Alternatives to Retroactive
Other tools in this directory that do similar work, with a verified install command for each. Retroactive itself: install Retroactive.
Razer macOS
Color effects manager for Razer devices for macOS. Supports High Sierra (10.13) to Monterey (12.0). Made by the community, based on openrazer
folderify
:file_folder: Generate pixel-perfect macOS folder icons in the native style. (Now with support for macOS 26 Tahoe!)
PureMac
Free, open-source macOS cleaner. CleanMyMac alternative with zero telemetry. Native SwiftUI, scheduled auto-cleaning, Xcode/Homebrew/system cache clea
noTunes
A simple macOS application that will prevent iTunes or Apple Music from launching
dwarfs
A fast high-compression read-only file system for Linux, FreeBSD, macOS and Windows
Swimat
[ARCHIVED] An Xcode formatter plug-in for Swift. Superseded by swift-format, now built into Xcode
LocalizationEditor
Simple macOS editor app to help you manage iOS and macOS app localizations by allowing you to edit all the translations side by side
Gray
:first_quarter_moon: Tailor your macOS Mojave experience
MarkText
📝A simple and elegant markdown editor, available for Linux, macOS and Windows
git-flow
Git extensions to provide high-level repository operations for Vincent Driessen's branching model
Vorssaint
Free and open-source macOS menu bar toolkit
BitBar
Put the output from any script or program into your macOS Menu Bar (the BitBar reboot)
Reactotron
A desktop app for inspecting your React JS and React Native projects. macOS, Linux, and Windows
Xournal++
Xournal++ is a handwriting notetaking software with PDF annotation support. Written in C++ with GTK3, supporting Linux (e.g. Ubuntu, Debian, Arch, SUS
Hidden Bar
An ultra-light MacOS utility that helps hide menu bar icons
Easydict
A concise and elegant Dictionary and Translator macOS App for looking up words and translating text
hack-browser-data
Extract and decrypt browser data, supporting multiple data types, runnable on various operating systems (macOS, Windows, Linux)
FineTune
FineTune, a macOS menu bar app for per-app volume control, multi-device output, audio routing, and 10-band EQ. Free and open-source alternative to Sou
WhatCable
macOS menu bar app that tells you, in plain English, what each USB-C cable plugged into your Mac can actually do
Gitify
Git notifications on your menu bar. Available on macOS, Windows & Linux
MeetingBar
🇺🇦 Your meetings at your fingertips in the macOS menu bar
Mist
A Mac utility that automatically downloads macOS Firmwares / Installers
Finicky
A macOS app for customizing which browser to start
Phoenix
A lightweight macOS window and app manager scriptable with JavaScript
How we picked these
We match on what the tool does and how it installs, then order by how widely each project is used. We're not saying these are better or worse than Retroactive — that depends on what you're building. We're saying they're the projects people reach for in the same situations, and each one has an install command we checked against its documentation.
Retroactive is developed by its own authors and this page is an independent reference; we are not affiliated with or sponsored by any project listed, and nothing here is a paid placement.