Tools I Can’t Live Without
I’m a big believer in simplifying my life, and thankfully, there’s no shortage of software out there to help. That said, I’ll admit I’ve spent more money than I probably should testing out various apps. More often than not, they sound like a great idea at first… but they just don’t stick. They end up clashing with my workflow or offering features I don’t really need.
That’s why I love Setapp.
A Setapp subscription gives you access to over 250 carefully curated apps for Mac, iOS, and the web. And the price? Very reasonable—starting at just $9.99 USD/month, with a 7-day free trial to test it out. I’m not an affiliate, so I don’t gain anything by recommending it, but honestly, it’s one of the best deals out there. The flagship app, CleanMyMac, costs $120 on its own—or $4/month. So getting access to that plus 250+ other tools is a steal.
As a developer and content creator, Setapp has become indispensable. Let me share a few apps I use every single day.
Default Folder X
Default Folder X supercharges the Open and Save dialogs on your Mac by adding a customizable toolbar. You get quick access to recent folders, file previews, rename options, and even the ability to move or copy files between folders, all without leaving the dialog. It’s one of those tools you don’t realize you need until you start using it. (You may have spotted it in some of my videos.)
CleanShot X
CleanShot is the ultimate screenshot and screen recording tool for macOS. It feels like six apps rolled into one: hide desktop icons for clean shots, annotate images, record and trim video, upload to a dedicated cloud, and more. Once you try it, it’s hard to go back to macOS’s built-in screenshot tools.
Bartender
Bartender helps you take control of your Mac’s menu bar by organizing and hiding icons you don’t need to see all the time. When you do need them, they’re just a click or a keystroke away. It keeps things clean and efficient without getting in the way, just how a good utility should behave.
Dropzone
Dropzone brings powerful drag-and-drop automation to your Mac. Just set up your frequently used actions—like uploading to a server, moving files, or running scripts, and Dropzone will take care of the rest. Drag a file to the Dropzone icon, and your workflow kicks in instantly. It’s a huge time-saver for repetitive tasks.
Next week, I’ll share even more tools that help me keep life, and work, just a bit more manageable.
