Roundup

The best Mac app updaters, by need.

Ten ways to keep a Mac up to date, from free command line tools to paid apps. What each does well, and who it is for.

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$6.49 once after the trial · macOS 26 or later

115 apps updated and checked so far. Check yours

Quick picksshort version

Free, App Store + SparkleLatestopen source
Several Macs, one licenseUpdatest$24.99 for 10
macOS 13 to 15Floodtide$14.99
Rollback + dev toolsGreypaint$6.49
Terminal onlyHomebrewTopgrade, mas

Details for each below.

At a glance

Ten ways to keep a Mac up to date.

There is no single best tool. The right one depends on what you install, which macOS you run, and how much you want to type in a terminal. Here are the real options, with what each does well.

App	Price	Reads updates from	Open source	Needs
Greypaint	Paid app, $6.49 once	Sparkle, Electron, Homebrew, GitHub, App Store	No	macOS 26+
Updatest	Paid app, $12.99 (3 Macs)	Homebrew, App Store, Sparkle, Electron, GitHub, community network	Not listed	macOS 15+
Floodtide	Paid app, $14.99 (3 Macs)	Sparkle, Homebrew, GitHub, Electron, catalog, App Store	No	macOS 13+
Latest	Free	App Store, Sparkle	Yes (GPL-3.0)	macOS 10.15+
MacUpdater 3.5	Free, unsupported	CoreCode's database, no longer maintained	Not listed	macOS 13+
Applite	Free	Homebrew casks	Yes (MIT)	macOS 14+
Homebrew	Free	Homebrew formulae and casks	Yes (BSD 2-clause)	Not listed
Topgrade	Free	Runs other tools' upgrade commands	Yes (GPL-3.0)	Not listed
mas	Free	Mac App Store (command line)	Yes (MIT)	macOS 13+
Mac App Store	Built in	App Store apps only	No	Not listed

"Not listed" means the product's own pages don't mention it. Facts were taken from each product's own site on 10 October 2026, and may have changed since. Prices are one-time unless noted.

Mac app updaters

Apps that cover your whole Mac.

GreypaintReads each app's own source (Sparkle, Electron feeds, Homebrew, GitHub releases, Mac App Store), checks that an update comes from the same developer, and keeps the previous version for rollback, with its settings if you like. Also updates Homebrew formulae and global npm, pnpm and uv tools, and exports your setup for a new Mac. $6.49 once, macOS 26 or later. Best for people who want checks, rollback and developer tools in one place. See the 115 apps checked end to end.

UpdatestBrings Homebrew, App Store, Sparkle, Electron and GitHub sources into one list, shows security details per app, and offers an optional community network. $12.99 for 3 Macs, $24.99 for 10, macOS 15 or later. Best for people who want one license for several Macs.

FloodtideSix sources, backup with one-click undo, scheduling with quiet hours, and App Store updates installed in the app. $14.99 for up to 3 Macs, macOS 13 or later. Best for older Macs and people who want App Store updates inside the app.

LatestA free, open source checker by Max Langer for Mac App Store and Sparkle apps. Best for people who only need those two sources.

MacUpdaterVersion 3.5 is free but unsupported, and its database maintenance has stopped. It still opens. Best treated as a bridge while you try something else.

AppliteA free, MIT-licensed app that installs and updates Homebrew casks in one click, with a Brewfile export. macOS 14 or later. Best for people who want Homebrew without the terminal.

Sources: Updatest, Floodtide, Latest, MacUpdater, Applite.

Command line and built in

Tools you may already have.

Homebrewbrew upgrade updates formulae and casks you installed with Homebrew. Casks that update themselves are skipped unless you add --greedy. Free, open source, and a good fit if you live in the terminal. Apps that were not installed with Homebrew are outside its reach.

TopgradeA free, open source command that detects the tools you use (Homebrew, pip, Cargo, Node packages and more) and runs each one's upgrade command. Works on macOS, Linux and Windows. Best for developers who want one command.

masA free, MIT-licensed command line tool for the Mac App Store, with outdated and upgrade commands. macOS 13 or later. Best for scripts.

The Mac App StoreOpen the App Store, choose Updates, then Update All, or turn on Automatic Updates in its settings. Built in and free, and it covers App Store apps only.

Sources: Homebrew manual, Topgrade, mas, Apple Support.

How to choose

Pick by what you need.

Only App Store and Sparkle apps, and you want free: Latest.
Older Mac (macOS 13 to 15): Floodtide, or Updatest on macOS 15 and later.
Several Macs on one license: Updatest.
Homebrew, npm and uv tools beside your apps, plus rollback and checks: Greypaint.
Terminal only: Homebrew, Topgrade and mas.

Questions

Common questions

What is the best Mac app updater?

It depends on what you install and which macOS you run. Latest is free for App Store and Sparkle apps. Updatest and Floodtide cover more sources and run on older macOS versions. Greypaint adds rollback, developer tools and a public list of apps checked end to end, and needs macOS 26 or later.

Is there a free Mac app updater?

Yes. Latest is free and open source. Applite is free for Homebrew casks. Homebrew, Topgrade and mas are free command line tools.

What happened to MacUpdater?

Its lifetime ended on 1 January 2026, and there will be no MacUpdater 4. Version 3.5 is free but unsupported. See the MacUpdater page.

Can I update Homebrew and npm tools with an app?

Greypaint updates Homebrew formulae and global npm, pnpm and uv packages. Updatest lists Homebrew formulae updates. Topgrade runs upgrade commands from the terminal.

Does the Mac App Store update everything?

No. It updates apps installed from the App Store only. Apps downloaded from a developer's website or installed with Homebrew are outside it.

Last checked 10 October 2026 · Written by the makers of Greypaint

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Other comparisons:Updatest Floodtide Latest MacUpdater