Best Setapp alternatives: a comprehensive overview of macOs/iOS apps platforms

While the App Store remains the main channel for discovering and managing apps, let's be honest: it's easy to get lost in selection there. Many similar apps make the process of choosing the best solution time-consuming. 

However, there are several other app discovery platforms on the market. For example, Setapp has put together a handpicked collection of 250+ premium productivity and utility apps, all accessible through a single subscription. While no other platform currently offers such a wide range of third-party apps, subscription pricing, and curated quality in the same manner as Setapp, there are many other app discovery and distribution platforms.

I examined six Setapp alternatives, comparing their key features and pricing models to help you find the platform that best fits your workflow. 

Selection сriteria

When selecting platforms, I compared the following factors:

• Security: does the platform check apps for potential malware, has privacy protection measures and secure payment processing.
• Usability: whether the process of searching, installing and updating apps is user-friendly or requires technical expertise.
• Variety and quality of applications: what categories of applications and their quantity are available to users, and whether the platform provides regular updates and maintenance. 
• Pricing models: whether the user benefits from a given platform - the ratio of price, app selection and functionality.

Platform overview

Let's take a look at these 6 platforms with macOS and iOS apps. 

Platform	Focus	Pricing	Best for
Setapp	Curated apps for Mac, web and iOS.	From $9.99/month	Tech enthusiasts who enjoy discovering handy apps to enhance their workflow
Mac App Store	Official Apple platform for Mac apps	Free and paid apps	Mainstream users preferring Apple native ecosystem
Parallels	Windows apps for Mac	≈ €8.33/month, billed annually	Windows fans needing Mac compatibility
MacUpdate	Website for app discovery and updates	Free/Paid options	Users sourcing for relevant Mac apps and software
Brewer X (Homebrew)	Package manager to install software through a command line	$29/once	Seekers for an alternative to command-line interactions with Homebrew.
Applite	Graphical User Interface for managing Homebrew apps	Free	Non-technical users who want a simple way to install popular apps
Softorino	Apps for everyday Mac and Windows tasks	$3.33/month	Mac optimizers seeking tools for simplifying boring tasks

The next step will be to go through each of these platforms.

Setapp: apps you can count on

Setapp is the ultimate place to get apps for Mac and iPhone. It offers a collection of 250+ MacOS and iOS applications for a subscription price starting at $9.99/month. Users get access to the app's premium features without ads or additional in-app purchases. You can explore only worthy, hand-picked tools that solve a variety of needs in writing, design, code, planning, cleaning, and protecting your device. Just type in your problem –– and find an app to solve it. 

Pros

• Only handpicked and security-tested apps of the highest quality
• App variety over categories:  Optimize, Work, Create, Develop, Solve with AI;
• Update automatically
• No in-app purchases
• No ads
• Premium app features unlocked
• Cost-effective for accessing multiple premium apps

Cons

• Limited app selection due to strict selection criteria
• Not all popular apps are available

Apps included

• CleanMyMac — tidy up Mac
• Bartender – personalize your menu bar
• CleanShot X – go beyond screenshots
• Paste – store everything you copy 
• ClearVPN – use an intuitive VPN
• Downie – download YouTube videos
• Focused Work – work with timers
• Permute – convert audio, images, and videos
• Secrets 4 – store and manage passwords

Explore more handy apps available on Setapp here.

Mac App Store: integrated Apple’s app platform

Mac App Store is Apple's official platform with more than 31,000 Mac apps. Here you will find various productivity tools, creative software, games and other apps. However, unlike Setapp, there's no hand-picked collection, and it's easy to get lost. Moreover, the pricing model charges per application, which is more expensive than getting all the tools in one subscription.

Pros

• Native integration with macOS
• Automatic app updates
• Family sharing
• iCloud sync support

Cons

• Overpriced apps due to Apple's commission
• Lots of apps contain in-app purchases
• Multiple apps are similar to each other, which messes me up as a user
• A lot of outdated apps

Apps available

• Adobe Lightroom
• Affinity Designer 
• Microsoft 365 
• Final Cut Pro
• 1Password

Softorino: collection of apps for everyday tasks

Softorino features 11 in-house-built apps on macOS that are available at a single subscription price. These tools are focused on daily tasks such as file management or system optimization. Being a Setapp alternative, Softorino offers a much smaller number of apps focusing only on essentials for Mac users.

Pros

• Only essential apps for automating tedious tasks and increasing productivity
• No in-app purchases
• Regular updates
• All premium features included

Cons

• Poor app catalog
• Some applications overlap in functionality

Apps included

• WALTR 
• YoinkPad 
• CleanupPro 
• TimerFree
• PhotoLab 
• ToolboxPro

Parallels: Windows apps for Mac

With Parallels, users can run Windows, Linux or even OS X operating systems and applications on Mac. It's possible due to a special software technology called desktop virtualization.  Featuring access to 200,000 applications for work, school, and play, this Microsoft-authorized software can be considered a Setapp alternative for Mac. 

Pros 

• Seamless integration of Windows and macOS environments
• Bundled productivity applications
• Support for various operating systems
• Comprehensive set of tools for virtualization
• Regular updates and customer support

Cons

• Only annual subscription (€99.99/year) with 14-days trial available
• Initial setup process can be challenging
• Can slow down Mac performance
• Requires a lot of RAM and storage

Apps included

• Microsoft Office Suite
• Adobe Creative Cloud
• AutoCAD
• Office 365
• Microsoft Visual Studio
• .NET framework

MacUpdate: app discovery platform

MacUpdate operates as an app and software download website providing access to 32,000 free and paid Mac handpicked apps. You can use this solution as a Setapp alternative to search for relevant apps, read reviews, and download directly from the site. 

Pros

• Broad selection of macOS apps
• Provide user reviews
• Hand-picked apps by the MacUpdate team
• No need to subscribe

Cons

• Apps need to be updated manually –– users get notifications
• No guarantee that the app will deliver quality
• May include outdated apps

Apps included

• 1Password
• Raycast
• Backblaze
• Fantastical
• Mimestream

Brewer X: alternative to command-line interactions with Homebrew

A compelling alternative to Homebrew's command-line interface, Brewer X offers intuitive design and advanced functionalities. This package manager can be used as a Setapp alternative by designers, marketers, video-makers, photographers, software developers and many other Mac users. 

To install Brewer X, your Mac must be running macOS 13.0 or higher. The subscription cost is one-time and according to the website is $49 ($24 on sale).

Pros:

• Powerful search to easily discover new stuff
• Upgrade all button
• Maintenance scripts to automate boring tasks
• Mass actions for parallel processing
• Ability to manage third-party repositories

Cons:

• Can be complex for beginners
• Requires Homebrew installation

Apps included: 

• 1Password
• Affinity Designer 2
• Affinity Photo 2
• HandBrake

Applite: visual interface for Homebrew apps

As a free Setapp alternative for Mac, Applite provides access to an expanded collection of popular apps like Google Chrome, Notion, Spotify and many others. Applite package manager is powered by Homebrew. Users can download, update, and uninstall Mac apps with a single click on this open-source platform.

Pros:

• Clean, intuitive interface for non-technical users
• One-click app management
• Access to the extensive Homebrew catalog
• Free to use
• Built-in macOS security through Gatekeeper and XProtect
• Notarized apps from registered developers

Cons: 

• Limited amount of apps (only those available at Homebrew)
• Homebrew installation is needed

Apps included: 

• Google Chrome
• Visual Studio Code
• Spotify
• VLC Media Player
• Slack

How to choose Setapp alternative: my takeaway

The only way to discover which Setapp alternative is right for you is to dive deep into each of the app platforms. 

Despite the Mac App Store's wide variety of apps, there is a risk of getting overwhelmed by the choices and not finding exactly what you need. 

Parallels is a Setapp alternative for those who want to run Windows apps on a Mac, while Brewer X and Applite are suitable for tech-savvy users who are familiar with Homebrew.On MacUpdate, you can find plenty of apps and reviews for them, while Softorino has a narrow collection of tools for everyday tasks. 

Don't want to spend time and money testing different Mac apps and stressing about their security? Try Setapp and get a handpicked, secure collection of tools at a single subscription price.

FAQ

What alternatives to Setapp are available?

There are several Setapp alternatives for Mac and iOS. Depending on what apps you're looking for, you can explore Softorino, MacUpdate, Applite, and other platforms. Make sure to research the details of each before installing.

Are Setapp alternatives safe?

Each platform provides different security measures, including developer verification and malware testing. Check the security guarantees on the specific Setapp alternative platform site before downloading apps.

What are some free Setapp alternatives?

Platforms that provide free access to Mac apps include Applite, Homebrew, and MacUpdate (with some paid features). You can also try Setapp for free within a 7-day trial.

Can Setapp be trusted?

Setapp is a secure platform with over 250+ high-quality apps. Before being added to Setapp, each app passes a thorough review to ensure that it meets acceptance criteria and technical requirements.