There can be security issues with Mac software too. Malware, spyware, adware, ransomware, and other security threats can hide in third-party apps. If you want to keep your system safe, you should stay away from cracked Mac apps.

Because of this, you should only download Mac apps from websites that you know are safe.

You should be safe from malware on these sites as long as you take reasonable steps when downloading Mac apps. As always, don't download cracked or stolen apps, don't use unknown mirrors or third-party installers, and always have an antivirus program running.

Learn more: Top 9 Safe Sites to Download Free Software for MAC

How to Download Free Software for MAC?

It's easy to see why sites that hold collections of Mac apps are so popular. They save you time, give you honest reviews, and let you download older versions of software to get rid of new features you don't want.

All of the sites we've looked at are good, though. If Apple can't even keep bad people out of its own store, you can be sure that some bad software will get onto the other platforms too.

• Download Straight From the Developer: The safest and most secure way to get Mac apps is to go to the download pages of the developers and get the files there. Just watch out for phishing attempts on the most popular software!

• If you want to get apps for your Apple devices, the Mac App Store is the best and safest place to do it. Apple has verified that the apps in the App Store adhere to their security standards. You can look through the apps by category or search for specific ones.

• Open Source Software Websites: There are a lot of websites that are all about open-source software, which anyone can use and change for free.

These sites let you get free Mac software in the safest way possible.

1. MacUpdate

Website: https://www.macupdate.com/

MacUpdate is one of the best known sites for safely downloading Mac software. This app store has more than 18,000 apps.

You can be sure that every app in the library has been carefully checked out because each one was picked out by professionals who work for the site.

MacUpdate has a list of both free and paid apps, and some of them are linked directly to the Mac App Store so you can download them. On the website, you can download some of them right away.

The site is easy to use because all the apps are organized into 19 clear categories. A few of the groups they belong to are Browse, Business, Customization, Developer Tools, Internet Utilities, Finance, Games, Graphics Design, Education, Health & Fitness, Lifestyle & Hobbies, Medical Software, Music & Audio, Photography, Productivity, Security, System Utilities, Travel, and Video.

2. Softpedia

Top 6 Best Sites to Download Free Software for MAC - toplist.info
Softpedia.

Website: https://mac.softpedia.com/

Softpedia is one of the most well-known sites for getting software. It's no surprise that a big part of it is dedicated to Mac apps.

The download files are updated every day, so you can be sure you're always getting the most up-to-date version. It's important to use the most recent versions to avoid security problems.

A lot of apps also have the "100% Clean" certification. Softpedia says the following is true:

Softpedia says that the app is 100% Clean because it doesn't have any malware in it, such as spyware, viruses, trojans, or backdoors.

This piece of software has been through a lot of tests and has been found to be completely safe. Because of this, anyone who uses a computer can install it without any problems. You should check back every so often and pay attention to the date of the testing listed above, as this product will be tested again and again, and the award could be taken away.

Softpedia also has reviews from people who have used many of the apps that are available. These people can help you figure out any problems you're having with using.

3. CNET's Download

Top 6 Best Sites to Download Free Software for MAC - toplist.info
CNET's Download

Website: https://download.cnet.com/mac/

The Download section of CNET has another of the best collections of apps on the web. Like Softpedia, it talks about all the major operating systems, even macOS. There are more than 150,000 free downloads on the website.

The Mac software on the website goes through a strict testing process to make sure it doesn't have any malware or other infections.

Also, CNET doesn't allow any apps that:

End-user license agreements shouldn't be hard to read.

Change the home page for your default browser, search engine, or other security settings.

Send the developer information about how you use your computer without telling them first.

Because they are part of CNET, many of the Mac apps you can download come with editorial reviews, blog posts, and how-to guides. All of these work together to make sure that the software is safe while it is being downloaded and while it is being used on your computer.

4. Pure Mac

Website: https://www.pure-mac.com/

The graphics on Pure Mac are a bit old, but it is one of the safest places to get Mac software and programs. One of the biggest collections is on this website, with more than 80 different fields. Because there are so many groups, the site is great for finding a Mac app that will do a certain job.

One bad thing about Pure Mac is that it doesn't run its own download servers. Everyone who published or made the program put direct URLs for all of the downloads on the website. Remember that one of the best antivirus programs for Mac might help you avoid downloading anything that has malware on it.

5. Mac App Store

Website: https://www.apple.com/app-store/

You could, of course, just go to the official Mac App Store if you wanted to get rid of all third-party Mac software sites. It has very strong defenses against fake programs getting into the listings, at least in theory.

But, the Mac App Store isn't completely safe, despite what many people think. Bad things do get through.

It was found by Malwarebytes in September 2018 that several apps were collecting private user data and sending it to the developer's servers. A lot of the time, the servers were in China. Adware Doctor was ranked first on the list of paid utilities before the data was made public, which was a surprise.

6. MacApps

Website: https://macapps.link/

If you've ever bought a new Windows computer, you may know what Ninite is. It has a full list of many of the most popular Windows programs in a number of different categories. Pick the ones you want, and then use a custom installer to get them all at once. Putting it together can take hours less time.

Ninite doesn't have a solution that works with Macs, but MacApps does. There are seven groups that the easily accessible software is put into: Internet, Productivity, Developer, Tools, Utilities, Multimedia, and Messaging. There are download links for all the apps you probably use every day, like Evernote, Firefox, Chrome, GitHub, Spotify, and many more. There are 120 different apps to choose from.

Pick out the apps you need from the list, and MacApps will give you a unique Terminal command to use them. Once you paste the command into the Terminal app, the download will begin. Just in case you were wondering, using Terminal isn't the only way to install apps on Windows computers.

7. GitHub

Website: https://github.com/

A lot of people host open-source projects on GitHub, which is where many Mac software apps can be found.

You can look for specific apps or look through hand-picked lists, such as GitHub - jaywcjlove/awesome-mac: We're now very big, which is not what we planned at first. Get hold of premium software in a range of categories. which has a list of open-source Mac software organized by category.

Top 9 Safe Sites to Download Free Software for MAC Top 9 Safe Sites to Download Free Software for MAC
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