When it comes to productivity apps, there's certainly the big players like Trello, Asana, Evernote, and more that have transformed the way we work. In this post, we'll talk about some of the smaller, lesser-known Mac apps that can help improve specific aspects of your work for increased productivity.
- Numi
- Noisli
- Calendly
- Aware
- Alfred
- PopClip
- SizeUp
- Focus
Continue reading to learn more about these productivity apps including how they boost productivity, what features are included, and how much they cost.
There are a variety of apps for writers that are transforming the entire writing process. All of these apps include ways to help ease distraction and increase productivity. While the list of writing apps that can help with writing productivity is truly endless, below are some of the top-rated ones. Dubbed as one of the best note. The best productivity app for academics who: want to save top-quality content for appropriate reading times. Writing app: 750 words. Read anything about the difficulties of academic writing and the theme of procrastination crops up time and again. Take a swinging blow at writer’s block with 750words.
Project management app: Trello. Keeping projects on track takes a world of organisation. As we mentioned last year, expect more productivity apps go the subscription route. SetApp is a great way to get some of the best apps for one price. Communications & Calendar. Airmail, Postbox, MailPlane, MailMate – There are a lot of great email clients available for Mac, but Apple Mail (or Mail.app) isn’t one of them. Apple Mail seems to. Google Calendar is a mobile app and browser-based tool with useful task-planning features for making time to write. Platform: Any (browser-based, apps for iOS and Android devices – learn more here). Cost: Free to use. Features: Create schedules for specific tasks (such as writing or editing your story). Batch alarm notifications to go off at. From the best time management apps to the most useful planners, these productivity apps — including the best productivity apps for students — can help you achieve more in 2020. It gives you access to 180+ handpicked apps in areas for enhancing your Mac, elevating your work, and optimizing your life. For example, there are many apps in categories like productivity, task management, writing & blogging, education, Mac hacks, creativity, personal finance, maintenance, and lifestyle.
Numi
Calculate anything with numbers.
How does Numi increase productivity?
Numi is a one-stop converter application. Want to know how many milliliters are in a gallon? Euros to dollars? Pounds to kilograms? When it comes to calculating numbers, Numi does it all. With Numi, you can avoid opening Google and other distractions by simply choosing the application when you need to make a calculation.
Numi Features
- Calculate currency, temperature, area, length, volume and time.
- Calculate math functions like sin, cos, exponent, and more.
- Calculate percentages (Example: what is 15% of $70?)
Is Numi Mobile Friendly?
This app is not for use on Apple mobile devices.
Cost of Numi
Numi is currently free to download with a paid license on the horizon.
Noisli
Customize your background noise.
How does Noisli increase productivity?
Mix and match sounds to occupy the background of your work environment. Do you work best during a thunderstorm? In a coffee shop? Both? Create your perfect sound environment and maximize your productivity. Use the Timer feature for productive sessions that take advantage of other productivity techniques like Pomodoro.
Noisli Features
- Break down the sounds of your day with timed productivity sessions
- Save and share your favorite sound combos
- Minimalist text editor function for writing in a distraction-free environment
Is Noisli Mobile Friendly?
There's anofficial Noisli app for iPhone, iPod, and iPad. It's great for creating a productive space while working remotely, on the go, or for help going to sleep.
Cost of Noisli
The desktop version and all of its features are completely free. There's a small one-time fee for the mobile app.
Calendly
Schedule meetings without the back-and-forth.
How does Calendly increase productivity?
Calendly lets you set your availability, share your calendar, and have others book a time that's convenient for them. Coordinate schedules simply and efficiently without wasting time on back-and-forth emails.
Calendly Features
- Integrates with Google, Outlook, Office 365 or iCloud calendar
- Meeting confirmation and reminder emails
- Schedule meetings with multiple team members at once
- Set daily limits on available meeting time
- Time zone detection
Is Calendly Mobile Friendly?
This app is not for use on mobile Apple devices. Calendly is actively researching a solution for an iOS app.
Cost of Calendly
The basic plan for Calendly is free. Other features, such as metrics and reporting, are accessible with Premium for $8 a month and Pro for $12 a month. There is also an option to try all features free for 14 days.
Aware
Track and monitor computer usage.
How does Aware increase productivity?
Aware is a very minimalist app with no reminders, alarms, notifications, or blinking lights. Aware is a menubar app that simply tracks your Mac usage so you can better understand the time you spend online.
You can monitor your computer usage to make sure you are putting in enough productive hours, and to make sure you aren't overextending yourself.
Aware Features
- Monitor computer usage to ensure you're putting in enough productive hours
- Monitor computer usage to ensure you're not overworking yourself
Is Aware Mobile Friendly?
This app is not for use on mobile Apple devices.
Cost of Aware
Aware is free to download from the app store.
Alfred
Boost your efficiency with hotkeys, keywords, text expansion and more.
How does Alfred increase productivity?
Never repeat a dull computer operation again. Alfred is your personal online butler. With Alfred, you can customize the functionality of your Mac for workflows at the tip of your fingers. Happy Alfred users say they can't imagine working without it.
Alfred Features
- Build your own private workflows
- Import pre-made workflows from a community of creators
- Save clipboard history
- Create default search keywords
- Perform quick math calculations
- Check spelling and/or definitions
Is Alfred Mobile Friendly?
Alfred has a companion mobile app for iPhone and iPad called Alfred Remote. The application boosts frequently used actions on your mobile device.
Cost of Alfred
The latest version of Alfred is free to download. Expand your use with purchasable Powerpacks that let you enjoy workflows and themes. Alfred Remote, the mobile app version of Alfred is available for purchase from the app store for $4.99.
PopClip
Reach hundreds of extensions in one-click.
How does PopClip increase productivity?
PopClip appears when you highlight any text, giving you access to hundreds of extensions with one-click. Think of it as the ultimate right click of your mouse. Access a long list of extensions from the usual suspects like copy, cut, and paste, as well as other handy tools like search, spelling, dictionary, and text transformations.
PopClip Features
- Pick and choose the extensions you use most
- Integrates with note-taking apps, like Stickies, Evernote, and Apple Notes
- Integrates with Task Management and To-Do list apps, like Todoist, Wunderlist, and Todo
- Post text directly to a Slack channel
Is PopClip Mobile Friendly?
This app is not for use on mobile Apple devices.
Cost of PopClip
PopClip has a free trial option and can be purchased for $9.99.
SizeUp
Manage your windows.
How does SizeUp increase productivity?
SizeUp is designed for macOS users who use several different windows or monitors at once. It allows you to resize and reposition your windows with ease to clean up and optimize the use of your screen.
SizeUp Features
- Global keyboard shortcuts
- Reserve space at the edges of your screen with customizable margins
- Avoid shadows and overlap by adding space between windows
- Compatible with AppleScript for custom actions
Is SizeUp Mobile Friendly?
This app is not for use on mobile Apple devices.
Cost of SizeUp
Access unlimited features in a free trial, or purchase SizeUp for $12.99 with a 60-day money back guarantee.
Focus
Block distracting websites.
How does Focus increase productivity?
It can take your brain 23 minutes or more to get back to the task after a distraction. Focus blocks distracting websites so you're not interrupted by a Facebook notification inviting you to play Candy Crush. Block any website or application that can cause a distraction to establish productive bursts of work.
💡 Learn more in How to Not Get Distracted When You're Working Online
Focus Features
- Automatic or customizable inspirational quotes to help you get back on task
- Setup and enforce daily, weekly, or weekend schedules
- A built-in Pomodoro timer to break up your work
- Track your progress with productivity statistics
Is Focus Mobile Friendly?
The latest version is only available for macOS but there are iOS (iPhone & iPad) and Android applications in the works.
Cost of Focus
Download a free trial complete with all Focus features or purchase starting at $19 (one-time cost).
We may be a little biased about this last one, but that's because Focus was built with a passion for productive work. Focus aims to improve people's lives by inspiring focus, creativity, and productivity. Thanks for supporting indie development. 💗
With so many amazing apps out there, it's important to make sure you don't overload yourself. At some point, your productivity will decline. Test the apps you think could work to boost your productivity and then ditch any that don't.
We'd love to hear from you too. What do you think the best productivity apps are and why do you love them?
Here are a couple of the other best productivity apps for Mac that didn't get mentioned:
1Password is a great Mac password manager that let's you securely and safely use different passwords for all services
Fantastical is a great macOS calendar that offers features for quickly adding events and reminders
Zapier isn't a macOS app but does let you connect any service to nearly any other service, very useful for productively creating workflows to optimize your routine.
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Are you looking for the best Mac apps so you can work more effectively?
When it comes to productivity – the most important thing is to be proactive and take control of your habits.
If you take the path of least resistance, you’ll simply do what’s easiest. You’ll get distracted by notifications, procrastinate and make things harder and more stressful in the long term. (It’s simply human nature!)
The key is to find an app that empowers you to break bad habits, streamline your processes and save time. Here are a few best Mac apps we recommend:
The Best Mac Apps to Boost Your Productivity
1. Todoist
ToDoist is a smart checklist app that allows you to tag your to-do items in categories, so you can keep your projects together. You can add due dates and times, create sub-tasks and even plan out your day by blocking time for each task.
The main features of ToDoist are free, including up to 80 projects. The free version also allows you to add up to 5 people per project, so you can collaborate on to-do items together. If you need more functionality than that, there is a Premium version for $3 per month that allows up to 25 people per project and 300 projects.
For larger teams, there is a Business version for $5 per month that allows up to 500 projects and up to 50 people per project. That’s a lot of to-dos!
2. IFTTT
IFTTT stands for “If This, Then That” and this app enables all your apps and devices to “talk to each other.” For example, if you are managing a social media campaign, you can set things up so that whenever you share an Instagram photo it also posts to Twitter. Save Google Docs to your Dropbox automatically, archive all your tweets to Google Sheets, tweet any Medium stories you recommend – and much more. Basically – you can set it up to do almost anything that saves you time!
The best part is, IFTTT is completely free for users! (Instead, companies pay when they want to publish an integration within the app.)
3. Backlog
Backlog is a sleek project management tool that makes it easy to collaborate with a team and get things done. You can create, assign and schedule tasks and leave real-time feedback on your device. It’s very useful for developers, making it easy for them to collaborate on code and track bugs. Plus, the Gantt Charts feature allows you to quickly visualize the timeline of your entire project.
Backlog has a free version which includes 10 users, 1 project and 100 MB of storage. There’s also a Starter version with 30 users, 5 projects and 1GB of storage for $35 per month. The Standard option offers up to 100 projects, unlimited users and 30GB of storage for $100 per month.
4. Focus
Focus is a timer that allows you to set 25 minute “focus” sessions (known as the Pomodoro Technique), plus a lightweight task manager that will allow you to organize the things you want to work on.
The app allows you to sync across your devices, so that you can pick up whatever you are working on no matter where you are. You can even control the app via your Apple Watch. The interface is beautiful and easy to use and draws your attention to what you should be focused on.
Focus offers two subscription options – a monthly rate of $4.99 per month and a yearly rate of $39.99 per year.
5. BusyCal
Known as the “most powerful calendar app for Mac”, BusyCal is packed with features that will save you time and make you more productive. It’s compatible with iCloud, Google, Reminders, Exchange and more. With a handy Info Panel, it’s extremely easy to view and edit event details with precision and speed. Plus, you can even integrate To Dos into your calendar, so they will display on the date they are due.
BusyCal costs $49.99, or you can buy it together with BusyContacts for $79.98. If you already own BusyContacts, you can purchase BusyCal on the app store for only $29.99.
6. Evernote
Evernote is a great example of an app so simple yet functional that everyone finds their own best way to use it. This makes it one of the best Mac apps for productivity!
It allows you to scan or type notes and save them in a searchable database. You can capture ideas, save webpages, scan documents, create checklists and more – then organize them all into “Notebooks”. Plus you can even share notes with others with the “Work Chat” function.
You can also sync your notes across devices. So, if you have a great idea while you’re out on a walk, create a note on your phone and it will be synced to your desktop for later. The basic version is free and can be used on only 2 devices. Evernote Premium offers unlimited devices and costs $7.99 per month.
7. Krisp
Krisp helps you be more productive by removing background noise in your calls. This means you can take a call anywhere – even when you’re outside on a windy day or working from home with your kids playing in the background. It users AI-powered noise cancelling technology so that you come through loud and clear – making calls so much more efficient.
The free version includes 120 minutes of noise-free listening and speaking per week. The paid version includes unlimited listening and speaking on three devices. As a plus you get noise-free calls for your iPhone and iPad for 240 minutes per week both in free and paid versions. Head to pricing section for more information.
Which Noise Is Annoying You The Most?
Use our noise cancelling app
to mute all the annoying noises
8. Otter
How much time could you save every day if you could dictate notes to your computer rather than typing them out? Otter is a voice-recognition note-taking app that allows you to transcribe your conversations, take notes from meetings and organize and archive them anywhere. You can even share your voice notes with others – so they can be on the same page!
The Otter app offers a free basic plan, as well as a $8.33 per month Premium plan and a $12.50 per month Team plan. The Premium features include custom vocabulary, bulk imports, bulk exports and more. The Team features are designed for large groups and include shared speaker voiceprints, user management and reports on usage statistics.
9. Email Analytics
Are you being productive when you answer your email? You can’t improve what you don’t measure, so the first step is to figure out how long you are spending on email every day. EmailAnalytics is designed to help Gmail users understand how long you spend writing and reading your emails.
This app generates a detailed report that also includes your average response times and your top email sources – which will help you measure your productivity. It costs $15 per month per mailbox, and there’s a 14 day trial period where you can see if it works for you.
10. Be Focused Pro
Be Focused Pro is another one of best Mac apps that is designed to help you get stuff done by using the “Pomodoro Technique” of breaking up your task list into intervals and separating them by short breaks. Within the app you can create tasks, set goals and track your progress throughout the day or week.
It has a very simple user interface, yet it has just enough additional features to make it powerful. The app costs $4.99 to download in the Mac App Store.
11. OmniFocus
OmniFocus is an organizer app inspired by the “Getting Things Done” method of task management. It allows you to organize your tasks into projects, then add tags to quickly categorize them. There’s a Forecast view that shows you your tasks and calendar events, as well as a Review perspective to keep your tasks on track.
Best Productivity App For Distracted Writers Machine Learning
One of the major advantages of this app is that it offers you many options, so you can choose which features work best for you. Start simple and let the app grow with you as your tasks become more complicated. It has two feature levels – Standard for $49.99 and Pro for $99.99. Therefore, it’s a bit pricier than many of the other apps on this list. However, you might find it worth it!
12. Trello
Trello is an extremely easy to use, visually appealing and versatile project management tool. You can use it to create “boards” where you can group projects together, add to-do lists and assign tasks to yourself and co-workers. You’ll be able to upload photos, links and files to each task, ensuring that everything you need for getting stuff done is all in one place.
There are also endless “Power Ups” you can add to your board, such as a calendar view, stickers and surveys. If you’re familiar with the Kanban workflow management method, you might find Trello very useful. Even if you’re not, it’s a wonderfully seductive tool that can be used for anything from planning a wedding to outlining a blog content strategy to tracking weight loss and more. Plus, it’s free!
13. Slack
Best Productivity App Mac
Another one of the best Mac apps is Slack. It is a messaging app designed for teams and it has a lot of features designed to make everyone more productive. For example, there are a lot of integrations you can set up in Slack so that notifications from other tools (such as Google Analytics, Salesforce, etc.) get automatically pushed to specific Slack channels.
This will allow you to use Slack as the hub for communication for your entire team. The free version is quite robust – with 10k searchable messages, 10 apps and integrations and 1-1 video calls. There’s also a Standard version with unlimited message archives and apps and groups calls with screen sharing – for $6.67 per person per month. The Plus version for large businesses is $12.50 per person per month and includes even more storage.
14. Timing
Timing is a very useful automatic time tracking app that will allow you to see how you spend your day and when you are most productive. The 2020 version of the app has an entirely new interface that is a lot easier to use.
You can even use the app on your iPhone as well as your desktop, so you can track time from anywhere – even on the go. The Desktop app has beautiful reports that give you an overview of where your time went. The Basic Plan costs $3.5 per user per month and only includes Automatic Time Tracking. The Professional Plan includes both Automatic and Manual Time Tracking for $5.5 per user, per month. The Expert Plan also features calendar integration, reports and much more for $8 per user, per month.
15. Text Expander
You’d be amazed by how much time you can save by using shortcuts for your most commonly used messages and blocks of text. You can use simple text commands to fill in responses to frequent questions or phrases you use on a regular basis. It’s very simple, but it’s one of the best Mac apps when it comes to saving time.
TextExpander is incredibly easy to use and you can set the abbreviation to anything you like. You can set the abbreviation to expand to any text you choose – even multimedia content like formatted text and images. There is no free version of the app – it costs $3.33 per month. (You can give a whirl with a free trial though!)
List of Best Mac Apps in 2020
To recap, here’s the full list:
- Todoist – to-do list app
- IFTTT – automation app
- Backlog – project management app
- Focus – timer app
- BusyCal – calendar app
- Evernote – note-taking app
- Krisp – noise cancelling app
- Otter – transcription app
- EmailAnalytics – email analytics app
- Be Focused Pro – timer and to-do app
- OmniFocus – task management app
- Trello – project management app
- Slack – team communication app
- Timing – time tracker app
- Text Expander – shortcut app
How Do You Stay Productive?
These are just a few of the best Mac apps that can help you boost your productivity in 2020. Which ones do you use to save time? We’d love to hear your productivity tips! Share them with us on Twitter.