There are countless apps out there that we need, needed or would need in the future. Most times, when we want these apps, we can’t seem to lay our hands on them, or the price is often unaffordable.
Have you ever wondered how nice it would be if you can have these apps right at your fingertips whenever you want them at an affordable price? If you’ve ever felt like this, then Setapp is right for you.
Setapp is a product of MacPaw; if you are a long-time Mac user, you may have come across this name a few times.
Well, MacPaw is a renowned Mac company that has created and dished out quite an impressive amount of Mac applications; a good example is the famous CleanMyMac. To kick-start, this Setapp review, let’s first know what Setapp is.
What is Setapp?
Setapp is a collection of dozens of apps available to users via a subscription-based service. Unlike other subscriptions you know like Microsoft and Adobe, Setapp gives you access to over 200 apps, all for a small price with little to no up-front fees.
It is a product used by over 200,000 Mac users who have issued nothing but positive remarks about it.
In this Setapp review, we would try to cover every aspect of Setapp you should know.
How does Setapp work?
Setapp was launched in 2017, as at then it had just 40 apps or thereabout. These apps aren’t free by default, so it may seem suspicious how Setapp can market people’s products for such little price.
What MacPaw did was they agreed on a licensing deal with these app developers and then added the apps (or keep adding these apps) to Setapp. The developers, in return, get paid royalties based on the number of downloads and usage by users.
Setapp is 100% legal and gives you so much control over how you use it. When you place its cost vis-a-vis the number of apps it offers (about 200+), you’ll be ripping a considerable value off your monthly subscription.
What Apps are in Setapp?
As at the time of writing this article, there is nothing less than 200 apps (actually 215), and Setapp is quoted to have said they aim to have 300 apps.
They distributed the apps into groups; there are about 11 groups.
1. Maintenance
Gemini, CleanMyMac X, Wifi Explorer, iStart Menus, Get Backup Pro, Disk Drill, ChronoSync Express, NetSpot, Spotless, Endurance, AnyTrans for iOS, Android, and Meta.
2. Productivity
Paste, Dropshare, 2Do, PDF Search, NotePlan, Canary Mail, Taskheat, MindNode, Step Two, ClearVPN, AdGuard, Rocket Typist, etc.
3. MacHacks
Archiver, PDF Squeezer, JustStream, HazeOver, Remote Mouse, TripMode, Lacona, Unclutter, Mosaic, Shimo, etc.
4. Developer Tools
SQLPro Studio, Marked, Sip, Base, Simon, RapidWeaver, Hype, Whisk, NetSpot, CodeRunner, core Shell, TablePlus, etc.
5. Task Management
Taskheat, Timemator, Session, Collabio, Pagico, TaskPaper, Timing, Aeon Timeline, GoodTask, InstaCal, SideNotes, etc.
6. Writing & Blogging
PDF Search, Ulyssess, Diarly, Manuscripts, Focused, Aeon Timeline, Mate Translate, TextSoap, Prizmo, Strike, Rocket Typist, etc.
7. Education
Wokabulary, MindNote, Euclid, Findings, iThoughtsX, Numi, Studies, KeyKey Typing Tutor, MarginNote, PDFpen, etc.
8. Lifestyle
NotePlan, Canary Mail, Diarly, Newton, Session, Wallpaper Wizard, Folx, ClearVPN, Uplet, Boom 3D, MoneyWiz, Swift Publisher, etc.
9. Creativity
Renamer, Sip, PhotoBulk, Image2icon, Capto, Squash, Gifox, iFlicks, n-Track Studio, Tayasui Sketches, IconJar, Photolemur, etc
10. Personal Finance
Chronicle, MoneyWiz, UctoX, Home Inventory, GigEconomy, Moonitor, Receipts, etc.
11. Available on iOS (Apps you can use on your iDevice)
Euclid, Canary Mail, Dropshare, Ulysses, etc
How much does Setapp Cost?
Setapp pricing is divided into two categories.
We have Setapp for Personal use and Setapp for Teams.
The Personal pricing goes for $9.99 per month (+ TAX).
It also has an Annual subscription charged at $8.99 per month, which accumulates to $107.88 per year; both plans can be used on one computer only.
There’s also the Family plan which costs $19.99 per month and can be used on four computers.
While the Team pricing goes for $9.99 per month and $8.99 per month if you are paying annually, however, to add a computer to each plan, you’ll pay $2.47; that is, if your team consists of 5 different users who would need Setapp, you’ll be looking at $22.44 for the monthly plan and $256.08 for the yearly plan.
There’s also an option to create a custom offer.
Aside from this, there’s also a seven-day Setapp free trial, and you wouldn’t need to input your credit card.
So, you don’t have to bother about forgetting to cancel your payments. This feature has dragged in tens of thousands of users. Even if you opt-in for the premium version, they don’t start charging you until seven days elapse.
If you can prove you are a student, you could get a $4.99 Setapp student discount, which’s a whopping 50%.
VAT is charged for those countries that conform to tax rules (US customers are exempted).
With just $2.49 per month, you can use Setapp features that are available on iOS devices.
How to get started with Setapp
Step 1: Visit Setapp’s official site by clicking this link.
Step 2: You can sign up to start the free trial or select a pricing plan and purchase accordingly. The sign-up options are with your email or through Facebook or Google.
Step 3: Follow all on-screen instructions and fill in the necessary information. Then download and install Setapp.
Step 4: Launch Setapp, then go through the groups there and locate the app you want, or you use the search box at the upper left corner of Setapp.
Step 5: You can download it from the list there (a small download button is beside the app name) or click on the app name to see more details and screenshots.
When in, click the Install button.
Step 6: Setapp gives you the option to access the app from there, or you go to your application folder and click on Setapp; it then reveals the apps you’ve downloaded.
You can move the app from the Setapp folder to the usual Mac application folder.
Benefits of using Setapp
The mere fact that you are getting over 200 apps for $10 is a significant benefit; however, these are what you stand to gain from joining the Setapp train.
1. Save Cost
Let’s look at the prices of some major apps available on Setapp:
- CleanMyMac X – $39.95
- Bartender – $15
- CleanShot X – $29
- Downie – $9.99
- Disk Drill – $39.99
- Coderunner 3 – $19.99
- iThoughtsX – $49.99
These seven apps are quite famous, and together they’ll cost $163.92. Setapp monthly subscription goes for $9.99 per month or the yearly plan of $107.
When you consider how much you are saving with Setapp, especially with the number of apps you’ll have access to, you can agree it’s a pretty smart decision to subscribe to Setapp.
Collectively, the apps available on Setapp could cost over $5000. Setapp is to applications what Netflix is to movies, and Spotify is to music.
2. Readily Available Options
You never get to know the full capabilities of most apps on the Mac app store. Yes, they are demos and reviews available, but nothing beats the first-hand experience.
With Setapp, you have access to explore every app that catches your eye and decide if you should keep it or uninstall it without spending a Penny.
A simple search for a keyword like “Web Des” in the Setapp Search box would give you so many options to choose from; you can install, test, and uninstall these options without any expenditure.
3. New apps
There are over 2 million apps in the Mac app store; although all these apps aren’t available on Setapp, you still have over 200 to explore.
It is unlikely that you’ve used every app available there. With Setapp, you get to meet more apps, and you are just a click away from exploring them.
4. Get quality apps
No, Setapp doesn’t include apps at random. The CEO and founder of MacPaw Oleksandr Kosovan explicitly stated that “We (Setapp team) want a maximum of 300 of the BEST apps.” They keep to their word by providing apps that are 90% compatible with the latest version of Mac and are updated continuously. So, you can count on exploring only quality apps.
5. Free updates
All apps on Setapp are updated directly from it. If you get some of these apps directly from the app store or their sites, you’ll be required to pay a fee for some upgrades.
6. User-friendly and interface
For an app that dishes out such awesomeness, it won’t be much of a burden if its user interface is complicated. Well, Setapp isn’t. You wouldn’t feel any hassle navigating your way through this app. You don’t need to be tech-savvy to rip its benefits.
7. Bloat free apps
“Mac App store is horrifically bad” – Alexander Fox; this is true. The store is filled with overpriced applications, bloated apps, unmaintained apps, and much more evils an app store could have. Setapp, on the other hand, offers apps whose team adequately maintains.
8. Good support
Although you can’t contact Setapp’s team via phone, chat, or email, they have a contact form you can reach out to them from. When you do, you get an auto-reply assuring you they’ll get back to you in 24 hours which they often do. They are also available on many social media.
What are the Best Setapp apps
This answer would vary based on what you want. It all falls to interest; the apps are separated into ten different groups.
According to me following are the best setapp apps:
- CleanMyMac X
- Gemini
- Timemator
- Wokabulary
- Disk Drill
- CleanShot X
- iThoughtsX
We also have apps grouped into categories like the following;
There’s Creativity which features awesome apps for photo editing, social media management, screen recording, amongst others.
The Developer group contains at least two apps every developer would love; we have the famous CodeRunner, SQLPro Studio, Marked, and more.
Writers and Bloggers aren’t left out; they have fantastic writing tools like Ulyssess, Rocket Typist, etc.
Education is another vital section you can find there, and it gives you access to apps like Wokabulary, PDF Search, Findings, and countless other educative options.
Our Finances are quite essential to us. To help us handle stuff in this section, Setapp offers apps like MoneyWiz, Chronicle, Moonitor.
You can adequately manage your daily activities with Task Management apps like 2Do, Timemator, Taskheat, Collabo.
Simply put, there are at least three apps you will find useful on Setapp. We also have apps that could come in handy at any time like
CleanMyMac X helps scan and clean your Mac of junks, leaving it fast and free of malware.
Gemini, this app helps free up space on your Mac by getting rid of duplicate and similar files.
CleanShot X, it’s an ideal app for taking quality screenshots of your Macbook.
Paste, by default Mac, allows just one entry to its clipboard, but this app gives you room for more than ten entries at a time. You can copy as much as you can and paste them with ease.
Workspaces make things easy by quickly opening resources you’ll need while carrying out any task.
Mac’s Spotlight is doing quite a great job, especially with Siri around; however, Lacona is one app that makes things a bit easier to do when compared to Spotlight. You can calculate, convert, set reminders, and do much more with Lacona.
Ulysses allows you to keep track of your notes, documents, write-ups, etc., all in one place. Its editors call it “the greatest text editor the world has ever seen.“
Other apps to look out for are GoodTask, Focus, Dropzone, and so much more. These are what we’ll call the best Setapp apps for now.
Is There a Setapp alternative?
Well, there is no exact Setapp alternative. Setapp is one of a kind. However, some apps are somewhat similar but not exactly.
Mac-Bundles, what it does is gives you a bundle of apps at probably a discounted rate. This service has its downside, one of which is, the apps are often sub-par and can’t be compared to what Setapp offers.
Then there’s the Mac app store which you are probably used to. With the features you see Setapp offers, you can’t compare it to the app store. No doubt the app store offers millions of options; these options come at a cost.
FAQs
Q. Does Setapp have student discounts?
Yes, there’s a Setapp student discount. This option isn’t directly available; you’ll have to contact Setapp with proves you are a student, teacher, or educational institution. After they confirm these details, they’ll access all the apps available at a 50% flat fee discount.
Q. Is Setapp legit?
Yes, it is. MacPaw reaches out to the app developers they want to include, signs a contract with them, and then have their app on Setapp. Now, these developers get paid royalties based on how their apps are used.
They have a dashboard that keeps track of every user who makes use of it. They get paid for users barely opening the app.
Back in 2018, after the launch, they had over 200,000 users who have tried Setapp, 15,000 are subscribers, and they have realized a recurring payment of $1.5m annually.
Q. How do I uninstall Setapp from my Mac?
You can completely uninstall Setapp and the apps you installed through it or uninstall just Setapp, keeping the apps you installed.
- Step 1: Open Setapp and click on Help, then select the Uninstall option.
- Step 2: Select either Uninstall Completely or Keep Applications, then follow all on-screen instructions.
Note, yes, the apps would remain if you uninstall only Setapp. However, you might need to pay for features in them instead of using the free features that come with accessing them via Setapp.
Q. How do I uninstall Setapp’s applications?
The applications are installed on your Mac like every other app, so you can uninstall them by dragging them to Trash; alternatively, you can uninstall them via Setapp.
- Step 1: Launch Setapp and click the On This Mac option from the sidebar.
- Step 2: Locate the app you want to remove and click it.
- Step 3: Next, click the disclosure triangle of the Open button, then select the Uninstall option.
Setapp Review: Conclusion
We have come to the end of our review of Setapp.
So, what do you think?
Is Setapp worth it? We’ll say a strong Yes.
This service barely costs much, offering you applications that could cost you thousands of dollars if purchased separately. Setapp gives you access to carefully picked apps that are often up-to-date and would seldom give you any headache as you proceed. Thank you for stopping by, have a great day.
