10 Mac apps that are worth paying for

Time to optimize your Mac usage.

The right apps can completely revolutionize your computer experience, but why bother paying for them when there are so many free alternatives floating around? Easy: some apps are worth it.

Professionally designed and honed for the quality you need, the 10 apps in the 2018 Mac Essentials Bundle are years ahead of their free alternatives. This diverse collection of Mac apps is only $19.99 (which isn’t free, but is still less than a movie, popcorn, and a drink), and includes gems like:

BusyCal 3

Mac’s Calendar app leaves a lot to desired, and BusyCal is the clear favorite alternative among reviewers. Not only does BusyCal sync with the cloud so you always have your updated calendar on-the-go, but it offers a range of customization tools to make it your own.

HoudahSpot 

CNET gives HoudahSpot 4 out of 5 stars, and for good reason. This app blows Mac’s Finder away with its advanced search interface. You know that file that you were looking for that disappeared off the face of your Mac? HoudahSpot can find it. It’s a simple addition that can save you a ton of time.

Systweak Anti-Malware Pro

You think your Mac is immune to malware? Maybe that was true once, but as Macs get more popular, they attract more and more hacker attention. With a constantly updating database of known malware and viruses, Systweak will check your apps and services at every startup to make sure your data is safe.

RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 Platinum

If you’re not salivating at the thought of establishing your own digital theme park, that’s just because you haven’t played a RollerCoaster Tycoon game. Give these digital theme park attendees the time of their life, or knock their digital little socks off. The choice is yours. And the platinum versions means you get both expansion packs: “Soaked!” and “Wild!”

Movavi Photo Editor

Editing pictures isn’t just for the professionals now, it’s practically necessary for maintaining a social media presence. Experiment with backgrounds and colors and clean up any blemishes you want with this fun and easy-to-use tool.

Flip PDF for Mac: Lifetime Access

Want to turn your PDF into a different kind of file, like an ebook, html, .app or something similar? This is the app for you. Instead of forcing users to navigate an unwieldy PDF, you can create a smooth reading experience for desktops and mobile to enable you to easily share your creation on any social media platform. And since Flip PDF is constantly updating, lifetime access means this app will continue to improve for as long as you remember you have it.

Cisdem DuplicateFinder 4

Everybody ends up with a few duplicate files on their computer because staying organized is hard and we’re all so busy. Sadly, there’s no easy way to get rid of them — unless you snag the Cisdem DuplicateFinder 4, which is a digital housekeeper that sweeps your entire Mac for doubled-up files and cleans them out (even if they’re named differently!).

Cargo VPN

No matter what your social media privacy settings are, the cold truth is that the internet is dangerous, full of scallywags and mal-contents that want to pillage your data for loot. A VPN can encrypt and hide your data while you browse, protecting everything from your baby photos on Facebook to your bank accounts and PINs.

All these apps (and more!) are worth a grand total of $529.90, but during this special month-long promotion you can get the entire Mac Essentials Bundle in the Mashable Store for just $19.99.

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