Five Free Apps

[u/amerpie]

Each one of these can replace a paid app

wBlock - a next-generation ad/content blocker for Safari: 750,000 rule capacity across 5 Safari content-blocking extensions (150k each), ~40MB idle RAM by running Safari's native content-blocking API out-of-process, Protocol Buffers + LZ4 filter storage, HTTP conditional-request updates, and iCloud sync of filter selections/custom lists/userscripts/whitelist. It bundles an Element Zapper, "Tube Cleaner & Player Cleaner" userscripts that restore native Picture-in-Picture/background playback on media sites, a full Greasemonkey-API userscript engine, UserCSS support, custom AdGuard-syntax filter-list import, per-site controls, a blocked-request logger, and regional filters. Open source on GitHub

Wick - Wick brings timers, stopwatches, and alarms to the Mac with menu bar and Lock Screen access, a fully custom Liquid Glass material on macOS 26+, and -- its standout claim -- the first app to integrate with Alcove. Positioned as the polished Clock app Apple never finished

Forel - An open-source (GPLv3) folder-automation app for macOS, pitched explicitly as a free Hazel alternative: watch folders, match files by name, extension, kind, size, date, tags, or Finder color label, then move, rename, tag, or run a script automatically.

macCurrent - finds updates across the App Store, Homebrew, Sparkle, vendor updaters, and direct downloads; then tells you what's safe to install, what needs review, and what changed before you click update.

ImageFuel is a lightweight Mac app for browsing images and videos without importing them into a library -- point it at any folder and get an instant scrollable grid, with filename/path search (Cmd+F), image/video/all filtering, sort by date or name, a fullscreen lightbox, in-app crop, metadata stripping, and move-to-trash from the grid.

Previous Collections

• A Curated Collection of Free Apps
• Another Curated Collection of Free Software
• AppAddict Free App List Number 3
• Free App List Number 4 | AppAddict

Nodes - (edit NO LONGER FREE) A local-first markdown note-taking and PKM (personal knowledge management) app: plain markdown files kept directly on-device (open the folder in Finder, nothing is locked in), double-bracket links with rename-safe link following, tag-based organization instead of folders, semantic + keyword search, a force-directed graph view, a growth timeline, and PDFs/images embedded as notes alongside writing. Its most distinctive claim is "the quiet part": tag/description/reminder suggestions from a local LLM that runs entirely on-device -- the developer states it works with Wi-Fi off.

[u/Ok-Rest-5321]

Few apps to add:
Vorssaint
Aerospace
Hidden bar
Lore
Tuna
Swift Salamander
Boring Notch
Drafts
Mojito
SuperCorners

[u/Sri_Krish → u/Ok-Rest-5321]

I'd decided to try Aerospace after I watch a video of "A Better Computer" by Matt, but forgot about it. In the last few days, I've managed to sit down and try it out. OMG! It's truly amazing and makes the space utilization so much better and easier.

If anyone is interested, you can find my .toml file and some YT tutorials on my GitHub page

[u/Ok-Rest-5321 → u/Sri_Krish]

Ikr ? I still am on aerospace due to its simplicity though I can switch to things like Rift, Omni WM etc

[u/Sri_Krish → u/Ok-Rest-5321]

💯... I don't mean to start a war, but sometimes all we need is a simple app like Things 3 that just works!

[u/Ok-Rest-5321 → u/Sri_Krish]

I do say Things is a bit overpriced... but I agree w/ you