24 apps4 best-of guides20 free to start
Watch, listen and read
Better players for your videos, podcasts and music, plus apps for reading later and learning something new.
The top 3
Our highest-rated picks in Watch, listen and read right now.
- 1
Merlin Bird IDFree bird ID by song, photo or 3 quick questions, from the Cornell Lab, and it works offline.Free4.9 - 2
VLCThe free, open-source player that opens almost any video file and streams from your home server or cloud drive.Free, open source3.7 - 3
InfusePlays MKV and almost any other video file on Apple TV, iPad and iPhone, straight from your NAS or Plex server.Free to start4.7
Best-of guides
Each one names 1 winner, the best free pick and who should choose something else.
All 24 apps in Watch, listen and read
24 apps
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Price
Trial
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Merlin Bird IDFree bird ID by song, photo or 3 quick questions, from the Cornell Lab, and it works offline.Free4.9
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VLCThe free, open-source player that opens almost any video file and streams from your home server or cloud drive.Free, open source3.7
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InfusePlays MKV and almost any other video file on Apple TV, iPad and iPhone, straight from your NAS or Plex server.Free to start4.7
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AnkiSpaced-repetition flashcards that are free on the Mac, work offline and handle decks of 100,000+ cards.Free, open source4 -
IINAA free, open-source video player that handles almost any file and still feels like a native Mac app.Free, open source -
OvercastThe podcast player that trims dead air and evens out volume, built and run by a single developer.Free to start4.5 -
Pocket CastsA free podcast player whose queue and progress follow you to Mac, web, Android and CarPlay.Free to start4.5 -
Readwise ReaderArticles, newsletters, RSS, PDFs and YouTube transcripts in 1 library, with highlights that come back to you later.From $9.994.6 -
Sky GuidePoint your iPhone at the night sky and it names every star, planet and satellite, free and offline.Free to start4.8 -
NetNewsWireA free, open source RSS reader that puts every new post from the sites you follow in one list, ad-free.Free, open source4.7 -
calibreThe free, open-source way to keep a big e-book collection in one place and convert any book for any e-reader.Free, open source -
DuolingoFree, bite-size lessons in 40+ languages, plus math and chess, with a streak that keeps beginners coming back.Free to start4.7 -
CallsheetLook up any actor, their age at release and where a film streams, without ads, logins or spoilers.From $14.9 -
SpotifyYour Spotify playlists, podcasts and downloads on the Mac, free with ads or ad-free with Premium.Free to start -
ReederOne calm timeline for RSS, YouTube, podcasts and social posts that picks up where you left off on every device.Free to start4.3 -
CastroA podcast player where new episodes wait in an inbox until you pick the ones worth hearing, so nothing piles up.Free to start4.6 -
DopplerA player for the music files you own, with offline playback, CarPlay and tag editing, for $9 once with no subscription.$9 once4.6 -
SofaYour shows, books, games and podcasts in 1 place, with episode tracking and no account needed.Free to start4.7 -
MatterA read-later app that reads saved articles aloud in natural voices and turns podcasts into synced transcripts.Free to start4.6 -
PlayA personal watchlist for videos from any app, with an algorithm-free YouTube feed synced over iCloud.Free to start4.7 -
TuningMacA real 10-band EQ, a volume slider per app and AirPods noise controls in the menu bar, with no driver to install.$14 once -
LookUpOxford definitions plus an illustrated word a day and spaced repetition quizzes that make new words stick.Free to start4.7 -
BingeA movie and TV tracker with 3 review scores, post-credits alerts and jumpscare timelines, made by one developer.Free to start4.2 -
DoMarksSaved links get an action and a checkbox, so articles, videos and podcasts finally get done.Free to start4.7
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