I Tried All the Mac Apps for Designers. Here Are the Ones I Can’t Live Without.

Where I spend my time designing, writing, and being productive

My Mac is my design studio, writing room, communications center, and remote office. I’m always interested in finding better tools for my job — tools that are as beautiful as they are functional. Many people hate switching apps, but I love it. A few months ago, I was a loyal user of the collaborative interface design app Sketch; now I use Figma. A couple years ago, I was creating flow diagrams in Omnigraffle; now it’s Overflow. I’ve used every email app under the sun and switched note-taking apps more times than I care to admit.

Here are the Mac apps I’m using all the time these days, in alphabetical order.

1Password

$2.99/month (individual); $4.99/month (family)

You’re using a password manager, right? Right? If you’re not, this is the one to get. 1Password recently switched to a subscription model (who hasn’t?), a move that frustrated some users. Still, for something as important as the security of your password data, I think it’s worth it to know the app is up to date on all the latest threats. I use 1Password to store everything from logins to software licenses, credit cards to important documents. It has robust browser integration and cross-platform, cross-device support. Sort of a very secure Swiss Army knife for your personal data.

Alfred

Free

Anytime I use a Mac without the search app Alfred, I feel sad. Relying on the Mac’s native Spotlight feature isn’t exactly awful. In fact, it’s pretty nifty. But once you realize how much more efficient and productive you can be with Alfred, you’ll never look back. Every search I do starts with Alfred, whether it’s for a file on my Mac, the weather forecast, someone in my contacts, products on Amazon, movies nearby, Google—really, anything. I recommend leveling up with a PowerPack purchase (£25, single user; £45, single user with free lifetime upgrades) so you can get the most from powerful workflows and utility add-ons.