5 Essential macOS Apps You Won't Find On Windows

Exclusive software is almost a thing of the past. Just like one day Instagram was an exclusive iPhone app, there was a time that Windows users chose Microsoft for specific apps and Mac users chose Apple for certain other features. Still, long-time macOS users or those switching to a Mac might be enticed to discover certain software that it's only available for Apple devices.

Of course, some of them are from Apple itself, such as Safari, or the iWork suite, made out of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. While Microsoft Office is usually a far superior option, there aren't that many apps exclusive to the macOS ecosystem. Still, those who have been exclusively developed for macOS have a specific charm, as they just transform a somewhat simple experience into something well-thought and crafted. This is why we gathered five essential macOS apps that you won't find elsewhere, and might make your Mac experience a lot better. Here they are.

Portal is one of those Mac apps that you never knew you needed until you open it up for the first time. Created by indie developers from Portal Labs, it helps people manage their wellbeing while working, browsing, or just taking it easy after a long day. Portal is a key productivity tool, whether it's starting your first article of the day, catching up with my messages, or just needing a second between tasks.

The idea behind the app is simple, but everything is so well thought out that its experience is unmatched. Basically, Portal takes over your wallpaper with cinematic and vivid landscapes, and with spatial support, it immerses you in breathtaking views and sounds. These portals help you reconnect with the natural world, even when you're indoors. According to the developers, time in nature can boost focus, spark creativity, ease anxiety, and improve sleep. With this app, you can immerse yourself into the sounds of nature and its wonders while working, browsing the web, or just chilling.

This year, Portal added a Circadian Flow, which synchronizes the app with your time zone, so you can experience evolving nature views and sounds from early morning to night. Portal for Mac is available via the Mac App Store with a free 7-day trial for all customers. It costs $69.99 annually or $12.99 monthly. You can also buy a lifetime pass for the one-time price of $299.99.

For years, Pixelmator software has been one of the key reasons to use Mac. With three different options, Pixelmator, Pixelmator Pro, and Photomator, these softwares are great for photo editing, whether for some collage, professional editing, or just tweaking an image. With several machine learning features, Pixelmator Pro makes hard photo editing into an easy and straightforward process.

When Apple announced it acquired Pixelmator, we were worried that it could be phased out like Dark Sky has been. Still, a year later, Apple continues to offer small updates to the software, including support for Apple Intelligence. While it's still unclear if the company will release a new Aperture with Pixelmator technology, or if it will eventually phase out the apps by adding new features into Apple Intelligence and the Photos app, Pixelmator Pro for macOS remains the best photo editing software on the Mac. This is especially if you don't want to pay an Adobe subscription. Pixelmator Pro costs a one-time purchase of $49.99 on the Mac App Store.

We wish we could give a list of exclusive macOS apps without mentioning Final Cut Pro. Even though this is a proprietary Apple software (we mean, Pixelmator Pro is now also Apple's portfolio), this is likely the best video editing software for Mac users, especially for those with an Apple Silicon Mac.

Final Cut Pro is fast, reliable, and has several features that make the process of editing a video a straightforward experience. From professionals to amateurs, Final Cut Pro can be useful for a lot of us. Among the features, users can take advantage of Magnetic Timeline. This makes editing faster by automatically placing clips one after the other. It has advanced color grading tools, object tracking powered by machine learning, and Apple Silicon Macs can take advantage of faster exports and real-time playback even with complex timelines.

Final Cut Pro costs a one-time fee of $299.99, and its app is different from the iPad version, which is offered as a subscription. While it's way pricier than the other apps mentioned above, having Final Cut Pro as your video editing software is a must for anyone wanting to step up their creations.

This native macOS app is the perfect option for anyone designing and prototyping. Sketch is one of the apps that show why designers usually go with a Mac, as not only is it available for iPhone and iPad, but it offers the perfect balance between beginners and professional editing tools.

Sketch offers styleable frames with endless options when building screens, UIs, and more. Designers can quickly test their ideas and share these concepts with others, with a link to a browser-based prototype.

What's great about Sketch is the ability to use the ease of the Mac keyboard and trackpad, but also switch between the iPad to take advantage of the Apple Pencil, and transform complex tasks into literally just a sketch. The app also offers offline access and local file management, so you can use it without interruptions. The app comes with a 30-day free trial. After that, users can sign up for a subscription, which starts at $12 a month.

Sometimes, owning a MacBook is not enough to impersonate Carrie Bradshaw. If you just start your job as a columnist for a high-profile magazine, or you're just writing your first novel, you know you need the perfect software for that. It isn't the Notes app, it isn't Pages, and it's not Microsoft Word.

If you're feeling like a writer, Ulysses is the app you need to bring your creativity to life. While it's available for Mac, iPhone, and iPad, it's on the big screen that it brings the most effective, focused writing experience as it helps you write first and edit later.

Ulysses also offers an integrated grammar and style check, which is available for over 20 languages. It analyzes the text and offers informed suggestions for capitalization, punctuation, semantics, redundancy, style, and more. Users can also export its pages to publish to WordPress, Ghost, Medium, and Micro.blog right within the app. Ulysses requires a subscription, and it offers monthly and yearly plans. Still, users can get a fully functional try before deciding to get the app or not.