# Best design & photo apps for Mac

> Pixel editors, vector tools and photo workflows built on Metal and Core Image. 25 native apps, hand-picked by MacWorthy. Facts checked 2026-10-19.

Editor's picks: Pixelmator Pro.

## Compared

| App | Price | Mac App Store | Homebrew | Open source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Pixelmator Pro](https://macworthy.com/apps/pixelmator-pro/) | One-time purchase | Yes | No | No |
| [Affinity](https://macworthy.com/apps/affinity/) | Free | No | `affinity` | No |
| [Sketch](https://macworthy.com/apps/sketch/) | Subscription | No | `sketch` | No |
| [Acorn](https://macworthy.com/apps/acorn/) | One-time purchase | Yes | `acorn` | No |
| [Photomator](https://macworthy.com/apps/photomator/) | Subscription | Yes | No | No |
| [Darkroom](https://macworthy.com/apps/darkroom/) | Free + Pro | Yes | No | No |
| [Linearity Curve](https://macworthy.com/apps/linearity-curve/) | Free + Pro | Yes | No | No |
| [Sip](https://macworthy.com/apps/sip/) | Subscription | No | `sip-app` | No |
| [Pika](https://macworthy.com/apps/pika/) | Open source | No | `pika` | MIT |
| [Rotato](https://macworthy.com/apps/rotato/) | Subscription | No | `rotato` | No |
| [Image2icon](https://macworthy.com/apps/image2icon/) | Free + Pro | Yes | `image2icon` | No |
| [ImageOptim](https://macworthy.com/apps/imageoptim/) | Open source | No | `imageoptim` | GPL-2.0 |
| [Squash](https://macworthy.com/apps/squash/) | One-time purchase | No | `squash` | No |
| [Penfont](https://macworthy.com/apps/penfont/) | One-time purchase | Yes | No | No |
| [ImageFlow](https://macworthy.com/apps/imageflow/) | Open source | Yes | No | AGPL-3.0 |
| [Atlas](https://macworthy.com/apps/atlas/) | One-time purchase | No | No | No |
| [Backspace](https://macworthy.com/apps/backspace/) | One-time purchase | No | No | No |
| [Typeface](https://macworthy.com/apps/typeface/) | One-time purchase | Yes | `typeface` | No |
| [Amadine](https://macworthy.com/apps/amadine/) | One-time purchase | Yes | `amadine` | No |
| [Equinox](https://macworthy.com/apps/equinox/) | Open source | Yes | `equinox` | MIT |
| [Past Perfect](https://macworthy.com/apps/past-perfect/) | One-time purchase | Yes | No | No |
| [RasterFox](https://macworthy.com/apps/rasterfox/) | Free + Pro | No | No | No |
| [VectorFox](https://macworthy.com/apps/vectorfox/) | Free + Pro | Yes | No | No |
| [RawNudge](https://macworthy.com/apps/rawnudge/) | One-time purchase | No | No | No |
| [OmniGraffle](https://macworthy.com/apps/omnigraffle/) | One-time purchase | Yes | `omnigraffle` | No |

## The apps

- **[Pixelmator Pro](https://macworthy.com/apps/pixelmator-pro.md)** (editor's pick): A pro image editor, built entirely for the Mac. Layer-based editing, machine-learning tools and a gorgeous interface on Metal. Pixelmator Pro is image editing that feels at home on macOS.
- **[Affinity](https://macworthy.com/apps/affinity.md)**: Pro vector, pixel and layout tools in one app. The Affinity suite merges vector design, photo editing and page layout into a single professional app, now free to use.
- **[Sketch](https://macworthy.com/apps/sketch.md)**: The native interface design tool. Sketch designs interfaces, prototypes and design systems with a fast native editor and a web workspace for teams.
- **[Acorn](https://macworthy.com/apps/acorn.md)**: The image editor for humans. Acorn covers layers, filters, vectors and RAW in a lean, affordable package that opens fast and stays out of your way.
- **[Photomator](https://macworthy.com/apps/photomator.md)**: Powerful photo editing for your Photos library. Edit straight from Apple Photos with pro color tools, AI selection and batch edits, non-destructively.
- **[Darkroom](https://macworthy.com/apps/darkroom.md)**: A fast, flexible photo and video editor. Darkroom works directly on your Photos library with curves, color tools and batch-able flows, on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
- **[Linearity Curve](https://macworthy.com/apps/linearity-curve.md)**: Vector design that feels effortless. Formerly Vectornator, Curve makes illustration, logos and layouts approachable with smart shapes and auto-trace.
- **[Sip](https://macworthy.com/apps/sip.md)**: Collect, organize and share colors. Sip picks colors from anywhere on screen, keeps palettes in your menu bar and exports to every format a designer or developer could want.
- **[Pika](https://macworthy.com/apps/pika.md)**: A colour picker with contrast built in. Pika picks foreground and background colours and checks them against WCAG contrast right away. It's free and open source.
- **[Rotato](https://macworthy.com/apps/rotato.md)**: Animated 3D device mockups in minutes. Drop a screenshot or video into a phone, laptop or tablet, add camera moves and export a polished product animation.
- **[Image2icon](https://macworthy.com/apps/image2icon.md)**: Turn any image into a folder or app icon. Drag an image in and Image2icon makes beautiful icons for folders, drives and apps, plus every icon size a developer needs.
- **[ImageOptim](https://macworthy.com/apps/imageoptim.md)**: Smaller images, same pixels. Drop images in and ImageOptim strips metadata and recompresses with the best tools available, losslessly by default.
- **[Squash](https://macworthy.com/apps/squash.md)**: Batch image compression and conversion. Squash resizes, converts and compresses whole folders of images to WebP, AVIF, JPEG and PNG while you get on with your day.
- **[Penfont](https://macworthy.com/apps/penfont.md)**: Make a typeable font from your own handwriting. Fill in a printed template or drop in photos of pages you have already written, and Penfont builds a font with letter variants and light and bold weights. Glyphs can be redrawn by hand, and the result installs in one click or exports as TTF and WOFF. All processing happens on the Mac.
- **[ImageFlow](https://macworthy.com/apps/imageflow.md)**: Non-destructive image editing with nodes. ImageFlow builds edits and generative designs from a graph of more than 200 nodes for blur, colour, filters, tiling, procedural patterns and maths, with GPU previews of any node. It is open source, with a paid App Store build for those who prefer it.
- **[Atlas](https://macworthy.com/apps/atlas.md)**: A local library for visual references and moodboards. Atlas collects images, videos and links into nested collections you can browse as a grid, arrange on a free canvas or scroll endlessly. The library lives in folders you choose, and a browser extension saves anything you right-click.
- **[Backspace](https://macworthy.com/apps/backspace.md)**: Live video wallpapers for desktop and Lock Screen. Backspace plays looping scenes as your wallpaper and carries them onto the Lock Screen. You can build a playlist for each display, check a scene's resolution and size before applying it, and playback pauses when the desktop is covered.
- **[Typeface](https://macworthy.com/apps/typeface.md)**: A font manager built around previews. Typeface shows your whole font collection as live previews, with tags, filters, activation, OpenType and variable font controls, and a duplicate finder. A one-time Pro unlock after the trial includes a year of new features.
- **[Amadine](https://macworthy.com/apps/amadine.md)**: Vector illustration with a lighter footprint. Amadine covers drawing with pen and brush tools, type on paths, artboards, smart guides and CMYK, and exports to SVG, PDF, EPS and raster formats. The Mac version is a one-time licence, with companion apps for iPad and iPhone.
- **[Equinox](https://macworthy.com/apps/equinox.md)**: Make your own dynamic wallpapers. Equinox turns a set of your images into a macOS dynamic desktop that changes with the sun's position, a schedule you set, or light and dark mode. A built-in solar calculator works out timings for any location.
- **[Past Perfect](https://macworthy.com/apps/past-perfect.md)**: On-device restoration for old and blurry photos. Past Perfect sharpens soft faces, cleans dust and scratches, removes objects and adjusts light and colour, with all processing done on your Mac. Saved profiles can be run across a whole folder, and there are matching iPhone and iPad apps.
- **[RasterFox](https://macworthy.com/apps/rasterfox.md)**: Shrink images and check the result side by side. RasterFox compresses JPEG, PNG, WebP and AVIF files with presets, then lets you zoom the original and the result together before saving. It also enlarges small images and removes backgrounds, all on your Mac.
- **[VectorFox](https://macworthy.com/apps/vectorfox.md)**: Convert raster artwork to SVG, gradients included. VectorFox traces logos, icons and illustrations into SVG, keeping linear and radial gradients, straight edges and sharp corners. Settings update a live preview, and a cut-file export flattens colours for cutting machines.
- **[RawNudge](https://macworthy.com/apps/rawnudge.md)**: A RAW editor you can talk to. RawNudge opens RAW and standard photos, lets you describe the look you want, and shows each AI suggestion for comparison before you apply it. Manual sliders cover the rest, originals are never changed, and finished photos export as full-resolution JPEGs.
- **[OmniGraffle](https://macworthy.com/apps/omnigraffle.md)**: Precise diagrams, wireframes and layouts. OmniGraffle draws flowcharts, org charts, network maps and wireframes with exact positioning, snapping and grouping, plus a library of stencils. JavaScript automation and documents work across Mac, iPad and iPhone.

HTML version: https://macworthy.com/categories/design/