If you’re only using free Mac apps, you’re not living your best life

What’s better than a bucket of crispy fried chicken? A dozen boxes of pizza? A batch of freshly-baked cookies? Here’s a quick answer: a bundle of discounted Mac apps!

Okay, fine, probably not, but most of the good Mac apps out there cost a pretty penny, which is why we settle for ad-ridden free apps or braving it on our own. But developers spend good time and money making amazing apps that can improve the way we work, create, and use our computers — and today you can get a collection of the highest-rated ones in photography, utility, and security on sale  for only $25. That’s less than the price of a typical Mac app. 

Plus, as a bonus, you can even save an additional $5 off this bundle with code BFMAC5.

Here’s what’s included in the bundle:

Edit photos with Acorn 6 (a $29.99 value)

Although Adobe Photoshop is often touted as the gold standard for photo editing apps, it’s not exactly the most intuitive, and newbies can get overwhelmed with the dizzying array of sophisticated tools it offers. Not to mention the price tag.

Acorn 6 is a more user-friendly equivalent, featuring powerful image editing effects and vector tools that are easy to use. You can do things like apply curves, levels, and filters, add layer masks and selections to touch up your images, remove backgrounds, combine images, perform color correction, and a whole lot more.

Use Windows on your Mac with CrossOver 18 (a $39.95 value)

Mac loyalists might find it hard to admit this, but sometimes it’s a darn shame that more apps and games are compatible with Windows compared to OSX. But who says you need to purchase a Windows license to enjoy PC programs on your Mac? CrossOver 18 makes it possible, giving you a way to operate Windows software and games at native speed without hampering performance. It allows you to launch Windows apps from the dock, just like you open Mac-compatible programs.

Speed up your mac with Gemini 2 (a $29.95 value)

Always running out of space? It’s probably because you have a deluge of unnecessary files floating around your hard drive, and most likely half of them are duplicates. Gemini 2 sleuths your entire Mac at lightning speed to spot files that are alike so you can easily decide which ones to delete to free up space once and for all. The more you use it, the more its algorithm becomes acquainted with how you process duplicates, and before you know it, it will start doing the work for you.

Get better passwords with mSecure Pro (a $29.99 value)

Whether you have Kanye-esque password management practices or maintain a massive spreadsheet of complex codes for your logins, you’re still (probably) not doing enough. mSecure Pro presents an ultra-secure and convenient solution for protecting your accounts. Every time a site requests a new login, it will create a unique password that’s almost impossible to retain, which you can only unlock with one master password. You can sync the data to your phone and other devices, so your passwords are always accessible. That way, all your accounts can be safe from hackers, while still allowing you to log into them easily.

Stay safe online with Netshade VPN (a $118 value)

Speaking of hackers, there are legions of them trawling the internet with the intention of stealing other people’s sensitive information. NetShade VPN acts as your shield so you and your browsing activity can maintain anonymity. It also lets you access previously blocked content, allowing you to enjoy your favorite sites that were once inaccessible due to geo restrictions.

Create digital books and brochures with Next FlipBook Maker Pro (a $299 value)

If you have a PDF file or a stack of images you want to put together, this app transforms them into Flash/HTML5 digital books or magazines you can present to clients or showcase to friends and family. There are customizable templates to choose from, and you can embed YouTube videos, music, images, buttons, charts, hyperlinks, and more. The finished product can then be uploaded to a website with built-in FTP or published as a WordPress Plugin, Joomla, or Drupal module.

Edit any PDF with PDF Converter OCR 6 (a $59.99 value)

PDFs are as ubiquitous in the workplace as sticky notes. They are how often used to present, exchange, and distribute documents, but they’re not always easy to work with. PDF Converter OCR 6 converts the occasional pesky PDFs into editable and searchable files that you can easily modify while still retaining the original layout, graphics, and hyperlinks. You can pull pages from multiple documents and merge them into a single PDF, as well as choose PDF sizes and quality before you hit export. Have a lot of files to process? The drag and drop capability allows you to convert over 200 PDFs at a time.

Mind-map your ideas with Scapple (a $15 value)

A brilliant idea doesn’t always come in a Eureka moment. Sometimes, you have to jot down all your musings before forming a coherent concept. Scapple helps you practice mind-mapping, a technique used for structuring your thoughts. You can lay out all your ideas on the page and link them together to make connections using the drag and drop tool. You can also stack them into columns resulting in more successful brainstorming sessions.

Organize your desktop with Spotless ($25.99 Value)

With multiple photos, videos, and files you create and download, your computer can quickly turn into an incomprehensible mess. Spotless is an organization app that renders your desktop, downloads folder, and other virtual dustbins, well, spotless. Just drag and drop files to the menu bar, and Spotless will ask you how to categorize them. Over time, it will have learned your way of organizing things and auto-tidy your files for you, so you no longer have to deal with it anymore.

Make a comic book with Clip Studio Paint Debut (a $39.99 value)

Want to create the next bestselling comic book? Clip Studio Paint Debut is an all-in-one digital art software that offers a feature-rich library of creative tools for painting and drawing comics, manga, and animation. Used by 4 million illustrators, comic artists, and creators all around the world, you can take advantage of its specialized features to produce your own comics.

Grab this Mac app bundle on sale for $25 — a savings of 96%.