It's that time again! Today you get five freshly baked app recommendations for your Apple Mac. If you are looking for useful programs that can help you virtually at work or in everyday life under macOS, then take a look at the following titles. In contrast to the app recommendations of the last few months, this time there is even a small bonus - i.e. 5+1 app recommendations! If these aren't enough for you, at the end of the article you will find the links to the other app collections from June 2021 to August 2023. Have fun browsing!
Chapter in this post:
1. 1Piece
The free 1Piece app has nothing to do with the similarly named manga or its anime adaptations. Rather, 1Piece is a useful multifunction tool on the Apple Mac. The software serves as a window manager and can be used for administration active corners and the mouse pointer, provides keyboard shortcut options, and more. After downloading it as a .zip archive and installing it, the app naturally needs system access for the many tasks, which you can regulate via the system settings. But before that you may have to use version 4.0 or later System Settings -> Privacy Click the “Open anyway” button if macOS prohibits you from accessing it. The many possible uses then arise. Note the release notes on the download page!
- Name: 1 piece
- Category: System tools
- Price: Free
- Information and download: Website
2.Applite
The Applite app does not serve a completely new field of app use on the Mac, but it does make searching, installing and managing third-party projects easier. Instead of loading and modifying software with Terminal commands, you can simply use Applite as a graphical interface. You can also use it to install third-party apps from the web without "Drag the app icon into the Applications folder" and the like. In order to use the Applite app, the Homebrew Package Manager must be installed - if this is not the case for you, Applite will help you get it with just one click. The open source software can be used from macOS 13 Ventura.
- Name: Applite
- Category: App Store
- Price: Free
- Individual files and code: GitHub
- Information and download: Website
3. Dippers
The Dipper app promises worry-free recording of individually selected audio on the Apple Mac. For the recording of audio files z. B. individual apps or paired devices can be selected - directly via a symbol in the menu bar. So you don't have to handle channels in Audacity or OBS, set up scenes or perform similar awkward software magic. Admittedly, once you've familiarized yourself with the free apps, that's not a problem. However, Dipper, with its limited free version and the full version for 34,99 euros, offers a convenient alternative. However, at least macOS 13 Ventura is also a basic requirement for use here.
- Name: Dipper
- Category: Audio Tool
- Price: Free download with in-app purchases
- Information: Website
- Download: Mac App Store
4. Clop
The Clop app reduces the file size of images and videos. Intended for screenshots and screen recordings in the first version, Clop offers even more possibilities since the update to version 2.0 in August 2023. Because you can set which folders or whether the clipboard should be kept in view. If the Clop app then recognizes new media files in the specified directories, compression is offered directly. It can be used free of charge for 14 days, after which the use is reduced to two edits per start. However, the limit can be lifted for just $8. The whole thing is again intended for macOS 13 or later.
- Name: Clop
- Category: System tool
- Price: Free, after 14 days with restrictions that can be removed for $8
- Individual files and code: GitHub
- Information and download: Website
5. Commander One
Commander One is a useful alternative to the Finder when working with multiple drives, cloud storage and/or servers. It is a file manager divided into two areas that is intended to make managing files particularly easy and clear. There are also numerous settings and usage options for professionals - both for managing machines and storage in IT as well as for photo and video professionals who want to connect their camera and manage their many files. Commander One is also advertised for data exchange between Android smartphones and the Apple Mac. You can find the app in the subscription package from Setapp.
- Name: Commander One
- Category: File Management
- Price: Setapp subscription for €9,99/month (single license) or €19,99/month (family subscription)
- Information and download: Setapp
Bonus: PiPHero
I often download the apps for the monthly recommendation myself, look for installation hurdles, try them out, take a screenshot and the like. I was particularly interested in PiPHero this month as I'm a fan of picture-in-picture renderings (for example via the TV app). However, there was so much to say about PiPHero that a separate contribution to the app was created. This has been online since the beginning of the week: PiPHero in the test - Use all Mac apps as a picture-in-picture display. As the title suggests, thanks to the app you can not only display videos as a picture-in-picture above all other display content, but also all other apps - whether word processing, finder, website or whatever.
Setapp offers 240+ full app versions at a low subscription price
The software subscription Setapp brings you more than 9,99 apps as a full version with all updates and without advertising on the Mac from €240 per month. Also included is an interesting app package for iPhone and iPad. For families, there is the family subscription for only €19,99 per month, which can be shared between four people. Everyone gets their own account and can use the offers for macOS, iOS and iPadOS. On the website of the offer you will already find all app titles from the categories Maintenance, Lifestyle, Productivity, Mac Hacks, Developer Tools, Task Management, Writing & Blogging, Education, Creativity and Personal Finance. Here are the individual booking options: Setapp Single License / Setapp family subscription.
All previous app recommendations for 2023
All "App Recommendations" posts that I published between June 2021 and December 2022 can be found here: The best Mac apps for 2023 - app recommendations for all areas of application. But even in the year 2023 itself, I made an overview every month with five practical Mac apps each. And that's why there are already listings of Mac app recommendations from January, February, March, April, May, June, July and August of this year:
- 5 app recommendations in January 2023
- 5 app recommendations in February 2023
- 5 app recommendations in March 2023
- 5 app recommendations in April 2023
- 5 app recommendations in May 2023
- 5 app recommendations in June 2023
- 5 app recommendations in July 2023
- 5 app recommendations in August 2023
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After graduating from high school, Johannes completed an apprenticeship as a business assistant specializing in foreign languages. But then he decided to research and write, which resulted in his independence. For several years he has been working for Sir Apfelot, among others. His articles include product introductions, news, manuals, video games, consoles, and more. He follows Apple keynotes live via stream.
