I Use Good Enough Software
I love discovering and using well-made apps like Paper and Bartender. But the more time I spend searching for the best app for a task, the more I realize that there are plenty of cheaper — and often free — alternatives that do the job just fine.
Lately, I’ve been moving away from profit-driven apps and turning to free or “good enough” software. And honestly, it’s been a huge relief. For one, I’ve stopped wasting hours looking for the perfect app. I’ve tried almost every writing tool out there, from Ulysses to Author. Now I stick with free options like CotEditor and MarkEdit, or an affordable app called Simpletext. These apps are well-maintained, lightweight, and have all the features I actually use. I’m genuinely thankful to the developers who make and share them.
After deciding to cut back on subscriptions, I canceled SetApp and started looking for alternatives. Below is a list of the best free or low-cost Mac apps I use almost every day. They may not be flashy, but they’re solid, reliable, and they get the job done.