Why are there so many?

Can someone explain why there are so many task planning, time tracking, and calendar apps being made all the time?
Is the demand really that high, or are most of them just clunky and every dev is trying to build their own perfect one?

https://redd.it/1oo1cwy
@macappsbackup

Mountain Duck Version 5 Has New Features

[Mountain Duck](https://preview.redd.it/pol9tsb318zf1.png?width=400&format=png&auto=webp&s=97583c70e87b17252ef92b7a1c3b34dfd42edfc8)

Mountain Duck is an app that allows you to integrate a variety of remote storage providers directly into Finder without the need for other proprietary software. This gives you the option to "open remote files with any application," just as you can with the ones on your hard drive.

# Some key features are:

* Multiple protocols supported: SMB, FTP, WebDAV, Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.
* "Smart Synchronization," where files remain remote until you open them; at which point, it opens and caches them. This can be complicated and a little tricky.
* Full Finder integration (via extensions) allowing context menu actions, link sharing, sync status, and more.
* Licensing - one license lets you use it on all the computers you own, but major upgrades are paid. Mountain Duck v. 5 is recent, so you should be good for a while if you purchase it now.

# Strengths:

* Flexible - I used it to mount OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, two WebDAV providers, and a remote SMB share.
* Finder integration is consistent across providers, something you don't get by running the software from multiple providers.
* Background operations (smart sync/offline options).
* Actively maintained. The changelog shows frequent updates and bug fixes, which is typically the sign of a dependable developer.

# Weaknesses:

* Predictably, mounts with lots of folders and files are not as responsive as those with fewer files and folders. I noticed this when working with my photo collection (100K+ files) on a remote WebDAV server.
* Working with cached files requires pretty careful monitoring. Not going to lie, setting up caching can be confusing, and it pays to keep your eye on what's going on.
* The lack of free updates for major versions.
* Working with multiple protocols and options (sync vs. online vs. offline vs. integrated vs. smart modes) presents a learning curve. If you just want to mount an S3 bucket and go about your business, this may not be the app for you.

# New Features in Version 5

If you used Mountain Duck in the past (as I have), there are some cool new features in version 5:

* Now uses the native File Provider API, the same as iCloud and OneDrive.
* Supports Spotlight search.
* SMB support.
* Versioning (can be customized).
* Improved sync conflict handling.
* Activity monitoring.
* Resume pending operations (helps with big data workflows).

Mountain Duck normally sells for $49 [on the dev's website](https://mountainduck.io/buy/). It's currently on sale for $14.99 as part of the [Black Friday Bundlehunt offerings.](https://bundlehunt.com/2025blackfridaybundles)

https://redd.it/1oo4eqb
@macappsbackup

free app recommendations

i’m looking for recommendations for apps that are free. i don’t necessarily have a specific purpose in mind, just want to get more out of my macbook. i mainly use my macbook for school and browsing

https://redd.it/1oo5nll
@macappsbackup

Cleaning my mac setup weirdly fixed my focus

i didn’t realise how messy my workflow got until i cleaned it
Folders everywhere, screenshots from months ago,twenty icons sitting in the dock for no reason lol

I deleted almost everything and kept only the stuff i open every day, now the desktop feels empty in a good way, opening the laptop in the morning doesn’t give me anxiety anymore

Funny how removing clutter somehow made me enjoy working again,
Anyone else felt that mental shift after simplifying their mac? What apps did you use for that?

https://redd.it/1oo79yg
@macappsbackup

Clean Links now supports sharing links between your iOS and macOS devices
https://redd.it/1ooa1fe
@macappsbackup

Built an app that warns you hard, so your laptop battery doesn’t die mid-meetings [Lifetime $0.99]

https://redd.it/1oo8r4g
@macappsbackup

I'm done with Evernote. What's the best alternative for having a "file cabinet?"

Today I tried to log into Evernote and I was presented with a subnoscription offer of over $130/year. I only use it as a file cabinet so to speak. As an example, yesterday I received a property tax notice in the mail so I scanned it and will put it in my folder for home documents.

What do you recommend as an alternative? I don't need web clipping or anything along those lines. I really just need a digital file cabinet.

Thanks!

https://redd.it/1ooatvf
@macappsbackup

macOS Customizable Lock Screen Widgets—Cosmo 0.3.0

https://redd.it/1oofoia
@macappsbackup

App to block shorts on youtube and instagram?

Preferably i would like it to also block stupid content and softporn ads and videos on facebook but i guess that is impossible to do?

https://redd.it/1oonmkc
@macappsbackup

I build StarDesk – A Native Mac Remote Desktop Built for Work & Game

Hi everyone👋



After several months of focused development, I'm incredibly excited to share something my small team and I have been building: StarDesk, a remote desktop application built with native macOS support at its core.



I was genuinely tired of the limited and often clunky remote control options available for Mac. So, I decided to build the tool I wanted to use myself—one that prioritizes a seamless, high-fidelity experience.



StarDesk is now live, and we've been humbled by the initial feedback. Our early testers consistently highlight two things: the unbelievably low latency that makes it feel native, and the crystal-clear 4K video quality.



While AI is reshaping many apps, for StarDesk, our focus is on perfecting the fundamentals: a buttery-smooth connection and pixel-perfect clarity!



It is FREE now! You can download it and learn more on our dedicated site



Your feedback would mean the world to us. Please try it and let me know what you think right here in the comments.

https://redd.it/1ooseva
@macappsbackup

Is Google Drive uploading via Forklift throttled?

I've connected my google drive on my mac through the google drive app and when uploading i pull around 300MB/s but when i connect through forklifts native google drive port uploading only pulls around 15MB/s... does anyone know if there is a throttle setting i haven't seen or if i incorrectly connected my drive via forklift? Thanks!

https://redd.it/1ooo1m8
@macappsbackup

PowerPhotos Supercharges and Complements What Apple Provides and It's On Sale for Two Weeks

[PowerPhotos by Fatcat Softare](https://preview.redd.it/qp9u4ket8fzf1.jpg?width=474&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fe5f4ee7654e4cea953cd103d954cd20b1e341cd)

I've been taking iPhone photos since 2009, lots of them. I also own and use a DSLR, and my hard drive is full of huge raw photos stretching back to the last century. I've used a variety of photo management apps through the years, but let's face it, for all its many faults, Apple's native Photos app makes it super simple to create and share images right out of the box. This makes it tempting to use, and few people abandon it entirely, even if they also use something more powerful.

[PowerPhotos by Fatcat Software](https://www.fatcatsoftware.com/powerphotos/) is a powerful tool that just about perfectly complements the native macOS app. It's got the features the native app is missing. It works in conjunction with Photos to handle the tasks Apple still doesn't handle well, if at all--splitting/merging libraries, finding real duplicates, bulk metadata edits, multi-library search, and moving or copying items across libraries without losing edits or keywords.

# Key Strengths

* **Multiple libraries** Create, split, merge, browse, and search across multiple Photos libraries (including nice touches like merge reports and album preservation).
* **Real duplicate control.** It groups duplicates and lets you choose keepers with rule-based logic (by metadata, keywords, etc.) instead of Photos' opaque auto-merge. You can just delete the photos or place them into albums first.
* **Batch metadata editing** Edit noscripts, keywords, captions, individually or in bulk with templating.
* **Advanced multi-library search.** Build nested AND/OR queries (file size, duration, dimensions--criteria Photos lacks), search one or many libraries, and save queries.
* **Copy or move between libraries.** Keeps edits and metadata; the current version (3.x) provided the move option. Previous versions were copy only.

# Not Perfect

* **Apple is still in control** \- Certain actions depend on Photos/app/macOS versions. Apple changes can impose limits or require upgrades.
* **Learning Curve** \- This is a power user's app with multiple options and features, not a set-it-and-forget-it option. Making frequent effective backups, which you test and verify, is more important than I can stress. You could mess around and delete your library with this app not paying attention. It wouldn't be easy to do, and I don't think the app is inherently dangerous. It is just powerful.
* **Paid Upgrades** \- Although Fatcat Software offers a 50% discount to upgrade to new major versions, it's still not free. I'm not saying it should be, but I know some of you prefer a true lifetime purchase.
* **Scary Apple Warnings** \- Apple doesn't endorse *any* third-party apps to integrate with Photos, including this one. This is a well-established application used by thousands of people, but be sensible and make backups. Apple isn't going to help you if you use some other app and screw up your photos.

# Latest Feature Additions

As of today, the last update to PowerPhotos was in October 2025. The last update added a "Copy To / Move To" option to the context menu, something that was previously only available in drag-and-drop operations that weren't always obvious. Recent bulk metadata editing and improvements to the in-app viewer make operations quicker and smoother than in previous versions.

PowerPhotos normally sells for $39.95[ on the developer's website](https://www.fatcatsoftware.com/store/). Upgrades are 50% off.

For just the next two weeks, you can pick up a copy from Bundlehunt for just $5.99 as part of [their Black Friday sale.](https://bundlehunt.com/2025blackfridaybundle) Don't wait around, though, because it will be gone by mid-month.

https://redd.it/1op02vl
@macappsbackup

Tired of juggling browser windows just to check your tools? Meet SideTab

https://redd.it/1oosvrj
@macappsbackup

App to time/date stamp photos in a form of watermark?

I want to print photos like way back with date stamps in them (date taken).

I want to do them by batch.

https://redd.it/1op2qai
@macappsbackup

Is there an app that can tell me why my mouse is lagging? Or how can I figure this out?

On a fresh reboot, mouse works fine. But it starts to lag after a while and I cannot figure out why. Is there an app that can take a snapahot of system resources and compare snapshots to figure out what is different? This is both mouse and trackpad, so it does not seem to be related to the device.

https://redd.it/1op71wj
@macappsbackup

Moom + Keyboard Maestro for Folder Org

https://preview.redd.it/834chpje5hzf1.jpg?width=3840&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4f25c9adfb56e69123e7ba790f0146c7a54ab65c

Hey all, I figured I'd share a workflow of mine that helped me mow down through about 80,000 files, some of them hard-to-ID duplicates from over the years, since 2011. There's a lot of AI slop this year, and vaporware over the years, and I wanted to share a stable workflow worked for me and can adapt to a number of apps. I'm not an influencer, just a very relieved and (hopefully formerly) disorganized person. What I used, you can find an alternate or two at least.

I'm gearing up to start my own small business next year (local creative/photography, not online), and I wanted to make sure my portfolio, reference files, inspiration/ education/ assets were in order. So I've been at this for the better part of the summer and I just completed it.

This whole project was just moving files from A to B, but it's helpful to see other locations while you're at it. In my main window (1), I have column layout and evaluating what needs to move. I'm often dragging from (1) to (2), but you can use copy/paste, or with a 3rd party app, cut and paste. There's also an apple shortcut for cut and paste. Anyways, The goal is to empty the folder in window 1 and then delete it by moving its contents in to window 2, which follows a preset folder structure that I spent a long time designing. Windows (3) and (4) allow me to review the process as I go along or change course.

On a 16x9 4K monitor, Moom organizes that like 6x4. The small boxes are 2x2, and the rectangle is 2x4.

Doing this semi-manually was important, for review/memory purposes. Some things go back to 2014 and will be used going forward. I also took my time.

With Moom and Keyboard Maestro, the second I plug in my laptop and close my lid on a specific account, Finder opens four windows and aligns to the windows as displayed. Moom can mostly do it, but Keyboard Maestro can use a million inputs, like plugging in a specific SD card, as a trigger for an automation. Recently, I used Transnomino to rename 2400 photos - trimming a wildcard string off the end of those files. I have disk drill from an emergency last year and that was helpful in identifying duplicate files this year. I used Hazel to tag certain things for later review, and now I use it to keep screenshots and Downie pulls organized. I also used a command in terminal called diff -rq which compares two folders and spits out the differences, but I found that at the end lol. So between diff and disk drill, I was able to feel comfortable deleting identified duplicates.

The sidebar of this subreddit has a robust list of Mac apps by category I just wanted to share something that worked for me and made it fairly effortless in terms of how I wanted to approach this. I'm not a coder, don't really understand Automator or Shortcuts, and have a life, so I used some stuff to help make some tedious things less tedious, according to my skill/comfort level. I'm sure some of the apps I have overlap in terms of functions.

Some alternatives I know of to Moom: Rectangle/Pro, Magnet, Bunch. Some alternatives to Transnomino: Name Mangler, A better finder rename. Some alternatives to Keyboard Maestro: Automator, Hazel, Shortcuts, AppleScript, the MacMost guy.

I had up to 5 duplicates of the same file, but over time the name changed sometimes, and it feels great to have them all arranged for usage, and the rest archived until needed (if ever). This sub has been super helpful so I'm writing this up for reference purposes not for views. This might not be relevant if you're better at Mac than I am, in which case please share the better ways!



https://redd.it/1opabx3
@macappsbackup

I am distributing free keys for my app to collect feedback.

Hey! I’m looking for beta testers for a new app that turns the Mac notch into a functional “Dynamic Island” (and creates a virtual one if your Mac doesn’t have a notch).

It’s not just visual, it shows live media controls for Spotify and Apple Music, modern system alerts for volume/brightness/power, notifications from iMessage/WhatsApp/Telegram, and can add media and weather widgets to your lockscreen. I’m giving out free permanent license keys to anyone who tests and gives feedback. Just comment and I’ll DM you a link and key. Thank you!

https://redd.it/1opbnqa
@macappsbackup

Do you have an "exit strategy" for your apps?

I take a look at my apps and I always try to plan an "exit strategy," in case I need to abandon an app for whatever reason.

My computer journey starts back in 1984 and goes like this:

Atari 800XL → Macintosh Plus → Some generic PC I built myself running Windows 95/98 → PowerMac G4 → HP Desktop running Ubuntu Linux → Mac mini → ThinkPad laptop running Arch Linux → 16" MacBook Pro.

Now clearly I don't need the data I generated on my Mac Plus back in 1986 any more. But at the time I made each hop, there was data I needed to get over to the new platform. Some things were easy such as MS Office files. Some things were hard, such as Quicken data, Print Shop files.

So, now that I am older and wiser, I pick apps with an exit strategy in mind. If I can't get an app to export data in a way that another app can read it, unless I don't have a choice.

As someone who used Linux as my full-time OS for a very long time I remember a constant barrage of posts from people saying they'd love to use Linux full-time, but they need a replacement app for XXX that can read all the files they created in that app. And I'm trying to not put myself in that situation. I don't want to be trapped.

https://redd.it/1opbdhc
@macappsbackup

1001 Recording App Review

Hey guys I just wanted to leave a review for this screen recording app I've been using lately. I’ve been using 1001 Record for about two months now, mostly for personal projects and tutoring. I’m a high school student, and I record my online lessons and videos of me explaining math concepts to myself so I can rewatch them later and understand things better.

Out of all the recording apps I've used, I like this one the most. I've used OBS and Quiktime before, but neither of them captured desktop audio without a 3rd party set up. 1001 Record is very self-intuitive, records desktop audio without any third party setup (like OBS), and the UI feels really clean. I also love the additional options like being able to schedule recordings, capture a single window, highlight keystrokes. They also recently added an auto-zoom feature that I haven't tried out yet. I haven't had any major issues with it yet. I barely post on Reddit but I after looking I barely found any reviews on this app so I felt like it had to be shared.


I attached a screenshot of the UI as a well as a recording.

https://reddit.com/link/1opa50j/video/qn6u2nf1ahzf1/player

https://preview.redd.it/q0rpyhux8hzf1.png?width=1136&format=png&auto=webp&s=b8457f1112a965723c5b99887597df86d2d154a5



https://redd.it/1opa50j
@macappsbackup