Recommended Apps
The tools I rely on to stay focused and get more done - hand-picked, not sponsored roundups.
Alcove
Brings the iPhone's Dynamic Island to your Mac's menu bar - turns notifications, now-playing, and AirPods battery into slick animated widgets.
Amphetamine
A free menu bar utility that keeps your Mac (and its display) awake on demand or on a schedule - handy for downloads, renders, or screen shares.
AppCleaner
Finds and removes every leftover file when you uninstall an app - preferences, caches, and support files macOS would otherwise leave behind for good. Free.
Bartender
Takes control of your menu bar - hides, reorders, and groups icons so only what you need stays visible.
BusyCal
A calendar app for Mac, iPhone, and iPad with natural language input, smart filters, and integrated tasks - syncs seamlessly across every device.
CleanMyMac
An all-in-one Mac cleaner that clears out junk, frees up storage, and keeps your system running smoothly.
CleanShot X
A polished screenshot and screen recording tool with annotation, scrolling capture, and instant cloud sharing built in.
Craft
A beautifully designed docs and notes app for writing, planning, and organising your work - fast, and a joy to use.
Dia Browser
An AI-native browser from the makers of Arc - ask it questions, summarise pages, and get work done straight from the address bar.
Downie
Downloads video (and audio) from over a thousand sites with a single click or a dragged-in link.
Exporter
Exports your Apple Notes to markdown or HTML - great for getting notes into your AI projects as clean markdown files.
Fantastical
A calendar and tasks app that understands natural language - type "lunch with Sarah at 1pm tomorrow" and it just works.
FocusPomo
A minimalist Pomodoro timer that rewards every focus session with a tiny tomato - simple, satisfying, and great for building consistency.
GoodLinks
A clean, ad-free read-it-later app for saving and reading articles - syncs links, highlights, tags, and reading position across Mac and iPhone with no extra account needed.
Granola
An AI notepad for meetings - it listens in, transcribes, and turns your rough notes into clean, shareable summaries. Now on iPhone too, for in-person conversations and calls.
HazeOver
Dims every window except the one you're working in, so your focus stays exactly where it should.
Hevy
The workout tracker I actually stuck with - log your lifts, track progress over time, and plan routines, with a genuinely motivating community layer built in.
Hyperkey
Remaps Caps Lock into a Hyper key - hold it down with any other key to trigger custom shortcuts without clashing with anything else on your Mac.
MenuDrop
Puts AirDrop in your menu bar - drag a file (or a link straight from Safari's address bar) onto the icon and the picker pops up instantly, no digging through the Share menu.
One Thing
Puts your single most important task - the day's "Highlight", from the book Make Time - right in your menu bar. Drag it in from Reminders or Things, or let Shortcuts pull it in automatically each morning.
Onigiri
A minimal Pomodoro timer that lives entirely in your menu bar - no dock icon, no windows. Pop out a small floating widget when you want the countdown visible in a full-screen app.
Peek
Pulls up any website instantly from your menu bar or a single keystroke - dashboards, analytics, anything you check constantly. Scroll position, ad-blocking, and hidden clutter all get remembered forever.
Permute
A drag-and-drop media converter for video, audio, and images that handles just about any format you throw at it.
Pushcut
Triggers your Shortcuts and HomeKit scenes from anywhere - custom notifications, widgets, schedules, and locations that kick off automations without you lifting a finger.
Raycast
A fast, extendable replacement for Spotlight - launch apps, run extensions, and control your Mac without touching the mouse.
Reader
A read-it-later app built for power readers - pulls articles, PDFs, newsletters, and RSS feeds into one clean, distraction-free inbox.
Sip
A color picker and palette manager for designers and developers - pick, organise, and share colors in seconds.
Streaks
A simple habit tracker that turns daily tasks into streaks - track up to 24 habits with reminders, widgets, and Apple Watch support.
Superlist
A modern to-do list and planner from the creators of Wunderlist - tasks, notes, and projects in one clean, collaborative app.
SuperWhisper
AI voice dictation for Mac and iPhone - offline or cloud transcription that types straight into any app.
Things 3
An elegant, Apple Design Award-winning to-do app for planning your day, projects, and goals - simple on the surface, powerful underneath.
TickTick
An all-in-one to-do list, calendar, habit tracker, and Pomodoro timer that keeps your tasks and your time in one place.
Willow Voice
AI voice dictation for Mac and iPhone - speak naturally and it types polished, ready-to-send text straight into any app.
20% off for 12 months (redeem on the Mac app, syncs to iOS)
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Yuka
Scan any food or cosmetic product's barcode and get an instant, independent health rating - no brand ever pays to influence the score.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up or buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you - it helps support the channel. I only feature apps I genuinely use.