Mac App Store Alternatives for Mac

There are many alternatives to Mac App Store for Mac if you are looking for a replacement. The best Mac alternative is Steam, which is free. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 25 alternatives to Mac App Store and 13 are available for Mac so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Mac alternatives to Mac App Store are Homebrew, AppAgg, Brewer X and Nix Package Manager.

Mac App Store iconMac App Store
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The Mac App Store is the best place to find apps for Mac. No more boxes, no more disks, no more time-consuming...

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Mac App Store alternatives page was last updated Jun 9, 2024
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Alternatives
  1. Steam icon

    Steam

     2344 likes
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    Steam provides a digital distribution platform for games with streaming, mod support, and multiplayer capabilities. Developed by Valve, it supports over 100 payment methods, includes Early Access, cloud sync, controller support for major brands, and offers an integrated gaming community.

    69 Steam alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • Windows Phone
    • iPad
    • Flathub
    • SteamOS
    Steam Store

    Top Steam Features

    1.  Game Launcher
    2.  Achievements Supported
    3.  Cloud Sync
    4.  Auto Update
    5.  Controller Support
    6.  Two-factor Authentication
    7.  Free to play
    8.  Application Launchers
    9.  VR support
    10.  Distributed marketplace
    11.  Community-based
    12.  Dark Mode

    Steam VS Mac App Store

     

    • Steam is the most popular Web-based, Windows, Android & Mac alternative to Mac App Store.

    • Steam is the most popular free alternative to Mac App Store.

    • Steam is Free and ProprietaryMac App Store is also Free and Proprietary
  2. Homebrew icon

    Homebrew

     172 likes
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    Homebrew is the easiest and most flexible way to install the UNIX tools Apple didn’t include with macOS. Also available for Linux.

    54 Homebrew alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    Homebrew screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Package Installing
    2.  Command line interface
    3.  Package Manager
    4.  Software Installer
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  No registration required
    7.  No Tracking

    Homebrew VS Mac App Store

     

    • Most users think Homebrew is a great Mac App Store alternative.

    • Homebrew is the most popular Open Source alternative to Mac App Store.

    • Homebrew is Free and Open SourceMac App Store is Free and Proprietary
    • Homebrew is LightweightMac App Store is not according to our users
  4. AppAgg icon

    AppAgg

     55 likes
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    A web based Application Aggregator. Support all major platforms: Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo.

    71 AppAgg alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • SE flagSweden
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Windows Mobile
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Steam
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Nintendo Switch Online
    • Playstation
    AppAgg screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Full-Text Search
    2.  Discovery engine
    3.  Price Alerts
    4.  Dark Mode
    5.  No Coding Required
    6.  No registration required
    7.  User Rating
    8.  Real time collaboration
    9.  Portable
    10.  Discounts
    11.  App Reviews
    12.  Integrated Search

    AppAgg VS Mac App Store

     

    • AppAgg is the most popular SaaS alternative to Mac App Store.

    • AppAgg is Free and ProprietaryMac App Store is also Free and Proprietary
    • AppAgg is LightweightMac App Store is not according to our users
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    Setapp icon
    Setapp

    Setapp provides a curated collection of commercial apps available through a low-cost subscription. Access to the apps is driven by a straight-forward local app that neatly organizes them in a searchable, filterable and configurab...

    https://setapp.com
    Learn More
  6. Brewer X icon

    Brewer X

     10 likes
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    Brewer X is a refreshing user interface for Homebrew. Manage your apps, scripts, and fonts with ease and dive into the most comprehensive software library for macOS.

    14 Brewer X alternatives

    License model

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    Install, upgrade, or uninstall anything in parallel with bulk actions

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Dark Mode
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  No Tracking
    4.  No registration required
    5.  Works Offline
    6.  Homebrew

    Brewer X VS Mac App Store

     

    • Brewer X is the most popular commercial alternative to Mac App Store.

    • Brewer X is Paid and ProprietaryMac App Store is Free and Proprietary
    • Brewer X is LightweightMac App Store is not according to our users
  7. Nix Package Manager icon

    Nix Package Manager

     24 likes
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    Nix is a powerful package manager for macOS, Linux and other Unix systems that makes package management reliable and reproducible. It provides atomic upgrades and rollbacks, side-by-side installation of multiple versions of a package, multi-user package management and easy setup...

    46 Nix Package Manager alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • NL flagNetherlands
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • BSD

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Package Manager
    2.  Command line interface
    3.  Portable
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  No Tracking
    6.  No registration required

    Nix Package Manager VS Mac App Store

     
  8. Homebrew Cask icon

    Homebrew Cask

     36 likes
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    Homebrew-cask provides a friendly homebrew-style CLI workflow for the administration of Mac applications distributed as binaries.

    It's implemented as a homebrew external command called cask.

    24 Homebrew Cask alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Homebrew

    Homebrew Cask Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Homebrew

    Homebrew Cask VS Mac App Store

     
  10. Setapp icon

    Setapp

     25 likes
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    Setapp provides a curated collection of commercial apps available through a low-cost subscription. Access to the apps is driven by a straight-forward local app that neatly organizes them in a searchable, filterable and configurable list.

    9 Setapp alternatives

    License model

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • UA flagUkraine

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Online
    Setapp screenshot 1

    Setapp Features

    1.  Auto Update
    2.  Subscription based

    Setapp VS Mac App Store

     
    Comments about Setapp as an Alternative to Mac App Store
    jnjn
    Positive •Aug 11, 2020
    0

    Setapp is a subscription based alternative to the Mac App Store. Subscribe and have access to all of the apps in Setapp!

    Guest
    Positive •Oct 26, 2017
    0

    Subscription based service with access to essentials apps

    Mac App Store Icon
    Setapp icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Setapp is a great Mac App Store alternative.

    • Setapp is Paid and ProprietaryMac App Store is Free and Proprietary
  11. Applite icon

    Applite

     7 likes
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    User-friendly GUI macOS application for Homebrew Casks.

    57 Applite alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Homebrew
    Applite screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused
    3.  Minimalistic

    Features

    1.  Ad-free
    2.  No Tracking
    3.  No registration required
    4.  Dark Mode
    5.  Homebrew

    Applite VS Mac App Store

     
  12. Cakebrew icon

    Cakebrew

     18 likes
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    Cakebrew is the most convenient way to use Homebrew for your daily tasks! It does for Homebrew what Synaptics does to Linux package managers. From the Cakebrew UI, you can:

    14 Cakebrew alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • BR flagBrazil

    Platforms

    • Mac
    Cakebrew screenshot 1
    Discontinued

    Last update is from March 2021. It's no longer maintained https://github.com/brunophilipe/Cakebrew/issues/255

    Cakebrew Features

    1.  Ad-free
    2.  No registration required
    3.  Graphical User Interface
    4.  Homebrew

    Cakebrew VS Mac App Store

     
  13. macapps.link icon

    macapps.link

     42 likes
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    The best alternative to Ninite for Mac. Get multiple apps silently. Just choose what apps to install and get apps installed automatically, fast and easy.

    23 macapps.link alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Online
    macapps.link screenshot 1

    macapps.link Features

    1.  Unattended installation

    macapps.link VS Mac App Store

     
  14. MacPorts icon

    MacPorts

     26 likes
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    The MacPorts Project is an opensource package management system that simplifies compiling, installing, upgrading, and removal of other open-source software on Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger and later, running on Intel or Apple Silicon.

    32 MacPorts alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    MacPorts screenshot 1

    MacPorts Features

    1.  Command line interface

    MacPorts VS Mac App Store

     
  15. MacUpdate Desktop icon

    MacUpdate Desktop

     18 likes
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    MacUpdate Desktop makes managing and updating your applications easy and automatic. It helps you organize your favorite applications and keep track of them when new versions become available. Download and install new updates. Find out whats new. Stay up to date like never before.

    28 MacUpdate Desktop alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    MacUpdate Desktop screenshot 1

    MacUpdate Desktop Features

    1.  Update Notifier
    2.  Desktop applications updating

    MacUpdate Desktop VS Mac App Store

     
12 of 13 Mac App Store alternatives