While one can find a number of free apps from Apple’s Mac App Store, it can appear to be insufficient to meet the needs of an avid Mac user who may be looking for free apps. There are a number of websites that offer free Mac app information and downloads, however many users are unaware of them and rely more on search engines to find useful apps, which can be quite laborious and unfruitful. In this post we will explore 10 best places to look for free Mac OS X applications.

CNET

CNET is a great resource for checking out free app reviews and news for both free and paid Mac apps. CNET is divided into five sections including reviews, news and blogs, CNET TV, How To and downloads. The reviews section is the biggest part of the CNET website and provides high quality reviews for all major operating system platforms. Applications reviews at CNET also get editor’s choice awards and ratings that can help Mac users identify the best available apps. Furthermore, you can also be assured of downloading malware free apps, as CNET has a strict system for checking apps for malware before putting them up for download.

Visit: Cnet

Softpedia

Like CNET, Softpedia is also one of the most robust website for finding freeware for literally any operating system. The Mac section of Softpedia is regularly update with dozens for free Mac apps each day and is a good resource for any Mac user looking for any kind of application. You can either subscribe to the Softpedia RSS feed or use the search bar (at the top left corner) to find new and interesting Mac apps. Furthermore, you can also stay updated with the latest Mac News and updates.

Visit: Mac.Softpedia.com

ZDNet

ZDNet is a CBS based technology news website that offers news, reviews and downloads for freeware and shareware for a number of platforms, including Mac. Like CNET, the quality of applications found on ZDNet is quite high and it serves as a valuable resource for finding Mac software. I would personally recommend subscribing to the ZDnet feed as several handy Mac software are provided each day for download.

Visit: ZDNet

alternative To

When looking for good Mac freeware “alternative To” is another good resource that you can benefit from. This website is dedicated towards providing alternatives for famous applications. For example, if for some reason you do not wish to use a famous application such as Dropbox (perhaps due to security concerns), you can head over to alternative To and search for alternative applications. Furthermore, you can also check out the latest and popular Mac freeware and paid apps. “alternative To” also provides apps for other platforms and also has a section for iPhone.

Visit: alternative To

Bodega

Bodega provides access to a large number of applications for Mac users. All you have to do is to download and install the Bodega app to gain access to an ever-growing catalog of Mac software.

Visit: Bodega

MacUpdate

MacUpdate is a one of the most famous websites for finding Mac, iPhone, and iPad apps. It provides software reviews and alternatives to apps. You can also browse through the list of recent, daily, weekly and monthly apps and apply filters to find apps. The available filters include, multimedia and design, utilities, business, development, games, drivers, free, shareware, demo, commercial, internet, home and personal and more.

Visit: MacUpdate

Open Source Mac

If you are a fan of open source applications or would like to find some open source Mac apps to help your development endeavors, then Open Source Mac is the best site for you. It provides a large list of open source Mac apps and provides a link to their official download pages.

Visit Open Source Mac

FreeMacWare

FreeMacware is another website that serves as a valuable resource for finding useful Mac apps. It is mainly concentrated towards providing Mac users with freeware.

Visit: FreeMacWare

Download A To Z

Download A To Z is a website that provides information about applications for multiple platforms, which includes Mac. Apps are listed with rating and basic details regarding the app, along with a download link.

Visit: Download A To Z

Brothersoft

Brothersoft is probably one of the oldest application directories that provides access to a large number applications from various platforms. The Mac section of the Brothersoft website is currently in its beta stage and provides a large array of Mac apps for download. However, the reason Brothersoft is at the bottom of this list is because of their annoying toolbar that often installs with many apps. If you are downloading an app from Brothersoft, make sure you uncheck the toolbar installation during the installation wizard.

Visit: Brothersoft

If you think we have missed a good website or resource for Mac apps, then share your thoughts with our readers by leaving a comment below. Also take a look at 40 Handy Free Applications For Mac OS X and 5 Powerful Free Video Converters For Mac OS X.