Discover my carefully curated collection of apps and programs that supercharge my daily workflow. From cutting-edge development tools to innovative productivity enhancers, every selection is handpicked to help you work smarter and unleash your creativity. I’ve organized everything into intuitive categories, making it a breeze to find exactly what you need to build your own powerful setup (affiliate links included).
Curious about the hardware that powers my day-to-day? Head over to My Essential Tech Stack. And if you’re interested in the complete picture—both the software and hardware behind my homelab—be sure to check out My Homelab.
Absolute Essentials
Homebrew
A package manager that simplifies installing and managing software on your system.
OS: macOS, Linux
You install it via the terminal:
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
More info: Homebrew Website
Docker with Docker Compose
A containerization platform that allows you to run applications in isolated environments, with Docker Compose for multi-container setups. Makes it easy to run the same software on different systems.
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux
Download: Docker Desktop
iTerm2
A feature-rich terminal emulator that enhances your command-line experience. You can customize almost everything. I use it with my own custom theme and zsh.
OS: macOS
Download: iTerm2
WireGuard
A modern VPN protocol known for its simplicity and high performance.
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
Download: WireGuard
VLC
A versatile media player that supports nearly every audio and video format.
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
Download: VLC
CleanMyMac X by MacPaw
An all-in-one tool to clean, optimize, and maintain your Mac.
OS: macOS
Download: CleanMyMac X
Messengers
Signal
A secure messaging app offering end-to-end encryption for private conversations. I use it as my main messenger since it’s free and easy to use. Even my grandma uses it, so give it a try ;)
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
Download: Signal
Threema
A privacy-centric messaging app that emphasizes security and anonymity. A great messenger, but unfortunately not free.
OS: iOS, Android
Download: Threema
Element (Matrix)
A versatile messaging app built on the Matrix protocol for secure, decentralized communication. Has a simmilar layout to Discord and Slack, which makes it perfekt for team communication.
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Web
Download: Element
Discord
A communication platform ideal for communities and teams, offering voice, video, and text chat. I mostly use it to chat with people I met online and to stream video games I play or just share my screen.
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
Download: Discord
Creativity
Affinity Suite
A powerful set of creative tools—including Affinity Photo, Designer, and Publisher—for professional design and publishing.
OS: macOS, Windows (with select apps also available on iPad)
Download: Affinity Suite
Apple Creative Pro Suite
Apple’s professional tools for creative work—Final Cut Pro for video editing and Logic Pro for music production.
OS: macOS
Download:
Coding / Programming
Visual Studio Code
A lightweight yet powerful code editor with an extensive ecosystem of extensions. The best part - IT’S FREE!
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux
Download: Visual Studio Code
JetBrains Suite
A comprehensive set of IDEs and development tools available for free through GitHub EDU (if eligible).
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux
Download: JetBrains Products
Xcode
Apple’s official integrated development environment for building apps on all Apple platforms.
OS: macOS
Download: Xcode
Markdown Editor
A minimalistic Markdown editor offering a distraction-free writing experience.
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux
Download: Mark Down Editor
GitHub Desktop
A streamlined graphical interface to simplify Git version control workflows.
OS: macOS, Windows
Download: GitHub Desktop
Cyberduck
An open-source client for FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, and cloud storage services.
OS: macOS, Windows
Download: Cyberduckg
Angry IP Scanner
A fast network scanning tool for discovering devices on your local network.
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux
Download: Angry IP Scanner
UTM
A virtual machine host that lets you run various operating systems on your Mac or iOS device.
OS: macOS, iOS
Download: UTM
Browsers
Firefox
A fast and secure web browser that prioritizes user privacy.
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
Download: Firefox
Brave
A privacy-focused web browser that blocks ads and trackers by default.
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
Download: Brave Browser
Tor Browser
A browser that ensures your online activities remain anonymous by routing your traffic through the Tor network.
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux, Android
Download: Tor Browser
Mac Specific Software
A Better Finder Rename
A powerful batch renaming tool that simplifies file management on macOS.
OS: macOS
Download: A Better Finder Rename
Vivid
An app designed to help you manage and enhance your display’s color vibrancy on macOS.
OS: macOS
Download: Vivid
Al Dente
A utility to control your MacBook’s charging behavior, helping to preserve battery health.
OS: macOS
Download: Al Dente
Macs Fan Control
An app to monitor and control your Mac’s fan speeds, keeping your system cool under heavy loads.
OS: macOS
Download: Macs Fan Control
Apple Standard Apps
Essential built-in apps such as Mail, Photos, Safari, Calendar, Notes, and Reminders that come pre-installed on Apple devices.
OS: macOS, iOS, iPadOS
More Info: Wikipedia
Productivity
Apple Office Suite (iWork)
A collection of productivity apps (Pages, Keynote, Numbers) for creating documents, presentations, and spreadsheets.
OS: macOS, iOS, iPadOS, WebBased
Download: iWork
Thunderbird
A free, open-source email client with robust features for managing your communications.
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux
Download: Thunderbird
GoodNotes
An intuitive note-taking app designed for handwritten notes and organization on iOS and iPadOS.
OS: iOS, iPadOS
Download: GoodNotes
Bitwarden / Vaultwarden
Bitwarden is a secure password manager, with Vaultwarden as a self-hosted alternative.
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Web
Download: Bitwarden | Vaultwarden
Balena Etcher
A straightforward tool for flashing OS images to SD cards and USB drives.
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux
Download: Balena Etcher
Other great Apps
no category fit for them, but I wanted to list them here, because they’re awesome!
ChatGPT
An AI-powered conversational assistant by OpenAI, useful for brainstorming, coding help, and more.
OS: Web-based
Access: ChatGPT
Aiko
A productivity enhancer that streamlines task management through smart automation.
OS: macOS, iOS (assumed)
Download: Aiko
Balena Etcher
A straightforward tool for flashing OS images to SD cards and USB drives.
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux
Download: Balena Etcher
Minecraft
A globally popular sandbox game where creativity meets exploration.
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Consoles
Download: Minecraft
TVHClient
A mobile client for managing TVHeadend servers, ideal for streaming live TV on the go.
OS: iOS
Download: Search for “TVHClient” in the App Store
Spotify
A leading music streaming service offering millions of tracks at your fingertips.
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
Download: Spotify
HandBrake
An open-source video transcoder that converts videos into a wide range of formats.
OS: macOS, Windows, Linux
Download: HandBrake
Infuse
A sleek media player for Apple devices that supports a broad spectrum of video formats.
OS: iOS, tvOS
Download: Infuse
This comprehensive list represents the tools that power my daily workflow for development, productivity, and creative projects. Whether you’re building software, designing, or simply staying organized, there’s something here to help elevate your work. Enjoy exploring these apps and building your own tech stack!
Affiliate Disclosure
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support the ongoing maintenance of this website and allow me to continue providing quality content. I only recommend products and services that I personally use and believe in. Thank you for your support!