Best Widget Apps for Mac in 2024
Widgets on macOS are miniature applications that provide quick access to information or functionality without the need to open full applications. They can display weather forecasts, to-do lists, calendar events, and much more, all at a glance. With the release of macOS Big Sur in 2020, Apple significantly enhanced widget functionality, allowing for greater customization and integration with the operating system. This comprehensive list will explore the best widget apps available for Mac, helping you streamline your workflow and personalize your desktop experience.
Best Productivity Widgets for Mac
Productivity widgets are essential tools for staying organized and efficient in your daily tasks. Here are some of the best productivity widgets available for Mac:
Todoist
Todoist is a popular task management application that offers a sleek widget for Mac. The widget displays your upcoming tasks and allows you to add new ones quickly. With over 25 million users worldwide, Todoist has proven its worth in boosting productivity.
Things 3
Things 3 is a highly regarded task manager that offers a beautiful and functional widget. It provides an overview of your daily tasks and upcoming events, making it easy to stay on top of your schedule.
Structured – Daily Planner
This app offers a unique approach to daily planning with its widget. It allows you to visualize your day as a timeline, making it easier to manage your time effectively.
Fantastical Calendar
Fantastical is a powerful calendar app with an equally impressive widget. It displays your upcoming events and allows for quick event creation, all from your desktop.
Best Time Management and Scheduling Widgets for Mac
Effective time management is crucial for productivity. These widgets can help you keep track of time and important dates:
Widgetsmith
Widgetsmith offers customizable widgets for various purposes, including time and date displays. It’s highly flexible, allowing you to create widgets that match your aesthetic preferences.
MD Clock – Time Clock Widget
This widget provides a stylish and customizable clock for your desktop. It offers various themes and display options to suit your taste.
Countdowns – Event Countdown
Perfect for keeping track of important upcoming events, this widget allows you to create multiple countdowns and display them on your desktop.
Best Weather and News Widgets for Mac
Staying informed about the weather and current events is easy with these widgets:
CARROT Weather
CARROT Weather is known for its personality-filled forecasts and highly customizable widgets. It provides accurate weather information with a touch of humor.
Apple News
Apple News is a built-in application for macOS that comes with a highly functional widget. This widget offers a customizable news feed right on your desktop, providing quick access to the latest headlines and stories from a wide range of reputable sources.
Best Finance and Budgeting Widgets for Mac
Keep your finances in check with these helpful widgets:
Budget Planner App Money Coach
This widget provides a quick overview of your financial health right on your desktop. It displays your current budget status, including expenses, income, and savings goals. With color-coded indicators and simple graphs, it allows you to track your spending habits at a glance, helping you stay on top of your financial goals without opening the full app.
Debit & Credit
The Debit & Credit widget offers a snapshot of your financial transactions and account balances directly on your Mac’s desktop. It displays recent income and expenses, categorizes your spending, and provides a quick view of your current account status. This widget is particularly useful for those who want to keep a close eye on their daily financial activities without constantly opening their banking apps.
Best Health and Wellness Widgets for Mac
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is easier with these widgets:
Water Tracker
The Water Tracker widget helps you maintain proper hydration throughout the day. It displays your daily water intake goal, allows you to log drinks with a simple click, and provides visual reminders to drink more water. The widget also shows your hydration progress as a percentage or with a filling water glass icon.
Screen Time – Parental Control
The Screen Time widget, part of Apple’s built-in parental control features, displays real-time usage statistics for your Mac or your child’s device. It shows the total screen time for the day, breaks down usage by app categories, and indicates if any time limits have been reached. This widget is particularly useful for parents monitoring their children’s device usage or for individuals looking to manage their own screen time more effectively.
Best Customization and Aesthetics Widgets for Mac
Personalize your Mac experience with these visually appealing widgets:
Color Widgets
Color Widgets offers a variety of customizable, aesthetically pleasing widgets for your Mac. It provides colorful and stylish designs for clocks, calendars, weather displays, and more. Users can choose from a wide range of color schemes and themes, or create their own, allowing for a high degree of personalization to match your desktop’s look and feel.
Widget Art Gallery
Widget Art Gallery elevates the concept of functional widgets to an art form. This app offers a collection of beautifully designed, artistic widgets that serve both practical and aesthetic purposes. Users can choose from a variety of styles, from minimalist to elaborate, featuring artistic renditions of clocks, calendars, weather displays, and more.
Best Utility Widgets for Mac
These widgets offer handy tools and quick access to useful information:
Calculator 17
A straightforward and efficient widget for performing quick calculations directly from your Mac’s desktop. It supports basic math functions, making it perfect for everyday use. Its minimalistic design ensures that it doesn’t take up too much space while offering instant accessibility.
LookUp Dictionary
LookUp is a beautifully designed dictionary widget that offers quick access to definitions, synonyms, and translations. It’s perfect for expanding your vocabulary or understanding complex words on the fly. With its elegant design, it provides a seamless experience for word lookups without leaving your current task.
Home Widget – for HomeKit
This widget allows you to control your HomeKit-enabled smart devices directly from your Mac. With one-click access, you can manage lighting, temperature, and security settings from your desktop. It’s a perfect tool for anyone looking to streamline their smart home controls without needing to open the Home app.
Best Music and Audio Widgets for Mac
Enhance your audio experience with these widgets:
MusicHarbor
Stay in the loop with the latest music releases, live performances, and artist updates with the MusicHarbor widget. It connects to your Apple Music library, helping you track upcoming albums and new singles from your favorite artists. Perfect for music lovers, this widget keeps all important updates just a glance away.
Overcast
Overcast’s podcast widget provides quick access to your favorite shows and episodes right from your Mac’s desktop. You can easily see new episodes, playback controls, and recommendations without having to open the app. It’s an essential tool for podcast enthusiasts who want to stay on top of their listening schedule.
Top Specialized Widgets for Mac
These widgets cater to specific needs and interests:
GameTrack
GameTrack is a must-have widget for gamers who want to manage their collection, track game progress, and follow upcoming releases. It provides a clean and intuitive interface that displays your gaming activity and wishlist in one glance. Perfect for those who want to stay organized and up-to-date with the gaming world.
Peak
Peak is a health-oriented widget designed to help you monitor your fitness goals, activity levels, and workout stats right from your desktop. It integrates seamlessly with Apple Health, giving you real-time data on your progress. A great motivational tool, it keeps you engaged with your fitness journey throughout the day.
Summing Up
Widgets have become an essential part of the Mac experience, offering quick access to information and functionality that can significantly boost productivity and personalize your workspace. By carefully selecting and arranging widgets that suit your needs, you can create a more efficient and enjoyable computing environment.
Remember, the best widget setup is one that works for you. Experiment with different combinations and don’t be afraid to change your widget layout as your needs evolve. With the wide variety of options available, there’s a perfect widget solution for every Mac user.
