Dev tools · alternatives · 2026

24 alternatives to Retroactive

Run Aperture, iPhoto, or iTunes on macOS Catalina

Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. Retroactive launched in 2019; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

1. 1
   macOS Catalina▲260

   The brand new OS for Mac

   2019 · apple.com · its alternatives →

2. 2
   Solace▲171

   macOS gives you three appearance options: Light, Dark, or Auto. Auto follows sunset, which is a surprisingly blunt heuristic. It doesn't account for season (dark mode at 3:50pm in December, light mode at 9pm in June), and it has zero awareness of actual conditions outside. Overcast and dark at 2pm? Your Mac doesn't care. The deeper problem is that macOS treats appearance, wallpaper, and colour temperature as unrelated settings. You end up stitching together separate tools that don't know about each other, or you just live with the defaults and accept the friction. Solace tries to solve this…

   Feb 2026 · theodorehq.com · its alternatives →

3. 3
   macintosh.js▲198

   A 1991 Macintosh in an app - for Windows, Linux, and macOS

   2020 · github.com · its alternatives →

4. 4
   RetroClip – Instant Replay for Your Mac▲309

   Fast, native, comprehensive issue tracking for GitHub

   2018 · realartists.com · its alternatives →

5. 5
   Retrospecs▲85

   A pixel art image processing app for iOS

   2014 · 8bitartwork.co.uk · its alternatives →

6. 6NA
   NostalgiApp – A LaunchBox-style game launcher for macOS▲6

   Supports eXo Collections (eXoDOS, eXoWindows9x, eXowin3x, eXoScummVM, eXoAppleIIGS) built in music player, import your soundtracks Supports console games up to Nintendo Switch iCloud Sync, RetroAchievements, Smart Collections https://www.nostalgi.app

   May 2026 · its alternatives →

7. 7
   RetroClip▲115

   Instant replay for your Mac

   2018 · realartists.com · its alternatives →

8. 8
   A game I've been working on for the last year is out today▲165

   The latest macOS offers the world’s best way to play — and add to — your collection of music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, audiobooks, and more.

   2013 · itunes.apple.com · its alternatives →

9. 9
   Anesidora▲120

   Modern, native Pandora client for macOS

   2018 · micropixels.software · its alternatives →

10. 10
    Retro Pod▲95

    Maybe the world’s best iPod simulator on iPhone.

    2023 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →

11. 11
    NostalgiApp▲2

    Play thousands of classic PC/DOS games on your Mac

    Mar 2026 · nostalgi.app · its alternatives →

12. 12
    Framepop – Turn photos into framed prints▲15

    The latest macOS offers the world’s best way to play — and add to — your collection of music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, audiobooks, and more.

    2015 · itunes.apple.com · its alternatives →

13. 13
    Places iOS App – Find beautiful destinations around the world▲40

    The latest macOS offers the world’s best way to play — and add to — your collection of music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, audiobooks, and more.

    2014 · itunes.apple.com · its alternatives →

14. 14
    MuMood▲13

    Adaptive wallpapers for macos | music-reactive desktop

    2025 · mumood.com · its alternatives →

15. 15
    I built a retro Macintosh desktop in the browser▲7

    Contribute to PinataCloud/pinapple development by creating an account on GitHub.

    2024 · github.com · its alternatives →

16. 16
    TwinPics iOS memory game▲5

    The latest macOS offers the world’s best way to play — and add to — your collection of music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, audiobooks, and more.

    2014 · itunes.apple.com · its alternatives →

17. 17
    Inspiration to your desktop background – Powered by RubyMotion▲13

    The latest macOS offers the world’s best way to play — and add to — your collection of music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, audiobooks, and more.

    2014 · itunes.apple.com · its alternatives →

18. 18
    Will You Help Dave? – simple reverse platformer▲6

    The latest macOS offers the world’s best way to play — and add to — your collection of music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, audiobooks, and more.

    2014 · itunes.apple.com · its alternatives →

19. 19
    Learned iOS, launched Photopoll▲6

    The latest macOS offers the world’s best way to play — and add to — your collection of music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, audiobooks, and more.

    2013 · itunes.apple.com · its alternatives →

20. 20
    Retrobatch▲4

    Flexible, super charged, batch image processing for your Mac

    2018 · flyingmeat.com · its alternatives →

21. 21
    Repo Hunt (iOS) – trending repositories on GitHub▲6

    The latest macOS offers the world’s best way to play — and add to — your collection of music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, audiobooks, and more.

    2017 · itunes.apple.com · its alternatives →

22. 22
    WinkDex for iPhone▲7

    The latest macOS offers the world’s best way to play — and add to — your collection of music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, audiobooks, and more.

    2014 · itunes.apple.com · its alternatives →

23. 23
    Reframed▲10

    Open-source Screen Studio alternative for macOS

    Feb 2026 · reframed.dev · its alternatives →

24. 24
    My first painting app▲8

    The latest macOS offers the world’s best way to play — and add to — your collection of music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, audiobooks, and more.

    2015 · itunes.apple.com · its alternatives →

Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →