# Homebrew casks we install on every new Mac (2026)

Published August 9, 2026 · Alex Chen

An opinionated shortlist of Homebrew casks we install on every new Mac, with reasons and install commands for each tool.

Unboxing a Mac is fun for about ten minutes. Then you hit the same wall every time: the default dock is fine for a demo unit, useless for real work. Browser, notes, and Photos will not get you through a day of engineering, design, or writing.

This post is the list we install first. It is opinionated on purpose. We are not trying to cover every category on the App Store. We are trying to get a machine from "pretty laptop" to "I can actually work" in under an hour, using Homebrew so the setup is repeatable.

If you are new to Homebrew, read our [guide to using Homebrew](/guides/how-to-use-homebrew) first. If you want a full stack without typing each cask by hand, [build a bundle on Bundl](/build) and install everything with one command.

## How this list is chosen

Every app below has to clear a few bars:

- It is available as a real Homebrew cask (so installs and updates stay consistent).
- It earns its place on a fresh Mac, not only on a specialized workstation.
- It is free or freemium with a useful free tier. We do not gate day-one productivity behind a subscription wall.
- We actually use it. This is not a scraped "top 10" list.

Cask IDs below match Homebrew. You can also open each app page on Bundl for metadata, alternatives, and related tools.

## 1. Raycast — launcher that replaces Spotlight for power users

[Raycast](/apps/raycast) is the first thing we install. Spotlight is fine for opening apps. Raycast is better for the dozen micro-tasks you do between opens: clipboard history, window layouts, unit conversion, running scripts, jumping to Linear or GitHub, and extensions that plug into the tools you already use.

On a new Mac, the win is muscle memory. One hotkey, type a few characters, act. Once that loop is solid, everything else feels faster.

```sh
brew install --cask raycast
```

## 2. Rectangle — window management without the ceremony

macOS still ships without serious window snapping. [Rectangle](/apps/rectangle) fixes that with keyboard shortcuts that map cleanly to how developers already think: left half, right half, maximize, next display.

Amethyst and other tiling managers exist, and some people live in them. For a default machine, Rectangle is enough. It is free, light, and stays out of the way until you need it.

```sh
brew install --cask rectangle
```

## 3. Ghostty or iTerm2 — pick a terminal you will keep open

Terminal choice is personal, but you need a better default than the stock app on day one if you live in shells and SSH sessions.

[Ghostty](/apps/ghostty) is our current default when we want a fast, modern terminal with solid defaults. [iTerm2](/apps/iterm2) remains the safe classic: profiles, splits, search, and years of muscle memory across teams.

Install one. Do not install three "just in case." Pick a home and configure it once.

```sh
brew install --cask ghostty
# or
brew install --cask iterm2
```

## 4. Visual Studio Code — the editor most teams still share

Whether your daily driver is Cursor, Zed, Neovim, or something else, [Visual Studio Code](/apps/visual-studio-code) is still the common denominator. Remote SSH, language servers, and "can you open this repo?" all go smoother when VS Code is present.

On a new Mac, we install it even if we plan to use another editor later. It is the reliable fallback.

```sh
brew install --cask visual-studio-code
```

## 5. AppCleaner — uninstall without leftover junk

Dragging an app to the Trash leaves preference files, caches, and support folders behind. [AppCleaner](/apps/appcleaner) watches for that drag and offers to remove the related files. It is small, free, and prevents the slow rot of a machine you reinstall tools on often.

```sh
brew install --cask appcleaner
```

## 6. Stats — menubar metrics that are actually readable

When a fan spins up or a build pegs the CPU, you want the answer in one glance. [Stats](/apps/stats) puts CPU, memory, disk, network, and battery into the menubar without turning into a full monitoring suite.

We prefer it over heavier paid menubar stacks for a first install. You can always add something more specialized later.

```sh
brew install --cask stats
```

## 7. Keka — archives that Just Work

macOS Preview handles some archives. The rest of the internet sends 7z, RAR, and multi-part bundles that the stock tools still handle poorly. [Keka](/apps/keka) covers the formats you actually get from clients, CI artifacts, and random downloads.

```sh
brew install --cask keka
```

## 8. Maccy — clipboard history you will use daily

You copy a token, then an error message, then a URL, and lose the first two. [Maccy](/apps/maccy) keeps a searchable local history. It is open source, stays out of the cloud by default, and replaces a paid clipboard manager for most people.

If Raycast's clipboard history is enough for you, skip this. We still install Maccy on machines where clipboard search is a primary workflow.

```sh
brew install --cask maccy
```

## 9. AltTab — Windows-style window switching on macOS

macOS app switching (Command-Tab) switches apps, not windows. That is fine until you have eight Chrome windows and three terminal windows and want the specific one from two minutes ago. [AltTab](/apps/alt-tab) gives you a clearer window picker.

```sh
brew install --cask alt-tab
```

## 10. Shottr — screenshots with annotation in seconds

Built-in screenshots are good. Day-to-day product and support work needs crop, arrows, blur, and OCR without opening a full design tool. [Shottr](/apps/shottr) is free for personal use and fast enough that people stop avoiding screenshots.

```sh
brew install --cask shottr
```

## Optional day-one extras

These are not universal, but they appear on enough of our machines to mention:

- [OrbStack](/apps/orbstack) if you run containers and want a lighter alternative to Docker Desktop.
- [Karabiner-Elements](/apps/karabiner-elements) if you remap caps lock, fix laptop keyboards, or keep a custom layout across machines.
- [Firefox](/apps/firefox) or [Google Chrome](/apps/google-chrome) if Safari is not your browser of record.

```sh
brew install --cask orbstack karabiner-elements firefox
```

## One command for the core set

If you want the baseline in a single install, this is the set we treat as non-negotiable on a general-purpose Mac:

```sh
brew install --cask raycast rectangle ghostty visual-studio-code \
  appcleaner stats keka maccy alt-tab shottr
```

Swap `ghostty` for `iterm2` if that is your terminal preference. Add browser and container tools after the first reboot-and-login cycle so you are not juggling twenty installers at once.

## How we keep the list honest

Cask popularity changes. Apps get acquired, slow down, or ship bad updates. We revisit this list when we set up new hardware and when Homebrew casks we rely on break or get replaced. The 2026 edition still starts with launcher, window management, terminal, editor, cleanup, metrics, archives, clipboard, window switching, and screenshots. That shape has been stable for years even as the specific apps shift.

If you want this packaged with category filters and a generated Brewfile instead of copy-paste, use [Bundl's builder](/build). Pick the apps, export the command, run it on the new machine, and spend your setup time on SSH keys and dotfiles instead of hunting downloads.

## What we deliberately leave out

No full Adobe stack. No "cleaner" apps that promise to free 40 GB with magic. No menubar clutter that only looks useful in screenshots. No second password manager, second notes app, or second chat client "for evaluation." Day one is for foundations. Evaluation is a later afternoon with a clear goal.

The goal of this list is boring reliability. After these casks are in place, the Mac stops fighting you. Then you can add the specialized tools your job actually requires—design suites, IDEs, VPN clients, lab software—without rebuilding the basics every time.

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