My Favorite Mac Productivity Tools in 2026
The ones that are still here
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Productivity on a Mac is mostly about friction.
How fast can we capture an idea, find information, move files, arrange windows, or avoid repeating the same typing again and again.
Over time, I’ve narrowed my setup down to tools that remove friction instead of adding features I never use.
These are the Mac productivity tools I rely on in 2026. They are stable, predictable, and stay out of the way.
Apple Notes
Apple Notes is my default capture tool. And that’s a good thing. I used Notion too much over the years. It’s gotten too… powerful.
Apple Notes opens instantly, syncs across devices, and doesn’t require any setup. For quick ideas, checklists, drafts, links, and reference notes, it does the job without ceremony.
With a few nice plugins, it’s become a true Notion replacement for me.
Key reasons it stays:
Instant access on Mac, iPhone, and iPad
Fast search that actually works
Supports tables, checklists, attachments, and scans
cool plugins
It’s not ideal for long-form writing or complex knowledge systems. That’s fine. Apple Notes is for capturing and organizing thoughts quickly. That role matters more than fancy features.
Comet by Perplexity
Screenshot by author
Comet replaces a big chunk of traditional searching browsing for me.
Instead of opening ten tabs and skimming half-answers, Comet combines web search with contextual summaries and follow-up questions.
It’s especially useful for research, problem-solving, and learning unfamiliar topics fast.
But more than that, I use Comet to take agents with its built-in AI agent functionality. This is pretty sick. I wrote more about that here.
Where it shines:
Clear answers with sources
Good at technical and conceptual questions
Helps structure research instead of scattering it
AI agent takes action
Maccy (Clipboard Manager)
Screenshot by author
macOS has a new clipboard manager inside Spotlight, but I don’t really like it.
So, I keep using Maccy*.
Maccy runs in the background and stores everything we copy. Text, links, snippets, code. Accessible with a keyboard shortcut.
Why it’s essential:
Extremely lightweight
Keyboard-first workflow
Reliable history without complexity
Once a clipboard manager becomes part of the workflow, losing copied content feels unnecessary. Can’t live without that anymore.
Espanso (Free Text Expander)
Screenshot by author
Espanso automates typing.
Short triggers expand into longer text blocks. Email signatures, templates, code snippets, repetitive phrases. All handled at the system level.
What makes it useful:
Free and lightweight
Works across all apps
Easy to customize snippets
This tool saves small amounts of time constantly. Over weeks and months, that adds up. It’s especially valuable for anyone writing, coding, or responding to similar messages repeatedly.
Forklift 4 (FTP Client and More)
Screenshot by author
Forklift 4 is a file manager for people who work with servers and multiple storage locations.
It supports FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, cloud storage, and local files, all in a dual-pane interface. That makes transferring and organizing files faster and less error-prone.
Strengths:
Dual-pane file management
Broad protocol support
Stable and fast
It takes a bit of time to learn, but once it’s part of the workflow, Finder alone feels limiting.
Google Anti Gravity (Web Development Tool)
Google Anti Gravity is useful for web experiments.
It allows testing layout ideas, CSS changes, and structural, all together with an AI agent.
It’s basically Visual Studio + Gemini Pro.
Why it’s helpful:
Fast development
Good for CSS and layout testing
AI testing
Natural language input, code output
Rectangle (Window Management)
Screenshot by author
Rectangle handles window positioning with keyboard shortcuts.
Snap windows to halves, thirds, quarters, or custom positions. No distractions, no visual clutter.
Why it stays installed:
Free and reliable
Keyboard-driven
Minimal configuration
Good window management reduces context switching. Rectangle does that without trying to be clever.
Why This Setup Works
None of these tools are flashy. They’re stable and focused.
Each one solves a specific problem:
Capturing information quickly
Finding answers efficiently
Avoiding repetitive work
Managing files and windows predictably
Creating websites
Productivity improves when tools disappear into routine. That’s what these do for me.
The Bottom Line
My Mac productivity is about removing friction.
Apple Notes captures ideas fast.
Comet improves research, search, and browser actions.
Maccy fixes the clipboard.
Espanso reduces repetitive typing.
Forklift 4 handles serious file work.
Google Anti Gravity helps test web ideas quickly.
Rectangle keeps windows under control.
This setup doesn’t promise creativity or focus. It simply supports them. And that’s exactly what good tools should do.
How would you rank the output/use case of Google Antigravity to things like Lovable? I'm enjoying Lovable for making quick frontend mock-ups, and wouldn't ever need to ship my own code.
Is the cat included?