Mac is often associated with polished, paid software, but the open-source ecosystem on macOS is more mature than may expect. There are projects with years of active development, interfaces that respect the system's design language, and features you won't find in the App Store. LibreOffice, VLC, Bitwarden, and HandBrake are among the most well-known, but there are dozens of equally solid tools for productivity, development, multimedia, and privacy. Free, auditable, and without lock-ins.
