I get asked fairly often about the tools and software I use on a daily basis. Rather than answering the same questions repeatedly, I thought I’d put together this comprehensive overview of my current setup.
As someone who’s passionate about technology and productivity, I’m always experimenting with new tools. But these are the ones that have earned a permanent place on my Mac.
AI Assistants
This is probably the category that’s evolved the most over the past couple of years. I currently use several AI tools, each for different purposes:
Claude has become my primary AI assistant. I use both the desktop app for everyday conversations and Claude Code for development work. What I appreciate most is its thoughtful, nuanced responses and its ability to handle complex tasks. It’s genuinely changed how I approach both writing and coding.
ChatGPT remains in my toolkit as well. Sometimes I’ll use it to get a second opinion or for tasks where I want a different perspective.
Perplexity is my go-to for research. When I need to find information quickly with sources I can verify, Perplexity delivers. It’s particularly useful for staying current on topics I’m interested in.
Codex is Google’s AI CLI agent. I’ve been experimenting with it as an alternative to Claude Code for certain tasks.
Voice Input
I’ve gone deep on voice input tools. Being able to dictate thoughts, messages, and even code snippets without touching the keyboard has become a significant part of my workflow.
Superwhisper runs locally on-device and transcribes speech with impressive accuracy. I use it for quick dictation when I don’t want anything leaving my machine.
VoiceInk is another local transcription tool I’ve been testing. The competition in this space is fierce and I’m still figuring out which one I prefer for different contexts.
Wispr Flow takes a slightly different approach — it’s designed to integrate more seamlessly with whatever app you’re working in. I alternate between all three depending on the task.
Chrome Extensions
Beyond standalone apps, I’ve found some powerful AI tools that live right in my browser:
Claude for Chrome brings Claude’s capabilities directly into my browsing experience. It’s incredibly useful for quickly analysing web pages, summarising articles, or getting help with content I’m viewing without switching contexts.
Super Agent is another extension I’ve been using. It helps automate repetitive browser tasks and can handle various workflows that would otherwise require multiple steps.
Browsers
I keep my browser setup simple with three options:
Chrome is my main browser for everyday use. The extension ecosystem is unmatched, and it’s where I run Claude for Chrome and Super Agent.
Safari is what I use for personal browsing and when I want better battery life on my MacBook. Apple’s integration with the rest of the ecosystem is seamless.
ChatGPT Atlas is a newer addition. It’s a browser built around AI-assisted research and focused work.
Writing
iA Writer is where I do my serious writing. Clean, distraction-free, and beautifully designed. When I need to focus on getting words down, nothing else comes close. It’s the final stage of my writing workflow.
Obsidian is my knowledge base and thinking tool. I’ve recently migrated to it from Evernote for all my active thinking and research notes. The linking between notes and the plugin ecosystem make it incredibly powerful for building up ideas over time.
Productivity & Organisation
Raycast has completely replaced Spotlight for me. It’s a launcher, clipboard manager, window manager, and so much more. I can’t imagine using my Mac without it now. If you’re still using Spotlight, give Raycast a try.
Rectangle Pro handles my window management. Simple keyboard shortcuts to snap windows to different positions and sizes. It does one thing and does it brilliantly.
Day One is where I journal. I’ve been using it for years to capture thoughts, memories, and reflections. The ability to include photos and location data makes entries feel more complete.
Evernote still houses a lot of my notes and reference material from over the years. I’m gradually migrating the active stuff to Obsidian, but Evernote’s archive of 20 years of notes isn’t going anywhere fast.
Antinote is great for quick capture — those fleeting thoughts that need to be written down immediately before they vanish. It sits in the menu bar and is always one click away.
Ice keeps my menu bar clean. When you have as many apps running as I do, the menu bar gets cluttered fast. Ice lets you hide the ones you don’t need to see constantly.
KeyClu displays keyboard shortcuts for whatever app you’re currently using. Handy when you’re learning a new tool or can’t remember that one shortcut you use twice a month.
Trello for project management and keeping track of tasks across different projects.
Communication
WhatsApp is essential for staying in touch with family and friends, especially those overseas.
Telegram is great for channels and groups around specific interests.
Twist is what I use for async team communication. Unlike Slack, it’s designed around threads rather than real-time chat, which I find much more manageable.
Zoom for video calls when needed. Nothing exciting to say about it — it just works.
Cloud Storage
Dropbox has been my cloud storage of choice for years. It just works, syncs reliably, and integrates well with everything else I use.
Google Drive is also installed for collaboration with others who prefer Google’s ecosystem.
pCloud is my backup cloud storage. Having files in more than one place gives me peace of mind.
Development
For development work, my setup has grown quite a bit:
Ghostty is my terminal of choice. It’s fast, GPU-accelerated, and configured exactly how I like it. After trying iTerm2 and various other terminals over the years, Ghostty won me over with its speed and simplicity.
Claude Code has become invaluable for coding assistance. Having AI help with development directly in the terminal has been a game-changer.
Visual Studio Code is my code editor for when I need a full IDE experience. The extension ecosystem and Git integration make it hard to beat.
Docker for containerised development environments. Essential for keeping projects isolated and reproducible.
Local (by Flywheel/WP Engine) gives me a local WordPress development environment. Being able to spin up a WordPress site in seconds for testing is invaluable given how much of my work involves WordPress.
GitHub Desktop for a visual Git interface when the command line isn’t the most efficient option.
Xcode for any iOS/macOS development work and Swift experiments.
Node.js via nvm (Node Version Manager) — this lets me switch between Node versions easily for different projects.
Kaleidoscope is a beautiful diff and merge tool. When I need to compare files or resolve merge conflicts visually, nothing comes close.
Photography & Design
DXO PhotoLab 9 is my primary photo editing software. The noise reduction and lens correction are outstanding, and it handles RAW files beautifully.
Pixelmator Pro is my Photoshop replacement. For image editing, design work, and quick touch-ups, it does everything I need without the Adobe subscription.
Figma for UI design and prototyping. When I need to mock up interfaces or collaborate on design work, Figma is the tool.
CleanShot X has replaced the built-in screenshot tool entirely. Annotations, scrolling captures, screen recording, and cloud sharing — it does it all.
Screen Studio is specifically for creating polished screen recordings. If you’ve ever needed to record a demo or tutorial, this automatically adds zoom effects and produces professional-looking results.
Focus & Music
Brain.fm provides AI-generated focus music. I was skeptical at first, but the science-backed approach to helping you concentrate actually works. I use it almost every work session.
Spotify provides the soundtrack to everything else. I’ve curated playlists for different activities — exercise, relaxation, and when Brain.fm isn’t the right vibe.
Media & Reading
IINA is the best media player on Mac, period. It handles every format I’ve thrown at it, looks native, and stays out of the way.
calibre manages my ebook library. With over 1,600 books on my Kindle, I need a proper tool for organising, converting, and managing my collection.
CapCut for quick video editing. It’s surprisingly capable for a free tool and handles most of my video editing needs.
Finance
SaxoTrader is my trading platform for stocks and ETFs. The research tools and execution are solid.
Ledger Live manages my hardware crypto wallet. If you hold any significant amount of cryptocurrency, a hardware wallet is non-negotiable.
File Management & Backup
Commander One PRO is a dual-pane file manager. Once you’ve used a dual-pane file manager, you can’t go back to Finder for serious file operations.
Transmit is my FTP/SFTP client for transferring files to servers. Beautifully designed and rock solid.
DaisyDisk visualises disk usage so you can see exactly what’s eating your storage. Essential for keeping a MacBook’s SSD from filling up.
FreeFileSync handles file synchronisation and backup between drives. I use it for keeping local backups in sync.
Utilities
NordVPN keeps my connection secure, especially when travelling or using public Wi-Fi.
AppCleaner is a must-have for properly uninstalling apps on Mac. It finds all the associated files that would otherwise be left behind.
PDFgear handles PDF editing, annotation, and conversion. A solid free alternative to Adobe’s offerings.
Tailscale creates a private network between all my devices. I can access my home machines from anywhere as if I were on the same network. Incredibly useful.
Jump Desktop for remote desktop access to other machines. Combined with Tailscale, I can control any of my computers from anywhere.
iMazing manages my iOS devices — backups, file transfers, and app management without relying entirely on iTunes or Finder.
Scroll Reverser does exactly what the name suggests. If you use both a trackpad and a mouse, you know the scrolling direction conflict. This fixes it.
The Unarchiver opens every archive format you’ll ever encounter. ZIP, RAR, 7z, whatever — it handles them all.
Mailplane wraps Gmail in a native Mac app. Multiple accounts, notifications done right, and no browser tab clutter.
Final Thoughts
The common thread through all these choices is that each tool has earned its place by genuinely making my life easier or more productive. I’m not one to install apps just for the sake of it — though looking at this list, I realise I have more tools than I thought.
The categories that have grown the most recently are AI assistants and voice input. The pace of change there is remarkable, and I expect this list to look quite different again by next year.
What’s on your Mac? I’d love to hear what tools you couldn’t live without.
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