There are tons of new and unique apps individual users can download to Macs and iPads to increase productivity, accessibility, entertainment level, among so many other things. The downsides to downloading dozens of apps are the hefty monthly subscription fees that are sure to add up. This is where Setapp steps in.
Instead of paying fees to individual apps, Setapp offers a compilation of Mac apps for a single monthly subscription fee. Sounds too good to be true? Go on and read this review to find out whether Setapp could work for you:
How Setapp Works
The founders have based their idea on streaming services. With the onset of streaming platforms, movie watchers didn’t have to pay for individual DVDs. Instead, they pay one monthly fee to access tens of thousands of movies and TV shows from a single online platform.
Instead of movies or music tracks, Setapp makes various Mac apps available to individual users for a $9.99 monthly subscription fee. While it’s not as big as Netflix, currently there are over 100 apps Mac users can try. Imagine paying even a dollar each month to use each of these apps. The cost would be considerable. The single subscription model of Setapp is definitely a bargain in this light.
Design
The Setapp suite is very intuitive, well organized, and all around easy to use. The suite includes three columns: the finder sidebar, the app listing column, and the preview column.
The finder sidebar has all the apps neatly categorized into groups such as Lifestyle, Productivity, Creativity, Task Management, and so on. Users can get access to all the apps or other apps available on the Mac quickly from the sidebar.
Once the user clicks on a category, another column lists all the apps available under that category. Right now, Setapp makes roughly 112 apps immediately available with desktop download. New apps are still being added, about 3 new per month, according to the company.
Third column makes a preview of a selected app available with the name, a screenshot or an image, and a short description. It’s very useful when looking for a new app. All the information is available in a single suite, which is extremely convenient for busy enterprise users.
Features
The apps on Setapp are handpicked by the creators. That is to say, users can’t add or exclude apps they personally like. The suite is made available with more apps that anyone could ever really use, so this should not be a problem.
There are plenty of highly useful apps both individual and work users can benefit from. The suite includes several apps from the company behind Setapp, such as CleanMyMac. Other notable apps include Capto, Bartender, Gemini,SQLPro Studio, and even Ulysses. The collection is incredibly varied. The inclusion of popular apps like Ulysses, which can cost as much as $45 individually, is really impressive.
It’s also got a few personal finance apps like Chronicle, MoneyWiz and Home Inventory that can help you keep a track of your finances, receipts, bills etc. You can check all the apps offered by Setapp here.
It should be noted that all the apps in Setup are ad-free. There are no in-app advertisements or prompts for purchases. That distraction-free environment alone makes the subscription fee worthwhile.
Downsides
It’s hard to find downsides to this service. However, do understand that this service makes financial sense only to those who need to use multiple apps on a monthly or daily basis. If you need to use only one or two cheap apps, then the $10 price tag may be overpaying.
Conclusion
Setapp is a fascinating tool that is near limitless in application and convenience. If you are in the habit of downloading numerous apps each year, the Setapp suite can save a fortune. Users may even be able to save money on some apps made available in the suite like SQLPro Studio, which are very expensive to use individually.
Overall, Setapp offers excellent functionality and a great opportunity to save money when working on projects. The suite keeps adding new apps, so the cost effectiveness of Setapp would only increase in the future. Currently, Setapp is available for a free 7-day trial run.
Click here to start yours and take it for a spin. If you don’t like it, you can always cancel.