Skip to content

Mac App Listing (App Store · Direct · Directories)

Choose and execute the right way to list a small Mac app (Mac App Store, direct download with notarization and a payment provider, Setapp, Homebrew, Mac directories), in three levels (1 ship it, 2 get found, 3 grow), with screenshot sizes, signing requirements and where Mac users look for apps. Use when publishing a macOS utility or menu-bar app, deciding between Mac App Store and selling direct, or when someone asks "how do I sell my Mac app", "Mac App Store vs direct", "notarize and distribute", or "where to list a Mac app".

Beginner → Advanced (3 Levels)⏱ Level 1: 2-4 h · Level 2: 1-2 h · Level 3: ongoing📂 listingv1.1.0

Pick your channel (or both), ship it correctly, then get it in front of the places Mac users actually browse.

Goal

Get a small Mac app into users' hands through the channel that fits it, and list it everywhere Mac users go looking for utilities.

When to use

  • A Mac utility, menu-bar app or productivity tool is ready to ship.
  • You can't decide between the Mac App Store and selling directly.
  • Not for: iPhone/iPad → listing-app-store.

Inputs

  • A signed, working build, and a list of the system APIs and permissions it needs (this decides whether the sandbox works).
  • An Apple Developer Program membership (needed for both the Mac App Store and notarization).
  • The price model (free / one-time / subscription / trial), and a landing page or a plan for one.

Choose the channel

Mac App Store Direct download (your site)
Needs Apple Developer Program, App Sandbox, App Review Apple Developer Program, Developer ID signing + notarization
Payment Apple (15–30% commission) A merchant of record such as Paddle, Lemon Squeezy or Gumroad (they handle tax), or Stripe
Updates Automatic via the store Your own updater (e.g. the Sparkle framework)
Best for Discovery, trust, simple apps that work inside the sandbox Apps that need system access the sandbox blocks, one-time licenses, trials

Many indie Mac apps do both: the App Store for reach, and direct sales for power features or a lower fee.

Where Mac users find apps

Place Cost Link
Mac App Store Developer Program App Store Connect
Setapp (subscription bundle, curated, revenue share) Free to apply setapp.com/developers
MacUpdate Free listing macupdate.com
MacNative (curated; native only: no Electron, no browser wrappers; reviewed by hand) Free (optional paid Pro tier) macnative.io/submit
Awesome Native macOS Apps (GitHub list run by MacNative; paid apps welcome) Free, via pull request open-saas-directory/awesome-native-macosx-apps
awesome-mac (large GitHub list, marks free / open source / App Store apps) Free, via pull request jaywcjlove/awesome-mac
MenuBarApps (menu-bar apps only, no account, reviewed by hand) Free macosmenubar.com/submitapp
macmenubar.com (menu-bar apps only) Free macmenubar.com
PayOnceApps (one-time purchase apps only, no subscriptions) Sign in to submit payonceapps.com
IndieAppCircle (beta testers for direct-download Mac apps, not a launch site) Free, credit exchange indieappcircle.com
App Store featuring nomination (ask Apple's editors to feature a launch or big update) Free Nominate your app
Apple Ads (search ads on the App Store, pick countries and keywords) Pay per tap ads.apple.com
r/macapps Free (read the self-promo rules) reddit.com/r/macapps
Homebrew Cask (brew install --cask) Free, via pull request, must meet the acceptance criteria Homebrew/homebrew-cask
AlternativeTo, Product Hunt, Softpedia Free → listing-free-directories

Steps

Level 1: Ship it

Mac App Store 1. Turn on App Sandbox and add only the entitlements you need. Test every feature inside the sandbox. 2. Prepare screenshots at 16:10: 1280×800, 1440×900, 2560×1600 or 2880×1800 (1–10). 3. Fill the listing like listing-app-store Level 1 (name, subtitle, keywords, privacy, age rating, review notes), choose macOS as the platform, and submit.

Direct download 1. Sign with your Developer ID certificate, notarize with Apple (xcrun notarytool submit … --wait), then staple the ticket (xcrun stapler staple). Unnotarized apps get a Gatekeeper warning most users won't get past. 2. Package it as a DMG or ZIP, and host it on your site with a clear "Download for Mac" button, the minimum macOS version and the Apple silicon/Intel support. 3. For paid apps: set up a merchant of record for checkout and license keys. Offer a trial. 4. Add an updater so users get fixes.

Level 2: Get found

  1. Landing page: one sentence, a 20-second GIF, the price, the download button, and system requirements.
  2. List on MacUpdate, AlternativeTo (as an alternative to 3 known apps) and Product Hunt. If the app is built natively (Swift, AppKit, SwiftUI…), also submit to MacNative and open a pull request on Awesome Native macOS Apps. Only send menu-bar directories a real menu-bar app, and PayOnceApps a one-time-purchase app.
  3. Mac App Store apps: send a featuring nomination in App Store Connect (Apps → your app → Featuring → Nominations). Choose App Launch, App Enhancements or New Content, and submit at least 3 weeks before the date you want.
  4. Post on r/macapps following its rules (launch-reddit-posting has the Mac subreddit plan and a rules fetcher). Mac users there love menu-bar utilities with a clear demo.
  5. Mac App Store: keywords and screenshots → aso-keyword-research, aso-screenshot-strategy.

Level 3: Grow

  • Apply to Setapp once the app is polished and has a clear use case.
  • Apple Ads with a small daily cap on your brand name and a few exact-match keywords, limited to the countries you want (e.g. US, GB). It's the only way here to pick the country.
  • Homebrew Cask for developer audiences (check the notability and acceptance rules first).
  • Launch discounts on deal communities → launch-quick-download-wins.
  • Both channels: keep feature parity clear on your site ("App Store version" vs "Direct version").

Prompt (copy-paste)

Replace everything in {{ }}.

You are a Mac indie distribution expert. Help me list my Mac app.

App: {{what it does}}   System access it needs: {{e.g. accessibility API, full disk access, none}}
Price model: {{free / one-time / subscription / trial}}   Audience: {{developers / general users / ...}}

1. Recommend Mac App Store, direct download, or both, with the reasons (sandbox fit, fees, audience).
2. Level 1 checklist for the chosen channel(s): signing/notarization or sandbox entitlements, screenshots (16:10 sizes),
   listing fields, payment provider options (merchant of record vs Stripe) and an updater.
3. A 2-week plan for Level 2: landing page outline, MacUpdate / AlternativeTo / Product Hunt / r/macapps posts
   (draft the r/macapps post, no hype).
4. Should I apply to Setapp or Homebrew Cask later? What would make the app eligible?
Mark anything uncertain as TODO.

Example output

Illustrative example. Fictional app, shown for format.

QuickCheck (a menu-bar checklist, no system access) → both channels: the Mac App Store for discovery (a sandbox-friendly app), and direct sales with a one-time $9 license via a merchant of record for users who dislike the store. Screenshots at 2880×1800. Week 1: MacUpdate + AlternativeTo (alternative to Things, Reminders). Week 2: an r/macapps post with a 15-second GIF.

Common mistakes

  • Shipping an unnotarized DMG. Gatekeeper blocks it and users think it's malware.
  • Discovering sandbox limits after building. Check whether the APIs you need work in the sandbox before choosing the Mac App Store.
  • Direct sales without an updater. Users stay on buggy versions forever.
  • Dumping a link on r/macapps. Follow the rules and show a demo.
  • Posting with a brand-new or dormant Reddit account. Reddit's spam filter removes link posts from accounts with almost no karma. Spend 1–3 weeks answering questions first.
  • Posting while your target market sleeps. For US + UK, post around 8–10 a.m. US Eastern (early afternoon in the UK). Reddit can't limit a normal post to one country.
  • Sending an Electron or web-wrapper app to MacNative. It's rejected by their rules. Use MacUpdate, AlternativeTo and Product Hunt instead.

Credits

Written by @nvminhtu. Sources: Apple screenshot specifications, Apple Developer documentation on notarizing macOS software and App Sandbox, Apple's featuring nominations guide, submission pages of MacNative, MenuBarApps and the Awesome Native macOS Apps contributing rules (checked 2026-10-02).