As a video editor, I’ve recently discovered how AI tools can bring my vision and storytelling to life. Not by replacing human intuition and creativity (though it does help there), but by getting through many of the time-consuming and repetitive tasks that used to take up much of my day.

With Setapp’s library of AI video editor software, I experimented with many tools to find the ones that really matched my workflow. Here’s what I learned from the process.

How I started using AI video editing tools

Back before my AI “eureka” moment, I wanted to see if these tools could give me a leg up at every stage of video production and really boost my efficiency and productivity. I organize lots of footage and visuals daily, and need to clean things up, cut scenes together, sync audio, and more.

IShowU solved a problem right from the start. I create quite a few professional tutorials, and this app has saved me probably 20+ minutes each day with its intuitive and high-quality screen recording features. Much better than QuickTime!

With iShowU, I can also:

• Remove or replace backgrounds automatically
• Add voiceovers and annotations directly while recording
• Export videos in the format I need for client projects

Organizing screenshots with Keep It Shot

Next, I turned to Keep It Shot to organize all of those screenshots. This app uses AI to rename all of my screencaps in bulk, based on their content. It quickly assigns descriptive names and gets through pretty much as many images I throw at it within seconds.

AI really shines here by getting rid of all the laborious manual renaming I used to struggle with. It was a real chore.

Best feature: Reducing manual errors

Keep It Shot smartly categorizes everything into groups, which you can then search for later. No more costly human errors!

Writing scripts with Plus

Now, into the world of generative AI apps for video editing. Plus is a great creative spark, especially for people like me who can struggle to brainstorm effectively. It’s an AI text assistant that works in any app, providing handy drafts for:

• Emails
• Presentations
• Scripts
• Blogs
• Messages
• + more!

Top tip: Don’t rely on it too heavily!

I admit I relied on Plus too heavily at the start. My advice would be to personalize the copy afterward for video editing. That’s the way I managed to keep my authentic ‘print’ and brand personality.

Getting inspiration with Flixier (and sorting with Gemini)

Another one of the best AI video editor tools is Flixier. This one actually creates a video with AI based on the prompts you put in using a nifty ‘VideoGPT’ feature. While I don’t use the creations wholesale, it’s great for getting catchy hooks and transitions for editing.

Finally, I sorted out all my files using Gemini (not the Google one!), which automates scans and cleans up old files to make space for new footage. As a video editor, I find the 10GB of storage that Gemini has reclaimed invaluable. File management is something I found that AI really helps with. It’s a maintenance task most of us don’t want to think about!

What I learned through hands-on testing

Not every AI video editing app hits the mark. Some felt gimmicky or did too much processing on my footage. I feel like AI works best when it does most of the grunt work, things like:

• Naming files
• Rough cuts
• Generating ideas
• Content drafts

Then, when it comes to the creative decisions that need a human touch, I can add my input.

When you get the right balance, it’s like having a handy companion.

Final verdict — Best AI editing tools

The great thing with Setapp is that you can put lots of AI apps through their paces to see what works for you. That’s what I did. There are over 250 macOS and iOS apps, including all the ones mentioned in this blog. All this is available on a 7-day free trial for a single subscription.

For more insights into my toolkit, check out my post on how AI and other tools gave me the power to balance my full-time job as an editor with MBA studies.

Best AI video editing software for Mac: Tools I use daily was originally published in There’s an app for it on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

When I became a pro editor, the prospect of mastering transitions and color grading was daunting. Later, a few years on, I realized that file management was my biggest challenge each day. It might be mundane, but it became a real productivity killer.

I needed to bring order to my chaos. Scattered projects, duplicate files, multiple folders… I needed the right tools to make everything more organized.

So, I turned to Setapp and its huge suite of apps for Macs and iOS.

In just six steps (and seven different apps), I got everything in order. Here are the six steps I took to automate my video file organization and become a better video editor.

I used Workspaces for file organization by project

Problem solved: Organizing everything in one place.

First, I needed to find the best way to stay organized.

I needed to set up everything correctly from the start, not wait until months later when it felt like untying the world’s biggest knot. With that in mind, I came across Workspaces.

It was invaluable. I could create dedicated environments for each client or project. Within each workspace, I added and brought together:

• My raw footage
• Audio files
• Graphics
• Feedback docs
• Transcripts
• Client correspondence

Now, I don’t have to sift through endless Finder folders. I open a workspace and everything is there. It’s a great automatic file organizer for Mac.

I turned to CleanMyMac: The best optimization app for video editors

Problem solved: Optimizing my storage space.

Next, I needed to sort out my storage. Another consequence of poor file management is constantly running out of storage space. It always happened to me at the most inconvenient times, right in the middle of a project. Can you relate?

I used to have to stop editing and then scramble around to delete old files just to get back to work. It simply wasn’t sustainable.

Fortunately, CleanMyMac solved my storage woes. It ran quick scans and then automatically removed outdated files to give me back precious gigabytes. I now run this every few days, so I’ve waved goodbye to the “storage is full” pop-up forever!

I used Gemini’s AI to find duplicate files

Problem solved: Finding and deleting duplicate files.

Duplicates are the bane of any video editor’s life. Searching for them, even more so.

Gemini uses AI and a smart learning algorithm to unearth even the most obscure files, ready for me to delete in one click. I also loved the new feature that finds files that are not quite duplicates, but share many of the same characteristics, such as images shot from different angles.

As I handle lots of raw footage, Gemini is now an invaluable video organizer in my toolkit.

I chose Commander One as my file manager app for Mac

Problem solved: Moving large files between my Mac and my external HD.

Need some classic dual-pane file management? I know I did before I started using Setapp. Now, I rely on Commander One to move big media assets and large video files between my Mac and external HD. There’s no drag and drop here that takes hours. This app transfers between drives twice as fast as I was used to before.

Bonus feature: Commander One can unpack pretty much any file with its archiver feature, including ZIP or RAR, so you don’t have to use a third-party tool.

I used the Clop video compression app for client file sharing

Problem solved: Smart video file compression without sacrificing quality.

Clients always tell me they want full-resolution files. But uploading them uncompressed is impractical. Reducing quality wasn’t an option, either.

Clop solved this conundrum by intelligently compressing large videos and preparing them for quick sending via email and apps.

Here’s what it can do:

• Batch compression support for multiple large videos
• Custom compression presets for each project
• Right-click to upload to Dropshare and other platforms

I used Dropzone and BetterZip for even more organization

Problem solved: Making it even easier to organize, compress, and extract files.

I had found my new favorite five apps. But I wasn’t done there. To make sure my files were properly organized and email-ready, I decided to try out two more quick apps: Dropzone and BetterZip.

• Dropzone: This one turned out to be a real game-changer for me. Dropzone provides essential productivity shortcuts for many of the tasks I’ve listed here. Now I don’t have to keep performing the same actions as when organizing assets. All I do is drag files within Dropzone, and it does the rest for me.
• BetterZip: The final app I checked out was BetterZip, as I needed a more efficient way of archiving projects for longer-term storage. After all, you shouldn’t skimp on backing up client work. Unlike macOS’s default archiver, BetterZip lets me compress files and create password-protected archives for sensitive projects. BetterZip is now a core part of my editing workflow.

Automation brings creativity back

By using all these apps in tandem daily, I’ve built an organized and automated file management system that saves me time and energy, which can be funneled into the creative parts of video editing.

And you can do it, too, with Setapp.

All the file organization software for Mac in this blog is available with a single Setapp subscription. Get started today with a 7-day free trial. Your future self will thank you.

How I automated the organization of video files and actually enjoy editing again was originally published in There’s an app for it on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Editing with Adobe Premiere was a mainstay in my toolkit for years. But over time, the cracks started to show…

• Frequent crashes
• Slow rendering
• Clunky subtitling

These issues meant even simple exports were a leap of faith. That’s what pushed me into looking for Adobe Premiere Pro alternatives.

And what did I find? Setapp, the single-subscription service with over 250 Mac and iOS apps, offered plenty of alternatives to Adobe Premiere Pro.

Let me take you through each one and explain what I used it for, why I loved it, what problems it solved, and its best features.

iShowU: My screen recording, Adobe Premiere alternative

My video work often revolves around recording tutorials and client walkthroughs, direct from the screen. Premiere is really built for this. But iShowU stepped up to the plate and knocked it out of the park with intuitive controls and a very handy AI background removal feature.

One cool shortcut: I’ve created preset profiles for each of my clients to save a chunk of time during recording sessions. I can then record my screen at 4K at 60fps.

Best features:

• Background removal
• 4K, 60fps recordings
• Add your own logo
• Record screens from connected devices

VidCap: The Premiere Pro alternative for subtitles

Subtitles are never straightforward in Premiere Pro. There I was, manually inputting text, which is slow and prone to errors and took me hours to complete.

With VidCap, I can now sit back and rely on AI to do most of the heavy lifting. This app generates highly accurate captions in seconds, even for longer videos. I can then jump in and do my editing to polish everything.

Another thing I like is the templates. I can save some for different clients or platforms, so my TikTok videos are consistent and distinct from my YouTube tutorials.

Best features:

• Transcribe in 60+ languages
• Automatic caption generation
• Customizable text
• Export as TXT, SRT, or VTT files

CameraBag Pro: Adobe Premiere alternative for color grading

Color grading is powerful in Adobe Premiere, no doubt, but the complex menus and heavy rendering slowed me down on projects where creativity was the order of the day.

CameraBag Pro freed me from the constraints of meticulous color grading with its intuitive filter system and creative effects. I can now apply adjustments with just a few clicks.

And what was the biggest win I found? Being able to batch-apply styles across multiple clips without my Mac grinding to a halt. This is now a go-to in my Setapp editing rotation.

Best features:

• 200+ professional filters
• LUT import/export function for video editors
• Simple click-and-drag interface
• Apply changes to batches

SnapMotion: Premiere Pro alternative for frame extraction

Frame extraction isn’t something I do every day, but Premiere’s clunky export process made it a task I wanted to keep putting on the back burner.

With SnapMotion, getting stills from my footage is much easier. I can now grab high-quality images with just a couple of clicks. The frame selection tools are very precise, which has proven handy when creating thumbnails or coming up with preview shots for clients.

Even better, you can do things in bulk. I’ve captured dozens of stills and exported them in a variety of formats so far, including JPEG and TIFF. It’s also great for creating GIFs on the fly.

Best features:

• Open 4K and 8K videos
• Supported files are PNG, JPEG, TIFF, GIF, and MP4
• Create GIFs and MP4 files
• Supports multiple orientations

Hustl: Adobe Premiere Pro alternative for time-lapse creation

Time-lapses have become a very cool and creative way to show off artistic processes and document my workflows. Premiere can do it, but it’s not designed specifically for the task.

Hustl specializes in time-lapses.

This app has a streamlined feature set that lets me record time-lapses by defining the capture area (you can fix the ratio or go full screen) and then setting the frame rate to control the playback speed.

Now, I can focus on my project as Hustl works in the background. When it’s finished, the app makes light work of compression and rendering in up to 8K resolution.

Best Features:

• Easily edit aspect ratios
• Can pause and save as you edit
• 4K and 8K resolutions
• Manually set fps

That’s me sorted with these Premiere Pro alternatives

Testing these apps has shown me the folly of using a massive all-in-one editor for everything. Each tool I pulled from Setapp surpassed my expectations and now fits neatly into a new editing workflow that’s simply faster and far less stressful.

For anyone hitting the same walls, don’t be shy in seeking out Premiere pro alternatives. Setapp is built for this journey of discovery. It has 250+ apps for macOS and iOS that can completely overhaul your processes, like it did for me. Try the 7-day free trial to test it out for yourself.

I tested Adobe Premiere Pro alternatives and exposed the winners was originally published in There’s an app for it on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

I’ve used Final Cut Pro for years. While it’s undeniably powerful, and I mostly learned how to side-step its limitations with workarounds, I recently kept running into frustrations that slowed me down too much.

• Simple edits would take more clicks than they should.
• Collaborative features were lacking.
• Adding captions or testing renders was a long-winded process.

I realized I was spending more time fighting Final Cut Pro than creating and getting things done.

That’s when I turned to Setapp, and what a relief it’s been. You see, with just a single subscription, Setapp bundles in lots of Final Cut Pro alternatives in its suite of 250+ apps.

And here are my picks for the best alternatives to Final Cut Pro.

1. Filmage Editor: The collaborative alternative to Final Cut Pro

Best for: Quick editing for tight turnarounds

Let’s face it, Final Cut Pro can be quite complex when you just need a fast turnaround for a next-day deadline. That’s why I turned to Filmage Editor. It allowed me to work quickly and offered a few nice-to-have collab features. After testing it with several short projects, I found that the built-in notes and comments were great for informing clients and gathering feedback.

It’s now my go-to tool when I need to cut through the clutter and keep projects moving.

2. CameraBag Pro: Superior color grading alternative

Best for: Professional color grading

You won’t find many complaints about the tools in Final Cut Pro, but they can be difficult to wield at times. I found CameraBag Pro to be more intuitive when handling color work, and I didn’t have to give up professional control.

I ended up using it for everything from subtle tonal corrections to more dramatic, stylized looks. The library of filters and presets is great for testing and refining, too.

Another thing I liked was the real-time preview. There are no rendering delays, which is a testament to Camera Bag Pro’s speed for high-quality grading.

3. Elmedia Player: The quality control solution

Best for: Keeping video quality and playback across multiple formats

Running the rule over those renders and exports wasn’t always easy in Final Cut Pro. I often struggled with compatibility issues, which slowed me down when double-checking how my videos look across different formats and resolutions. Exporting and then testing in QuickTime was clunky.

Elmedia Player streamlined everything. It’s a much more reliable and versatile media player, offering support for the following files (and more):

• MP4
• FLV
• SWF
• MOV
• KDV

Now, I can play back pretty much any format in UHD without worrying about codec errors. Another bonus is that I was able to test subtitles and multiple audio tracks in real time.

It’s why Elmedia is now my final ‘check’ tool before projects get sent off.

VidCap: Best Final Cut alternative for captioning

Best for: Smart captioning and transcripts

Captioning is a big thing in video editing these days. I use captions all the time for things like:

• Social media posts
• Client presentations
• Online courses
• Subtitling in different languages

Now it’s safe to say that Final Cut Pro doesn’t excel in captioning. When I used it, manual transcriptions took me hours to do, and that was per project!

By contrast, captioning is something AI is really good at, I’ve found, and VidCap is one of the best tools for video editing. It can generate subtitles in seconds.

Here are a few other reasons why I like it:

• Transcribes in 60+ languages
• Automatically generates captions that can be edited
• Offers reusable templates for various projects
• Provides ready-made presets to get consistent results
• Exports available as TXT, SRT, and VTT

4. Capto: Screen recording tool included in Setapp

Best for: Easy screen recording

Relying on Final Cut Pro for everything can be a crutch. That’s why it’s been so refreshing to switch up my tool set. For screen recording, I now use Capto for screenshots and video capture, as it allows me to do simple edits and adjustments right away without having to load it up elsewhere. This one really is a lifesaver each day.

Why I’m moving away from Final Cut Pro

After testing multiple apps, I’m ready to give my Final Cut Pro alternative final verdict…

…new apps are the way to go!

What surprised me most was that using new tools actually solved all my specific issues and even improved how I edited my videos. I saved a lot of time and became much less frustrated with my workflows! You can’t really put a price on that when you’re an (incredibly) busy, full-time creative.

If you’re looking for a Cut Pro Windows alternative, hopefully, you’ve found value in my testing. You can use all the apps in this blog with Setapp (as well as over 250 other apps for Macs) with just one subscription.

You can even try Setapp for free for 7 days, something I’d very much recommend considering how useful the apps are!

Best Final Cut Pro alternatives for Mac in 2025 was originally published in There’s an app for it on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Managing emails as a video editor has recently started feeling like a full-time job. My inbox was jam-packed with all sorts of promotions and spam, meaning I often missed client messages entirely or replied several days later than planned because I simply couldn’t keep up.

Switching to Spark Mail freed me from the shackles of a morning routine where I wasted more than an hour checking and sorting through emails.

But those days are over, thanks to my free Spark Mail account that came with my Setapp subscription. Read on through my honest Spark email review to see how the app transformed how I work.

Smart prioritization reduced email checking

My job is video editing. I don’t want to check emails constantly, as it takes my focus away from what I should be funneling my energy into. Unfortunately, Gmail’s setup is quite rudimentary, and there’s too much focus on promotions. I was battling to see important client feedback.

My previous routine went something like this:

1. Load up my laptop and get online (after a morning coffee, of course).
2. Check my inbox.
3. Mark several promotional emails as spam.
4. Delete and archive other unwanted emails.

Check Gmail’s several inboxes to make sure I hadn’t missed anything important.

1. Realize some clients weren’t automatically marked as a priority.
2. Mark them as a priority (knowing full well Gmail won’t remember).
3. Repeat this throughout the day, and the next day, and the next day…

Spark Mail made all this hassle just disappear.

Its automatic categorization and smart priority feature quickly learned which emails are the most important to me, while handy visual cues meant I never skipped urgent messages. I also love marking emails as “Done.” It makes more sense to my brain than Gmail’s fiddly ‘archive’ solution.

Now, it takes less than 20 minutes to get things sorted for my day.

Nothing distracts from focused work

Once I finish my morning email roundup, Spark’s Focus mode will let me switch to a long period of deep work. This means all my notifications are paused.

As a creative professional, I swear by the Pomodoro Technique of working for 50 minutes, then having a 10-minute break before going again. The Focus mode is perfect for times when I’m fully immersed in reviewing footage and editing without distractions. It really speeds up my video editing workflow.

Outside of Focus Mode, Spark only sends notifications that really matter, so I can be sure that I’ll always see important messages from clients.

Multiple inboxes sort different areas of my business life

The trouble with Gmail is that everything is under one roof, so to speak.

I had separate accounts for different aspects of business, which was really cumbersome to manage. I was signing in and out constantly. With Spark Mail, I can manage multiple email accounts for one client and from different inboxes, too. There’s support for iCloud, Yahoo, and more.

Add in color coding and it’s now easy for me to juggle different accounts on the fly. Another big win for Spark vs Gmail, and another reason why I think Spark Mail is one of the best apps for video editors like myself.

AI tools get conversations started

I’m a video editor, not a pro writer. Having to come up with the right tone of voice and perfect grammar when replying to clients was a hassle for me (the keyword here is ‘was’).

Gmail has made strides in this area, but it doesn’t match Spark’s built-in AI tool, which gives me an outline to tweak in an instant. Even better, you don’t even have to switch to another window to use ChatGPT or Gemini or whichever gen-AI tool you usually use.

It’s also great for proofreading messages before you click send, and you can adjust the tone depending on who you are replying to. I usually try several different ones to test different phrasing and styles.

Top tip: Spark Mail can summarize emails! Only yesterday I realized the app can summarize longer email threads for me. Another invaluable tool when catching up on those morning emails!

Why Spark email is the best email for productivity

All these compelling features add up to an email app that actively supports my workflow, instead of hindering it. My Spark Gmail journey has highlighted how I can get much better functionality by moving away from the beaten path and experimenting with new apps that adapt perfectly to my needs.

Since I switched to Spark Mail, I’ve…

• Saved hours every week
• Missed no important emails
• Improved my response time to clients

I’ve got everything set up and sorted just how I want it. There’s no way I’d go back to Gmail now.

And it’s not just me, either. I like to make sure I’ve not just got ‘heart-eyes’ for a new app, so I checked Spark Mail’s online reviews. This is what Mel had to say:

“I’ve had this installed for about a week now, and it’s already changed my life.”

And Yash felt the same:

“Spark Mail has quickly become my go-to email client.”

All of the features in this Spark mail app review are just a click away for Setapp subscribers. With a single subscription, you can access everything Spark has to offer and download 250+ other apps for macOS and iOS to take your work to the next level.

You can even try it out for free for 7 days with the trial period. That way, if Spark Mail isn’t for you, you can find plenty of other mail apps on Setapp, like Canary Mail.

I finally left Gmail for Spark Mail, and it changed the way I work was originally published in There’s an app for it on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

For quite a while, I thought I’d sorted video recording on Mac. There’s the native Screenshot toolbar and QuickTime, right? But after struggling for the umpteenth time when organizing my footage and annotating clips, I went on a voyage of discovery with a new toolkit of apps from Setapp that simply get the job done much better.

In this blog, I’ll detail how to record video on Mac and build a workflow far beyond the capabilities of clunky native tools and frustrating workarounds. Here’s what I found after testing dozens of tools with Setapp.

QuickTime: Pre-install solution for basic recording

Yes, QuickTime has its limitations, but it’s still useful for quick recordings. Another bonus is that it’s free and already on every Mac.

To get started, all you need to do is:

1. Open QuickTime.
2. Click File > New Screen Recording.
3. Choose your mic and press record. It’s very easy.

One big downside is that editing features are limited. For anything beyond the basics, I had to look elsewhere.

CleanShot X: Distraction-free professional recording

Maintaining clean screens for recording when you’ve got files literally everywhere is not easy in 2025. That’s why CleanShot X is now my go-to for how to record video on a MacBook.

I can now record videos of my workflows without those pesky desktop icons and notifications cluttering up the screen.

Suddenly, my videos look much cleaner, and I didn’t have to lift a finger to do it. That’s the best type of decluttering.

Capto: All-in-one recording

If I had to pick one tool to record video on Mac, it would be Capto. That’s because Capto is a genius all-in-one tool that lets you record, trim, annotate, and edit your videos. There’s even an audio management feature!

When I was doing my MBA, Capto came in handy for recording tutorials, which I could then edit and export on the fly.

Teleprompter App: For recording yourself speaking

How to record yourself on a Mac? Look no further than Teleprompter App. This app lets you hit play and create broadcasts with an on-screen script so you don’t forget your words. If you’re prone to blooper reels like me, Teleprompter App really saves re-runs and do-overs. There are lots of options to adjust the text and a few editing tools before you hit export.

To get started, all you need to do is:

• Import or type a script
• Set your text size and scrolling speed
• Click record and speak

VidCap: Professional subtitles generator

After you finished with Teleprompter, you can use VidCap to generate subtitles automatically. Nobody wants to trawl through that footage and add everything manually! I often have to create videos for clients in different languages. VidCap can transcribe over 60, and it lets me customize the look of text for different projects.

Snapmotion: Perfect frames from video

I recently went through a phase where I had to create the perfect thumbnail. I need those clicks on YouTube, after all. After wasting my time with other tools that were always blurry or poorly timed, SnapMotion saved the day with its pinpoint precision and high-quality images. It’s so easy, too. Just import a video, capture a frame, and export. I’ve used batch processing to extract dozens of stills.

One more: it also makes GIFs!

Clop: Compress videos without quality loss

Compressing files is tricky. We’ve all taken it a step too far and turned a pristine file into a sludgy mess with artifacts. It’s even harder when it’s a really big video you want to share.

Luckily, I found a solution. Clop is this nifty app that compresses files, but it does it in the best way, without the quality dropping off a cliff. It’s great for sharing WhatsApp messages and client delivery via email.

Just drag the files, tweak compression settings, and let Clop work its magic.

Final thoughts on how to record video on Mac

Recording video on a Mac is finally not a headache. QuickTime is fine for the basics, but don’t get boxed in by its limitations. By experimenting with video editing apps, you can get professional-level production with a simple and sustainable setup.

What’s more, all of the apps in this blog are available with a single Setapp subscription. You get these video editing heroes, plus 250+ other apps for macOs and iOS. You workflow (and sanity) will thank you.

How I learned to record video on Mac the easy way was originally published in There’s an app for it on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Finding the best tools can make writing on a Mac smoother for bloggers. We’ve all got our own unique way of doing things, but promptly finding notes, organizing research, and tapping out copy can be a game-changer for productivity.

This blog will detail 7 of the best apps for writing. There’s everything from AI tools to distraction-free editors. And they can all be downloaded for free with a Setapp subscription.

Ulysses: Best writing app for blog posts

If you want to make writing enjoyable again (and distraction-free), Ulysses is arguably the best writing tool for Mac, especially for anything long-form. It’s a stripped-back, blank canvas where your imagination is the only limit. The text editor allows you to format text with markdown — add headers, footnotes, and more, all with a few touchstrokes. You can export and publish elsewhere easily, too.

Why it stands out:

● Distraction-free environment for extended writing sessions

● Easy to organize text, notes, and assets

● Draft instantly to WordPress or Medium

Craft: Essential tool for structuring ideas

Keeping track of all your research and ideas can feel like a Sisyphean task as a blogger. However, Craft brings order amidst the chaos. It helps structure and organize everything by letting you capture notes, outlines, and references in a clean, simple workspace. You can also sync across devices and share documents with your team.

Why it stands out:

● Clear organization of notes and research

● AI support to summarize content and correct grammar

● Offline functionality for writing on the go

Also, check out the overview of the best mind mapping software for Mac to structure ideas.

Paper: Best app for focused writing

Paper can work wonders for distraction-free writing. It’s similar to Ulysses in its minimalist look and feel.

The Focus Mode can dim parts of the document you aren’t working on (ideal for honing in on edits and rewrites). There are also integrated gestures to scroll, zoom, resize, and rotate text and markdown for quick formatting.

Why it stands out:

● Stripped back UI

● Smooth integration with other writing tools

● Easy exports to PDF, HTML, and RTF

TypingMind: AI writing app for Mac

To boost productivity, AI-based Mac writing software is an indispensable tool in any blogger’s toolbox. TypingMind is basically all the best large language models (LLMs) rolled into one.

It makes use of several, including ChatGPT and Gemini. You can upload a brief or describe a blogging task and get a high-quality, detailed response. It’s a very useful companion app for daily workflows.

Why it stands out:

● Access to multiple AI models

● Ready-made prompts for common writing tasks

● Web search integration takes the hassle out of research

Elephas: AI knowledge hub for Mac

Lots of AI tools just offer basic prompts and responses. Elephas goes deeper. It helps you create a knowledge hub. You can upload all your important URLs, files, research, and notes to build a “super brain” that summarizes everything and offers actionable insights.

It also generates content for you via a personal writing assistant. It’s possible to customize the writing tone and thrash out email replies, project outlines, and more.

Why it stands out:

● Integrates with multiple apps and formats

● AI tools can summarize lots of files for faster reading and analysis

● Offer real-time text editing suggestions

Plus: Best Mac writing app for refining content

Content creation can be a long process. Plus makes things easier by giving writers the ability to select text in any appand get instant access to AI-assisted edits.

Many features, including summarization and proofreading, make handling large volumes of research and notes much more pleasurable. You can even create your own prompts as you go to supercharge workflows.

Why it stands out:

● Quick feedback from AI without leaving an app

● Easy to refine content with summarization and editing tools

● Shortcut accessibility options boost workflow

Focused: Must-have for deep writing sessions

Circling back to ridding ourselves of distractions, we can’t be without Focused. This app ups the ante with a Zen mode that dims everything outside the active writing window and adds a selection of quiet, relaxing music.

There’s also the option to focus on specific sentences and paragraphs, and a typewriter mode for old-school bloggers.

Why it stands out:

● Adjustable focus levels for different tasks

● Simple editor with markdown

● On-click ‘helpers’ for key features

The best writing software for Mac with Setapp

Talent only gets you so far with blogging. It’s important, but the right tools can really elevate your workflow and writing. They did for us. All the apps in this blog can be used, often in tandem, to manage everything from notes and research, right through to drafting and editing content.

Even better, you can get them all, plus 250+ other macOS, iOS, and web tools, with a single Setapp subscription. Start your 7-day free Setapp trial today.

Best writing apps for Mac to make blogging easier was originally published in There’s an app for it on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Blogging in 2025 is more than just writing. It’s juggling research, drafts, visuals, managing files, and publishing. The list goes on. All while staying focused and organized. We find that the right apps can make a huge difference, not only to productivity levels, but also to the pleasure of getting from A to B in our daily workflows.

With this in mind, here are the best apps for professional bloggers; all available with a single Setapp subscription.

Writing attention-grabbing posts

When you master the blog writing process, everything else flows naturally. One or two apps really help you get the ball rolling, even when you’re struggling for a creative spark.

Craft for outlining posts

Getting started is easier when you can make sense of a jumble of ideas and scribblings instead of getting lost in them. Craft is great here.

• This app brings together all your tasks, notes, and to-dos and ties them together with structured and linked ‘nested’ folders.
• It syncs across devices and has collaboration features, too, for teamwork.

TypingMind for banishing writer’s block

As we all know as bloggers, getting words onto the page is easier said than done. TypingMind relieves this pressure by using built-in AI to generate intros and other chunks of text that can break down even the most complex of topics.

Creating visuals and tutorials

These top apps for bloggers are great if you need screenshots in a pinch or to mock up tutorials and presentations quickly.

CleanShot X for fast screenshots

Capturing and editing screenshots is quite laborious with basic macOS tools. That’s why I rely on CleanShot X to get things done. It’s basically a screen recording Swiss army knife:

• You can capture a shot with a shortcut with one click
• Then use the Quick Access Overlay to edit to your heart’s content.

Before you know it, it’ll have become an indispensable part of your workflow.

Presentify for online presentations

There are quite a few tools to mock up tutorials and presentations. But we find that most of them can be quite limited when you are actually hosting them. Presentify is a unique visual aid. There are screen annotations with lots of different shapes and colors to draw viewers in and clarify points.

System optimization and performance

The last thing you need when blogging is performance lag or the dreaded ‘spinning ball’. These tools will power you through.

CleanMyMac for getting rid of clutter

Digital clutter is a common problem for bloggers. You’ll likely have tons of files and apps on your Mac, many of which you haven’t touched for months (or years). CleanMyMac gets rid of everything you don’t need.

How it works: You can run a quick “scan” and then bulk uninstall old apps and remove any outdated files.

iStat Menus for monitoring performance

We then follow up with iStat Menus to run the rule over CPU and RAM usage. You don’t want system crashes to disrupt your writing or editing flow.

This app will show everything in real-time so you can spot rogue apps and resource-heavy processes before things get out of hand.

Enhancing productivity

Procrastination can be a killer for creatives. These apps will keep you focused on the task at hand.

MenubarX to boost workflow

Relying on the macOS dock to move between apps isn’t very intuitive in 2025. With MenubarX, you can add all your favorite apps to a quick, drop-down box. You can pin anything you want here, create customizable menus, and add widgets.

HazeOver to remove distractions

Apps are great. But you can have too much of a good thing when trying to concentrate on one task. HazeOver uses automatic focus highlight to dim everything but your active window so you can write your blogs in peace.

Organizing text and calculations

Finally, there are multiple apps for sorting (and reusing) content and making complex calculations. These will keep things organized.

SnippetsLab and Numi for efficiency

For technical bloggers dealing with complex and detail-heavy topics, efficiency really matters. SnippetsLab keeps all your reusable code or text snippets neatly organized in a searchable library.

While Numi handles natural-language math like “15% of 350” or “30 USD in EUR” for quick and accurate calculations.

Get top apps for bloggers with Setapp

These ten best apps for blogging are all available with Setapp’s single subscription. You don’t have to juggle multiple plans. You can create a toolkit for blogging from hundreds of apps to streamline your workflow and sharpen your content. That’s what we did, and it’s made it much easier to sit down and craft killer posts.

Get started today with a Setapp 7-day free trial.

10 must-have productivity apps every blogger needs in 2025 was originally published in There’s an app for it on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Wanna know how it works? Let me share my development journey.

Why I created the Apple serial number lookup tool

Honestly, I was driven by my friends, who constantly asked me, “You’re an IT guy. Check if my Mac or iPhone is okay.” At some point, I started redirecting them to Apple’s official resources, but they came back and complained that it was too complicated. To check their devices manually, users should visit Apple’s website, solve a CAPTCHA, submit a request, and wait for information. Not the best experience when you are in a hurry. So I decided to find a simpler way.

I realized that there are millions of users like my friends. Sure, I could have taken the easy way out and written a how-to article, but I decided to develop the tool itself.

With Apple serial number lookup, users can explore a lot of information about their devices, like:

• Devices’ model
• Year
• Manufacturing date
• Specifications
• OS version compatibility
• Warranty status and more

Apple serial number lookup is useful not only for second-hand device buyers. It also helps tech enthusiasts seeking detailed information about their devices and anyone who needs to check warranty status without access to purchase documentation.

The development process of Apple serial number lookup

I started by studying how Apple encodes information in its serial numbers. This was particularly interesting because different generations of devices use different formats. Pre-2021 serial numbers contained encoded information about the country, year, and device type, while newer ones use randomized characters.

Next, I built the backend using FastAPI and PostgreSQL, combined with Redis and Celery for efficient task management. For data retrieval, my tool parses official Apple sources to collect comprehensive device information, including specifications, images, software compatibility, and more.

To handle complex verification, I implemented image recognition using Torch and Transformers models, which significantly improved the user experience compared to traditional manual CAPTCHA solving.

Here’s how the process works when you enter a serial number:

• The tool connects to official Apple resources.
• It processes images using advanced AI-based recognition technology.
• Information is aggregated from multiple official sources.
• All collected data is presented in a clean, easy-to-understand web interface.

For security, I store serial number information only temporarily in the cache. This ensures rapid response for repeated queries while avoiding heavy repeated processes.

The system is optimized by differentiating processes for newer devices (with automatically generated serial numbers) and older devices (with encoded details in their serial numbers). This approach balances resource load efficiently.

I’m constantly updating the Apple serial number lookup by periodically checking Apple’s resources and integrating new device data manually. Additionally, I log unsuccessful user attempts to identify and correct potential issues in future updates.

The tool is 100% secure, built entirely on my own codebase, and regularly audited for vulnerabilities.

How to try Apple serial number lookup

If you own an Apple device or are considering purchasing one, I invite you to try this tool and experience the convenience firsthand. Apple series number lookup is totally free and available at Setapp.

Any ideas on how I can improve this tool? I’m more than happy to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

I built a free Apple serial number lookup tool: that’s how it works was originally published in There’s an app for it on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

I tried different conversion platforms and websites, and each had its own issues. My main concern was that I don’t trust my photos to third-party platforms. In addition, I found that converters spoil the image quality.

As a developer, I couldn’t let this go. I built a tool to convert HEIC to JPG for myself and all Apple users.

How HEIC to JPG converter works

Technically, everything is straightforward: the conversion happens directly in your browser using open-source JavaScript libraries. Specifically, I used heic-convert for converting HEIC files to JPG and PNG formats, and image-to-pdf for PDF conversions. These libraries process images entirely client-side, meaning your photos are never uploaded or transferred across any network — everything remains securely on your device. Simply select your file and instantly receive the converted photo.

My HEIC to JPG converter is completely private. Unlike other conversion tools, no images are uploaded or transmitted externally. It’s faster, safer, and more convenient because it operates entirely within your browser.

How to use the HEIC to JPG converter

Just follow these four simple steps:

1. Open the HEIC to JPG converter
2. Сlick the upload button, or drag and drop your HEIC file
3. Wait a few seconds while we convert HEIC to JPG for you
4. Download your converted JPG file

What makes this converter cool for users? It’s free, doesn’t include any ads, and doesn’t require signing up! As a result, you get a high-quality converted image with no watermarks.

What makes this converter special?

• Free and ad-free: It doesn’t include any ads or require signing up.
• Secure: Conversion happens locally in your browser — no privacy concerns.
• High-quality output: The converter uses optimized algorithms to maintain image quality while balancing conversion speed and file size.
• No watermarks: Receive clean, ready-to-use images instantly.

HEIC to JPG converter development process

I began by exploring available open-source libraries for client-side image processing. After careful consideration, I selected heic-convert and image-to-pdf for their excellent performance, reliability, and community support. Then, I designed a minimalist and intuitive interface to ensure a seamless user experience.

The algorithms used in these libraries precisely balance conversion speed, file size, and quality, ensuring that the resulting images remain as faithful to the original as possible.

Need to convert HEIC to JPG right now?

Just visit the HEIC to JPG converter page, upload an image (limit 100 MB), and witness how fast and high-quality it is!

By the way, I’ve also made the same tool to convert HEIC to PNG. If you need to convert your photos to documents, try the HEIC to PDF converter.

Have any ideas for free tools to perform simple tasks on your Mac? Let me know in the comments, maybe this will be a new task on my developer’s to-do list.

How to convert HEIC to JPG or other formats: I made a free tool for that was originally published in There’s an app for it on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.