Mac Apps
Every time I find an application that I really like, I immediately check out the other applications from the same developer. You’ll find that more often than not, there is a theme (visual or practical) that ties all their applications together in such a way that if you like one of them, you’ll probably like a few others as well.
Today we’ll take a look at some of my favorite Mac software developers. Some of them have created incredibly popular software while others are fairly obscure. You can be sure that all of the Mac and iPhone developers below have immense talent and at least one or two apps worth downloading.
Panic
A longstanding player in the Mac software market, Panic are responsible for a slew of wonderful apps for developers and designers. From the long-standing Transmit FTP client to their latest venture in the form of Coda, they’re a talented company!
MacRabbit
MacRabbit is a software development team that hails from Belgium. They’re known primarily for their amazing web-focused text editors, which are definitely among the best you’ll find for the Mac.
Cultured Code
Cultured Code is a team of nine developers most known for the amazing line of Things GTD apps. They are currently looking to expand their Germany-based team so be sure to stop by their site if you’re interested in joining up.
RealMac Software
RealMac is comprised of an incredibly talented team of developers and designers that specialize in creating apps with beautiful interfaces. Meet the team here.
OmniGroup
OmniGroup has been making great Mac software for a long time. Some of their older apps such as Omniweb have ceased development but the team is still churning out plenty of great stuff for both Mac desktop and mobile platforms.
Marketcircle
Marketcircle is focused primarily on developing powerful but user-friendly applications for freelancers and business owners. Their primary apps, Billings and Daylite, are both top-notch and make a great addition to any entrepreneur’s arsenal of software.
BinaryNights
Binary nights is a team of five developers best known for the file browser Forklift, which boasts upwards of 18,000 users.
The Little App Factory
The Little App factory started as a team of two developers in Australia and has grown into a team of over ten people spanning multiple countries. Their apps are all multimedia-centric, mostly relating to movies and music.
Fuel Collective
Fuel collective has a small collection of simple but incredibly useful Mac applications. I particularly love their amazing menu bar apps Snippets and Swatch.
HogBay Software
Hogbay specializes in minimalist interfaces that maximize productivity by eliminating distractions. Their interfaces are deceptively simple though as their applications are packed with great features.
Potion Factory
Potion Factory has a small collection of apps and is best known for The Hit List, a popular GTD alternative to Things. I personally use The Hit List every single day and wouldn’t dream of switching to another app.
Bohemian Coding
Bohemian coding is another developer that really stands out in the interface design department. All of their apps are wonderfully designed to be simple and intuitive.
Irradiated Software
Irradiated software has taken window management to a new level in OS X. Both Cinch and SizeUp are aimed at users who want to maximize their Finder experience. Though it has ceased development, TwoUp, the predecessor to these apps was free and incredibly useful. You can still find a download for it if you’re willing to invest some Google time.
MacPaw
MacPaw is a team of young Ukrainian developers that specialize in apps that modify and improve the OS X experience through adding security and purging unneeded system files.
IconFactory
IconFactory may specialize in icon design, but their Mac and iPhone development skills are just as impressive. Their focus on great icon design is one of the primary reasons their apps are so attractive.
Stunt Software
Stunt Software’s apps range from invoicing to dock management and even games. Though their focus is a bit scattered, their apps all share a pursuit of quality that makes them a pleasure to use.
Gravity Applications
Gravity applications is another developer with a stellar design team. Their apps range in functionality from extending the use of your Apple remote to file tagging.
BusyMac
BusyMac is focused on creating applications that make iCal a better experience for those looking to share calendars among groups of collaborating individuals.
iSlayer
iSlayer makes a few really great system utilities that I simply love. Both iStat Pro and iStat menus are a must for any Mac user interested in keeping an eye on their system’s performance.
Wonder Warp
Wonder Warp is a small team of developers committed to producing applications that are both useful and fun. Recently, their Etude iPhone application has been receiving a lot of attention from music lovers.
ToastyCode
ToastyCode is the developer of TapeDeck, a completely unique audio recording experience for Mac. All of their applications are a bit on the fun and goofy side which makes them a great addition to all your boring professional apps.
Conceited Software
Conceited Software is the creator of Clips, and amazing extension to your Mac’s lackluster clipboard. Conceited’s other applications are developed just as well as Clips and range in functionality from keeping you healthy to improving your iTunes experience.
Flying Meat
This hilariously named Mac development company is based in Seattle, Washington and has created a few really great applications perfect for new designers and artists.
Embraceware
Embraceware makes simple and useful applications that score high points in the eye candy department. Interestingly enough, the company is a husband and wife development team based out of Canada.
SmileOnMyMac
SmileOnMyMac is a great little development company founded in 2003. Their application TextExpander has received rave reviews in the coding community. SOMM’s PDF applications are also worth checking out if you need an easy way to create and edit PDFs.
Reinvented Software
Reinvented software is a UK-based company most known for Together, a powerful clutter collecting competitor to apps like Evernote. They’ve also created Feeder, a handy application for creating and editing RSS feeds.
Acrylic
Acrylic is a one man show lead by Dustin MacDonald, a talented software developer with nearly a decade of experience developing Mac software.
Code-line
Code-line has created an amazing line of applications aimed at professional designers. All of their software “just works” with little to no effort or instruction required.
Expersis
Expersis is a small development company based out of North Carolina, specializing in productivity and journaling applications for the Mac.
MOApp
MOApp is the development projects of Michael Göbel, an incredibly talented programmer in Mainz, Germany. For being a one-man company, he has an incredibly impressive list of great apps under his belt that are frequently chosen by the Apple folks at Apple to be featured as “Staff Picks” on their download section. Michael says his apps are primarily tailored to private households, freelancers, independent contractors and self-employed people.
Your Suggestions
A big thanks to everyone who suggested developers through Twitter! Here are some of your suggestions that weren’t in my list already:
- Bare Bones (BBEdit)
- Ambrosia (Snaps X Pro)
- Red Sweater (MarsEdit)
- Fetch Softworks (Fetch FTP)
- Rogue Amoeba (Airfoil)
- Delicious Monster (Delicious Library)
Conclusion
The companies and individuals above represent some of the best and brightest talent currently developing software on any platform. Be sure to take some time to check out each one and let us know what you think. Also, if there’s anyone we missed, leave a link in the comments below and tell us about their best app!
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Every time I find an application that I really like, I immediately check out the other applications from the same developer. You'll find ...
Every time I find an application that I really like, I immediately check out the other applications from the same developer. You'll find ...
Every time I find an application that I really like, I immediately check out the other applications from the same developer. You'll find ...
Every time I find an application that I really like, I immediately check out the other applications from the same developer. You'll find ...
Every time I find an application that I really like, I immediately check out the other applications from the same developer. You'll find ...
Every time I find an application that I really like, I immediately check out the other applications from the same developer. You'll find ...
Every time I find an application that I really like, I immediately check out the other applications from the same developer. You'll find ...
Every time I find an application that I really like, I immediately check out the other applications from the same developer. You'll find ...
Every time I find an application that I really like, I immediately check out the other applications from the same developer. You'll find ...
Every time I find an application that I really like, I immediately check out the other applications from the same developer. You'll find ...
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What about Shiny Frog (www.shinyfrog.net)?
They did a couple of wonderful applications:
1- Img2icns (www.img2icnsapp.com)
2- Delibar (www.delibarapp.com)
Perhaps give a nomination to new ones…
http://vibealicious.com/ :)
Whenever I hear someone throw out the strawdog argument of “There’s no software for Mac…that’s why I use Windows” I just have to laugh. Since making the switch full-time to Mac about 3 years ago, I’ve found the amount of *high quality* yet very affordable software for Mac dwarfs what I could find on Windows. More often then not if I found an app that didn’t cost an arm and a leg on Windows, it was an ugly UI mess with iffy functionality. I find the exact opposite on the Mac. I own and use software from most of the companies listed here, and I’ll put the whole lot up against their Windows counterparts any day.
I totally agree I just talked to some one who thought the same.
I stept over to a Mac since a week, before that I only used a PC – The only problem that I’ve considered is that I need to find new apps. For example on the PC I used winrar, which is not available for mac (got Springy now).
This site’s helping me alot to find apps that I can use, and I am pretty sure I’ll buy one or some of these!
Great post! A few more to add to the list:
Cocoatech (www.cocoatech.com) – Path Finder
Objective Development (www.obdev.at) – LaunchBar
JNSoftware (www.jonn8.com) – Dialectic
Agile Web Solutions (www.agilewebsolutions.com) – 1Password
BohemianCoding also has SlipCover… lovely and FREE app for make beautiful covers :)
P.S.: good post
What about http://www.app4mac.com/ and their awesome apps like Projector? :)
Lots of great developers and apps here. I was stuck doing web development on a PC a few months ago and spent a LOT of time searching for replacements for Coda and xScope in particular, but never found them. It was depressing.
One quick note about Potion Factory’s The Hit List: I use this app every day, too, but new users should beware. It’s been in ‘beta’ for as long as I’ve known it to exist and the last update was October 2009 and the long-promised mobile app has never materialized.
Definitely a valid point! Whereas Things seems to be trucking along with improvements and new versions all the time. I wish Potion factory would step up and make good on its promises, especially for an iPhone app!
Brilliant collection and lots of new software to discover. Thanks!
I would also add to this list a new company named Lucky Ants.
Their Snippets application is awesome — http://www.snippetsapp.com
I’d add two more great devs.
http://www.vibealicious.com/ (Notify)
http://agile.ws/ (1Password)
1Password for sure prob the best app i have
Agile are great. Definitely worthy of being on the list. 1Password is one of my first-install-when-I-get-a-new-Mac apps.
Also, thanks for listing us (iSlayer/Bjango). We’re in some great company.
Please note that we’re slowly moving all apps over from the iSlayer name to Bjango. iStat Menus 3 (due very, very soon) will be released under Bjango and will be on the Bjango website.
All the other iSlayer apps will be moving over soon too. It’s just a matter of us finding the time to work on the website, rather than updating our apps.
Thanks again.
1Password, definitely. A+ app
+1 for 1Password from Agile
Great post. I own apps from most of this companies/developers and have to agree with Tony: the argument that there’s not enough good SW out there for Mac (as opposed to windows) is rubbish and can be smashed with this article alone :)
Great post, found some apps I didn’t yet know about.
There’s also TextMate :)
Nice list! If ever there was an argument to be made for talented Mac developers having an eye for design and composition, one really need look no further than the websites (SmileOnMyMac, being the only exception). Its clear that design is in their blood, and they have sweat the details, and that promise is generally upheld by the products… Its a good time to be a Mac user.
+1 for 1Password,
Also what about BeeDocs Timeline – pretty cool mac only app.
Thanks for this post. I’ll be checking out some of these developers.
For those who haven’t looked into his work, I second the recommendation of MOAPP’s Michael Göbel — his apps are intelligent, well thought out, and beautifully done.
Pixelmator is also a great piece of software. Powerful and awesome App.
Pixelmator !
Great list! I created one a while back which focuses more on the applications: http://www.lifeintech.co.uk/mac-101/top-mac-applications.html
Great apps, kinda makes me wish i had a Mac, but its all good PC is way better.
Were not trapped by Apple
Of course, http://www.sandwichlab.net/
BTW. Sandwichlab has discount of their WebSaver now.
And of course freeridecoding! http://freeridecoding.com/smartbackup
What about Edovia? Http://edovia.com
Hello ,
Your site looks great. Your site was personally hand picked by our client.
I’m emailing because we do work for a company that offers software similar to Windows Active Directory to help manage employees.
They’ve asked me to contact relevant websites like yours so that they may advertise on your website – in particular they are interested in placing a text link ad in a short sentence on mac.appstorm.net
If you’re interested in letting them advertise on your site please let me know, and we can work through what they’d be willing to pay.
Sincerely,
Randy Collins
Advertising Coordinator
Do not forget: http://www.theescapers.com/
1Password from Agile
These guys are on top of their game.