One of the best productivity apps is the aptly named Todoist, a multi-platform planner app that keeps things efficient with a clean, gimmick-free approach to interface and task management. Mar 16, 2020 Here then are the best productivity apps on the market, showing our featured preferences with additional ones to also consider. Jump to: The best paid productivity apps; The best free productivity.
A lot of people, usually baby boomers, assume that technology is only a nuisance or a cause for concern. There tends to be a discourse about the usefulness of the technology compared to the old work habits of the pre-tech work.
Well, it is possible to be productive while using technology. It is false that having a digital device will distract you or make you lazy. You see, there are a lot of apps out now that actually help improve your productivity. There are some especially good ones for your Mac.
Do you own a Mac device and long for a way to properly structure your daily routine and work ethics? Well, here are 15 of the most amazing productivity apps that can be found for Mac devices. I will explain what they are as well as how they work to amplify productivity. I have split the apps into basic categories to make it easier to find what you need.
Apps that Alter Your Screen to Your Liking:
- Nov 11, 2018 In this blog post I’ll show you 11 top productivity apps that can help you stay organized. Some of these teacher tools will help you manage your time as well. You’ll find productivity apps for iPhone, Mac, Android, as well as free productivity apps that go on all platforms. The best productivity apps for teachers 1.
- Jul 16, 2018 These are only some of the dozens of productivity apps you could download for your Mac—tools that would speed up your work, help you accomplish more, keep you from getting distracted, and add new features to your favorite software. But they're our top picks, whether you're new to macOS or just looking to make your time on your Mac more efficient.
- Top Productivity Apps To Use In 2020. Mac OS, and Linux can be managed through this app. As per the TeamViewer’s developer’s team, the app is being used on more than 1 billion devices worldwide. It clearly speaks volumes of the success that this app holds.
Spectacle:
Have you ever wanted to look at a multiple neatly displayed windows on your mac device? If you have ever owned a Windows computer than you know that there is a function that allows for the windows to be sized and snapped together almost seamlessly; from corners to sides, and stacked atop one another.
It may seem like a small feature, but being able to customize your screen and tabs in a way that allows you to do multiple things in one can be quite helpful for work. Imagine being able to customize the size of your tabs in a way that lets you, say, watch an important video, do research, as well as write a paper. You can do this for whatever you may want to look at, and for free!
Spectacle is a free app that implements this small feature, as Apple has sadly not been able to implement it itself, and takes up only a small portion of space; about 5MB. You can customize your tabs by using a variety of short-cuts and key combinations.
Bartender:
This cleverly named app is another one that provides you the ability to customize your Mac screen in a more pleasant and productive manor. This app provides the function that allows you to either hide your pesky menu bar or to re-arrange it to your liking. Volumes searchoffers searchoffers app contents macos searchoffers.
What I mean by that is that you can click and drag the menu items to wherever you may want them, hide items from the menu bar, and add items from third-party sources to the menu. Your menu can be yours; packed with what you need for your daily or work life.
Like a bartender, it mixes and matches whatever you want into one beautiful place. Sounds helpful, right? Now, Bartender is not free, but it does have a free trial. If you do not want to pay about $15.50 for this app before trying it, then I would recommend getting the trial and seeing if it works well for you.
Short Menu:
Slightly similar to Bartender, this app also gives you the ability to edit the menu of your Mac device. But, this one is, instead, about storing any URLs that you may need in the future. Short Menu allows you to keep shortened versions of the URLs in your menu like shortcuts so you can come back to them whenever.
You no longer have to worry about losing crucial URLs as they will be stored on your menu for when you need them next. All you have to do is copy the URL, put it into Short Menu, and bravo!
Short Menu is not a free app, but it does feature a free trial if you do not want to pay right away. A lot of people like testing out the app first, and that makes sense. So, while this app costs a measly $3, you can still test it out for free first.
Helium:
Similar to the first app, Helium allows you to view multiple browsers on one screen, making it easy if you only have a single monitor. Helium is very different though, as it allows for there to be a single floating browser on your screen. This floating browser is not affected by mouse clicking and you can even change the opacity of it so you can work on the initial browser.
When would this be useful? Well, a lot of people enjoy watching videos or reading while working, and they cannot keep switching from browser to browser. Helium allows you to watch your video or read while also working, without the browser being minimized by your mouse. If you want to close Helium, you press the Command key and the Tab key.
Helium is completely free, so you do not have to worry about spending money. Now, enjoy doing two things at once!
Apps that Add Minor Changes:
Near Lock:
Near Lock is an interesting app and, while it only offers a single function, it can help with productivity. See, Near Lock allows you to lock and unlock your Mac device simply by leaving and entering the room. It does this as long as you have your phone with you and the companion app downloaded on there. You set a threshold and, as long as you are in the threshold with your phone, you will be able to automatically unlock your Mac.
Near Lock is both free and paid. There is a free version of the app, but, as it is free, it does not work as efficiently. To use the free app you cannot have the Near Lock app on your phone in the background, it will only work if you have the app out and ready at all times. So, it is easier to buy the app for about $4.
F.lux:
Another app that provides a simple but wonderful function is f.lux. Do you spend a lot of time staring at your draining blue screen at night? Do you continue to stare at the blinding light with blood-shot eyes? Well, you are not alone. The blue light of the Mac screen can be quite painful when it is dark, and f.lux found a way to fix that.
If you download f.lux, then your screen will automatically become less blue and blinding once the sun sets. You can customize it completely, so you can choose how much it tones down as well as how fast. It is very helpful for night owls that spend hours doing work at night.
F.lux is free, which is amazing as it really does help a lot of people with its screen function.
Apptivate:
Apptivate is a very helpful app for those that tend to switch through many tabs frequently. I, personally, always have a large assortment of tabs and applications open when I am using my computer, and it can be quite tedious having to find them and click on and off of them.
Apptivate makes the search easier and eliminates the time taken searching for the various tabs. All you have to do is assign a specific key to the tab you want and voila. Click on the key and the tab will magically open. If you switch between applications this can be quite helpful. No matter how many you have, you can keep track of them and ensure that you never lose what you really need.
Apptivate is free to use, so do not worry about price and simply enjoy it.
Apps to Stay Organized:
Ulysses:
A really common use for your laptop or computer is for typing, of course. A lot of people type out essays, novels, and notes on their device, instead of writing everything out on paper. Well, finding a text editor that works efficiently can be hard to do. You can markup your file, export it, and there is even a live preview function.
Ulysses is a sleek, well-made text editor that allows you to flawlessly export your files into many different forms. No matter what you export your file to, it always looks exactly like how you initially formatted it. Isn’t that amazing?
This app costs money, sadly, but it is worth it. If you do not want to commit $42 before trying out the app then you can try out the free trial and see if it is right for you and your writing needs.
Fantastical:
Fantastical is a good alternative to the already available Calendar app. It is easier to use and even has an assortment of voice functions. Unlike the original Calendar app, you can input your events by simply saying something along the lines of, “dinner tomorrow at 6.”
The app will not only understand exactly what you said but also be able to fill in any other details to have the event appear smoothly. It fills in a form and ensures that you remember about the event before it happens. It can also understand when you type words like “at” in terms of places and times. It will make an event based on what you are typing.
Like a lot of the apps in this article, it costs some money (approximately $45) but comes with a free trial in case you do not want to commit to it right away. It is definitely worth getting if you want a better Calendar to use.
1Password:
This is one of my favourite apps because, personally, I am incredibly forgetful when it comes to passwords! I always forget what my passwords are, especially when I have to put numbers and capital letters in it. So, I find this especially useful.
1Password saves all of your passwords for you in “vaults” and groups that you can create. You can have different groups for different types of passwords. Never again do you have to worry about forgetting what your password is! What it does is it not only saves your password but it also inputs them on your websites so you do not have to type anything in.
Yet again this is an app that you have to pay for, but it comes with a free trial to allow you to ensure that you like it first. The paid version comes in a form of a plan, though, and the pricing varies based on what plan it is that you buy.
The cheapest plan is $5 a month with special upgrades and access or about $65 in a single payment without upgrades. I would look into which one is better for you and your needs. The $5 plan does allow you to have up to 5 people that use the app as well as the mobile app, so it sounds like a pretty good deal if you do not mind monthly subscriptions.
Alfred:
Do you know the sassy butler from Batman? Alfred, the guy that kept Batman alive and well. Well, that is a super fitting name for this app. Alfred the app is a butler for your Mac device; it has so many features and is super good at keeping you organized.
Alfred will help you find files in your device, search the web, and even give you definitions of words that you are unsure of. Plus, it will help you spell words that you are unsure of too. You can just ask your handy Alfred to find whatever you need for you and to give you the information needed to help with your work.
Along with all of that, Alfred can also handle various computer system commands, such as “empty the trash folder” or “sleep”. You no longer have to click the buttons and can simply ask Alfred to do it for you. This handsfree way of using your device keeps you organized and able to do other tasks.
The paid license for Alfred is $23, but there is a free version if you do not want to pay for it.
OmniFocus:
OmniFocus is another useful app as it works as a super powerful, digital to-do-list that you cannot lose or spill water on. This to-do list is one that you will not lose or simply forget about. You can assign tasks, organize them according to the type of task in personalized groups, and even have it keep track of deadlines as well as how important each task is.
Having this digital to-do list is a great way to keep track of all assignments and work that you have to get down each day, but it is not as simple to use as it sounds at first. It does take some learning and can be overwhelming, but once you get the hang of it, it can be very helpful in everyday life. There is even a guide if you are too overwhelmed and need instant help.
This app is a paid one with a 14-day trial period. The paid licenses start at $40.
Pocket:
Earlier in this article I mentioned having a cluttered screen due to having too many tabs. Well, this app can help you limit how many tabs and applications you have open by saving them in a neat folder for later. You do not have to open the link and keep it there until you have time to look for it. Instead, you can simply save all links and files needed and look at them whenever you have the time.
Pocket is a free app, so no need to worry about cost and spending money. You can use it whenever you want or need to.
Toggle:
It is very easy to lose track of time while working, or while taking a break. Many people often find themselves looking at the time and wondering, “what happened?” Well, Toggle is an app that manages and keeps time for you. It can help with goals, work productivity, or just to see how long it takes you to do various tasks during the day.
You can buy various plans for Toggle, starting at $9 based on what you get. It is a nifty app and is worth buying if you tend to lose track of time easily.
DeClutter Your Computer:
Hazel:
I know that this is the only app in this category, but it really stands out from the rest so I had to put it somewhere else. Hazel, unlike the other apps, can help declutter your busy computer and help keep you organized in a different way. It is automated and helps keep your file folders clean. If you tend to download a lot of files and no longer have a need for them, then Hazel will clear them out without you even having to say so. There are a variety of rules with it, but you can find guides on that and learn how to keep it running smoothly.
It will only clear files from the folders that you tell it too, so you do not have to worry about losing important files. It can be personalized and will do what you need it to do.
There is a free trial, but other than that it does cost $32.
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Conclusion:
Being productive does not have to be difficult or costly; in fact, it can be incredibly simple and free. If you want to be productive, then I hope that these apps helped show you how easy it really is. You can get your life together and work more efficiently than ever before just by downloading a few Mac apps.
Now, you can be productive with the touch of a button, or a few buttons. Enjoy your new apps and I hope that you see your productivity sky-rocket thanks to these 15 Mac apps! If you do not want to spend money then remember that there are plenty of free apps and that, sometimes, you have to spend a little if you want better quality. Free trials are a big help though! If it helps you work better than it may be worth it, right?
Prove everyone wrong and show them how you and your mac can make a strong, well-oiled machine that gets work done quickly and efficiently.
The world is obsessed with productivity. We all want to know how to get things done more quickly and with less effort; improve our time management skills; and lead more productive, fulfilling lives. The eight productivity apps listed in this blog post will help you achieve those goals.
We've pulled from our personal experiences and conducted detailed, in-depth research to compile the best productivity apps for 2020. An investment in just a few of these tools is sure to make you more efficient. So without further ado, let's dive in!
Best Macbook Apps For Productivity
How We Define 'Productivity Apps'
For the purposes of this blog post, a productivity app is any piece of software that makes your job easier and allows you to get more work done in less time. Some of the applications listed below aren't 'productivity apps' in the traditional sense of the phrase. But each is worth having and will save you hours of precious time when used consistently.
After reading through our list, we encourage you to sit down and think about which areas of your life you'd like to become more productive in for 2020. Then get the app (or apps) that will help you get there.
The Productivity Apps You Need In 2020
Each of the following 10 productivity apps will make you more efficient in some way.
Before we start, we should note that, while our list is numbered, the placement of apps doesn't represent their level of importance. Meaning the first app isn't better than the last. The numbers simply make it easier to track through this post. Ready?
1. Lucidchart
Lucidchart's features improve your productivity by offering high-quality visual creation with simple keyboard shortcuts or a quick click of the mouse.
To use the tool, simply create a custom document or choose from multiple templates to get you started. Then start making your visuals easily with hundreds of shapes, colors, and the option to add layers.
But Lucidchart is more than just a personal productivity tool. It can also be used to keep your entire team on track. Collaborate within the software by simply tagging team members. The seamless communication allows for work to get done faster.
Lucidchart is free for basic functionality, $7.95 a month for individuals, and $9 a month (per user) for a team account with premium features. You can also contact Lucidchart for an Enterprise-level quote.
2. Calendar
Looking to save more time, be more productive, and achieve better focus? Look no further than Calendar, the smart tool that you need to add to your stack.
This artificial intelligence-led productivity app is always learning for you and will save you time and effort as you plan out your day, week, month, and even year. The best part? The more you use it, the more valuable it becomes.
With Calendar, you can allow anyone to choose a time and book a meeting with you, directly inside the app. And you'll never have to worry about overbookings, as Calendar will automatically protect you from any meetings being scheduled at the same time.
Calendar, featured in CNN, Inc, Forbes, and Entrepreneur, will also let you dive deep into the analytics of your calendar to discover ways to maximize your productivity and save more time.
It's easy to get started, just go straight to Calendar.com and follow the sign up prompts. You can get started for FREE or get access to more features via a monthly subscription plan.
3. CloudApp
Next, we have CloudApp, a highly intuitive visual communication tool that can save your team up to 56 hours a week! The only difficulty is deciding how you're going to use all that extra time.
Whether you happen to be communicating with a colleague, a customer, or a client; CloudApp's screenshot, webcam recording, GIF creation, and image annotation features will help you get your point across faster. Don't bother writing lengthy, complex emails, simply show people what you mean.
3 million users, including industry titans like Uber, Facebook, and Adobe can't be wrong. CloudApp is an incredible productivity app that you need in your business software suite. Fortunately, it's incredibly affordable.
The free forever plan will get you started. For additional features, subscribe to an upgraded plan for just $9+ a month.
4. HubSpot CRM
HubSpot CRM was built from the ground up to be ready for the modern world. Intuitive and automatic where other systems are complicated and manual, HubSpot CRM takes care of all the little details - logging emails, recording calls, and managing your data - freeing up valuable selling time in the process. It regularly ranks as one of the best CRM software products for small businesses.
Here are the reasons HubSpot CRM is the top choice for small businesses:
- Manage your pipeline and never let a deal slip through the cracks.
- Find and focus on closing the warmest leads.
- Use our proven email templates or create your own.
HubSpot CRM is 100% free forever and comes natively integrated with other free features that essential for small businesses: email marketing (up to 2000 emails/month), meetings scheduler, forms, email tracking, live chat, chatbot builder, reporting dashboard, contacts and pipeline management.
Clients: Wistia, Atlassian, InVision, VMWare
Price: 100% Free Forever
5. Slack
You've heard of Slack. The unicorn company, currently valued at over 20 billion dollars, is one of the fastest growing of all time. Major corporations like Target, Oracle, and AirBnB use the app on a regular basis because it's an incredible productivity booster.
If you've never used the tool before, it's a communication app that makes collaboration a breeze. Email is great for many things, but it can be cumbersome when conversing with colleagues. It's too easy for messages to get lost, or buried beneath a mountain of other emails.
With Slack, all of your office communications are neatly organized and searchable. Different channels can be created for different projects, departments, and clients; and team members can jump in and out of conversations as needed. Meaning they won't get notifications about conversations they're no longer involved in.
But Slack is more than just an email alternative. You can also share documents, video chat, and send GIFs inside the application. To really boost productivity, integrate your other tools like Google Drive, Dropbox, SalesForce, and CloudApp. Plans range from $0 to $12.50 a month, per user.
6. Trello
Trello is a project management app that makes managing projects less stressful; enjoyable, even. How is that possible? It all starts with the platform's Kanban philosophy. Trello is highly visual, which makes it very intuitive.
Users can break big projects down into smaller chunks by creating 'cards' for every task. Cards can be arranged into different columns, which represent different phases of a project. As tasks get completed, cards are easily transferred from one column to the next.
Here's how this process might look in a real-life scenario:
Jen is tasked with managing her company's blog. To keep track of all the articles written and submitted by different writers, she creates a Trello board with four columns: 'Blog Ideas', 'Writing', 'Editing', and 'Published'.
As each blog idea is worked on, it makes its way from the 'Blog Ideas' column, all the way to the 'Published' column when the article has been finished and posted. Make sense?
Trello is free to use, though they do offer premium plans with additional features starting at $9.99 a month.
7. Hootsuite
Social media is a business game changer. Companies have never had such easy access to their customers as they do now. It's an amazing opportunity, but it comes at a cost: crafting social posts and responding to comments takes a lot of time.
Fortunately, there are apps out there that make posting social media content much less time-intensive.
Hootsuite is a social media management app that allows you to update your company's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn pages from the same screen — without having to log into each individual platform. You can also reply to comments inside the tool, too.
But the real reason why Hootsuite makes our best productivity apps for 2020 list is because of its scheduling feature. Log in once, schedule every post you plan to make for the next week, month, three months (Hootsuite allows you to schedule hundreds of messages at a time), and then just monitor your accounts as the software automatically posts content at the time you specified. How cool is that?
Hootsuite plans start at $29 a month after a free 30 day trial.
8. Toggl
Toggl is the simple, intuitive time tracker that you and your team will actually use. It isn't limited by device and works on your computer, tablet and phone; so no matter where or what you're working on, your hours are being tracked. Oh, and you'll never forget to turn this productivity app on because it sends you friendly reminders to do so.
When you've completed a task, take a look at the detailed report. Toggl crunches the numbers and shows you how your time was spent. You just have to analyze its findings and adjust the way you work in the future to be more productive.
If you're a freelancer, a tool like this is mandatory. How else will you accurately bill clients? But even those who are employed on a salary basis will find Toggl useful. After all, to become more productive, it helps to first know how you're really spending your time.
Toggl is free to use, though premium features start at $9 a month per user.
9. LastPass
We'll say it, passwords are incredibly frustrating. Having to remember a different combination of letters, numbers, and symbols just to log into each digital tool you use for work is a nightmare. And the truth is, passwords actually don't do much to improve security.
Enter LastPass, a password management tool that makes it easy to generate, remember, and even share detailed and secure passwords. Here's how it works:
- Download the LastPass browser extension to your computer.
- Create your LastPass account and create a long, detailed master password.
- Add sites and unique passwords to your personal LastPass password manager vault.
- Now, when you go to any of the sites that have been added to your personal LastPass vault, LastPass will automatically fill in the details for you.
Mac Productivity Apps
If you want to boost digital security and productivity, you need LastPass, which can be used for free with basic functionality. Paid plans with additional features start at $4 a user.
10. HelloSign
Before electronic signature software, signing documents was a pain..
First, you'd have to scan your specific contract into the computer and email it to your recipient. Once received, the signee would then need to print the document out, sign it, scan it back into their computer, and, finally, email it back to you. That's just too many steps!
HelloSign takes the hassle out of signing contracts by enabling you to sign them electronically. And don't worry, every document signed through HelloSign is legally binding.
As an added bonus, your signed contracts are organized inside the secure HelloSign system, meaning you don't need to waste time or space storing physical documents. Simply create the agreement, send it out for the necessary signatures, and file it away for future reference.
HelloSign is free for limited use and upgraded plans start at $13 a month.
It should be noted that only the user creating and sending documents is charged this monthly fee. Those receiving contracts are not required to pay anything in order to sign them. In fact, they don't even need to create their own account.
11. Zapier
Last, but not least, we have Zapier, which allows its users to create integrations and automations between apps that normally wouldn't communicate with each other. For example, a new email received in Gmail can be programmed to automatically download all included attachments to a Dropbox folder and alert you via Slack.
The best part is, all of these integrations and automations can be built with just a few clicks of your mouse; no coding required. Just select your business software of choice (this productivity app works with over 1,500 other tools, so your favorites are bound to be included) and start building customized workflows.
You'll save hours every week and become much more productive when you let Zapier handle monotonous tasks like data entry for you. After a 14 day free trial, plans cost $20 a month and beyond, depending on the features you want.
Discover the Best Productivity Apps for You
If you want to become more productive in 2020 (and who doesn't) the ten apps listed in this blog post will help. We encourage you to investigate each of them yourself, sign up for the free trials, and see if they can assist you in getting more done in less time.
For your convenience, the productivity apps mentioned in this article are listed below. Here's to your most productive year yet!
Learn how CloudApp will make you more productive
Top Productivity Apps Mac
The Best Productivity Apps for 2020