Seeking Windows Comparables

Delete if not allowed, but I am seeking windows apps similar to the functionality of Mac apps so figured I would get input from this community. Plenty of windows converts here and many of them seem to be experts (ahem, we are in Reddit, not Facebook) so hopefully some good feedback to be had.

My son needs to migrate data and/or just simply back it up. I use Mike Bombivh’s CCC and have paid for it in the past due to its usefulness. I think my son needs something between Time Machine and CCC. He’s hoping for something free or cheap as it’ll likely be a one-time use. His external drive was partitioned upon initial use and he wants to re-organize the allocation of space for the two volumes or combine into one.

He wants to back up all his data because windows is forcing him to upgrade to win11.

Any good recommendations on simply backup software?

For me, I think reallocation of his partitions would be best so he can backup his two volumes to separate partitions; one for his boot volume data and another for his “files” which are mostly games and saved game data and just in various folders on the non-boot partition. All his schoolwork can be ditched or just zipped up. He has no use for it ever again. I would just dump it but save all the game data.

We found a backup app of sorts that appeared to be baked into windows, but using it was cumbersome at best and without being able to be fix the partitions first we stopped short of using it.

I think he needs to find his WD software to make the partitions work easier, but surely windows has something akin to disk utility baked in, right?

Anyone have any recs for any/all the processes we suspect we need to engage mentioned above?

https://redd.it/1ot6h8m
@macappsbackup

ShiftPlus - a native macOS app to manage browser profiles, window layouts, and workspaces (50% off for Reddit users)

https://reddit.com/link/1ot8iaa/video/eebbz1cw2e0g1/player

Hey everyone 👋

I’m Max — indie macOS dev.

Over the past few months I’ve been building ShiftPlus \- a native app that makes it easier to switch between browser profiles, window layouts, and workspaces.

I originally built it for myself — constantly jumping between Chrome profiles for work / personal / side-project, re-opening the same apps every morning (Slack, Xcode, Notes, Calendar… etc). It was repetitive and boring.

What started as a tiny automation noscript turned into a real product, and today we just passed 400 users — so I wanted to celebrate a bit 🎉

\### What’s new since last beta

\- Tahoe-ish UI redesign, more native macOS look

\- New pricing option: license for 2 devices

\### Core features

\- Launch multiple browser profiles with correct cookies/accounts/tabs

\- Define full “workspaces”: apps, folders, browser profiles, layouts

\- One hotkey to restore entire environment

\- Global app shortcuts (no duplicates, instant)

\- New window layout system — works across multiple monitors

\- Native Swift, lightweight, no Electron

\- Privacy-first: no analytics / tracking / login — all data stays local

Website: https://shiftplus.app

\---

\### Reddit exclusive

To celebrate 400 users — I’m giving out **50% off** discount codes
If you’re interested — please upvote + comment below.

I will DM you the 50% code directly 🙌

Thanks everyone!



https://redd.it/1ot8iaa
@macappsbackup

List of Mac apps offering Black Friday Deal in 2025
https://redd.it/1otcyhl
@macappsbackup

Extract emails, dates, URLs, and more, instantly and privately, with TextMine

Hey everyone,

I’d like to share a macOS and iOS app I’ve built called TextMine, a tool for extracting structured data from unstructured text or files, all locally on your device.

Whether you’re cleaning data, analyzing documents, or gathering contact info, TextMine helps you find what matters most. Fast, accurate, and completely private.

Main features include:

Extract emails, phone numbers, URLs, dates, addresses, hashtags, keywords, and more
Works with text, PDF, Word, CSV, JSON, HTML, and other common formats
Export results as text, JSON, CSV, XLSX, DOCX, and more
100% offline: no AI, no cloud, no tracking
Built for developers, analysts, researchers, writers, and anyone who works with text

App Store links:

macOS & iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/textmine-text-to-data/id6754284922

I have 10 promo codes to share if you’d like to try the app. Just upvote and leave a comment below and I’ll send one your way!

I’m always open to feedback and ideas for improvement, so if you have suggestions or run into any issues, I’d love to hear from you.

Note: TextMine currently works best with Western languages. Some data types may not extract correctly from languages like Arabic or Japanese. I’m working on improving this in future updates.

https://redd.it/1otei36
@macappsbackup

I ended up building my own Mac app after trying every to-do app out there.

For years, I’ve been jumping between Notion, Obsidian, UpNote, Apple Notes, and a bunch of other to-do or note-taking tools — always looking for something that actually sticks.

But eventually, I went back to good old pen and paper.

Writing things down manually somehow gave me more clarity and focus than any fancy productivity app ever did.

Then I came across the Eisenhower Matrix — a simple framework that helps you decide what’s truly important vs. just urgent.

I started drawing it by hand every day, and surprisingly, it worked. I’ve been using it for over a month now, and it completely changed how I organize my tasks.

So I thought: why not make a Mac app for it?

It’s minimal, local (no account or cloud needed), and focused on just one thing — helping you see what really matters.

If that sounds like something you’d use, feel free to check it out.

(Sharing it here since some of you might also be into productivity systems like GTD or PARA.)

LINK: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nemo-eisenhower-matrix-memo/id6754600428?mt=12



https://preview.redd.it/rq1pbrhkxf0g1.png?width=2624&format=png&auto=webp&s=de966b1bc3c9ea52b5a028f5d19f3954f8da40bb



https://redd.it/1otf9v0
@macappsbackup

Refbox - a small mac app for keeping visual notes and references visible
https://redd.it/1oth052
@macappsbackup

tinyMediaManager - Power User Toolbox for Movie and TV Show Collections

tinyMediaManager

My personal media collection dates back to the days of ripping Netflix DVDs, back when the Internet used to come in the mail. Consisting of thousands of noscripts and weighing in at 20 TB, it presents some management challenges. Keeping things organized and standardized is important to me, and while I value automation, I also want full control over my files. To that end, I use tinyMediaManager (aka TMM), a cross-platform (macOS, Windows, Linux) app written in Java. Since it is optimized for Apple Silicon, I use it on my M2 MBA rather than my vintage Intel MBP. The actual files are located on my self-hosted server and on a USB drive I use for archival purposes. Not having to keep the files on a local drive is a big plus.

# What It Does

It scans directories of movies and TV shows to scrape metadata from multiple sources (IMDB, TVDB, Trakt, etc.) to include:

Trailers
Subnoscripts
Posters and artwork It allows you to tag and organize your media into sets and collections. It generates NFO files used by the media-playing app Kodi (XBMC). It has powerful renaming tools, but be careful when using them, as there is no undo button. Test on a subset of files before going hog wild on your whole collection, and remember that backups are your friend.

# Where It Shines

Flexible metadata scraping: If you are really into maintaining a well-managed collection and have a subnoscription to Trakt Pro or similar services, TMM works well with them (and free sources) to retrieve rich metadata (cast, awards, artwork, subnoscripts, etc.).
File/folder renaming & NFO generation: If you ever change your primary media player and need to reformat your metadata to use a new standard for Kodi (XBMC), TMM has got you covered.
Large-library support and bulk operations: There are lots of folks with media collections that dwarf mine, and based on feedback I have seen in forums, TMM doesn't choke, although it can be slow to start up with large collections.
Cross-platform and Apple Silicon support: On macOS, it has a dedicated ARM build (v5), so the tool is kept up to date with newer Macs, but if you're still on an Intel machine, it is supported.
Highly configurable: You can rename tokens, adjust scrape settings, set file naming schemes, filter and sort large collections, and integrate with external tools like FFmpeg and yt-dlp.
Good community feedback for power users: Reddit is the best resource [r/TinyMediaManager](https://www.reddit.com/r/tinyMediaManager/).

# Where It Doesn't Shine

Look and feel: Because it's a cross-platform Java app, it doesn't follow typical macOS design standards. While it isn't as jarring as the Calibre interface, people who are picky about UX/UI will be put off.
Steep Learning Curve: Some of the basic features, such as scraping, are pretty straightforward, but advanced features like renaming tokens, filters, and naming schemes take time to set up.
Subnoscription/licensing changes / free version limitations: The software used to be freeware. Currently, the free version is limited (in loaded objects/API calls), and the Pro version requires a license that costs 1 euro a month.

If you manage your media through the "arr" stack, you can still benefit from using TMM to download subnoscripts and obtain trailers. I use a combination of Plex with Infuse as a front end and Jellyfin and have never had an issue with my files attributable to TMM.

https://redd.it/1otjg8e
@macappsbackup

Cleanshot X video recording

Does anyone know if cleanshot x will improve there video screen recording to be more like screen studio or at least have the background & annotation features they have for screen capture also for video screen capture?

https://redd.it/1othqz2
@macappsbackup

Built a native macOS AI assistant that pops up anywhere

I have built this app for myself, tailored made to my specifications, but putting it out here in case anyone else is interested. If so i can get the app notarized by Apple and share.

Instant Access - Double-tap right Shift key to activate from anywhere
Full Chat Interface - Rich conversations with support for text, images, videos, PDFs, and URLs
Rewrite in Place - Transform text directly in any application without copy-paste
Quick Actions - One-click operations like Summarize, Translate, Simplify, and allows to enter customs actions.
Image Generation - Create and modify images with Gemini's AI capabilities
Screenshot Capture - Analyze any application window with AI
Multi-Model Support - Switch between Gemini and OpenAI models dynamically.
Glass UI.
Secure - API keys stored securely in macOS Keychain
Accessibility-First - Full keyboard support and system-wide automation

Supports both Gemini 2.5 pro and Flash api, and also any Open AI compatible API.

https://preview.redd.it/lw562kel3h0g1.jpg?width=1172&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a42cb620a9f557a7eba60e0b69011bf737f288e8

https://preview.redd.it/9qyn07is3h0g1.jpg?width=1014&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b7dc702cc6e7343b2ca362daa2651f70063e5fb

For context of the default size of the window ( resiable)

https://preview.redd.it/29lukq2g4h0g1.jpg?width=1070&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c334f942c5f7a0d58a3b6d026e8bc95e5a25a4d0


https://github.com/Joaov41/Assist

https://page-f8q4io8mf-johns-projects-68d89c74.vercel.app

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

[META] Townhall on Post Quality

**Ongoing quality improvement measures:**

* Pin/Highlight high quality content for a few days.
* Low Karma posts are now auto-rejected based on a minimum r/MacApps community karma expectation. Posters receive a message notifying them of the cause.
* Developers who do not disclose affiliation to an app have their posts removed.
* Developer promotion of particular app is limited to once every 30 days. Some devs make a point of re-posting every 30 days, as a result.
* Github post/comments sent to moderation queue for review
* AI posts sent to moderation queue for review
* Spam/Bot account auto-removal by automod.

This means up to 70% of posts are being removed, but creates significant work. Automod often filters legitimate posts/comments that have to be restored.

**Changes last month:**

* New Rule #1 to guide posts.
* Also, an alert appears when posting about app categories in MacApp comparisons, prompting users to check comparisons first. Developers must differentiate from competition.
* New developer user flairs for established, well-recognized community devs. Not a hard standard, but typically includes those here 1+ years with fair community karma.
* “Deal” flair added.
* New Rule #8 Vibe Code flair requirement.
* Problem: Most do not self-disclose, and this is impossible to moderate.

**We’d like to improve things further to:**

1. Incentivize higher quality posts.
2. Limit lower quality posts, while encouraging new devs.

**Ideas collected so far:**

1. Non‑MAS apps require a website with a ChangeLog and contact method.
2. Require a current VirusTotal hash for non‑MAS, and/or GitHub app Posts with <100 GitHub stars.
* Problem: May be hard to moderate. Non‑devs shouldn't need to include a hash just to recommend an app.
3. Require “New Dev” post flair for simple apps; instead of “Vibe-coded?” 

* Problem: Not all devs who produce simple, buggy apps are new.

1. Create a crowdsourced quality app list. Ranked? Apps added only with multiple user recommendations, or endorsement by a flaired developer. Moderator screening?

* Problem: I’m not a webdev. I can automate form-fed google spreadsheets best, and can implement this, but it’s not pretty or mobile friendly. 
* If someone else has a better solution and skill to automate this, I’m open. But there can’t be a conflict of interests such as personal websites usually represent.

1. Create app comparisons in additional, high-competition categories. I can sustain creating about 1–4 of these per year. High effort and huge timesink to produce.
2. New Pinned/Megathread ideas welcome.

**Above all, we don’t want to make things so complicated that there is too much friction for anyone to want to post quality content, while making things unreasonable to moderate.**

Please provide feedback or suggestions. None of these ideas are settled, and respective merit can be evaluated based on comments/upvotes.

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

I made a simple list of 90 sites where you can promote your app
https://redd.it/1ottu8e
@macappsbackup

Question about parakeet

Hey, I tried out parakeet and it's absolutely amazing. It's so fast, accurate and efficient as well.

The only problem is, whenever | say a number like "thirteen dollars", it doesn't appear as $13, but rather it appears as "thirteen dollars"

Do you know if this is something that parakeet naturally does and if there's anything I can do about it to fix it?

Thanks again in advance.

https://redd.it/1otth96
@macappsbackup

If Apple Music is pissing you off, Swinsian may be the cure

Updated my machine to Tahoe, and by FAR the worst thing is the Music app.

I disabled all the iCloud stuff because I have a carefully-curated collection of files, and it's been an absolutely nightmare to manage.

Tag changes don't write correctly, the UI will just go randomly blank while browsing around, it's basically unusable for anyone who wants to manage an offline music collection.

Swinsian, however, I've never been so eager to hand over my money. It's like going back to the old iTunes days. Familiar, quick, stable, easy to edit tags, and it reads changes from the folders instead of relying on a database file, which means I can sync my music files between multiple machines (via Syncthing) and changes made on one will appear on the others.

I can still use Smart Playlists, I can edit album art, it just freaking works like iTunes USED to...

And the best part? It has a feature that automatically sets the system sample rate to match the source file. I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW HANDY THIS IS.

It's such a shame that Apple is getting utterly embarrassed by third-party devs now, especially since it was iTunes and iPod that converted me back in the late 2000s, but here we are.

High recommendation for Swinsian. Fabulous piece of software.

https://redd.it/1ou2svz
@macappsbackup

itsycal Liquid Glass

Anyone knows if it's possible or planned to switch the style of the calender to transparent more liquid glass style?

https://preview.redd.it/29a2l45i8l0g1.png?width=436&format=png&auto=webp&s=3f8a0918feb90610634ab1f3e080d66de9ee91d5



https://redd.it/1ou442m
@macappsbackup

Menubar time tracker for freelancers, which one?

I'm looking for a time tracker that mainly lives in the menu bar and allows me to log and track billable hours. I really don't like or want an automated tracker, I just want to manually create a client, tasks per client and track that.

I don't mind a paid option but I not a subnoscription. Export options would be great.
I'm basically looking for a drop-in Clockify alternative with a pay once or lifetime price.

https://redd.it/1ou4dgd
@macappsbackup

I’ve rebuilt Lifter — a macOS app that brings order to your photo and file imports

Hey everyone,
I recently gave my macOS app Lifter a complete rebuild — new design, new structure engine, and a cleaner workflow.

It’s a focused utility for photographers and creatives who want order without managing folders by hand.


Highlights:
• Automatic Year/Month/Day folder creation
• Fully custom folder patterns (e.g. {YYYY}/{MM}/{DD})
• Simulate mode to preview every action before copying
• Duplicate detection with optional MD5 comparison
• Rename templates using tokens like {DATE}, {BASENAME}, {COUNTER}
• Runs fully offline, built with SwiftUI for macOS


I made it to simplify my own photo imports after every shoot — it just grew into a full macOS tool.
If you enjoy neat file structures or workflow tools, you might like this approach.


https://apps.apple.com/be/app/lifter-import-sort/id6596760364?l=nl&mt=12

https://preview.redd.it/yu6zrs2ppl0g1.jpg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6604ec99085d8dbc51d8ca09a3f61467317e053c



https://redd.it/1ou5l84
@macappsbackup

Found any Black Friday deals yet?

I'm keeping an eye out for discounts on apps worth getting a lifetime license for, such as Clop, Downie, Dato, and Snippety. So far, I haven't seen them on sale, but I'm curious to know if you guys have found any sweet deals worth snagging.

Thanks!

https://redd.it/1ou6qt7
@macappsbackup

Glass Toy update (v0.6) - a simple app to play around with Liquid Glass
https://redd.it/1oubxf8
@macappsbackup

XSpeak: the fully private app that helps you to be your best in meetings in real-time. Made by human. Major update. [Promo Codes]

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