50 Best Mac Apps to Install with Homebrew
Updated January 2026 • 12 min read
One of the best things about Homebrew is Homebrew Cask — the ability to install GUI applications with a single terminal command. No more hunting for download links or dragging apps to your Applications folder.
Here are the 50 best Mac apps you can install via Homebrew, organized by category.
How to Install Casks
To install any app from this list, use: brew install --cask app-name
Or use Taphouse to browse and install visually!
Developer Tools
Visual Studio Code
visual-studio-code
The most popular code editor. Lightweight, extensible, and free.
iTerm2
iterm2
The best terminal emulator for macOS. Split panes, search, and more.
Docker Desktop
docker
Run containers on your Mac. Essential for modern development.
Sublime Text
sublime-text
Fast, lightweight text editor beloved by many developers.
Postman
postman
API development and testing made easy.
TablePlus
tableplus
Modern, native database management GUI.
Insomnia
insomnia
Open-source API client. Great Postman alternative.
GitHub Desktop
github
Simple Git GUI from GitHub.
Install all developer tools:
brew install --cask visual-studio-code iterm2 docker sublime-text postman tableplus insomnia github
Productivity
Raycast
raycast
Supercharged Spotlight replacement. Extensions, snippets, and more.
Alfred
alfred
Powerful launcher and automation tool.
Rectangle
rectangle
Free window management with keyboard shortcuts.
Notion
notion
All-in-one workspace for notes, docs, and databases.
Obsidian
obsidian
Powerful knowledge base with markdown files.
1Password
1password
Premium password manager.
Bitwarden
bitwarden
Open-source password manager.
Todoist
todoist
Beautiful task management app.
Browsers
Google Chrome
google-chrome
The world's most popular browser.
Firefox
firefox
Privacy-focused browser from Mozilla.
Arc
arc
The browser for power users. Spaces, profiles, and more.
Brave
brave-browser
Privacy browser with built-in ad blocking.
Communication
Slack
slack
Team communication and collaboration.
Discord
ndiscord
Voice, video, and text chat.
Zoom
zoom
Video conferencing and meetings.
Telegram
telegram
Fast, secure messaging app.
Popular messaging app for Mac.
Microsoft Teams
microsoft-teams
Enterprise team collaboration.
Media & Design
Figma
figma
Collaborative design tool.
Spotify
n spotify
Music streaming with massive library.
VLC
vlc
Plays any media file. Period.
IINA
iina
Modern, native macOS media player.
HandBrake
handbrake
Free video transcoder.
ImageOptim
imageoptim
Compress images without losing quality.
System Utilities
AppCleaner
appcleaner
Completely uninstall apps and their leftovers.
The Unarchiver
nthe-unarchiver
Open any archive format.
Stats
stats
System monitor in your menu bar.
Karabiner Elements
karabiner-elements
Powerful keyboard customization.
MonitorControl
monitorcontrol
Control external monitor brightness.
Hidden Bar
hiddenbar
Hide menu bar icons.
AltTab
nalt-tab
Windows-style alt-tab for macOS.
Mos
mos
Smooth scrolling for external mice.
Cloud & Sync
Dropbox
dropbox
Cloud storage and file sync.
Google Drive
ngoogle-drive
Google's cloud storage solution.
Syncthing
nsyncthing
Open-source continuous file sync.
Transmit
ntransmit
Premium FTP/SFTP client.
Security & Privacy
Mullvad VPN
nmullvad-vpn
Privacy-focused VPN service.
Little Snitch
nlittle-snitch
Network monitoring and firewall.
ProtonVPN
nprotonvpn
Secure VPN from the makers of ProtonMail.
GPG Suite
gpg-suite
Email encryption and key management.
Easier Way to Browse and Install
Instead of memorizing cask names, use Taphouse to visually browse all 8,000+ casks and install with a click.
Quick Install Script
Here's a script to install the most popular casks in one go:
#!/bin/bash
# Essential Mac apps via Homebrew
# Browsers
brew install --cask google-chrome firefox arc
# Productivity
brew install --cask raycast rectangle notion obsidian
# Development
brew install --cask visual-studio-code iterm2 docker tableplus
# Communication
brew install --cask slack discord zoom
# Media
brew install --cask spotify vlc figma
# Utilities
brew install --cask appcleaner the-unarchiver stats rectangle
# Password manager
brew install --cask bitwarden
echo "Done! All apps installed."
Save this as install-apps.sh, run chmod +x install-apps.sh, then ./install-apps.sh.
Keeping Apps Updated
One of the best things about installing apps via Homebrew: updates are easy.
# See which casks have updates
brew outdated --cask
# Update all casks
brew upgrade --cask
# Update a specific cask
brew upgrade --cask visual-studio-code
Or let Taphouse show you outdated apps and update them with one click.
Summary
Homebrew Cask is the fastest way to set up a new Mac or keep your apps organized. Instead of visiting dozens of websites and clicking through installers, a few terminal commands (or clicks in Taphouse) get you up and running.
Start with the essentials, then explore the 8,000+ casks available. Happy brewing!