macOS is arguably the best desktop operating system. And while the debate on Mac, Windows, and Linux is going to last for ages, for what I do, macOS fits my needs better. One of the things that give macOS a clear advantage over its Windows and Linux counterparts is the luxury to have a wide assortment of highly efficient apps designed to bolster productivity. From feature-rich text editors to proficient task managers to high-end video editors, Mac App Store has got you fully covered. If you aren’t sure which one can suit your needs better,  check out these 20 essential Mac apps that you should be using in 2020.

The essential Mac apps mentioned in the list are in no particular order. I use all of them on a regular basis and enjoy using them. Some of them are full-fledged Mac apps while others are simple utilities that solve specific problems and make my life easier. Keeping that in mind, let’s begin our list of the best Mac apps and utilities, shall we?

1. Magnet: Arrange Apps Side-by-Side with Better Control

While I find macOS to be the superior operating system, there are some things that Windows does way better, and windows management system is one of them. Using two apps side by side in Macs is still a chore and nowhere near as smooth as something that we get on Windows.

There are many users who hate on Magnet and prefer some costly alternatives like Moom ($10) or Divvy ($13.99). However, for 99% of Mac users, Magnet is enough and it costs just $0.99.

If you feel like working for hours on your Mac and still not getting things done then you should try out Timing. Timing is a simple time tracker app that automatically tracks everything you do on your Mac and gives you a detailed chart of that data. Before I used timing, I used to waste a ton of time on doing frivolous things on my Mac and wasted time, all the while feeling I have been working.

3. ToothFairy: Connect Your AirPods/Bluetooth Devices with Mac Fast

Apple AirPods are the fastest-selling accessory that the company has ever made and its users swear by its convenience. Thanks to the W1 Chip (H1 chip in the new AirPods), connecting them to your iOS devices is like a breeze. You just open the case next to your iPhone or iPad and they are connected within seconds. However, there is no such service for Macs.

Install: $4.99

This is one of those Mac utilities that you never knew you needed but once you use it, you can never go back. Cheat Sheet is a simple Mac utility which as its name suggests gives you a cheat sheet of all the commands that an app uses. The best part about this Mac utility is that it works on all the apps (at least on all the apps that I use).

5. Bartender 3: Host Unlimited Menu Bar Apps

Mac’s menu bar is a magical place where all the Mac utilities live and do their work without causing any trouble to the end-user. However, there is only so much space on Mac’s menu bar and it soon starts to feel crowded especially if you are using a 13-inch MacBook Pro or Air.

Install: Free trial, $15

Till now, we have only seen Mac apps and utilities which are productive and will help you with work. Let’s change that for a bit by including an app that I use and enjoy and waste a ton of time on. The app I am talking about is called Flume and it’s a third-party client for Instagram which is awesome.

The best part of this app is that there’s a free version that you can check out before deciding to go for the pro version. The free version is quite liberal with its features but if you want the full Flume experience, you should buy the pro version.

Hazel is one of those apps that I install as soon as I get a new Mac. Hazel is my personal assistant which does all the grunt work thus freeing me to do important tasks. Hazel, for those of you who don’t know, is file management and automation app which can save you hours upon hours of work once you set up the right rules.

This is a very small example of what Hazel can actually do. You can set rules which can move files, rename files, create a copy of files, delete files, sort files, and a combination of all those things. Thanks to Hazel, my desktop and download folders are never a heap of hot garbage because everything is renamed, categorized, tagged, and moved to a designated folder. If file management is an issue that you have to deal with, you should download and use Hazel.

Unclutter is a less-known Mac utility which is quite helpful. The app adds a handy shelf at the top which can hold files, notes, and clipboard items. You can access the shelf by moving your cursor at the top of the screen. I love this utility as it acts as a temporary holding place for files and text.

Clipboard can handle both images and text files which makes this even better. Finally, you can also sync your notes, files, and clipboard items across devices using Dropbox. Once you get used to using Unclutter, it would be really hard to use your Mac without it. The app comes with a free trial so there is no harm in checking it out before you decide to buy it.

While Quick Time Player that comes with your Mac is good enough for certain users, it’s not what we would call a feature-rich media player app. It neither supports all the popular video formats nor is good at managing subtitles. What irks me most about Quick Time Player is that it doesn’t allow me to easily go back or forward while playing a video.

It supports picture-in-picture mode which is great for watching content while you are working on something else. Other features of the app include playlist support, TouchBar support, system based media control, music mode, mouse and trackpad gesture support, online subtitles, and more.

If you have updated your Mac to macOS Mojave or later you know that it comes with a gorgeous dark mode which not only turns the native user interface to dark mode but also changes the appearance of native apps. As more and more third-party developers are starting to support dark mode on macOS Mojave, the use of dark mode has become even more awesome.

PhotoBulk is another one of those of workhorse apps that can save you a ton of time. In my line of work, I need to edit dozens of images on a daily basis and most of the time the editing only requires me to rename, resize, and crop the images. PhotoBulk allows me to do all that and then some within seconds.

The next app on the list is Itsycal, which solves a big problem for me on Mac. So, in macOS, you can see the date, the day of the week, and time on the bar, but unlike Windows, you cannot just click on it to open up a calendar, and that is annoying.

HiddenMe is a simple Mac utility that has only one job and that is to give your desktop a clean appearance. While some of us have the patience and resolve to clear our Mac desktop to keep it clean and organized, most of us just let the files and folders linger around there until the desktop feels like a hot garbage mess. Well, HiddenMe is an app that will allow you to hide all those files and folders and give your Mac a clean look.

In my line of work, I need to take a ton of screenshot and screen recording of my Mac screen, and I don’t want it to look cluttered. So, I just click on the HiddenMe’s menu bar icon and hide all the files saved on my desktop. The best part is that the app is free to use. There is a pro version, but it’s for unlocking multi-desktop support. So, if you are not using multiple external displays, the free version will serve you just fine.

macOS is great at conserving battery. It does that by automatically putting your Mac to sleep after a certain period of inactivity. However, there are sometimes when you want your Mac to be awake even if you are not using it. For example, let’s say you are downloading a huge file. You don’t want your Mac to sleep during the download and cancel it.

Install: Free

While macOS is great at many things, archiving and unarchiving files is not one of them. The native unarchiving mechanics on macOS is not great and doesn’t support many popular file formats. That’s why I always install The Unarchiver app whenever I am on a new Mac. It is a small and nifty Mac app that can unarchive many different kinds of archive files.

16. 1Password: Your All-in-One Password Manager

A list of essential Mac apps would be incomplete without the inclusion of a password manager. And rightly so as it’s something each one of us has to deal with – whether we like it or not. When it comes to managing passwords efficiently, 1Password stands out on most fronts. That’s one of the reasons why it’s loved by many Mac users.

17. Fantastical: An Exceptionally Intuitive Calendar App

While there is no dearth of calendar apps for Mac, it’s hard to look beyond Fantastical. The app is beautifully designed and allows you to manage events with better control. Featuring an intuitive interface, the calendar app lets you keep a track of upcoming events at a glance.

18. Todoist: Take Control of Your To-Do Lists & Tasks

If you often find yourself struggling to carry out tasks with the desired efficiency, you should try out Todoist. The app is pretty smart in terms of managing to-do lists and tasks. With it, you can note down tasks faster and keep them perfectly organized in line with your needs.

19. ExpressVPN: Surf the Web Securely

In an age where hacking looms large, a VPN app can be of great help for safeguarding online privacy. And for this purpose, ExpressVPN has long been a trusted bet. It boasts a huge global network with fast VPN servers across 94 countries.

20. Dropbox: Seamless Cloud Storage

Last but not least, Dropbox deserves a spot in this roundup. The cloud storage app lets you backup, sync, and share files with ease. As it’s compatible with a wide range of file formats, incompatibility is never an issue. Depending on your requirements, you can create as many folders as you want to keep everything including photos, videos, and docs organized.

Install: Free ($9.99/month when billed annually)

What apps should I have on my Mac?

As to what apps should you choose for your Mac, it all comes down to your needs. First off, download all the essential apps (like the ones mentioned in this roundup) that you need. After that, choose apps based on your priority or specific requirements.

Can apps be used on a Mac?

macOS is a great platform for apps. So, you can use apps and also personalize them based on your requirements.

As MacBook Air runs macOS, you can download any apps/software (in most cases) that can run on the desktop OS.

Well, the simplest way to get iPhone apps on your MacBook (or for that matter any Mac) is to launch Mac App Store -> search for the macOS version of the apps and then download them. As most popular iOS apps are available across platforms, you can get them on your macOS device.