My Mac Apps in 2026

I realized something recently: The apps we use are not only "tools"; they directly shape how we think, our productivity, and even our daily habits. With 2026, I thought it is time for some changes now. Because of this, while working on my Mac, I moved to a simpler, more integrated, and safer setup over time. While doing this, my focus was clear: using as few apps as possible that are integrated with each other.

In this post, I want to talk about the reasons behind this change and some 2026 Mac apps I use actively today. Also you can read Turkish post here.

Browser Adventure: Switching from Chrome to Safari

I used Chrome for a looong time. My habits, easy sync with many devices, rich extensions, and its practical password manager were great. I think Chromium-based browsers are still great. But over time, the biggest problem for me on Mac was Chrome literally eating my battery when I work outside for a long time.

MacBooks are really successful with battery life, but my MacBook Pro is in its 5th year now, so my battery health dropped to 83%. This is actually an acceptable scenario, but it is annoying that Chrome uses most of that time among many other things. 🙂 I tried Safari many times before, but I always went back because of my habits.

Today, I realized this is not a technical thing, but completely a psychological habit, and I decided to force myself. Switching to Safari was totally pragmatic: its perfect harmony with the Apple ecosystem, its stability, and the serious difference in battery consumption were enough for me. Getting used to it took some time, but I am very happy with Safari right now. Actually, this change opened the door for other changes in my system like a chain reaction.

Security: Passwords, 2FA, etc.

I kept my passwords in Chrome and my 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) codes in Authy for years. Everything was working. But changing the browser made things complicated. There is a basic rule of security: Your passwords must not be the same anywhere. Using the same or similar passwords on different websites is a big risk today, considering a platform gets hacked every day.

It is also impossible for the human brain to remember dozens of complex passwords. After leaving Chrome, I could pass to Apple Passwords, but something felt missing in its interface (or UX side). Also, the recent data leak news about Authy created a serious trust issue for me.

I need to say something here. I don't like spending money blindly on subscriptions. We pay subscription fees to so many services every month... But when I find an app that really makes my life easier and does its job simply, paying around 5-10 dollars a month for it feels much more logical to me. Moving my security infrastructure to Proton was exactly this kind of price/performance decision.

Instead of dealing with separate password managers, VPNs, or privacy services, my sister and I switched to the "Family" plan. We gathered everything under one roof in a central and simple structure. (By the way, Proton Pass has an open-source and free version, so you don't have to pay money to step into security.)

The biggest comforts this system gives me in daily life are:

• Single Center: Proton Pass creates unique passwords and keeps 2FA codes in the same place. All I need to do is keep my habit of using the system. (I asked myself, "Did I put all my eggs in one basket?" here, but I am happy for now.)
• Email Alias (Nicknames): Using a different alias for every website stops spam completely. When there is a data leak, I can see the source immediately and cancel that address. My main email address always stays clean.
• VPN: Especially when I connect to public Wi-Fi networks outside, or when I need to reach streaming services in Turkey while I am in the Philippines right now, it solves my problem silently in the background.

Also, for my Mac's own security, I am one of those who do not believe the "Mac doesn't get viruses" myth. After Norton, I switched to Bitdefender. It offers a silent and effective security layer in the background.

Productivity: Silent Heroes in the Background

My goal is not "installing every productivity app I find", but using the right tool in the right place.

• Todoist: I really love going to a cafe with a notebook to think, clear my head, and organize my week for planned work. I think Apple Notes and Calendar are great together, but I needed a more organized system for task tracking.
• Obsidian: The center of my notes and thoughts. Everyone talks about Notion, but Notion always felt more complicated than necessary to me. Doing everything inside a note app feels strange. My favorite thing about Obsidian is that it is Markdown-based, incredibly fast, and has a personal vault where the data is completely mine. I put this vault in iCloud, and it works in sync with all my devices.
• Raycast: At first, I said "why do I need this?", but it is a complete time-saver with its clipboard history, calculator, exchange rates, and small extensions.
• CleanShot X: A great tool for screenshots and video recording. It deserves its one-time fee to the end for annotated screenshots and fast sharing.
• Rectangle: A beautiful mini app that makes window management easy. It makes me say, "Why is this not a default feature on Mac?".

My Development Environment (Engineering)

 I used JetBrains IDEs for years. However, recently I switched to Cursor, and I can say it really makes a serious difference in AI-supported development. For the database side, DataGrip is still my indispensable IDE.

For Docker and container works, I use OrbStack. Because of its native feeling on Mac and its speed, I threw away my clunky Docker Desktop habit in a flash. I have a very simple dev environment with Cursor, DataGrip, OrbStack, and DBngin.

Artificial Intelligence and Music

AI tools are not only for writing code anymore. They are also on the table when I scribble something or make my thoughts clear:

• ChatGPT: Mostly the first tool I go to.
• Gemini: For a different perspective and alternative approaches. Actually, I started using Gemini so often lately that I am planning to downgrade my ChatGPT Pro plan to the free version because of the price advantage.

And lastly, Apple Music. I was a Spotify user for years. But the increase of AI-generated garbage in playlists, the never-ending wait for "lossless music", and rising prices pushed me to Apple Music. I think Spotify might still be a bit ahead in UI and integration, but the lossless sound quality definitely closed the gap for me.

Conclusion

At the point I reached today, I can clearly say this: Security and order do not have to be an extra burden. When you use the right and integrated tools, that digital chaos ends. Keeping things simple relaxes both your machine technically and you mentally incredibly.