As parents, we always feel like our kid is on their phone, like, all the time. On one side kids and especially teens need the Internet to research information for school projects and learn, on the other side too much screen time has the downside of being addictive. Simply nag them to put it down doesn’t teach good long-term habits. Here are better ways to approach the conversation - use a parental control app to limit screen time.

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Parent Control App as the name suggests, theoretically lets parents set limits and control phone usage. A good screen time limit app will help you do everything like monitoring your kid’s app and social media usage, block distracting websites and video games, geofencing kids when they are out. All this bringing parents some peace of mind in today's screen-filled world.

In this article, we compile the best free apps to limit screen time from around the web. While each user has different needs and different devices, this guide will provide you with a good overview of what you can expect from each app and how to to get the best out of it.

Quick Summary

In case you are in a hurry, here is the list we recommend:

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• Block websites and webpages with password
• Lock apps with password
• Offer a schedule feature to block websites and lock apps at certain times
• Limit time spent on certain websites and apps
• Help control screen time
• Also help with parental control and productivity
• Easy to use and hard to bypass

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Here is our review process in detail:

• We download and test all the apps.
• We monitor their performance on different devices.
• We check their features, limitations, free limit and published the review.

1. Qustodio Parental Control

Works on Windows, Mac OS X, Android, iOS, and Kindle.
Cost: Free (Free for 1 device, $4.58/$8.08/$11.50 per month for premium)
Get it from: iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play
Overall Rating: 4.8 / 5 (Excellent)

Qustodio is a cross-platform parent control app that lets parents take precise control over their child's screen time across desktop and mobile devices. It is easy to use, offers a huge range of options and provide detailed report for you to see exactly which apps kids are using, and for how long, as well as what websites they’re visiting or what social apps they used.

Qustodio offers a truly multi-device product, with highly configurable web-filtering and time-management capabilities. The dashboard and reporting functionalities provide a valuable tool for parents to both mold and monitor how children interact with the web and web-connected devices. While there are some feature gaps when it comes to social media monitoring and app-based restrictions, these gaps affect the entire market, although sometimes to a slightly lesser extent.

Features included

• Manage devices on multiple platforms.
• Set limits to lock apps and websites from being accessed (either all together or on a specific time).
• Social media monitoring: A dedicated monitoring tab to monitor the time kids spend on Facebook.
• Track messages and call monitoring (Android-only)
• Block calls or specific contacts.
• Track your child’s location
• A panic button to send out an emergency message that contains the current location to trusted contacts in an emergency (Android Only).
• Offers an engaging daily activity summary for parents to see kids’ internet use such as browsing and social media activity, call history, etc.
• Categories-based web filtering: Easily block access to websites matching any of the 29 pre-list filter categories including pornography, drugs, gambling sites, Violence, etc.
• Daily Time Allowance: Let parents set the total amount of time per day that the child can use his or her devices.
• Has an option of Don’t let anyone see Qustodio has been installed on this computer”. so you can limit the screen time without being noticed.
• Allow parents to blacklist and whitelist specific domains like social media networks and online gaming pages.

Pros:

1. Qustodio's content filtering is browser-independent, so kids can't just install a separate browser to get around restrictions.
2. Ease of use – Comparatively easy to install and set up
3. Visually intuitive web dashboard
4. Great social networking filters
5. The only service we tested that supports Amazon Fire tablets
6. Free tier that covers a single device with web filtering, time limits and reports.

Cons:

1. iOS version lacks the full parental control features the Android version offers.
2. No geofencing option.
3. You can manage only a few dozen apps on iOS(70 apps)
4. Monitoring texts and calls works on only Android.
5. Premium subscription may be pricey for some
6. App monitoring is limited to internet-connected apps
7. Lacks “additional time request” capabilities.
8. App monitoring only works for applications requiring internet access.
9. Cannot block chat-based apps like WhatsApp.

Best for:

Parents who need to monitor device usage.
Supports Amazon Kindle devices which makes things easy if you are one of the many parents with a child using an Amazon device.

Not for:

Expensive to use.
Limited features on iOS.
No geofencing feature.

2. OurPact Parental Control

Available on iOS and Android devices.
Cost: Free (Free for 1 device, $1.99/$6.99 per month for premium)
Get it from: App Store, Google Play, Official website
Overall Rating: 4.6 / 5 (Excellent)

OurPact is a free parental-control apps for both iOS and Android devices. it is very popular among parents and has been featured in popular media like Forbes, The New York Times, App Store, etc. With this app, parents can monitor, control and guard their children's phone usage and locate family members from a single app. What impressed me most is the app includes a downloadable contract that parents and kids sign, plus a daily allowance of screen time that allows kids to plan when to use themselves.

Features included

• Block access to apps like YouTube, FaceBook, Instagram, etc.
• Set rules for individual apps - limit or block distracting social apps and games, while at the same time give kids full access to educational, school and productivity apps.
• Block the internet at a specific time.
• Block texting
• Family locator that locate family members using geolocation.
• Set geofences around specific locations and receive instant alerts when your kids arrive at or leave the place.
• Screen time allowance: set daily screen time limit and let your children plan on how to use the allowed screen time.

Pros:

1. One single interface to keep track of all your family members.
2. Set app rules to limit social media and certain apps usage.
3. Locate and set a safe location for family members.
4. Gets the child actively involved in the process.
5. The only parental control app that can block iOS app.
6. Manage up to 20 devices with just one app.
7. Screen time allowance feature.

Cons:

1. Difficult to set up on iOS devices.
2. Without wifi, kids can pause the screen time.
3. No activity tracking feature.
4. No call or text monitoring.
5. Has reportedly suddenly crashed on iOS devices.
6. After setting a block, apps will disappear from the device and after removing the block all apps will reappear on the screen in alphabetical order.

Best for:

Overall, OurPact is very easy to use and is a good tool to put in place for younger kids.

Not for:

If you need to know what your kids are looking at on the Internet then you may want to look at some other options.

3. Apple's Screen Time

Supported OS ( iPhone, iPad, MacOS Catalina.)
Price: Free

If you have an Apple device, you may know Screen Time - Apple's parent control app that launched on iPhone and iPad in 2018, now it also comes to macOS Catalina. It monitors the way you use your device and has functions that block apps, websites, contacts, easily. It also sends you a report via a notification on your device usage. You can also set downtime to limit all apps on the device.

Features included:

• Downtime - Set and schedule a downtime during which only apps you have approved will be allowed to run.
• Get a downtime reminder 5 minutes before the starting time.
• Set password to lock screentime settings, preventing anyone who doesn’t know the password from making changes.
• Use the password to extend the time an app may be used.
• App limits: Set limitations to apps on your device.
• Set time limits for certain app categories.
• Communication: Set who can contact the user during screen time and downtime.
• Set restrictions on explicit content, purchases, downloading, and privacy.
• Always allowed apps: Set apps that should be available all the time regardless of any restrictions.
• Content blocking: Block any inappropriate content.

Pros:

1. Build-in feature, totally free
2. Easy to use.
3. You can use downtime feature to limit device usage.
4. Always allowed apps work well for school and educational apps.
5. Can control who kids can contact.Can use a password to extend the time.

Cons:

1. Only available to iOS 12+ and macOS Catalina device.
2. No location tracking and geofencing feature.
3. Children can easily follow guides online to block the limit.

Best for:

For Apple users, it’s an easy, built-in way to help monitor and control device.

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4. Unglue Parental control app

Works on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, laptops, Smart TVs.
Available on iTunes, Google Play
Price - Free - Premium version available starting at $11.99/monthly, offers a 14-day free trial

UnGlue is another widely-used parent control app that comes with more flexibility. It is the app that empowers kids in the decision making of how much time they should have on screens. Parents set the limit on their phone and kids have the right to decide how they use their time with the limit. One of the features that makes Unglue stand out of the crowd is its functions like rewarding system and rolling unused time to a new day, this teaches valuable skills to kids and instill better time management habits. Also, a great app that increases productivity for adults to track and monitor their phone usage.

Features included:

• Keep track of kid’s screen time and give detailed reports showing what apps/websites kids used and how much time they spend on each apps/sites.
• Block apps in all or individually.
• Block YouTube, block Netflix, block Amazon prime, and other video apps.
• Block internet access, block apps outside of screentime settings.
• Make the Internet age-appropriate & safe for your kids with a single click.
• Block Adult content and other red-flag websites.
• Monitor app, game activity with usage reports for each device.
• Entertainment app limiter: Bundle major entertainment apps and sites into a “fun” bucket and set limit with one click.
• TimeBank: Save unused screen time to a time bank and kids can roll over unused screen time for another day.
• Steps4Time features that encourage kids to trade daily steps for screen time.
• Reward kids with extra screentime by doing chores and tasks you’ve requested.
• Screentime Schedules: Create screentime schedules and let kids see their daily schedules for screen time so they can plan their day accordingly.
• Set specific screentime schedules for dinnertime, homework time, family time and bedtime.
• Turn internet access on or off any time at your device.

Pros:

1. Manage multiple devices from single app
2. Help kids form better time management habits.
3. Simple and intuitive interface.
4. A free app with many useful features.
5. Steps4Time help kids get more daily steps.
6. Let kids manage screentime themselves.
7. Good reward system.

Cons:

1. Some functions are limited in the trial version
2. Have no location tracking and geofencing capability.

5. Net Nanny Parental Control

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Supported OS - Works on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS and Kindle
Cost: Free （Price - $39.99/Year for PC&Mac; $54.99/Year for PC, Mac & Mobile; $89.99/Year for PC, Mac & Mobile）
Get it from: Available on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon

Net Nanny is a screen control app that first introduced in1996. It is very popular and used by millions of parents. The thoughtful design, excellent web-filtering tech, special features like Family Feed and App Advisor makes it one of the best apps to limit screen time on iPhone and Android. The iOS version lets you block several dozen apps and the Android app lets you block them all.

Features included:

• Remote Control: remotely monitor and make changes to the device.
• Track kid's online search activity and send instant warnings to you for flagged words.
• Real-time Alerts on Porn, Suicide, Weapons and Drug-related Content.
• Internet Filtering and blocking: Check the content of any website your child visits in real-time and keep out pornographic or inappropriate websites and Popups.
• Block websites with 14 preset categories: Abortion, Adult Novelty, Anime, Death/Gore, Drugs, Gambling, Mature Content, Nudity, Pornography, Provocative, Strip Cubs, Suicide, Tobacco, Weapons.
• Add Whitelist or backlist website for each user.
• Receive alerts when kids try to visit blocked websites.
• Schedule to limit times when your child can use the Internet.
• Monitor and see how their devices are being used.
• See which apps kids are using along with app usage reports showing the amount of screen time they’re consuming.
• Provide and App Advisor for you to view a short description of a app and know immediately if it’s safe. (Android Only)
• Block unwanted or inappropriate mobile apps.
• Get alerts when new apps are installed. (Android Only)
• Provide suggestions on App age appropriateness.

Pros:

1. Powerful pornography blocker.
2. Remote access and control of the device.
3. Great design.
4. Excellent web filter function.
5. Supports Windows, Mac, Android and Kindle.
6. Give Report and alert instantly.

Cons:

1. No call/text monitoring even on Android.
2. A bit expensive
3. Lacks tracking and geofencing features

Best for:

If your kids spend most of the time browsing online, as it as top-rated porn blocker and internet filter.

Not for:

If you need to track the location of your kids or need geofencing function.
If you need text and call monitoring function.

6. Norton Family Parental Control

Works on Windows, android and iOS
Cost: Free (free 30 day trial/ Norton Family Premium for $49.99/year.)
Get it from: Available on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon

Norton provides a complete screen time parental control solution for Android and Windows users. Though it also has an iOS version, but Norton is much more effective on Windows and Android than iOS. It comes with 47 age-based site and app filters, can monitor kids' activity on devices and tracking kids' location. As it has no limit on the number of devices and child accounts, so for larger families with several children, it's a good deal. And it is the ideal solution for households that primarily use Android and Windows.

Features included:

• Comes with 47 filter categories including alcohol, violence, pornography, weapons, etc.
• Filters are pre-blocked according to the age of kids.
• Keeping you in the know when kids attempt to visit a blocked site.(Android&Windows)
• See which apps your kids have downloaded on their Android devices, and choose which apps to block or unblock.
• Video Supervision - A unique feature for screen time apps. This feature provides you a list of the YouTube and Hulu videos your children watch and gives you a snippet of each video.
• Search Monitor - Form a word cloud on the main page for you to see which terms your kids are searching on their devices.
• Limit screen time per day or per week.
• Social Network Supervision - see when and how long kids log on to Facebook from their PCs, and the name they use on their profiles. (monitored only on Windows)
• Screentime monitoring - Get detailed reports on children's activity on divide and send the report to your inbox.
• Track location - mac the location of the Android or iOS devices and give you a 30-day location history.
• Enable you to set the personal information you don't want children to share online. block anytime when the child wants to share this information and notify you if they attempt to do so. (Window Only)
• Supervises contacts and SMS on Android.
• Allow the child to send you a note if they disagree with the site or app you blocked.
• Instant Lock: Can instantly lock the device any time you see fit.

Pros:

1. Unlimited on the number of devices that can be monitored
2. Works with most platforms
3. 47 blocking filters as per the kid's age
4. Tracking videos on YouTube and Hulu
5. Monitor children's activity online and give you the report.

Cons:

1. Not compatible with Mac
2. Limited iOS features
3. Inability to set screentime allowance
4. Not a stealth product so the child will be able to see the house rules will know their text and messages are being monitored.
5. No geofencing option
6. No social media monitoring for mobile devices

Best for:

Large families that use Android and Windows exclusively, Norton Family Premier will be well worth it.

Not for:

Expensive if covering one device or child

7. Kaspersky Safe Kids

Supported OS - Works on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS and Kindle
Cost: (Free; Premium for $14.95/year)
Get it from: Available on iTunes, Google Play

Kaspersky Safe Kids is one of the most popular screen time parental control apps on the market, it is rated “Excellent” by PC Mag and it very popular among parents. It is free to use and has all the function parents need on a screen time app, one can block website, enable safe search, do remote permission granting, get alert when kids try to access block apps and websites, and know the location of kids and set geofence easily. Android users can also monitor their texts and calls.

Features included:

• Screentime management: Set screen time limits to manage the time kids spend on their devices.
• Give expert tips from a professional child psychologist to help you make the right decision.
• Provide 14 website categorizations and make default limit based on a child’s age.
• Block access to inappropriate websites and content
• Warn children when they try to open a blocked website and gives them the option to proceed anyway.
• Notify parents when kids visit forbidden sites.
• Application monitoring: Categorize apps into 17 categories, you can set to allow or Forbidden each category.
• Utilize age ratings on the app store to determine which app can use based on your child’s age.
• Get alert if kids try to access blocked apps.
• Track and view kid's location and show it in realtime on a map.
• Set geofences and define a safe area for kids to stay in. Get alert If kids exits these location.
• Get notified when kid's device is low on battery.
• Monitor Facebook activity: Get reports on Facebook activity, including posts and newly added friends.
• Provide detailed reports on kid's online activity.
• Monitor calls and SMS messaging. (Android only)

Pros:

1. Very affordable
2. Impressive free tier
3. Monitors kids' computers as well as smartphones

Cons:

1. Confusing user interface
2. iOS app can't monitor calls or texts
3. Limited features on iOS

Best for:

if you don't need to read kids' text messages.
If your kids use Android, and you just need a free app.
For parents with multiple devices to monitor, Kaspersky Safe Kids' premium option is the most affordable. and it's free version also includes web monitoring, time limits and app management.

Not for:

iOS users

8. Screen Time Parental Control

Supported OS ( iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Android and Kindle Fire.)
Price: Free (In-app purchases start from $1.52 to $14.99 per item, Provides 14 day trial of Screen Time Premium）
Available on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon
You probably conclude from its name, Screen Time is an app that focused on monitor and limit kids' screen time. It is one of the most popular apps to limit screen time on Android devices. it comes with powerful daily limit and screen time scheduling features, and it will show you a daily summary of the device usage statistics.

What makes it stand out is that it offers a reward system that reward additional screen time to kids when they fulfilled different tasks assigned by you. However, compared with other parental control app, their web block and app block feature are beyond their remit, particularly for iOS devices, you can only block some website, and there's no call or text monitoring at all.

Features included:

• Set daily screen time limits for weekdays and weekends.
• Homework & Tasks: Let you set a task for kids to complete and when task complete you can reward additional screen time.
• Set specific time to block internet such as sleep time and homework time.
• Instant Pause: Instantly pause Kids’ device any time you need.
• Free Play: lets you override settings temporarily.
• Approve Apps: Approve or block anytime kids try to download a new app.
• Track app usage and show you the report. (Android Only)
• Track web visiting history and web searching terms. (Android Only)
• Web Filtering: Block categories of sites and specific URL’s. (Android Only)
• Location Tracking: Track kids' location at the push of a button. (Android Only)
• Geo-Fencing: Set the safe location and get an alert when kids' arrive or leaves the specified location. (Android Only)
• Send web and app daily summary reports by email.
• Give guardians and other carers access to manage the screen time settings.
• Requires a password to uninstall the app, which prevents kids from uninstalling Screen Time.

Pros:

1. Provide free version and a 14 days free trial period.
2. Supports an unlimited number of devices.
3. Powerful Screentime limit feature
4. Instantly pause Kids’ device at any time
5. Tasks and reward feature

Cons:

1. Web filtering is limited
2. No text or call monitoring
3. Can't block app for iOS devices
4. Can't set individual daily screentime limits
5. Limited functionality on iOS

Best for:

For basic app blocking and time controls, it’s a solid option.

Not for:

Screen Time drops certain features entirely for iOS, including app management and web filtering.

9. FamiSafe - Parental Control

Works on Android and iOS
FamiSafe offers 3-day free trial through Google Play and provides three subscription-based models:
Monthly: US $9.99.
Quarterly: US $19.99.
Yearly: US $59.99

Famisafe is a relatively new parental control app that can help you manage kids' device use and kids' location. It works on both iOS and Android, you can use it to block apps and website, also, it provides a dashboard for you to monitor kids' phone location, app usage, website visiting history and limit screen time. It comes with a special cyberbullying prevention feature which detects text messages kids received and check for potentially dangerous text messages.

Features included:

• Detect offensive words in kids' SMS, WhatsApp, Messenger and send an alert for suspicious text.
• Remote control function
• Checking photos on devices, send you alert on suspicious photos.
• Track Real-time Location: see kids' location in real time and monitor kids' location history.
• Supports Geofencing: Set safe zones in the app ranging from 100m to 1000m and send you alerts when kid enters or leaves geo-fences.
• Block Apps: limit app usage during study, dinner time or sleep time.
• Monitor App Usage: Monitor kids' app usage on phones and send you a report.
• Web Content Filtering: Have a database for you to pre-block gambling, violence and porn websites.
• Screen Time Tracking: Send you a report on kids' online activity.
• Set Screen Time Limit for bedtime, study time, family time, etc.

Pros:

1. Geo-fencing feature.
2. Monitor devices with no number limit.
3. Easy to use.

Disadvantages:

1. Comes only with a 3 day free trial period.
2. Existing geofence in time setting can't change.
3. Web filter function only block content in browsers
4. Limited features for iOS version.
5. Can’t monitor texts or social media apps.

Best for:

For parents who want to block certain app and get notified for suspicious messages.

Not for:

For ios users, for parents who need strong web filtering function.

10. Kidslox Parental Control

Kidslox parental control app offers a 7-day free trial when you sign up for a recurring subscription to access all our Basic or Premium features. When the trial is over, the subscription automatically renews for $3.99 (Basic) or $5.99 (Premium) per month (or $39.99 / $59.99 per year)

Recommended by many Parenting Experts, Kidslox Parental Control is the app that lets you block apps, the Internet, monitor phone usage and filter web content. It has a free version and can control phones, tablets and other devices all from one account with no device limit. What makes this app different is that it has a 3-WAY-TOGGLE feature which allows you to choose between “Parent Mode,” “Child Mode” and “Lockdown Mode”.

Features included:

• Lock apps: block individual apps on both Android and iOS.
• Three-way-toggle: lockdown mode - all apps are blocked, child mode - manually set up the restrictions and parent mode - no limit, everything is available.
• Daily limits: Set and schedule the daily screen time limit for homework time, bedtime, etc.
• Location tracking: See the location of kid in realtime on a map. and keep track of their location history.
• Geo-fencing: Set safe zones and receive notifications when kids leave or arrive at the zones.
• Content blocking: Block adult or inappropriate website when kids surfing online.
• Block in-app purchases.
• Turn on Google SafeSearch and Youtube restricted mode.
• Fingerprint id: Set password for apps that you dont want kid to use but you need use at some time.
• Get weekly report on app download and daily usage.

Pros:

1. Easy to use.
2. Handy three-way toggle and Fingerprint id feature.
3. Manage all device in one account.
4. No device limit

Cons:

1. No call monitoring and blocking.
2. No social media tracking.

Summary: Best free apps to limit screen time on 2020

Use the free apps to limit screen time in this list to schedule a screen-time limit, block apps and website, so as to help children form good online habits now. You can have a talk with your kids and even sign an agreement with them to start limit screen time on the whole family. So, let’s summarize and take a look at the screen time limit app that best suits your needs.

• What apps is the best to limit screen time for Apple users?

Apple Screen time, Net Nanny

• What apps is the best to limit screen time for Android users?

OurPact, Qustodio, Kidslox parental control

• What apps is the best to limit screen time while at the same time form a good habit for kids?

Kaspersky Safe Kids, Screen Time Parental Control, Unglue Parental control app

• What apps is the best for geofencing kids?

FamiSafe - Parental Control, OurPact

• What apps is the best for multi-platform users?

Qustodio Parental Control, Norton Family parental control

• What apps is the best for Content blocking?

Qustodio Parental Control, Net Nanny Parental Control

• What apps is the best for Social media monitoring？

Qustodio Parental Control, Norton Family parental control
Do you use Screen Time on a regular basis, whether it’s for yourself or your kids? Which apps are you using? Please tell us in the comment below.

On this website, I have covered a ton of paid apps, and that’s because in general, paid apps tend to offer more when compared to free apps. However, that does not mean that there are no good free apps out there. In fact, there are a ton of them. That’s why it is going to be a long article as I am bringing a list of 35 best free apps you can get for your Mac right now. Some of the apps on this list are evergreen and you most probably already have them installed on your device. But some of them are entirely new. Well, at least they are new to me and that’s the beauty of it. No matter, how old an app is, it is new for somebody out there. That said, no matter how avid a Mac user you are, I can bet that you will find new Mac apps in this article that you have never heard of before. So, open your Macs and get ready to download these awesome free Mac apps.

Note: Be sure to read our must-have iPhone apps article to get the best apps for your iPhone in 2020.

Best Free Mac Apps You Should Install in 2020

While most of the apps in this list are free, some of them offer a paid option. That being said, when it comes to paid apps, I have only included those options that offer a generous free tier. I am using free versions of all the apps (that offer paid options) and find them suitable for most users. No app with a free trial or heavily restricted free tier has been included.

1. Audiobook Binder

While you can listen to books in MP3 format, I like the M4B format more as it supports chapters. M4B is also the native format that Apple Books support. If you want to keep your music library separate from the book library, this is the format to use. Audiobook Binder is an app that lets you convert MP3 files into M4B files. It also lets you bind multiple MP3 files into a single M4B file and converts those MP3 files into chapters. You can also add custom book cover and edit book’s metadata including name, author, and narrator. I have been using this app for the past year and a half to listen to public domain audiobooks and lectures and it has never failed me.

Install:Free

2. LastPass

Password management is something people ignore. Since passwords are hard to remember and most third-party password managers charge a hefty monthly subscription fee, not everyone is aboard the strong and different password train. To those users, I suggest LastPass. LastPass offers a very generous free tier that allows you to use the software on two different machines. And if you want to use it on more, you can always use its web app that works everywhere. I have been using LastPass for the past two years to manage my passwords and I never had any problem.

Its apps are installed on my primary MacBook Pro (learn MacBook Pro tips and tricks) and my iPhone. Since it supports browser plugins and iPhone’s automatic password fill feature, I never have to type my password or remember them. All my passwords are secure, long, and use an alpha-numeric combination. If you are still using the same password everywhere or setting weak passwords, try out LastPass. It’s free for personal use and you have no excuses not to use it. Its one of the best free Mac apps that you can get.

Install:Free, $3/user/month

3. Brave

While I love Safari and use it for most of my tasks, it’s not perfect and I have to turn to other browsers from time to time. My biggest problem with Safari is its nescient extension library. Safari is also slow to adopt the latest web technologies. I know Apple does this to keep browsing private and secure, but sometimes it causes hindrance in my work. For a long time, I was using Chrome for this work but I hated two things about it. First, Google Chrome is a resource hog and decreases battery life, causes overheating, and several other problems. Second and more importantly, I don’t like sharing my data with Google more than I already do. It was one of the reasons why I switch from Android to iOS several years back.

The solution is the Brave browser. It’s a browser that is built on the same Chromium engine that Google Chrome uses, so you are getting all the features and extension support. But, since the creators focus on privacy, your data is always secure. It brings an automatic tracking blocker and even blocks most of the annoying ads. Since it blocks the most harmful scripts, you get to enjoy a faster internet. Also, in my testing, it’s far better than Google Chrome at handling resources. While it’s not as good as Safari, that’s a trade-off that I am ready to make. If you are also looking for a good Chrome alternative, you should try using the Brave browser.

Install:Free

4. CopyClip

CopyClip is a Mac utility that stores everything you copy in a clipboard. Copy-and-paste is so integral to our work that we cannot even imagine a time when this feature was not available. Still, Mac’s clipboard is probably the most neglected feature in the macOS. Even after so decades, you still cannot hold more than one entry in your clipboard. Enter, CopyClip. It’s a clipboard manager that saves entries into the clipboard. You can use a simple keyboard shortcut to easily copy any item and paste them anywhere you want. CopyClip not only saves text input but also preserves images and documents. While I use “Paste” for my clipboard management as it offers more features, for a free app, CopyClip works exceptionally well.

Install:Free

5. BBEdit

For a long time, it was hard to recommend a good free text editor on Mac. All the good ones were paid, and the free ones were just not up to the mark. Well, after a long hiatus, BBEdit, one of the most exemplary text editors, is back on the Mac App Store. For the past 20 years, BBEdit has been the text editor to beat and now that it’s back on the App Store with a freemium model, you can use it for free. Only the advanced features of BBEdit are hidden behind a paywall and 90% of regular users will not need those features.

Whether you want to write a long blog post, edit snippets of code, design website or web apps, BBEdit is the text editor to use. The best thing about BBEdit is how fast it works. It opens text files with hundreds of thousands of words in seconds and never falters. In my years of using this app, I have not lost even a single line of text. It has a powerful search that lets you locate and find keywords across files. There’s no free text editor out there that can match its prowess.

Install:Free, $49.99

6. NetNewsWire

The death of Google Reader placed a dark cloud over the future of RSS readers. But, if anything, RSS is showing a sign of resurgence in the past year or so. From the launch of acclaimed RSS reader app Reeder 4 to the rebirth of NetNewsWire, RSS readers are becoming popular again. And if you are looking to create a personal news feed, there’s no better app to do it with than NetNewsWire. Built on-top of free and open source reader named Evergreen, NetNewsWire is an excellent feed reader for Mac.

The app makes it easy to subscribe to RSS feeds and brings excellent search capabilities. It also brings a beautiful design and I adore its dark mode. It also supports online feed syncing services such as Feedbin. I still prefer Reeder 4 as it brings more features, but seeing how NetNewsWire is still young and free to use, I cannot fault it. If you are looking for a free RSS reader, you should try NetNewsWire.

Install:Free

7. DaVinci Resolve

While Macs come with a basic video editor for free (iMovie), anyone who is serious about video editing will have to go for the pro video editing apps. The problem with apps like Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere Pro is that they cost a lot. If you don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars, and still want to use a full-fledged video editor, DaVinci Resolve is the best option for you. Even when I am writing this, I cannot believe that such a capable video editor is free to use.

The latest version of the software, DaVinci Resolve 16 combines professional 8K editing, color correction, visual effects, and audio post-production all in one software tool. Color correction tools of DaVinci Resolve are better than most paid video editors including FCP and Premiere Pro. From custom timeline settings to facial recognition to keyframe editing, it brings all features that you require from a professional video editor. It is one of the best free Mac software that you can install. Free Mac apps don’t get better than this.

Install:Free

8. Folx

Folx is a powerful native download manager for Mac that not only works great but also looks cool. It features a true Mac-style interface and supports both direct and torrent downloads. The app also offers extensions for Safari, Chrome, Opera, and Firefox. The extensions help Folx in catching downloads and thus ensure that you are not using the crappy download manager of your browser. Folx can split downloads into multiple threads resulting in faster downloads and also support download pause and restart. The free version of the app is enough for most users. I was using it for years without any complaints. I only bought the paid version to support the developers. The extra features are nice to have but they have not drastically affected by usage.

Mac Os X Download

Install:Free, $19.99

9. NightOwl

macOS Mojave introduced dark mode to our favorite desktop operating system. The dark mode on macOS Mojave is not half-cooked as it is on windows. When you turn on the dark mode on your Mac, not only it turns the system UI but also the stock apps. Not only that, apps that support automatic dark mode also adhere to the same guideline. Once you turn it on, they automatically default to dark mode.

While that's great in most situation, I wish Apple included a way to create a whitelist for apps that are not functional in dark mode. The default Mail app and the Evernote app are a few examples of an app that still work best in light mode. That's where NightOwl comes in. It's a menu bar app that allows you to create a whitelist of apps that you don't want to use in dark mode. Not only that, but it also allows you to quickly switch between dark and light mode with a simple click at its icon. You can read more about the app in our article here. The app is completely free to download and use with a voluntary donation.

Install:NightOwl

10. Unsplash Wallpapers

I want to start this article with an app which I have discovered just a couple of months back and have fallen in love. As its name suggests, Unsplash Wallpapers is a wallpaper app for Mac which gives you access to unlimited ultra-high resolution wallpapers for your Macs. One of the things that I love most about MacBooks is its display. Apple packs phenomenal displays on the Macs. Stop me if it’s just me, but I enjoy changing the wallpapers on a regular basis just because they look so damn beautiful on my Mac’s display.

Before I discovered Unsplash Wallpapers, it used to be a chore to change wallpapers. First, I had to find good wallpapers, then I had to download them, and only then I could use them. With Unsplash Wallpapers app, you can change the wallpaper just with one click. If you like a wallpaper, you can even download it. If you love wallpapers, you are going to love this free Mac app.

Install:Unsplash Wallpapers

11. The Unarchiver

This is one of the first free Mac apps that I download whenever I move on to a new Mac. The app is basically the best unarchiving app you can get for your Mac, free or otherwise. The Unarchiver cannot only unarchive common formats such as Zip, RAR (including v5), 7-zip, Tar, Gzip, and Bzip2, but it can also open formats such as StuffIt, DiskDoubler, LZH, ARJ, ARC, ISO and BIN disc images, Windows.EXE installers and more. Basically, it’s a one-stop solution for all your unarchiving needs.

Top 10 Free Mac Apps Today

Install:The Unarchiver

12. Amphetamine

We all know that Macs bring a long battery life and while some of it has to do with Apple’s excellent hardware, most of it is because of how macOS efficiently manages battery. One of the things that macOS does to preserve the battery life on your computer is to put it to sleep whenever you don’t interact with your Mac for a set period of time. While this is really good, sometimes you need to keep your Mac running even if you are not interacting with it. One of the examples that come to mind is when you are downloading a large file. If your Mac falls asleep during the download, it will stop it, and depending on the software that you are using to download the file, you might have to restart the download from the beginning.

Amphetamine solves this problem by allowing users to keep their Macs awake even when they are not doing anything. The app is powerful and allows users to keep their Macs awake for how much ever long they want. Not only that, users can also set triggers to keep their Macs awake. For example, you can tell Amphetamine to not put your Mac to sleep whenever a certain app is running. Lastly, it allows you to easily access all these features as it lives right there in your Mac’s menu bar. It’s one of the most useful apps for Macs and I love it.

Install:Amphetamine

13. GIPHY Capture

Gifs are all the rage today. More and more users are creating and sharing their own gifs. And if you want to be one of them then this is the tool you need. GIPHY Capture is an app that lets you capture and create gifs. Once you launch the app it will create a translucent green window with a capture button at the bottom. All you need to do is to drop the window on top of the video you want to capture and click on the capture button. Once you are done with the recording, click on the record button again to stop the recording. It is probably the easiest way to create gifs on your Mac.

Install:GIPHY Capture

14. Spectacle

Spectacle is one of the apps that I install instantly on a new Mac. Macs are good at many things but one thing that still eludes it is a good window management feature. Apple has not solved the window management problem in the latest macOS Catalina so I guess, we have to wait for one more year. In fact, the window management problem has become even worse in macOS Catalina in my opinion. If you are also fed up of Apple's native approach towards window management, you should Install Spectacle.

This is a simple menu bar app that allows you to easily resize and place windows with keyboard commands. I can easily set a window to either half of the display both vertically and horizontally, make it go full screen, snap it to the center, and more. Once you install this app, your window management workflow will become ten times faster.

Install:Spectacle

15. ImageOptim

ImageOptim is one of the most used free Mac apps on my MacBook Pro. In my line of work, I have to attach a ton of screenshots (like in this article). And before I upload any picture on my website, I pass it through ImageOptim. The app deletes all the unnecessary metadata such as GPS position and camera's serial number and compresses the image. This allows me to upload the image on the web without any privacy hazards and ensures that the file sizes are low.

The app is pretty easy to use. You just drag and drop images into its window and then click on the button at the bottom-right corner. If you share a ton of images on the web (whether on your blog or social media websites like Twitter and Facebook), it will be good for you to pass it through ImageOptim first. I have used paid image compression apps but nothing has been as good and as easy to use as ImageOptim.

Install:ImageOptim

16. Alfred 4

Alfred is an all-purpose tool for your Mac which can boost your productivity ten folds if you learn how to use it. Of course, there’s a learning curve to this app, but if you invest in it, it will pay you back. Alfred allows you to quickly launch apps, use text expansion snippets, search on the Mac and web, use hotkeys and keywords, and much more. Alfred used to be a paid app, but the developers were kind enough to release the app for free. There are add-on power packs that you can buy, to use cool features like Alfred workflows. But, for most normal users, the free app itself is enough to boost their productivity.

Install:Alfred 4

17. Pocket

Pocket is a popular read it later service which allows you to save articles offline so that you can read them later. I mostly browse for articles on my Mac and whenever I find something that I would want to read, I just save it in Pocket. Pocket has an excellent Safari extension that allows me to save articles and read them later. Since Pocket syncs across devices, all my saved articles are automatically synced to my iPhone where I can read them at my will. Recently, I have also started using Pocket as a research tool. Since Pocket allows me to organize saved articles using tags, I just tag the items I am using for research so that I can find them easily later.

Install:Pocket

18. Spark

Spark is my most favorite free app on Mac. For those who don’t know, Spark is an email client for Mac. I love spark because it intelligently categorizes all the emails that I receive into different categories, giving me access to the most important emails first. It also has a very robust set of features. I can easily snooze, archive, delete, and tag emails. I also love the fact that it allows me easily search for emails using natural language search. I can also search for emails based on attachments, and more. Lastly, Spark also has apps for both iOS and watchOS so no matter which device I am on, I can user Sparks to get through all my emails.

Install:Spark

19. GIMP

GIMP or GNU Image Manipulation Program is an open source photo editor for Mac which packs so many features that you won’t be able to discover all of them in your lifetime. It is basically Photoshop but free. You can use GIMP to perform any kind of image manipulation that you can think of. That said, since it packs so many features, GIMP also has a pretty steep learning curve. Also, being a free an open-source project, its user interface is not very intuitive and feels archaic. That’s why I recommend GIMP only to those users who need a robust photo editing software but cannot afford to buy one.

Install:GIMP

20. DarkTable

As per the description of the app on its website, 'DarkTable is an open source photography workflow application and raw developer. A virtual light-table and darkroom for photographers. It manages your digital negatives in a database, lets you view them through a zoomable light-table, and enables you to develop raw images and enhance them'.

Basically, it is super powerful photo editing app for Mac that allows you to use pro-level photo editing features for free. You are required to learn the app as it has a steep learning curve but once you get used to it, you won't go back to even the best-paid photo editing apps on the market. This one is definitely one of the free Mac apps that you can download in 2019.

Install:DarkTable

21. Simplenote

Simplenote is one of the best designed free Mac apps you can find. As its name suggests, Simplenote is an easy note taking app which allows you to easily jot down notes. What I love about this app is that even though it is completely free, your notes are synced across devices. Apart from its online sync features, I am also a fan of its clean user interface. Simplenote is also a really good app for someone who is looking for a clean app to write long-form content. You can use tags to organize notes easily and search for them using either their title, content, or tags. I have been using this app for quite a few years and I still don’t understand how it’s free. If you love writing, you will love Simplenote.

Install:Simplenote

22. Itsycal

Itsycal is an open source small menu bar calendar application for Mac. If you like Fantastical 2 for Mac, but hate that it’s priced so high, Itsycal is for you. Although Itsycal is nowhere as powerful as Fantastical 2, it brings all the basic features that you would want from a menu bar based calendar app. It shows you month view of your calendar, your upcoming events, and also allows you to create or delete events. I also love the fact that I can configure Itsycal to show not only the date but also the month and the day in the menu bar icon itself. It’s a good menu bar application and a must have for anyone who schedules everything on their calendar.

Install:Itsycal

23. Audacity

Audacity is one of those free Mac apps that is even better than most of the paid apps out there. For those who don’t know, Audacity is an audio editor app for your Mac (available for Windows PC too). If you are someone who deals with a ton of audio, you must have already heard about this software. If you have not, you probably don’t need it. Still, it’s such a good app that I couldn’t keep it away from the list. Just remember that if you ever need to edit an audio file to make it better, Audacity is the tool to do it.

Install:Audacity

24. Lightworks

Lightworks is a full-fledged video editing app which gives you access to all the tools that you will need to get your video editing on. To be fair, Lightworks also sell a Pro version of the app, however, the free version is powerful enough to handle most of the tasks. Whether you are a budding YouTuber or someone who just want to give an edge to their homemade videos, Lightworks is the right tool for you. What I love most about this app is that the website gives you ample tutorial videos to get you started. If by any chance you were looking for a free video editing software, look no further and download Lightworks.

Install:Lightworks

25. HiddenMe

HiddenMe is a small menu bar app which comes in very handy at times when you want to show a clean desktop without having to organize your stuff. The app lives in your menu bar and allows you to do one thing and one thing only, and that’s hiding everything on your desktop. With a click of the button, everything that’s on your desktop is hidden, giving you access to a clean desktop. I constantly use this app whenever I am giving a presentation or taking screenshots of my desktop for an article. This small application has saved me from embarrassing myself a number of times and it can do that for you too.

Install:HiddenMe

26. AppCleaner

Do you know that whenever you delete an app on your Mac, it leaves behind a ton of residual files which does nothing but eating up storage on your Mac? Well, it’s true and if you install and uninstall a ton of apps, you might have lost gigabytes of storage already. While there’s another app on this list which (Onyx) which can help you recover that storage, AppCleaner is an app which makes sure that the apps you delete don’t leave any residual files. Just launch the app and drag and drop the apps that you want to uninstall and it will take care of the rest. It is a must-have utility tool for any Mac user who wants to keep their Mac clean.

Install:AppCleaner

27. LiteIcon

LiteIcon is the app from the same developers who made the AppCleaner. It is a simple app which allows you to change your system icons quickly and easily. Simply drag an icon onto the one you want to change, and click the Apply Changes button. That's all you need to do. If you want your older icon back, just drag out the new icon. If you like to customize how your icons look on Mac, try out LiteIcon.

Install:LiteIcon

28. GrandPerspective

I have written about GrandPerspective a couple of times on this website and you might be familiar with it by now. For those who are new to our website, it’s an app which allows you to visualize storage on your Mac. Using GrandPerspective you can easily find out which files are using how much storage and find and delete the files which are not necessary. GrandPerspective is a very nice app for anyone who doesn’t have any idea as to where all his/her Mac’s storage went.

Install:GrandPerspective

29. Manuscript

Manuscript is a free Mac writing app for students which makes writing school assignments including dissertation easier. Manuscript is a powerful writing app which allows students to complete their assignments right from the planning stage to completing it. It lets students easily insert citations, figures, tables, mathematical equations, and more. The app also allows for importation of citations from various tools including Mendeley, Zotero, Papers 3, Bookends, and EndNote. If you are a student who is looking for a good writing app, you don’t have to look any farther than Manuscript.

Install:Manuscript

Top 10 Free Mac Apps Games

30. IINA

IINA is an open-source video player for your Mac which offers one of the best amalgamations of features and user interface. The app looks extremely beautiful and supports all the modern features including force touch, picture-in-picture, and even offers Touch-bar controls for the latest MacBook Pros. IINA also supports almost all the video formats that you can think of, including the ability to play even GIFs. The app also comes with theming capabilities allowing you to use either light or dark themes. I have discovered this app just a few weeks back and I am already in love with it. If you consume a ton of media on your MacBook Pro, this is the right app for you.

Install:IINA

31. OnyX

OnyX is your one-stop solution for all your Mac’s maintenance needs. In fact, I cannot describe the app better and more succinctly than what’s written on its website. OnyX is a multifunction utility that you can use to verify the structure of the system files, to run miscellaneous maintenance and cleaning tasks, to configure parameters in the Finder, Dock, Safari, and some of Apple's applications, to delete caches, to remove certain problematic folders and files, to rebuild various databases and indexes, and more. However, do remember that it is an advanced tool and hence before you do anything, make sure that you get familiar with the app as you don’t want to delete files which can corrupt your entire system.

Install:Onyx

32. SpotMenu

The last app on our list the SpotMenu app which is a nifty little menu bar application. The app basically allows you to control your iTunes and Spotify music player from the menu bar giving you access to controls such as play, pause, forward, and rewind. It’s a pretty basic application, however, it does come in handy. One thing that I like about the app is that it shows the name of the song that is currently playing right on your Mac’s menu bar. When you click on the icon, the drop-down window which harbors all the features also showcase the album art of the song that you are playing.

Install:SpotMenu

33. White Noise Lite

White Noise Lite is an app that helps you sleep better. If you are a light sleeper who wakes up multiple times in the night without any apparent reason then this app can help you sleep better. It brings fifty different HD quality ambient environment noises to help you sleep. The app brings a beautiful cover flow design which lets you easily swipe between cards to select different tasks. Although the app markets itself as a sleep enhancer, I mostly use to provide background music when I am working as it helps me concentrate. You should download this app right now and see if it helps you sleep better or work better. Whatever the result, you will be better off with this one in your arsenal.

Install:White Noise Lite

34. Shazam

Shazam is an app that needs no introduction. The app helps you discover songs by identifying whatever song is playing in the background. I personally use Shazam more as a tool to keep the list of songs that I have discovered. Suppose I am listening to a song and YouTube and want to save it. I just click on the menu bar icon of Shazam and it identifies the song and saves it on the list. I don't have to write it down anywhere. Later I can see the list and add to my Apple Music Playlist at my convenience. Shazam is a great app for discovering and keeping track of music that you like.

Free Apps For Imac Desktop

Install:Shazam

35. Muzzy

You know how when you accidentally yank headphones out of your iPhone, the music suddenly stops, well, Muzzy brings that functionality to your Mac. The app also does a lot of other things like allowing users to play, pause, and change the music from its menu bar app, integrates with Last.fm, shows songs lyrics, and more. However, I don’t care for any other features and I just use this app to stop music whenever I accidentally yank my headphones out. Sadly, the app only works if you are playing music through iTunes.

Install:Muzzy

Top 10 Free Mac Apps Free

Best Free macOS Apps: Final Thoughts

I hope that you found some apps which are useful to you. Do let me know which of these were your favorite and which ones you discovered. Also, if you know free apps that deserve to be on the list but aren’t, drop their names in the comments section. That’s all I have for this article. If you liked this article, share this on your social media profiles because we need your help to get the word out. As always, drop your opinions and suggestions in the comments section down below. We love to hear from our readers and your comments are always welcome.