planning tools available with around 1 million users.

LivePlan uses a series of over 500 templates to help you quickly get a plan started based on your industry or market.

Most recently it introduced an AI powered Live-Plan Assistant that can set the tone of your proposal such as by giving it an Academic or Professional Tone.

If you use Xero or QuickBooks, LivePlan is also integrated with them so that you can cut down on accounting admin if your business launches.

The software also features its own financials that can help you forecast and estimate profit and losses if you’re struggling to come up with figures.

Many professional business consultants use LivePlan to create business plans and the software gives you the best possible chance to sell your business idea.

You can try a live virtual tour of LivePlan to see how to works although unfortunately, there’s no free trial.

• Lender ready statements
• Over 500 templates
• AI Assistant
• Easy to follow
• Accounting software integration
• No free version or free trial

Pricing: Standard $15/m , Premium $30/m

The big attraction of Enloop for small startups is that you can use it free for seven days without any credit card. The free trial is definitely worth trying to see what it can do for you before deciding whether it’s actually worth paying for.

Enloop isn’t as glossy and slick as some of the other business planning software we’ve seen but it has got some powerful touches and even generates a lot of the proposal text for you.

Enloop can generate your financials with up to 36 month forecasts and compare your industry performance against up to 16 ratios.

The platform is easy to use and one of the few business planners that allows you to start for free before you decide whether it’s worth subscribing to a plan.

Enloop Plans start at $19.95 which is definitely reasonable compared to most other tools and allows you to share your plan with colleagues, investors and accountants.

• Free for 7 days without a credit card
• Financial forecasts up to 36 months
• Automatically generates proposal outlines
• Basic interface
• No sharing plans in the free trial version

Pricing: Free Trial / Plans start at $19.95 per month

If you want to put your business plan right out there in front of investors, then the big selling point of Bizplan is that it’s made by Startups.com. Bizplan claims to have helped raise over $500 million for startups it has helped draw-up business plans with.

Not only can you get advice from other entrepreneurs and investors but you may also be able to attract investment by putting it out through Funadable.com which connects you with investors.

The Business Plan Creator itself guides you through the planning process and has a web design style WYSIWYG style interface that’s easy to use.

There are also financial tools that give you forecasts, salary estimates, revenue projections and more.

The platform is also full of masterclass videos and tutorials giving you advice on how to make an effective business plan.

• Partnered with startups.com to help you get investment
• Slick, WYSIWYG business plan editor
• Lot of templates to choose from

Pricing: Plans start at $29/month

PlanGuru is a powerful business planning software aimed at businesses, non profits and advisors that need focus on financials and rolling forecasts.

PlanGuru can run “What If?” scenarios and forecast 3 different financial statements including income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement.

You can build an unlimited number of analysis per company, value a business and even setup a payroll.

There’s also integration with QuickBooks, QuickBooks Online, Xero and Excel accounting software.

If you’re struggling to put together a business plan, there’s also PlanGuru Launch which is a personalized service with business planning experts charged by the hour.

As you’d expect with a business planning platform on this level, pricing isn’t cheap starting at $83 per month going up to $250 per month for multi-department enterprises.

• Extremely powerful financial tools
• Suitable for multi department enterprises
• Integration with accounting software
• Free trial available
• Complex to use

Pricing: Starts at $83 per month

UpMetrics is an AI driven business planning platform with over 400 business plan templates that aims to help you formulate a business plan as quickly as possible.

UpMetrics uses AI more than any other business planning platform we’ve seen and is great for those that don’t have much confidence in their writing abilities but need a professional plan quickly.

You can choose from “Professional, Academic and Persuasive” tones so that your plan hits the right note for how you want it to sound.

The Business Plan builder guides you through putting a proposal together including clear Financial Forecasts by Month, Quarter and Year.

There’s also a Pitch Deck tool to help you sell your idea via a presentation and more effective visualizations of your plan.

The business plans created by UpMetrics are glossy and professional with minimal effort compared to some of the other tools we’ve seen. You can also invite colleagues or potential partners into the app to view and refine the finished product.

• Automates a lot of the planning with AI
• Lots of business templates
• Slick interface
• No free version or trial

Pricing: Starts at $7/month

Below is a pricing comparison of each option side-by-side to see how they differ in price.

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• What is the Best Business Plan Software for Mac?

• Startup Culture
• Business Skills

Last Updated: July 25, 2023 By TRUiC Team

Truth is, not all business plan software tools out there are Mac-friendly, it just so happens that our absolute favorite here at Startup Savant is 100% compatible with Mac, iPhone, or pretty much any other device - LivePlan ! In terms of value, features and pricing - they're heard to beat.

That said, let's dive a little deeper into the 5 reasons Mac users adore LivePlan. Come on, it'll be fun, adventurous, and this article might just be the catalyst you've been searching for. Enjoy!

Recommended: You can also check out our review of the  best business planning software.

Exclusive Bonus : If you'd like to try LivePlan yourself, here's an exclusive 50% off LivePlan promo code  offered to our readers. You'll have 60 days of risk free planning with their 100% money back guarantee. Enjoy!

#1) Presentation-Ready Business Plans

Whether you're out to organize ideas better, show them to potential partners, or to have a chance at funding from credit unions, investors and lenders, LivePlan guides you to presentation-ready plans. Clean. Concise. Beautiful. Well-formatted and fully customizable.

#2) User-Friendly and Modern Interface

It's hard not to love their software's interface, especially if you're nowhere near a number cruncher. No savvy required to look pretty. All you need is the data, or information, and LivePlan will take care of the rest.

#3) A Scoreboard to Monitor Progress

The LivePlan Scoreboard is a dashboard where you can view and keep tabs on your brand's evolution. It highlights important info that's easy to digest and discern. Stay aware and generate progress reports with a couple clicks.

#4) 500+ Templates

Nearly all of the business plan software provides give you templates to customize. However, LivePlan is unique because you get 500+ that've been tried and tested by real startups and entrepreneurs like you. LivePlan's been collecting them through the generous contributions of their users. This way you'll never have to start from scratch.

#5) Create Powerful Market Data

Along with your pitch, core objectives, and financials...no one does market data presentation quite like LivePlan. The screenshot below doesn't do them justice by any means. If you love seeing raw data transform into beautiful graphs and charts that make everything easier to grasp and act on, then LivePlan will definitely tickle your fancy.

What Your Business Plan Could Look Like

Below is the example they provide on their site. It's minimalist and more of an executive summary. Our business plan is 20 pages long but just as lovely, although we went with a more dramatic template with dark red.

LivePlan Pricing Structure

LivePlan offers a single straightforward plan and you can go monthly or invest once a year. Regular price for the monthly subscription is $19.95, but with our 50% off discount (in the big link at the end of this article), you’ll pay only $9.95 for the first month.

Do keep in mind though that the annual subscription saves you 40% and drops the price per month to a mere $11 and change. Oh, and don't forget their 100% money back guarantee.

Ready To Make Your Move?

So at the end of the day, since you're very interested in planning software for your Mac, there's no reason not to head on over to LivePlan , sign up, take the leap, make your move, and see what's in store. I myself am one of the over 350,000 entrepreneurs who've used LivePlan and I can honestly say it's solid software (cloud-based too). Thanks so much for stopping by and reading. Here's to the big wonderfully successful and transformative years ahead of you.

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Mandie O. Lucky Dog Daycare

“LivePlan is incredibly easy to use. LivePlan’s web-based nature allows me to log in anywhere (for me it was with my MacBook Pro or iPad).”

Some of our fans:

Here's How LivePlan Makes it Surprisingly Simple to Write a Convincing Business Plan

You get a step-by-step process to follow

• Ways to write a pitch that grabs investors' attention
• What to include in your marketing plan
• Every other essential piece of your business plan

“LivePlan saved me a lot of time because the software does so much of the work for you. All you have to do is answer questions and plug in numbers.”

Brian Sung, Eugene, OR Owner of Tailored Coffee

All the financials are calculated for you

LivePlan tells you exactly what kind of financial information you need to enter and then it does all the calculations automatically using built-in formulas. So you end up with razor-accurate financial statements that include all the tables that a lender or investor expects to see.

“Most people are intimidated by the financials, but LivePlan made planning simple, saved me so much time and just knowing that the calculations are correct makes this tool worth every penny!”

Brandie Slaton, Merced, CA Noelle Notals LLC

If you ever get stuck, we'll help you out

Most LivePlan users are able to breeze through their first business plan. But if you ever have a question, there are 3 ways to get advice:

• Call a LivePlan expert at 1-888-498-6136
• Start a chat with our advocacy team. Click here to try it .
• Or refer to more than 550 sample plans and tutorial videos built into LivePlan

“LivePlan was user friendly, supportive and provided meaningful guidance all while remaining very flexible.”

Freja Nelson, Oregon Freja Foods

Get a Polished Business Plan That Will Impress Lenders

Once your plan is done, you can:

• Customize the look of your plan using 10 beautiful document themes
• Download your plan as a PDF or Word doc so you share it easily
• Print out your plan to get a clean, professional document

See inside a completed plan »

Join over 1 million entrepreneurs who found success with LivePlan

35-day money back guarantee. Start planning for $20 per month.

“LivePlan is incredibly simple and easy to use. The financial sales forecasting tool is very intuitive and makes writing a business plan more fun.”

Helga Douglas Owner, Svala

LivePlan Also Gives You Tools to Help Your New Business Succeed

Access Essential Business & Legal Form Templates

Search our library of hundreds of legal forms that cover credit applications, contractor agreements, employee contracts and more.

Get Insights That Will Help Your Company Grow

Are you charging enough? Will you meet your revenue goals? LivePlan's forecasting tool can answer these type of questions at a glance.

See How You Stack Up Against Competitors

Plug in your industry and where you're located, and LivePlan will tell you how you're doing compared to businesses just like yours.

You Might Be Surprised By What New Business Owners Have Achieved with LivePlan

E'a williams, be fit tri wellness, chicago, il.

“Once the investor saw the plan, he believed in it. The interface was fresh and lively. The program gave wonderful examples of what should be in the different sections. I was able to take bits and pieces of those examples, but when I finished each section it sounded like I had written it. “I could just plug in information without having to do any of the math. That saved a lot of work. It made it very easy to get the business plan done. Once the investor saw my business plan on LivePlan, he immediately got back to me and said, ‘I'm in.’”

Mandie O'Neill

Lucky dog daycare, eugene or.

“LivePlan made an overwhelming task easy. LivePlan is incredibly easy to use. LivePlan's web-based nature allows me to log in anywhere (for me it was with my Mac Book Pro or iPad). At times writing a business plan can be a overwhelming task, especially when it comes to formatting and layout. LivePlan has made it easy to focus on putting your business ideas and goals on paper instead of fussing with all the other pesky stuff. I really liked how each section is defined and gives examples of what a quality business plan should look like.”

Rachid Tajiouti

Olive oil usa, llc, new york, ny.

“I've raised $3M so far with LivePlan! I needed to write a business plan for my investors. I was going nuts trying to create charts and properly format them. Then a friend recommended LivePlan! The financials were so easy to use and I liked knowing the calculations were all correct. It helped me create a precise plan to confidently share with investors, and I've raised $3M so far!”

Our customers give LivePlan 5 out of 5 stars

Software is professional and user-friendly. Highly recommend to any Entrepreneur. Would not be where I am today without LivePlan.

Mar. 15, 2024

I've been using LivePlan to help me write top-tier business plans over the last 2 years. A prominent business plan writing company referred me to this site to help me produce the best business plans, to collaboratively support their clients. I've consistently had the best customer service, whether by email or live chat. Rapid responses that are helpful and this is one of the "hand-down" best platforms if you're looking for high-quality products and services - and AMAZING customer service. The price of the plan subscription is a tiny drop in the ocean compared to the results I've had with business plans created through LivePlan. Thank you for the products and services here that help me present well

Feb. 29, 2024

I've used Liveplan for two projects and I have been happy with both experiences. I've needed support twice and both experiences were quickly resolved using the chat function. I'd highly recommend Liveplan to anyone wanting to get serious about new projects. They have great customer support, and it can be a vital tool to anyone wanting to build something from the ground up.

Feb. 20, 2024

I needed a business plan for a government grant and the platform helped me tremendously. It was super organized with all the touchpoints I had to fill and the AI for improving the texts was also amazing. I did a finance plan a well and I had no clue beforehand in how to do it and that was excellent and everything I needed to submit a full case! I finished my plan and submitted it. I will definitely use it again for when i need another business plan. Thank you

Feb. 3, 2024

Extremely user friendly. I appreciated how intuitive it was and useful when I got stuck or when wanting to rephrase sections - AI was a true support for me then

Sep. 26, 2023

LivePlan helps put your ideas and beliefs on paper in a professional & organized manner. It guides you through planning, organizing, and monitoring your plan.

Sep. 2, 2023

I didn't only get value for the money paid but also got the best customer service experience as well. And of course, I'm sticking to LivePlan forever.

IsefConsult

Aug. 14, 2023

Using LivePlan since March 2015, I've created precise financial plans and business strategies for ventures of all sizes. It's the perfect tool for rapid evaluation, eliminating the risk of spreadsheet errors.

Jul. 7, 2023

It's a great Financial planning software. It can also sync with Xero and Quickbooks.

Jun. 17, 2023

If you are looking to create a Business Plan then don't waste any time, buy LivePlan as it will make your life so much easier and save you days of work!

Jun. 28, 2022

A great tool for entrepreneurs with non-finance backgrounds. We all have business ideas but long-term planning is a challenge. LivePlan makes it simple and easy.

Jun. 24, 2022

I had put off writing a plan because I dreaded the research and didn't really know what I was doing. Because of you, I now have a comprehensive, professional-looking business plan.

May 24, 2022

Overall experience with LivePlan is awesome. Very informative and easy to read. Plans come with templates and other examples you can use to build your plan.

Deonta from Texas

May 11, 2022

The best part for me is the feeling of confidence it gave me. It really made me feel like my goals and even dreams were actually possible to reach.

Mar. 29, 2022

LivePlan was a lifesaver when starting our business! It helped us make a business plan and financial projections to show others, and everyone was blown away.

The Silver Fern Shop

Jan. 27, 2022

Mac for Business

Work on all your projects at once, with apps that run faster, while you finish that email you started on your iphone, without stopping to charge — all day., mac does that. mac does that., apple silicon.

Get more done with Apple Silicon.

Whether you’re taking on everyday tasks or your next big project, you can do it all on Mac faster than ever.

Oh, it’s fast.

Apple silicon brings game-changing power and speed to everything you do — integrating the CPU, GPU, Neural Engine, and more onto a single tiny chip. And thanks to the efficiency of Apple silicon, Mac laptops deliver all-day battery life without any drop in performance when you’re unplugged. 1

Faster web application responsiveness 2

Longer battery life when video conferencing 3

Yep, EXCEL runs on Mac.

Mac runs the apps you need, like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, SAP, Box, OmniPlan . . . the list goes on and on. 4

Learn more about apps for work

New York to Singapore on a SINGLE CHARGE. 5

Better together.

From transferring files with AirDrop to locating devices with Find My — when you use Mac with your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, everything gets better.

Learn how Apple devices work together

Expert SUPPORT.

No IT? No problem. Apple’s small business experts can help you choose the right Mac for your business and assist with setup, and they’re on call just in case.

Talk to an Apple expert

Secure out of the box.

You’re protected from malware and viruses, personal info stays personal, and Touch ID keeps your passwords at the tip of your finger.

Learn more about Apple security

Touch ID

The easiest computer to manage.

IT can provision and deploy Mac in five minutes with zero‑touch deployment and mobile device management. 6

Learn more about IT

The most innovative companies run on Mac.

84 percent of the world’s top innovators, including SAP, Salesforce, and Target, deploy Mac at scale. 7

Mac $AVES money.

With fewer support tickets to resolve, Mac is 3x less expensive to support. 6

More employees ❤ Mac.

Talk to your manager about offering the choice to work on Mac.

There’s a Mac for every job.

MacBook Air 13” (M1)

The most affordable Mac laptop to get things done on the go.

MacBook Air 13” and 15” (M2)

Strikingly thin and fast so you can work, play, or create anywhere.

MacBook Pro 14” and 16”

The most advanced Mac laptops for demanding workflows.

A stunning all-in-one desktop for creativity and productivity.

Mac mini

The most affordable Mac desktop with outsized performance.

Mac Studio

Powerful performance and extensive connectivity for pro workflows.

AppleCare Professional Support

Deployment and Management Guide

Learn more (PDF)

Apple Financial Services

Employee Choice Guide for IT

Platform Security Guide

A Smart Investment

Let’s get started..

Talk to an expert to learn more about Mac for work.

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

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• WIRED Consulting

Matt Jancer

The 28 Best Mac Apps That Will Make Your Life Easier

Not every Apple is without blemish. The macOS operating system is a sweet piece of software, but every Mac ships with a few worms in it. Namely, a suite of stock, lackluster apps. We love macOS itself for its out-of-the-box stability that requires less tinkering than Windows and Linux, so don't ditch the machine. Just take a look instead at these third-party applications to upgrade your macOS experience.

Some are for niche uses, but others fix gaps in vanilla macOS. Many of these apps aren't free, but most have free trials you can check out while you decide whether to buy. It's also common for them to sync with companion apps on your iPhone. They might just make your life a little easier.

Also, be sure to check out our many other guides , including the Best MacBooks , Best iPads , Best iPhones , and How to Back Up Your iPhone .

Updated September 2023: We've added a new top video player, IINA, as well as a new photo viewer, EdgeView 3. We've removed Tweetbot, which was discontinued, and Deliveries, which is losing functionality because of UPS and FedEx changes to their API terms. We've also updated pricing and availability.

Special offer for Gear readers: ** Get ** WIRED for just $5 ($25 off) . This includes unlimited access to WIRED. com , full Gear coverage, and subscriber-only newsletters. Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more .

Yes, you can use Split View on macOS to view two applications side by side, but it's nowhere near as intuitive as it is on Microsoft's Windows, where you can simply drag a window to a corner and have it snap into place. This app is worth the $3 if you don't want to mess with resizing window borders constantly. Magnet for $8 is another good option, although now that they've raised the price from $3, BetterSnapTool is a better deal.

If you've ever had to keep wiggling a finger on the trackpad during a movie or YouTube video to stop the screen from going to sleep over and over (or maybe during a particularly long download), you'll appreciate an app that lets you keep the screen on for certain tasks. It even works with external displays. Sure, you can keep going into your system preferences to change the screensaver and hard disk shutdown settings, but that can get tiresome quickly.

The default search tool on macOS isn't bad, but there's room for it to go deeper. Alfred is a supercharged alternative that lets you create custom shortcuts to programs and file folders, activate system commands by typing, create automated custom workflows that begin with the push of a button or a typed phrase, and, well, a lot more. It's free, but you can purchase a version called Powerpack that has more features, such as contacts and app integrations. It costs 29 British pounds (around $37) for a single user license, or £49 (around $62) for a lifetime of free upgrades to subsequent versions of Alfred.

Even though I said some nice things about Apple Music in my guide to the best music streaming apps , I still prefer Spotify as an all-around music streamer. Its interface is arguably the cleanest and most user-friendly in the field, and it has the strongest music discovery algorithms and social components for swapping music with your friends. I take my music too much to heart to put up with advertisements and limited song skips, so I recommend you drop the $10 per month for the Premium tier. Spotify HiFi, with lossless audio quality, has no release date in sight, but unless you're a die-hard audiophile with the ears and listening equipment to detect it, you probably don't need lossless anyway.

AdGuard's stand-alone macOS app lets you choose from and custom-toggle a huge array of filters to block social media extensions, pop-up ads, URL redirects, and a whole lot more. It works not only on your browser but also on other apps you have installed. There's a free two-week trial, but you'll need to pay for a license to use it after the trial expires. For $2.49 a month, you get access to the service on three devices simultaneously.

Tired of paying for Microsoft Office, unimpressed with Apple's default office suite, and unable or unwilling to switch entirely over to Google's G Suite on the cloud for everything? Download LibreOffice, a full-featured suite that includes the usual applications, such as a word processor and spreadsheet editor. It's completely compatible with all the usual Microsoft file types, including legacy formats such as .doc. It's open source and costs nothing to use, even commercially. For goodwill, donate a few bucks if you end up liking it and using it a lot .

OK, OK, I know I just presented a very worthy, free alternative to Microsoft Office, but there are two features that make paying $7 a month for a Microsoft 365 subscription worth it, if you use them. First, Word's included Editor feature, which scans for grammatical mistakes and makes suggestions, is as useful and easy to use as Grammarly. Second, Microsoft quietly rolled out free in-app voice transcription in Word, and it's as accurate as any expensive stand-alone voice transcription software I've used.

I love Ulysses' plain text and clean interface for writing longer stories, but it's also perfect for short stories, novels, poetry, and scripts. It strips away all the unnecessary icons, buttons, and settings and lets you focus on your work. You can get a free trial before committing to the subscription fee. (You can opt for $6 per month instead of the annual payment plan.) If you do shell out, the iOS app is bundled with the macOS version.

Highland is a plain text editor designed primarily for screenplays and stage plays, but there are templates for things like novel writing as well. What's nice is that it'll automatically configure exported scripts in industry-standard formats, and there's a new gender analysis tool that'll break down how many lines are spoken by your characters, categorized by gender. The basic version (which watermarks PDFs with the company logo) is free, but a one-time $50 purchase nets you upgrades and more features, and it gets rid of the intrusive watermark.

Confused about which characters go inside quotation marks and which go outside? Make sure nobody can fault your grammar, spelling, and syntax with Grammarly, an app that works within your browser and on your desktop. Whether you're writing in an email client, word processor, or another app, Grammarly works across all of them. Although there's a free version, stepping up to the $12-per-month Premium version takes a much more active role and offers full-sentence rewrites, vocabulary ideas, and tone suggestions. Plus, even though Microsoft Word has an editor just as useful, you can use Grammarly in Word through an easy-to-install plug-in.

Journaling is a meditative experience, but if you're like me and your handwriting looks like an SOS message carved into a rock, you tend to avoid writing on paper. Day One is a great digital journaling experience that lets you insert photos, save voice recordings, and export your logs in various formats, like PDFs. Your journal entries are end-to-end encrypted, automatically backed up, and secured with a passcode or biometrics too. There's a free version, but it's severely limited, so you're better off paying the $35 per year for the full suite of features. There's a seven-day free trial available.

Working in a noisy place—or a dead-quiet one—can be monumentally distracting. There's now a free tier for Dark Noise, which comes with 8 built-in sounds. You get Siri integration, infinite looping, shortcuts, and a timer, but if you want the ability to custom-mix all 50 built-in sounds to create the perfect audio illusions, you'll have to step up to Dark Noise Pro for $20 per year. Whether “perfect” to you is raindrops falling on a tent or a box fan thrumming away on a windowsill, or even if you're not under audio attack, a smooth layer of background noise might boost your concentration. There's an option for a one-time purchase of $50 if you're certain you'll use it for at least three years.

VLC Media Player

If you need a heavy-duty image viewer that lets you edit and view metadata, batch-process catalogs of RAW image files, and set up automated processes to sort and classify photos for you, then step up to ApolloOne. This is a program for serious photographers—or at least people who take a lot of pictures and want to organize them. The 14-day free trial has limits on what you can do, but it's a good way to see if you'll want to pay $12 a year for the Standard Edition or $20 a year for the Pro Edition. (You can use the free trial past 14 days if you don't mind the annoying pop-up reminders to subscribe.) Another alternative is XnView MP for free .

I've found Lightroom to strike the right balance between depth of powerful editing tools and intuitive user interface, with all the options for tweaking color contrast, color temperature, distortion, and more. You have to step up to the $20-per-month plan to edit and store images on your desktop, rather than just work off 1 TB of storage in Adobe's Cloud, but it also comes packaged with Photoshop. If you're serious about your photography editing, this is the package to get. Although Photoshop's learning curve is steep, it's an industry standard for powerful photograph-manipulation tools. Paying for one license allows you to use it on any device, from mobile to tablet to computer. There's a seven-day free trial if you'd like to get your feet wet before committing.

As common as PDFs are, computers sure make it hard to use them. While the days of having to download a separate program just to read them are over, you still need a robust stand-alone tool to fill in fields and sign your digital signature on PDF forms. Next time somebody sends you a PDF to sign and fill out, forget going through the trouble of printing it, signing it, and scanning it back in. Use Adobe Reader and be done within minutes.

Our previous recommendation, Xee³, hasn't been updated since December 2021, so we've moved to this lightweight image viewer. Like Xee³, it doesn't come with all the options and clutter of more advanced programs, but it's nicer to use if you don't need all those features. The interface is clean and intuitive, but you can browse through folders of images and move photographs more easily than with the stock photo viewer. It reminds me of Windows Photo Viewer—in a good way.

This slick video player looks as if it could've been designed by Apple itself, blending seamlessly into the macOS design scheme. It plays many more types of file formats and codecs than the stock player, including online streams and YouTube playlists. VLC Media Player , which is free, is also a great video player. An oldie from 2001, it's been continually supported, although its interface looks dated by now.

From the folks who brought us Evernote , Skitch one-ups macOS' built-in Screenshot app. Once you capture a screenshot of a program window, a portion of the screen, or the whole screen, you can edit and annotate it with arrows, shapes, textual callouts, and more. You can also pixelate (make fuzzy) portions of an image to obscure sensitive information, or to draw focus.

Paprika Recipe Manager

Tidying up folders is a slog, and sorting all your files into place never ends because you have to keep doing it over and over as you continue using your computer. That's where Hazel steps in. You tell it which folders to watch—say, your Downloads folder—and it'll automatically move files to new destination folders and sort them by name, date, type, what site they came from, and more. Newly created or downloaded files are moved automatically. It's a one-time purchase.

Instead of having to sign in to all your email, workflow, and social media accounts with individual browser tabs, you can link all of them into Shift. That means having just one app window open for all your work tasks. You can hook up Gmail, Slack, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Airbnb, LinkedIn, Spotify, Google Docs, and more (plus Chrome extensions!). The Advanced tier unlocks everything you'll want for, uh, $149 per year. That's a $50 raise since the last time we updated this guide. Try the basic (and free) tier first.

Apple iCloud actually works well for most users who simply need a way to have files and photographs accessible on the cloud. But iCloud is clunky on non-Apple devices. Dropbox works more seamlessly if you have a mix of Apple, Android, and Windows devices. It also offers a better file preview window, as well as Microsoft Office integration. You get up to 2 GB of storage with the free version of Dropbox, which is enough for simple files, such as document files, but you need to let go of $12 per month for the cheapest paid plan if you want to store bigger files. That'll get you a cool 2 TB of storage, as well as document recovery for previous versions of files from the past 30 days. One thing Dropbox is not is a backup app. Files in Dropbox mirror the ones on your computer folder, so if you delete it on the desktop, it deletes from the cloud, too, so find another app if you're hoping to use the cloud to back up your data.

Hear me out on this one. This staple of the corporate world might give you flashbacks to your workplace, but it makes for a great organizational chat platform to keep hobbyist groups close (but not too close). There's less pressure to respond immediately than with texts, and unlike WhatsApp groups, there are plenty of options to filter out intrusions when you don't want to be disturbed. You can set do-not-disturb times, get notifications when somebody sends you a direct message or mentions you in a channel, and mute certain channels entirely.

If you need more from your note-taking app than bread-and-butter checklists and wish you could scribble in your own handwriting, upload pictures, and scan documents, Evernote is your app. To sync across more than two devices, have access offline, and upload more than 60 megabytes a month, you have to pay $15 a month for the Personal tier or $18 a month for the Professional tier.

Save recipe web pages and Paprika automatically formats them into a uniform design. All your recipes are organized in folders, and you can use the app's interactive features to check off ingredients as you cook and scale up or down the ingredients needed for different serving sizes. There's an iOS app and an Android app, but you have to buy each separately for $5. It's also available on Windows for $30, so you can sync recipes across multiple platforms.

Beyond adding functionality, you can also boost your security. It has nothing to do with using a Mac and everything to do with using computers and mobile devices in general. To guard against data snoops and identity thieves, I highly recommend paying for a virtual private network (VPN) . While reviewer Scott Gilbertson recommends Surfshark, my personal favorite is NordVPN. It's one of the most popular VPNs, thanks to its fast speeds, wide variety of servers across the world, and a setting that makes it automatically connect whenever you're on an untrusted Wi-Fi network.

You know that password you have? Yeah, that same password you put into every one of your hundreds of website accounts? It's easy for intruders to breach one website account and then use that stolen password to access all of your others. Download a password manager , which will generate complex, secure, and unique passwords for each website and remember them all for you. Spring for Dashlane's Advanced tier at $3 per month. It lets you sync your passwords across an unlimited number of devices (including iOS and iPadOS devices), rather than just the one device for the free version.

Keeping up with the browser wars can sometimes feel like watching the Indianapolis 500. One browser takes the lead in privacy or speed, and then another browser releases a new software version and pulls ahead. Then a third one flies in out of nowhere and edges them both out. Vivaldi has reliably been among the strongest protectors of user privacy. It comes with a built-in RSS reader, calendar, email client, and translation tool so you can use these tools in-browser and not have to resort to the third-party apps that send your usage data to their server farms. Read senior product writer Scott Gilbertson's piece on why Vivaldi is the best browser if you need more convincing.

You should back up your files regularly in several places for redundancy, both on physical hard drives and on a secure cloud service such as Amazon AWS or BackBlaze. There's a saying that if data doesn't exist in three places, it doesn't really exist at all. MSP 360 is a free app that automatically backs up your data to a separate cloud-based backup service, such as Amazon AWS S3 or Backblaze B2 . You have to make those accounts separately and set them up, but once you do that it's a set-it-and-forget-it operation. Unless you have loads of huge files, such as videos and raw-format photographs, you'll likely only have to pay a buck or two per month for either one.

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10 Best Planning Apps For Mac

by: David Woutersen

Last Updated: February 29, 2024

First Published: March 18, 2023

Planning ensures you reach your daily targets and remember important things.

However, planning does not come naturally to all of us, which is where we can use technology to our advantage. If you’re a Mac user, there are several great apps for planning to help us plan our days, week, and much more.

The best planning apps for Macs are:

One of the most popular planner apps for Mac is known as Todoist . Todoist has over 25 million users and is known as a highly effective platform due to its extensive features while keeping the user interface minimalist. 

If you install Todoist, you can easily create a list of your tasks and organize and categorize them according to how urgent or important they are to you.

Todoist allows its users to customize some aspects of their tasks, such as their priority levels and when they need to be completed. 

One of the best features of Todoist is that it integrates with other platforms, including Alexa, Amazon, Gmail, and Google Calendar! Overall, Todolist is one of the most useful planning apps for your Mac!

TickTick is another simple planning app, and you can run it on almost every platform.

Different from other types of cross-platform apps, TickTick works exceptionally well on a Mac. However, it may not seem like a native app, and the web app may crack from time to time. 

TickTick has features that distinguish it from other cross-platform apps, including Todolist. Upon opening this app and using it as a planning app, you will be presented with a menu bar icon, displaying a smaller version of your planner. 

TickTick will integrate with your appointments from Calendar, and there is also a keyboard shortcut if you need to plan or add extra tasks without opening the app itself!

If you’re a perfectionist, you may have found your planning app for your Mac.

If you’re especially particular about how you arrange your tasks, this app will allow you to organize your tasks in what seems like endless variations. 

OmniFocus allows you to set up three kinds of projects. They have six primary views, ranging from unsorted tasks to your inbox, your daily forecast for your scheduled tasks, and review if you want to go over any uncompleted tasks at the end of your month, week, or day. 

This will allow you to view your tasks and decide if they are relevant to you and whether or not you want to remove them. Omnifocus also allows users to customize and create their own views.

ProjectManager

ProjectManager is an award-winning app and planning software that will run smoothly on your Mac. 

Although ProjectManager is a cloud-based app, which means you will need a stable internet connection to access the software, it also means you can plan while in your office or while you’re on the go or traveling. 

This planning app for Mac will allow you to organize your different projects and tasks by setting your own due dates, prioritizing your tasks, tagging them to search for them, and collecting them once completed. 

If you often become overwhelmed by your heap of tasks, this planning app will benefit you greatly, as it helps to break each task or project into more manageable pieces.

Awesome Calendar

Awesome Calendar is a premium planning app, and it’s compatible with all iOs devices, especially a Mac. Awesome Calendar features lots of space for your daily, weekly, or monthly Calendar, and you can also save personal notes and reminders. 

One of the best things about Awesome Calander is that its note-taking feature has a customization factor. Using this app, you will receive different colors and tags, which allows you to color code your notes, depending on how they should be categorized. 

Awesome Calendar can sync with your Mac’s built-in Calendar, making it a comprehensive and straightforward planning app!

Actions is another planning app that makes use of “action cards.” You will find this feature excellent, as it’s the equivalent of creating your tasks for a to-do list. Actions will help you to write down all your plans and tasks without the risk of forgetting about them. 

Additionally, if you’re serious about organization, you can organize your Action cards further by dragging and dropping them in any way you want to categorize them.

Actions could also assist you in rescheduling or deleting your lists and tasks to prevent them from becoming overwhelming and too difficult to manage. Making this the perfect planning and app for organization .

GoodNotes is another powerful planning app that might boost your productivity along the way! Compatible with a Mac, GoodNotes allows its users to simultaneously perform several functions on different documents. 

You can create digital notes for different purposes, such as work, school, or even just to create your next grocery list. With a click, you can navigate to your notes, which are completely secured by GoodNotes.

When it comes to having a choice between minimalist and complex ways to organize some tasks and priorities, it only makes sense your needs will differ from time to time. With Things, you have all of these options right at your fingertips.

You can organize your tasks or projects and label them with headers and subheaders. If a task contains a sub-task, you can label them. 

All these features may appear complicated at first, but Things are a well-designed app. You can use their system in the way you find it most convenient, and you have endless options for making it as simple or as complicated as you like.

Any.do is an excellent, comprehensive, easy-to-use planner app available on your Mac and any other iOS device! Any.do has extensive features that help you plan activities and events through different planner formats, to-do lists, and calendars. 

If you tend to forget about things, you’ll have difficulty forgetting once you turn on Any.do’s notification feature, resulting in you constantly tracking your agendas daily!

Making constant notes for your daily office work, studies, or homework is crucial.

Bear is a specially designed app for Mac users to take down important notes, information, and data, offering many features. 

You can write essays and articles through the Bear app, making this the perfect planning platform that instantly increases your productivity with its delightful and accessible features.

David Woutersen

David is the founder of Outofthe925.com and has been in the social media industry since 2017. Since then, his mission has been to help others take control of their online presence. For some, this has been earning an income online; for others, it's teaching how to use social networks more effectively. And each year, he continues to help millions with strategy, troubleshooting, and inspiration.

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Home > Finance > Accounting

The 8 Best Accounting Software for Mac in 2023

Data as of 2/9/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. *Available only for businesses with an annual revenue less than $50K USD per year

We are committed to sharing unbiased reviews. Some of the links on our site are from our partners who compensate us. Read our editorial guidelines and advertising disclosure .

A few decades ago, Mac users struggled to find accounting software that worked as well as most PC versions did. Luckily, iOS is more popular now than ever. And since most accounting software programs are cloud-based, Mac users can access stellar small-business accounting software just as easily as PC users.

Overall, Xero is our favorite accounting software for small-business owners who use Mac software . It comparatively low starting price, general user-friendliness, and expansive third-party integrations make it perfectly suited to business owners who want a good central hub for managing their business's financials. 

If Xero isn't your top pick, though, we have nine other recommendations that could fit your needs. Here’s our list of the 10 best accounting software for Mac-using small-business owners in 2023.

• Xero : Best overall
• QuickBooks Online : Most user-friendly
• Zoho Books : Most comprehensive
• FreshBooks : Best for invoicing
• Sage Business Cloud Accounting : Best customer experience

If you're searching for accounting software that's user-friendly, full of smart features, and scales with your business, Quickbooks is a great option.

The best accounting software for Macs 2023

Data as of 2/9/23 Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. *Available only for businesses with an annual revenue beneath $50K USD

Xero: Best overall

Starting at $13.00/mo.

Xero’s basic plan includes inventory management, sales tax tracking, and unlimited users—for just $13 a month.

Data as of 2/9/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Xero’s sleek dashboard and easy-on-the eyes software are fantastic entry points for simplicity-loving Mac users. But its features are where Xero absolutely excels. Each plan—including the cheapest, $13 a month—offers these key features:

• Inventory management
• Sales tax tracking, customization, and reporting
• Online payment acceptance
• Automatic bank reconciliation
• Detailed, customizable reporting

Most importantly, though, Xero makes collaboration easy: each plan includes unlimited users at no additional cost. Xero also integrates with over 800 third-party accounting and payroll apps—more than any other accounting service provider, even Quickbooks.

If you take payments from customers across the globe, though, Xero’s online accounting software might not work for you. Only its priciest plan includes multi-currency acceptance. And Xero’s cheapest plan limits you to just 5 bills and 20 invoices a month. That’ll work for freelancers but not for small-business owners with a bigger client base, who should scale up to the $34 a month Growing plan for unlimited invoices .

QuickBooks Online: Most user-friendly

Starting at $25.00/mo.

QuickBooks Online’s exceptional mobile app secures its spot as a top pick for busy, on-the-go business owners. And while its starting price is higher than most, its user-friendliness and comprehensive features make QuickBooks Online a standout choice.

Mac users are all about simplicity and user-friendliness—and so is QuickBooks Online , Intuit’s cloud-based accounting solution. The software’s learning curve is as low as an accounting software provider can get, especially on the mobile app.

In contrast to competitors like Wave, which offers only an invoicing and payment acceptance app, QuickBooks’ mobile app can do everything the browser version can’t. With more than 127K user reviews and a star rating of 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, the QuickBooks Online app for Mac is one of the most popular and most functional of any provider. 1

Unfortunately, users pay quite a bit for all that functionality. At $25 a month, QuickBooks Online has one of the highest starting prices of any accounting solution. QuickBooks doesn’t offer loads of chances for collaboration, either. The $25 plan includes just one user, and the priciest ($180 a month) includes just 25.

Zoho Books: Most comprehensive

Starting at $0.00/mo.*

Zoho Books goes heavy on automation and features. With automated recurring invoices, payment reminders, and customizable automations called workflows, Zoho Books aims to save business owners as much time on accounting as possible.

Data as of 2/9/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. *Available only for businesses with an annual revenue less than $50K USD

Zoho Books' comprehensive paid plans start at $15 a month (when billed annually) or $20 a month (when billed month to month). That’s the same as FreshBooks—but unlike both FreshBooks and Xero , Zoho’s cheapest paid plan doesn’t limit your invoices or bills. It also has better automation than top providers like QuickBooks. The $15 plan includes automated recurring invoices, expenses, and payment reminders. The pricier plans add automatic bill payment as well.

You'll also get quite a bit of mileage out of Zoho Books' new free plan, which is available for businesses that have an annual revenue less than $50K (in US dollars). The plan does  limit your invoices, but since the cap is 1,000 a year, most smaller businesses  shouldn't exceed the limit. You'll also get automatic bank reconciliation, unlimited bank and credit card connections, online payment acceptance, and, frankly, quite a bit more—including Zoho's well-known automation.

Unfortunately, Zoho Books doesn’t currently sync with payroll software. As a result, we recommend it primarily to freelancers and small businesses with just a few employees. Otherwise, the time you’ll spend inputting payroll numbers into your accounting software outweighs the time you save automating accounting tasks.

FreshBooks: Best for invoicing

Starting at $15.00/mo.

FreshBooks’ professional, customizable invoices are next to impossible to beat. The software also allows for easy client collaboration, and its time-tracking and project management features help you get paid the right amount for every job.

FreshBooks’ invoices are some of the best in the business. They’re fully customizable and, frankly, much more professional-looking than those you’ll get through competitors like QuickBooks Self-Employed . FreshBooks’ built-in time tracking syncs easily with its invoicing, so charging clients the exact right amount based on time worked isn’t a problem. And your clients can use FreshBooks’ client portal to accept quotes and estimates, see invoices, and pay you on time.

With FreshBooks’ $15-a-month plan, you can send unlimited invoices—but to no more than 5 clients a month. That limit could work for freelancers with a small clientele, but small businesses with a larger customer base will need the Plus plan ($25 a month with 50 monthly billable clients). And unlike Xero, FreshBooks charges $10 extra for each additional user you add. If you want to add multiple users, Xero is more cost-effective.

Sage Business Cloud Accounting: Best customer experience

Starting at $10.00/mo.

For $10 a month, Sage Business Cloud Accounting includes all the accounting essentials a new freelancer needs. And with free training and 24/7 support, it’s a good choice for those finding their footing in the small-business world.

New to the business world and not sure how to start tracking your finances? Sage Business Cloud Accounting’s Start plan costs just $10 a month and offers essentials like bank reconciliation and professional invoicing. Its well-reviewed iOS app syncs across Apple Watches, iPads, and iPhones.

The $25-a-month plan adds services like inventory management, cash flow forecasting, and receipt scanning. It also offers unlimited users, so if you value collaboration but don’t care for Xero, Sage Business Cloud Accounting is a solid alternative. Most notably, both cloud-based accounting solutions include 24/7 chat support and free trainings on account setup. That’s eons beyond the customer support you’ll get from most other accounting software companies.

But even Sage’s pricier plan is pretty basic: it doesn’t have enough features to compete with Xero, FreshBooks, or QuickBooks. Plus, industry standard perks like receipt scanning are free for only three months with Sage. After that, scanning and storing receipts costs an additional fee.

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Honorable mentions

The picks above might be our favorites, but if they weren’t your favorites, don’t stress. Here are more Mac-friendly accounting software options for your small business.

• Wave Accounting : Most affordable
• FreeAgent : Best for freelancers
• Kashoo : Simplest setup

Compare Mac accounting software runner-ups

Wave accounting: most affordable.

Free for life

Wave’s free accounting software lets you send unlimited invoices, bill unlimited clients, and manage multiple businesses from the same account. It’s also free for life—no software budget required.

If saving money is your top concern, Wave should be among your top accounting software picks. Wave is completely free for life, doesn’t require a credit card, and offers enough features to compare with most paid accounting software options. Unlike FreshBooks and Xero, it doesn’t limit the number of invoices you can send or clients you can bill. It also includes at least as many reports as QuickBooks’ cheapest plan, and you can manage multiple businesses from just one Wave account.

While Wave’s invoicing app has fairly positive iOS reviews, Wave still doesn’t have a mobile accounting app. And Wave has just one accounting plan, so it isn’t particularly scalable. Since Wave offers the same accounting features for small businesses as for large enterprises, it’s best for freelancers and business owners with one location and few employees.

FreeAgent: Best for freelancers

Starting at $12.00/mo.

FreeAgent’s user-friendly software and well-reviewed iPhone app make it a great pick for freelancers and solopreneurs who want a streamlined, on-the-go accounting experience.

With built-in time tracking and project management, FreeAgent’s accounting software is perfect for project-based freelancers. And at 4.7 stars out of 5 from 6.4K reviewers, 2 its app is at least as good as QuickBooks’ (if used by fewer people). FreeAgent app developers respond quickly to both complaints and suggestions for improvements—which is quite charming.

However, FreeAgent’s iOS app is only compatible with iPhones, not iPads or Apple Watches. If you were hoping to tackle your accounting mostly from your tablet, look elsewhere. And while FreeAgent’s pricing starts at $12 a month, it doubles after six months. Once the price jumps to $24, FreeAgent is nearly as pricey as QuickBooks Online with slightly fewer features (though with a much better customer service reputation and response time).

Kashoo: Simplest setup

Starting at $0.00/mo.

Kashoo starts saving you time at setup, which shouldn’t take longer than a few minutes. The software instantly starts learning your vendors, automatically sorting expenses, and generating a contact list to minimize the time you have to spend manually importing data.

Kashoo isn’t quite as automation-heavy as Zoho Books, but it comes close. The software quickly learns how to categorize your expenses for easier tracking. Its automatic expense sorting also simplifies tax deductions once tax season comes around, and it auto-generates contacts based on your transactions. Kashoo’s multi-currency support ensures you can accept payments from customers across the globe.

Kashoo recently introduced an invoice-centric plan that includes basic income and expense tracking and online payment acceptance. It's a good fit for freelancers and the smallest of small businesses. But if you want all of Kashoo's stellar features, you'll need a paid plan starting at $20 a month—a bit above average as far as starting prices go.

The takeaway

Thanks to the cloud, it’s easier than ever to find user-friendly, affordable, simple accounting software for your Mac. In fact, there are so many options that we recommend shopping around to find the best small-business accounting software for you.

Still wondering about the right software for you? Our top pick for Mac users who want user-friendly accounting software is Xero . We love that Xero includes inventory management with its cheapest plan, making it well suited to product-based and service-based businesses alike. 

If Xero doesn't sound like a good fit for you, one of our other favorites could work: 

• QuickBooks Online is a popular, comprehensive accounting solution with an absolutely fantastic mobile app. 
• Zoho Books' recently added free plan gives the smallest businesses access to the stellar features and automation Zoho's suite of products is known for. 
• FreshBooks' fantastic customer collaboration tools and unlimited customizable invoices make it a top pick for freelancers and contractors.
• Sage Business Cloud Accounting includes user tutorials and business trainings that can help first-time business owners find their fiscal footing.

Accounting software has a big impact on how much time you spend bookkeeping each month, so choose carefully—and always try a free trial or request a demo from the company you’re considering. With a 30-day trial, you can find small-business accounting software for your Mac that you absolutely love instead of settling for second best.

Still haven’t found the right financial software for your Mac? Check out a few more options on our list of the year’s best QuickBooks alternatives .

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With plans starting at $15 a month, FreshBooks is well-suited for freelancers, solopreneurs, and small-business owners alike.

• Track time and expenses
• Create custom invoices
• Accept online payments

Mac accounting software FAQ

QuickBooks Online is certainly one of the most popular and user-friendly accounting software choices for Mac users. Similarly, QuickBooks Desktop for Mac has comprehensive accounting features suited to Apple desktop users. But whether QuickBooks is the best software depends on what features matter most to you.

For instance, if you need software that syncs across all your devices, simplifies taxes with built-in mileage tracking, and scales up as your business grows, then yes—QuickBooks Online might be the best accounting software for you. If you need great reporting and desktop access to your financial data, a QuickBooks Desktop plan for Apple users could suit.

But QuickBooks isn’t the only accounting software for Macs, and it might not be the right fit for your particular business. For instance, if your business relies on professional invoices, FreshBooks could work better for you. Or if you manage inventory and value collaboration, Xero could be a better choice.

Absolutely. As long as you choose accounting software that suits your business’s needs, it should be just as easy for you to do accounting on a Mac as on a PC.

Methodology

To derive our star ratings and rank our top brands, we considered each product's performance on Apple devices. We also assessed brands based on their customer service quality, overall value, pricing, and accounting features, among other factors.

At Business.org, our research is meant to offer general product and service recommendations. We don't guarantee that our suggestions will work best for each individual or business, so consider your unique needs when choosing products and services.

Sources 1. The App Store, “ QuickBooks Accounting .” Accessed February 9, 2023. 2. The App Store, “ FreeAgent Mobile Accounting .” Accessed February 9, 2023.

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Best Planner Apps for Mac In 2024

No matter what kind of project you want to tackle, you must have a plan first. Planning is the cornerstone of project management, but if you’re a Mac user, then you’re going to find that a lot of the big players in the field don’t want you on their team.

There is no Microsoft planner for Mac, or Microsoft Project for Mac , for that matter. Why they would ignore such a large potential client base is not for us to ask, but managers using Apple products are still in need of a good planning app.

Despite there not being a Microsoft planner for Mac, there are plenty of other companies that offer great planning software with Mac compatibility. We’ve tested out a bunch and came back with these reviews of the best planner apps for Mac.

2024 Best Planning Apps for Mac Rankings

1. projectmanager.

ProjectManager is an award-winning planning software that works on Mac or PC. It’s a cloud-based app, which means that users can access the software anywhere there’s an internet connection. That means you can create a plan in the office or on the go.

This planner app for Mac lets you organize your project by collecting tasks, setting due dates, prioritizing them, tagging them for easier searching, linking dependencies to avoid bottlenecks and setting milestones to break up the project into more manageable pieces. Plus there’s a free 30-day trial so you can try this planning app for Mac yourself before you buy.

Gantt Charts for Planning

Not everyone plans the same way, which is why the tool has multiple project views. Get the flexibility you need to better plan your project with online Gantt charts that provide managers with more control over their scheduling by showing all the tasks on a timeline. The Gantt helps you manage tasks and all the associated resources and costs. Plus, you can compare planned vs actuals and track progress in real time.

Kanban Boards for Work Flows

If you’re a more visual worker, there are kanban boards that show the workflow by breaking up the production cycle into columns under which are stack cards that represent each task. This gives managers visibility into the process to reallocate resources to match their team’s capacity, and teams are able to build a backlog and manage their work together.

Collaborative Task Management

There are also calendar views and a task list. All the data is the same no matter what view you choose. Each task can have a detailed description to help teams execute it. Files can be attached directly to the tasks, too. The software acts as the central hub for all your project documentation, saving you time when you need to look at any important paperwork.

Keeping everyone in the project updated when you plan or change something is the plan is key to staying productive and on schedule. The plan can be monitored and tracked as it is being executed. Email notifications and in-app alerts will inform the project team of any changes to tasks when due dates are approaching and more. It keeps everyone in the loop.

Dashboards for Tracking

The planning app for Mac also has features that give you a high-level view of the project as it’s happening with a real-time dashboard. The dashboard collects project data and automatically calculates it to display in easy-to-read graphs and charts. Users get instant status reports on progress, cost, resource availability and more.

Plus, if your organization is married to Microsoft Project but you’re working on a Mac, ProjectManagerlets you import and export MPP files. Ready to get started? Click here for a free 30-day trial with full access to all their features.

• Team plan: $13 user/month
• Business plan: $24 user/month
• Does ProjectManager offer a free trial? Yes, ProjectManager has a 30-day free trial
• Does ProjectManager have a mobile project management app? Yes, it’s available for Android and iOS

2. Project Planning Pro

Project Planning Pro is a mobile app developed specifically for project managers that need a tool that allows them to make plans while out in the field (or just on the go). You can create a project plan quickly—just enter the tasks, start and end dates. There’s an interactive Gantt chart that allows you to edit and update the tasks quickly and simply.

It’s easy to manage tasks and collaborate with teams to increase productivity, especially when you’re not in the office. The tool was designed for project managers that are traveling a lot and need to stay connected to their projects.

For example, if you’re working on an iPad you can use simple gestures to update your Gantt or see the critical path. It links all four task dependencies and can import and export Microsoft Project if your company uses this tool.

• Project Planning Pro for Mac is $34.99
• Does Project Planning Pro offer a free trial? No, there isn’t a free trial
• Does Project Planning Pro offer a free version? No, there isn’t a free version

3. Project Plan 365

Project Plan 365 is another planner app for Mac that’s easy to use for project managers and small teams, especially if they’re working in a fast-paced office or in distributed teams. Like other apps highlighted here, it’s also used as an extension for Microsoft Project, which is unavailable for Mac. It supports all MS Project views, such as Gantt charts, task sheets, network diagram, project calendar , task and resource usage, team planning and more.

The software is flexible enough to work in a variety of industries including construction, engineering, software development, marketing and sales, banking and finance and much more. Since it has both a Mac desktop application and a cloud interface, you can work online or offline.

While it’s built to act as a MS Project alternative or extension, it’s also compatible with Windows and Android phones. You can back up your work to its cloud server or use Google Drive, Dropbox, Box and OneDrive.

• Standard plan is $9.99/month
• Business plan is $16.19/month
• Does Project Plan 365 offer a free trial? Yes, there’s a 30-day free trial
• Does Project Plan 365 offer a free version? No, there isn’t a free version

4. GanttPRO

GanttPRO is an online planning app that uses Gantt charts to support planning and scheduling projects. It’s a great solution for small teams, though it doesn’t have the customizable reports and dashboards that you’ll find in more powerful planning apps for Mac. However, it’s got a low price point of entry and a great design.

If you love managing projects on Gantts, then this is the tool for you. It has custom fields for tasks, kanban board views and calculates the critical path.

The app is made for smaller organizations that don’t need the bells and whistles of reporting features and invoicing tools. The web-based software has a very intuitive interface and it’s simple to start a project. Drag-and-drop features add to the ease of adding tasks, linking dependencies, assigning resources, tracking progress and editing. Teams can comment and collaborate, get real-time notifications and managers can track their team’s performance and workload.

• Individual plan is $15 per user/month
• Team plan is $8.90 per user/month
• Does GanttPRO offer a free trial? Yes, there’s a 15-day free trial
• Does GanttPRO have a mobile app? Yes, it’s available on iOS and Android

Hive refers to itself as a “productivity platform,” and this cloud-based planner app for Mac lives up to its motto. It is ideal for big and small teams, with many features to help with planning and executing projects. It has file sharing, task management, automation and chat.

Users can set up tasks and their duration, add tags and attach files. Then track the status of the task. It uses a kanban-like interface, but also has a Gantt view.

A big selling point is its three dashboards that track project metrics and provide insights into performance. Using this monitoring feature helps managers identify inefficiencies and resolve these issues to boost productivity, and it keeps managers and teams updated with alerts. Another pro is that much of what you will need to know is displayed on one page, which adds to its ease of use. However, while Hive is a useful project planner for Mac, it might not be the best project management software . First, Hive’s status, list and team project views are simply variations of a kanban board. Also, Hive’s Gantt chart lacks advanced project management features such as identifying the critical path or showing a work breakdown structure.

• Hive Solo is $0 per user/month
• Hive Teams is $12 per user/month
• Does Hive offer a free trial? Yes, there’s a 14-day free trial
• Does Hive have a mobile app? Yes, it’s available in the App Store

ProjectManager is award-winning software that is the best planner app for Mac . It saves you money and increases your productivity. Making plans on Gantts or Kanban boards controls every aspect of your plan, and multiple project views allow you to work how you want. Resource management, timesheets and other planning-related features all combine to make this the one project management tool you’ll need to deliver successful projects. See what it can do for your next project plan by taking this free 30-day trial.

Deliver your projects on time and under budget

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Hey, where does your time go?

10 Best Planner Apps for Mac

Are you trying to manage the chaos of your daily tasks to stay organized? Well done! Searching for the best planner app for Mac is the right step!

Planning apps for Mac will help you manage your projects effectively. With daily planners, you can create tasks, sub-tasks, and to-do lists, set deadlines, and integrate with other Apple devices, such as your Apple Watch or iPad.

Looking to better manage your time? First, discover where your time actually goes.

“I’ve doubled my revenue thanks to Timeular and managed to halve how much I work. Timeular helped me understand where I needed to make changes to become more efficient and this has allowed me to cut down my time spent working.” – Valdemar Alfred, Owner of Valdefar

Navigating the plethora of planner apps akin to having a personal assistant is the key to optimizing your daily routine. Whether you’re tackling work commitments, school assignments, personal projects, note-taking, or assisting family members with their tasks, we’ve got you covered.

This article is your compass in the world of best Mac planner apps , paving the way for enhanced productivity and streamlined management. Let’s dive in!

Methodology: How did we choose the top planners for Mac

Amidst the multitude of planner and productivity apps, our emphasis lies in pinpointing key attributes that enhance effectiveness and user utility. Our evaluation centers on features, functionalities, integrations, and usability.

The spotlight is on apps we’ve personally used and rigorously tested , placing a premium on those with stellar user recommendations and reviews. This meticulous approach ensures a robust compilation of top-notch planner apps for Mac users.

What are the best planners for Mac?

Google Calendar

Nothing beats a good old calendar when we think of planning. Google Calendar is widely recognized and highly useful because it manages schedules, events, and appointments, making it a popular option for both individuals and businesses.

Google Calendar stands out with its multiple calendar views , offering day, week, month, and agenda views for users to adapt their schedule visualization to their preferences. The app also simplifies scheduling with recurring events , allowing users to set up weekly or monthly meetings and automatically update the calendar even in a different time zone.

Integration is also a key strength since it has a very good sync with various productivity apps like Slack, Dropbox, Salesforce, and Timeular. The app is free if you own a Google account.

Read also: Google Calendar time tracking

Connect Google Calendar to your time tracking app and get AI productivity insights

“I love how robust Timeular is. It’s increased our ability to see what’s going on in the business and helped us understand what changes are needed to maintain profitability.” – Kaitlin Snow Seamons, Executive Creative Director at Harmon Brothers

Notion is one of the most versatile apps on the list that provides powerful features as a planner and as a project management tool.

With multiple templates and features , the app suits different kinds of demands, from professionals to students, or even if you’re just looking for an app to arrange your to-dos and personal tasks. 

Integration is seamless, with Notion syncing with various productivity apps like Google Calendar, Slack, and Zapier. This ensures smooth collaboration and workflow coordination . The app also excels in project management , providing Kanban boards for visual project tracking and timelines for a chronological view of events.

Notion’s page-based interface offers a flexible and customizable workspace . Users can create a hierarchical structure by nesting pages and incorporating diverse content types, such as text, images, tables, checklists, and code, which enhances the organization and accessibility of information within the app.

Notion paid plans start at $15 per user, but you can also use it for free with fewer features.

Read also: Time tracking in Notion

Connect Notion to your time tracking app and get real-time AI productivity insights

Todoist stands out as a practical planner or to-do app because it simply delivers task management. You can plan your daily tasks through a to-do list according to what makes sense to your needs.  Todoist’s versatility extends to facilitating effective collaboration among individuals and team members, enabling the assignment of deadlines and prioritization of tasks.

The to-do app’s organizational prowess shines in handling projects and subtasks, simplifying task management with a hierarchical structure. Todoist further streamlines workflow with recurring tasks, automating the addition of repetitive actions at regular intervals.

A key feature lies in Todoist’s rich customization options , with themes, labels, reminders, and integrations with other productivity apps. This flexibility empowers users to personalize the app and each to-do list according to their preferences. 

Todoist is not a to-do list app available exclusively on Mac since it’s also available for Android and Windows users. The app offers a free version and paid plans starting at $5 per month.

TIP: Learn our post to learn everything about Todist time tracking .

Structured presents a user-friendly and minimalist interface designed for efficient day organization and task management. Its minimalist design prioritizes essential features, making it ideal for those preferring a clutter-free planning experience.

The app integrates Habit Tracking, allowing users to monitor progress toward personal goals, categorize habits for organization, and set target frequencies for effective habit formation. Structured can also silence notifications and distractions during deep work sessions.

One of Structured’s strengths lies in Cross-Device Syncing , ensuring accessibility across Mac, iPad, and iPhone without the need for manual updates, providing consistency and synchronization, which is especially beneficial for Mac users. It also integrates with popular calendars like Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, and Outlook, facilitating the importation of events for better planning convenience.

The app offers many features for free, but some advanced ones are premium features that require an upgrade. Prices start at $2.99 per month.

Evernote is a robust note-taking app that lets you capture, categorize, and share information effectively. It allows versatile creation of text, audio, images, handwritten notes, and even something simple as a to-do list, which can be easily organized into notebooks, tagged for swift searching, and shared collaboratively.

Task Management is seamlessly integrated into Evernote, empowering users to craft a to-do list, set reminders, take notes, and monitor progress on goals. The app’s collaboration tools enhance teamwork , with real-time editing and commenting features facilitating efficient planning activities and to-do lists.

Evernote’s rich media support, allowing embedded images, audio, and video files within notes, makes it a versatile tool for capturing and storing multimedia content, ideal for a variety of tasks like grocery lists and work assignments. The powerful search functionality ensures quick retrieval of any note or project, even when they contain handwritten text, images, or audio recordings.

Evernote app is available for iOS and Android . It has a free version with limitations on note-taking and uploads and a paid version starting at €8.33 per month.

Mindlist is a good planner for MacOS users and a reliable choice for those who seek a highly organized and customizable approach to managing their plans and new tasks.

Recognized for its adaptability, attention to context-based task management, and integration with other productivity apps, Mindlist is available as a native app for both Mac and iOS devices , which ensures coordination across various platforms and a shallow learning curve.

A strong feature is the focus mode , designed to temporarily conceal all tasks except the one currently selected, promoting distraction-free deep work sessions. Mindlist offers extensive customization alternatives, allowing users to tailor views, set up recurring tasks, and create personalized perspectives according to their specific needs and preferences.

Additionally, the app includes a habit tracker, enabling users to monitor progress toward forming new habits or breaking existing ones, fostering self-improvement, setting reminders, and aiding in the accomplishment of personal goals.

This planner app can be used for free but offers premium features at $6.99.

Any.Do is designed for users who want to organize and customize their plans and goals. Noteworthy for its adaptability, focus on context-based task management, and integration with other productivity apps, Any.Do is available as a native app for iOS devices , ensuring synchronization across platforms like iPhone and iPad.

It also provides a focus mode , which temporarily hides all but the currently selected task, fostering undistracted deep work sessions for your current to-dos. Any.Do software excels in customization , allowing users to tailor views, set up recurring tasks, and create personalized perspectives based on individual needs and preferences.

The app also integrates a habit tracker , empowering users to monitor progress toward forming new habits or breaking existing ones, promoting self-improvement, and helping users organize their plans better and achieve their goals.

The planner app offers a free version with key features and premium plans starting at $5 monthly.

Timepage blends the traditional features of a calendar with an emphasis on contextual awareness and intelligent scheduling . Crafted to aid effective day planning, organization, and time management, Timepage sets itself apart by leveraging contextual awareness.

It suggests relevant tasks, appointments, to-dos, and events based on the user’s current location, time of day, and past activities, helping improve focus and productivity throughout the day according to what makes sense to the user.

Incorporating intelligent scheduling algorithms, Timepage recommends optimal times for tasks and events by considering factors such as availability, preferences, and past performance. This ensures users can avoid scheduling conflicts and maintain a well-balanced and effective daily schedule.

The app can also sync with Apple Calendar, providing a centralized hub within the app for users to view, manage, and edit all their events and tasks. This integration enhances accessibility and streamlines the overall scheduling experience.

Trello is a very solid alternative for a good planner. It is very effective for overall project management activities and planning since it allows you to be more visual through the use of Kanban boards , share tasks, customize, track, and arrange them.

Businesses and organizations drawn to Trello for its simplicity, flexibility, and collaboration features find it a popular choice across various sizes.

In Trello, tasks are represented by cards containing descriptions, due dates, attachments, and checklists for detailed breakdowns. The use of labels and due dates helps users categorize and prioritize assignments , ensuring timely completion.

The platform further supports collaboration through comments and attachments, allowing users to share ideas and add tags and files seamlessly. Trello’s efficiency is complemented by pre-built templates for various projects, such as marketing campaigns or product development, saving users time and effort when setting up new boards.

Both teams and individuals can use Trello for free, but you can always have an upgrade starting at $5 per month.

Read also: Does Trello have time tracking?

OmniFocus is designed for those who need a highly organized and customizable way to manage their plans and goals. It is known for its flexibility, focus on context-based task management and integration with other productivity apps.

OmniFocus excels as a native Mac and iOS app , ensuring seamless synchronization across iPhone and iPad devices.

The focus mode is a standout feature of the app, which temporarily hides all but the selected task, fostering undistracted deep work sessions. OmniFocus stands out for its extensive customization and appealing design, allowing users to tailor views, set up recurring tasks, and create personalized perspectives.

Additionally, the app integrates a habit tracker , supporting users in monitoring progress toward forming new habits or breaking existing ones, facilitating self-improvement and goal achievement.

The app offers a free trial period and paid versions according to the chosen plan. Prices start at $4.99 per month.

Features to look for when choosing a good planner for Mac

Overall usability and interface.

One of the strongest features to look for when choosing a planner app is usability. The app should have a clean and easy-to-use user interface that is intuitive and straightforward to help users quickly add, edit, and view appointments, dos, reminders, and notes without unnecessary complexity.

Integrations

Consider apps that can integrate seamlessly with other productivity tools and apps you already use daily. When we talk about apps for Mac, look for those that have better integrations with the iOS system. This can help you streamline your workflows, stay organized, and avoid switching between multiple apps while adding tasks to your planner.

Syncing across devices

As mentioned before, integrations are very important, especially for Mac users, so ensure the app you choose allows you to sync your schedule and tasks seamlessly across your Mac, iPhone, iPad, and other devices. This ensures you always have access to your information, regardless of your device.

Task management capabilities

A good planner app should be able to integrate task management features, such as the ability to categorize tasks into a different project, assign due dates and priorities, and enable you to create, access, and manage lists, set reminders, and track your progress. It is a strong feature to help you stay on top of your commitments.

Hopefully, this list will help you decide when choosing the right planner app for Mac.

Choosing the most suitable one will improve your routine, daily tasks, and to-do lists. Remember to consider the factors we mentioned above, from interface and usability to multiple integrations, but more importantly, the one that suits you perfectly.

Of course, many other apps didn’t make it to this list. However, we strongly believe that the preselection provided in this article will help you make the right choice.

How can I plan time manually?

If you don’t want to automate planning your schedule with a planner app, use one of the free schedule templates provided by Timeular. They are available in three different formats: in Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, and as a printable PDF file.

What is the best planner app for Mac and iPhone?

There isn’t a right answer because the best app planner for Mac and iPhone will depend on your personal needs and what makes more sense in your routine and daily tasks. It is important to analyze the app’s core features, how it can help you organize daily tasks and complex projects, and how it can sync with apps and lists you may already use.

Is Microsoft Planner available for Mac?

Yes, it is. Microsoft Planner is a collaborative task management tool that facilitates teamwork, task organization, and progress tracking. It is part of Microsoft 365 and is available for Mac users.

You might be interested in:

• Mac time tracker
• Top macOS productivity apps
• How to effectively use a planner
• The different types of planners
• Good planners for Android
• Top-rated productivity apps for iOS

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Boost your Mac’s abilities and potential with 16 macOS-friendly apps, only $40

While Apple consistently offers some of the best tech innovations, Mac users are due for some long-awaited tools to maximize their macOS device’s abilities.

Fortunately, you can add a helpful arsenal of tools to your macOS device with the $40 Big Mac Utility Bundle, which serves up a collection of  16 productivity apps that can streamline virtually everything you do on your Mac .

With a one-time payment for this bundle’s plethora of Mac-friendly apps, you’ll get lifelong access to 16 apps, which include minor updates as they’re released. Here’s what you’ll receive:

• FileUnhider
• And much more!

Let’s dive into some of the apps. With AppKiller, you can easily  clear out your running apps with a single click of a button . Need to connect to WiFi when you’re traveling or commuting? WiFi Radar Pro helps by scanning, monitoring, and resolving issues with connecting networks.

If you work in-person at the office, FileUnhider can be helpful, as users can instantly hide and unhide their displayed files if they’re showing their screen to a colleague. Constantly copying and pasting? Use AllClips to manage your Mac’s clipboard and recover lost clippings.

Boost your Mac’s potential and your efficiency by investing in  The Big Mac Utility Bundle, now just $39.99 .

The Big Mac Utility Bundle

Only $39.99 at Macworld

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Project Plan 3

Plan and execute projects with Copilot in Planner (preview) 1 and advanced project management capabilities. Includes the Project Online desktop client and Project Online.

• Leverage Copilot in Planner (preview) 1 to generate new plans, set goals, track status, and react to changes as projects evolve.
• Use rich planning and status tracking capabilities, with features such as advanced dependencies with lead-lag, critical path, and task history.
• Manage scheduling and costing and allocate resources with resource management capabilities.
• Each subscription license allows for up to five concurrent installations of the Project Online desktop client.

Talk to an expert

To speak to a sales expert, call 1-855-270-0615 , Monday–Friday 6:00 AM–6:00 PM Pacific Time.

Originally starting from $30.00 now starting from $30.00

$30.00 $30.00

Try free for one month

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Collaborative, powerful project management enabled by Copilot in Planner (preview)

Get started quickly with Project Plan 3 and have powerful project management capabilities, assisted by Copilot in Planner (preview), to plan and manage your organization’s projects from anywhere.

Copilot in Planner (preview)

With simple, natural language prompts, you can generate and add tasks, goals, and buckets or create a complete plan. Then, use Copilot to break down the work into actionable steps and analyze progress, risks, assignments, and more.

Rich task management capabilities

Create advanced task dependencies with lead-lag, identify progress and changes with task history, and leverage critical path to prioritize resources and assignments.

Ready-made project templates

Use prebuilt templates available in Planner and Project for the web or go to Microsoft365.com for access to ready-made project plans.

Collaborate in a simple, unified experience

Manage all your tasks, to-do lists, plans, and projects across Microsoft 365 apps in a single, familiar experience. Use Planner, Project, and Microsoft Teams 3  to collaborate on projects with file sharing, chat, meetings, and more. *

Visual, interactive roadmaps

Visualize progress across projects, programs, and portfolios by connecting different projects within a single view. Choose the initiatives you want to see and add phases, milestones, and key dates.

Make informed decisions

Use baselines to help you track and compare actual progress to the original project plan.

Create reports

Get insights, communicate information to stakeholders, and achieve results with help from powerful built-in reports.

Tailor your project management

Leverage the Microsoft Power Platform to customize your project management needs to best suit your organization.

More about Project Plan 3

Manage all your tasks, to-do lists, plans and projects across Microsoft 365 apps in a single, familiar experience. Seamlessly share project plans, manage tasks, chat, and meet without switching between apps.

Flexible and scalable

Use your preferred view and create plans with powerful scheduling and resourcing tools. Improve resource assignment based on dependencies. Get big picture views and leverage Power Apps to automate and extend.

Intelligent

With Copilot in Planner (preview), use next-generation AI and natural language prompts to generate new plans, set goals, track status, and react to changes as projects evolve.

• [1] While final pricing for Copilot in Planner has not been announced, users with a Project Plan 3 or Project Plan 5 license will be able to preview Copilot in Planner capabilities once it is rolled out to their organization.
• [2] A credit card is required to begin a one-month trial. The duration of the trial varies by the month you sign up. The expiration date will appear on the trial subscription details page within the Microsoft 365 admin center. Upon the expiration of your one-month trial, you will be charged the applicable subscription fee. Cancellation can be done at any time to stop future charges.
• [3] Microsoft 365 apps, such as Microsoft Teams, are sold separately. Prices shown are per month. If you are a global or billing administrator, an annual commitment is required to purchase online. You can choose to pay monthly or annually. Within the Microsoft 365 admin center, global and billing administrators can choose either annual or monthly commitment plans.
• [*] License sold separately.    

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10 must-have Mac apps to install first

• Got a new Mac? Here's a list of apps you should install first.
• I install all these apps, including Magnet, which lets me easily organize my screen for maximum efficiency on multiple displays.
• I also use the Bear app, because it offers more features than the standard Notes app. Keep reading to learn 8 other must-have Mac apps.

For most people, the best part of investing in a Mac is that you don't need to worry so much about anything going on under the hood. Whether it's a desktop or laptop, the convenience of all your Apple devices linking up so effortlessly is worth the price of admission. For the most part, you can simply plug it in and enjoy a hassle-free experience. That said, if you want to get the most out of your Mac and be as efficient and productive as possible, the default apps and programs just won't cut it.

Like the best iPhone apps , installing and using new apps on your Mac is a breeze. It's made as painless as possible, which only leaves the question of which apps you need to look for. The app store is bursting with apps both free and paid, making it basically a full-time job if you want to sort out the diamonds in the rough. For anyone who lives and works on their Mac like I do, these apps are the first ones I download whenever I upgrade to a new device.

Best MacBook laptops: Expertly tested and ranked

Keep everything in place.

Whether you're using a single monitor setup or multiple, we all have dozens of tabs and windows open at once. Your screen real estate is constantly at a premium, and if you want to have multiple windows open, then you will have to wrangle them around to keep from overlapping. Windows has a handy feature where you can easily segment your windows, but Macs don't by default.

Magnet is the best $5 you can spend on an organization app. It allows you to easily section off your screen into halves, thirds, and quarters in multiple variations. In a world where multitasking is required, this functionality is essential to stay efficient. It works on up to six connected displays, which should more than cover your bases.

Stay on task

I think it's safe to say we've collectively moved on from taking notes with pen and paper. It's wasteful, messy, and inconvenient compared to what our Macs can do. The standard Notes app is serviceable, but once you experience a premium note-taking app, you won't be able to go back.

Bear is designed to be easy to use yet far more feature-rich than Notes. You can create to-do lists, mark notes with tags and themes to organize them, and even draw or include pictures in notes. You can get as detailed or as simple as you want, but either way, the app keeps things user-friendly so you don't spend more time creating a to-do list than completing it. There's a free version to test it out, and a subscription to a Pro level that gives you even more flexibility and options.

The superior music app

Apple will try to push its Apple Music app on you with every Mac you own, and while it isn't a bad music player by any means, it can't hold a candle to Spotify. In terms of the sheer number of songs, options, and features, it's no wonder that this app has become the go-to music player for just about everyone. Odds are you already have it on your mobile device, so sync up with your Mac and keep the tunes rolling.

Whether you're working or playing, having something on in the background can help prevent you from going insane from the silence. Or worse, if there are loud interruptions you need to drown out, Spotify has the best selection of music and podcasts with tons of features. If you don't mind ads, you can stick with the free version or upgrade to Premium for no ads and unlimited skips.

What is Spotify and how does it work?

Just as a backup, google chrome.

Unless you're a Windows user converting to Macs , you likely know that Safari is secretly an amazing browser. It's specifically designed for Macs, meaning it won't slow you down and can integrate seamlessly with your other Apple technologies. However, for some reason, there are still some sites out there that aren't optimized for Safari users, or they might even malfunction.

Having Chrome as a backup for those instances where specific sites don't function as they should on Safari is an unfortunate necessity. Just download Chrome and keep it on your desktop until you need it.

I tried 7 Chrome browser alternatives. Can I leave Google behind?

Bettertouchtool, just a touch away.

One of the coolest features your Mac offers, whether you're using a mouse, touch bar, or trackpad, is the variety of gestures you can use. Depending on your swipe, you can perform several simple actions. But what if you could create your own gesture shortcuts to do whatever you wanted?

BetterTouchTool fulfills that wish. By setting a gesture, you can assign it to perform any function you want, such as opening a specific app, closing a window, or almost anything else. If you find yourself frequently performing an action and want to streamline it, this app will forever change how you interact with your Mac.

Block out distractions

If music is too distracting but you need something to occupy your ears, some soothing ambient sounds might be just what the doctor ordered. We aren't all fortunate enough to be working near a lake or in a tent during a light rain, but Dark Noise can at least create the illusion that you are.

In addition to a plethora of ambient sounds, you can also choose to listen to colored noises, which are said to improve productivity. The free version comes with just eight sounds, but you can subscribe to the Pro version to access over 50 and the ability to mix multiple sounds together to create your own perfect soundscape.

Never get locked out

It feels like every site we visit requires us to log in. Between email, apps, and various accounts, my mind just can't keep track of all my information half the time. Thanks to Shift, I can offload all that mental burden and let it take care of remembering everything. That alone would be worth making the list, but Shift goes above and beyond that.

Once you link all your accounts to Shift, it consolidates everything into one organized window. All my various email accounts, apps, and more are in one place. It even allows me to search across all my connected accounts so I don't have to sift through each one individually to find that one calendar meeting I need to update.

Like many of the apps I've listed, this one isn't only for Mac users but for anyone who values their privacy. This is particularly true if you're using a laptop, but it's just as crucial for desktop users too. Data thieves and hackers are out there, looking for any way to get your data, and a VPN is by far the best defense we have against them.

NordVPN is my personal choice among the various VPNs for a few reasons. First, it's incredibly easy to use. It literally only takes a couple of clicks to change my location to anywhere in the world. Beyond that, I can't detect any performance difference when using it. Oh, and as an added bonus, it can let you watch shows on streaming services like Netflix that aren't offered in your region, which is a nice cherry on top.

What is a VPN and what do they do?

Amphetamine, don't fall asleep.

Just look past the awkward name for a second, and you might just find a simple but useful app here. Unless you're actively using your Mac, it will eventually go into rest mode to conserve power, right? That's all well and good, but if you're downloading something like a big game and want to go do something else while it downloads, you're kind of stuck because your Mac falling asleep will interrupt anything running or downloading.

By using Amphetamine (the app!), you can ensure your Mac never falls asleep when you don't want it to. You can simply toggle it to stay awake until you turn it off, set timers, or have it active only while files are downloading or apps are running, among many other specific scenarios. It can be as straightforward or as comprehensive as you need it to be.

Sharing is caring

Especially in workspaces, having a unified file-sharing system simplifies everything. PCs and Macs each have their own cloud storage solutions, but Dropbox is platform-agnostic and runs perfectly well on all devices. Even if you don't need it for work, backing up your files in an app like Dropbox is wise, ensuring you can easily access them in the future, regardless of the computer you use.

Which cloud storage service is right for you? iCloud vs Google Drive vs OneDrive vs Dropbox