Got a New Mac for Christmas? Here Are the Best Apps to Get in 2024!

There’s something magical about cracking open a brand-new Mac. It’s sleek, powerful, and full of potential—but it’s also a blank slate. After the initial rush of setting it up and admiring the design, reality kicks in: it’s time to load it up with the right apps to make it truly shine.

Whether you’re planning to crush work projects, dive into creative endeavors, or just make daily tasks more efficient, your Mac can handle it all—if you give it the right tools. And while macOS is impressive out of the box, a few essential apps can elevate the experience dramatically.

Here’s a rundown of the must-have apps to transform your Mac into a productivity powerhouse. Some will streamline your workflow, others will spark new ideas—and one might just become your favorite app of the year.

NotePlan

NotePlan is the go-to app for anyone who likes their planning tools simple yet powerful. Combining task management, note-taking, and calendar integration, it’s ideal for creatives, students, and anyone managing complex projects. What makes NotePlan stand out is how it links notes to specific days, blending your to-do list with a journal-like experience.

Main Features:

• To-do lists, notes, and daily planning in one app
• Calendar integration for seamless scheduling
• Journaling capabilities to track progress

Switching between apps to organize tasks is a thing of the past. NotePlan streamlines everything by merging your calendar, notes, and to-dos in one cohesive interface. This keeps your workflow smooth and all your ideas in one place.

The clean, intuitive design makes it easy to focus on the task at hand. Whether you’re outlining a long-term project or planning the week ahead, NotePlan scales to match your needs without overwhelming you.

During busy seasons, like holidays or work sprints, NotePlan’s ability to manage gift lists or personal goals adds an unexpected but welcome layer of usefulness.

Fello AI

Fello AI is for those who want to tap into the power of AI directly from their desktop. By integrating top models like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini into one app, Fello AI makes it simple to generate text, analyze documents, or brainstorm ideas—all from a native macOS environment.

Main Features:

• Access to multiple AI models such as ChatGPT, Claude 3.5, Gemini 2.0 or Perplexity in one app
• PDF and image analysis
• Bookmarks, Pins, Search, and more.

This isn’t just an AI app—it’s like having a virtual collaborator. Writers can generate ideas and draft content, while developers can troubleshoot code or brainstorm features. The versatility means it can fit into any workflow, regardless of your profession.

Fello AI’s sleek design ensures that AI tools feel like a natural part of your Mac, not an afterthought. Switching between different AI models is as easy as flipping a switch, giving you unparalleled flexibility.

By removing the need for additional subscriptions, Fello AI lowers the barrier to entry, making AI exploration accessible and fun for everyone.

Arc Browser

Arc Browser isn’t your average web browser—it’s a productivity tool in disguise. Designed for heavy internet users, Arc blends sleek design with AI features to simplify how you manage tabs and gather information. Whether you’re researching, reading articles, or jumping between dozens of tabs, Arc makes everything more intuitive.

Main Features:

• Ask on Page – Instantly retrieve answers from any web page
• 5-Second Previews – Summarize links by hovering over them
• Tidy Tab Titles – Shortens long tab titles and download names

Arc is like having an assistant built into your browser. Tabs no longer turn into an unmanageable mess—Arc organizes them for you, letting you focus on the task at hand. Its AI-driven previews and summaries mean you can sift through content faster without wasting time clicking through unnecessary links.

For researchers or anyone who spends hours online, Arc’s tab management feels like magic. It’s designed to reduce clutter and maximize efficiency, ensuring that important content stays front and center.

Shortcuts

Apple’s Shortcuts app is a hidden gem for automating everyday tasks. It allows you to build custom workflows that handle everything from resizing images to setting up split-screen layouts. If you’ve ever wished your Mac could do more with less effort, Shortcuts is the answer.

Main Features:

• Automates complex tasks with one click
• Integrates with macOS apps and services
• Easy drag-and-drop workflow builder

Shortcuts turns tedious, multi-step processes into quick one-click actions. Need to organize a folder of files or create a recurring email template? Shortcuts handles it instantly, freeing up your time for more important work.

The drag-and-drop builder makes creating workflows accessible to everyone, even if you’re not tech-savvy. Whether you’re automating small tasks or large projects, Shortcuts adapts to fit your needs.

Once you start automating with Shortcuts, it’s hard to stop. The more you use it, the more you discover new ways to simplify and speed up your daily routines.

Alfred

Alfred is the ultimate productivity booster for Mac users who want to work faster and smarter. Acting as an enhanced Spotlight replacement, it allows you to launch apps, search files, and control your Mac effortlessly. If you’re someone who loves keyboard shortcuts and streamlining workflows, Alfred is for you.

Main Features:

• Customizable search workflows for apps and files
• Web search and quick calculations
• Clipboard history and snippets for easy copy-pasting

Alfred doesn’t just speed things up—it transforms how you interact with your Mac. Launching apps, finding documents, or performing web searches can all happen within seconds, minimizing distractions and keeping you in the flow.

It integrates so seamlessly with macOS that it feels like a natural extension of the system, but with superpowers. The lightweight design ensures it runs in the background without draining resources, making it perfect for both older Macs and brand-new ones.

For anyone juggling multiple projects, Alfred is the key to cutting out repetitive clicks and manual searching. It’s the kind of app that once you try, you’ll wonder how you lived without.

Final Thoughts

The right apps can turn your Mac from a sleek new gadget into an indispensable tool that powers your daily life. Whether you’re streamlining work tasks, organizing personal projects, or simply making your digital space more efficient, the right software makes all the difference.

Exploring new apps not only enhances productivity but also unlocks creative potential. From AI companions to smarter browsers and automation tools, these apps open doors to possibilities you might not have known existed.

The best part? You don’t need to overhaul everything at once. Start small, try a few apps, and let your Mac evolve into the powerhouse it’s meant to be.

Happy exploring—and enjoy your new Mac!