My Everyday App Stack

In my daily work and personal life, a handful of apps have truly earned their keep in my workflow. They help me design, code, write, organize, and stay on top of all the details, no matter which platform I’m using. I daily-drive a Windows desktop (wild, right?) for personal projects, work, and of course, gaming. When I’m traveling, I flip open my MacBook Pro, which keeps me going on an all day battery. And my iPhone is my handheld companion—though, I still miss my Pixel dearly.

This multi-device setup has made cross-platform apps a lifesaver, ensuring my projects, files, and notes stay in sync. Whether I’m at my Windows machine, taveling with my MacBook, or on the go with my iPhone, these are the apps (and a wearable) I rely on every day.

Cross-Platform (macOS, Windows, and iOS)

Discord

From daily chats with friends to coordinating side projects, gaming together with my friends and World of Warcraft guild, or streaming games, Discord is my main hub for communication. While I still use iMessage for family, Discord handles everything else—voice chats, group channels, screen sharing, and gaming sessions. If there’s one app I have open the most, it’s Discord.

Microsoft Edge

I know, I know—this is the dark horse of the entire list and probably one of the biggest surprises. Edge in its earliest form was incredible, but over the last few years, Microsoft has taken it in some questionable directions. Despite that, it’s still my go-to browser because it’s quick, secure, and has some built-in AI features I find useful. Most importantly, since I jump between ecosystems, it keeps all my data synced regardless of the device I'm on. I’m also a fan of vertical tabs and collections, which help me group my bookmarks and relevant links for various projects. Combine that with their actually strong privacy controls and it's actually a solid browser. Their mobile app is actually shockingly good too.

Spotify

Music is a huge part of my daily routine, helping me tune out distractions and stay focused, no matter what I’m working on. Not to mention, to blast in my car or through the surround sound in our living room. Discover Weekly usually has a good bop or two every few weeks at least and Spotify Blends and Daylists are a fun way to explore new artists and rediscover old favorites.

Outlook

Juggling multiple email accounts can quickly become chaotic, which is why I rely on Outlook. Although I use Gmail as my primary email address, Google’s interface has moved toward a more “beautiful” web app design over raw functionality. Meanwhile, Outlook strikes the balance I need: function-first UX with powerful features.

GitHub Desktop & GitHub Mobile

GitHub Desktop simplifies managing my repositories with a user-friendly interface instead of dealing with the command line for commits, pull requests, and merges. On my phone, the GitHub app is surprisingly robust, letting me respond to issues and approve PRs for my open-source projects whenever I need to.

Figma

Figma is hands-down my most used and indispensable tool. The design ecosystem has shifted from Sketch to Figma over the years, and for someone who uses Windows daily, that cross-platform support is a game-changer. Sure, I miss the performance of a fully native app like Sketch, but Figma’s multiplayer functionality and cloud-based version control make the trade-off well worth it.

VS Code

Visual Studio Code is my Swiss Army knife of editors. Lightweight yet powerful, it has extensions for practically anything—linting, Docker integration, custom themes, you name it. I use it on both macOS and Windows, and switching between machines is seamless. Not to mention, the new GitHub Copilot features are getting pretty nice.

1Password

Passwords are easy to ignore until something happens. That’s why I use 1Password, which I’ve been a fan of since it hit the market. Sure, they moved from a one-time purchase model to a cloud subscription, but I subscribed without hesitation (I’m grandfathered in on legacy pricing). Security and convenience go hand in hand here, and I can’t imagine my workflow without it. This is without a doubt, my number one recommended product to anyone—even if you use a different password manager, just make the switch.

Google Calendar

I struggle keeping track of everyone’s schedule, it almost feels like a full-time job. That’s why I rely on Google Calendar for much more than just my day-to-day meetings. I use it for my personal appointments, my wife’s appointments, for the pets, bill reminders, and the rest of my family’s travels and vacation plans. I have to be able to know if my sister is at a conference in California, or if she can pet sit for a weekend. Color-coded calendars, shared events, birthdays, you name it, we’re all on the same page, all the time. It’s a lifesaver for avoiding double bookings and last-minute surprises.

ChatGPT & Claude

I consider myself a bit of an AI boomer, but I’m working to integrate these AI tools more deeply into my workflow—especially for brainstorming, code snippets, and summarizing complex topics. I’m still waiting for the assistant aspect to evolve further, but even in their current forms, they’re fantastic for sparking new ideas and offering quick advice.

OneDrive

For general file backups and cross-platform syncing, OneDrive is my pick. It’s built into Windows, which makes backing up files effortless, and the apps for macOS and iOS ensure I can retrieve important documents from anywhere. If I were doing it over again, I would probably go with Dropbox, as I'm usually a fan of companies and tools that do one thing really really well.

Raindrop

Think of Raindrop.io as the ultimate digital filing cabinet. I save everything from design inspiration and research articles to random recipes. Its tagging and organizational features mean I can always find what I’m looking for, even when I have a massive backlog of bookmarks.

macOS

Screen Studio*

When I need sleek and quick screen recordings for tutorials or demos, Screen Studio* is my go-to. It’s perfect for showcasing everything from app prototypes to short how-to videos, and its built-in editor makes tweaking footage incredibly straightforward. It made screen recordings fun again.

CleanShot X

Apple’s built-in screenshot tool is great for quick grabs, but CleanShot X elevates the entire process. I love the scrolling capture feature (perfect for lengthy webpages), quick annotations, and the option to add a tidy little background to screenshots. Plus, instant cloud sharing means I’ve officially left Gyazo behind.

NotchNook

I never thought I’d care about the MacBook notch until I discovered NotchNook. It enhances that otherwise blank space by giving me quick access to my calendar and music controls. I’m excited about future features like to-dos and notes—anything that maximizes that bit of screen real estate is a win in my book.

ImageOptim

Whenever I’m preparing images—whether for a website, presentation, or something I'm uploading to my DigitalOcean Spaces*—ImageOptim makes it easy to compress them without sacrificing clarity. It’s simple, effective, and saves me from bloated file sizes.

Windows

ShareX

I’m a screenshot junkie on Windows, and ShareX is a lifesaver. It’s feature-packed (think GIF recording, custom workflows, and auto-uploads to multiple services), and it’s highly customizable. It’s not as polished as CleanShot, but it’s got power-user features galore.

Loom

For quick video messaging and screen recordings on Windows, Loom gets the job done. It’s especially handy for asynchronous team communication, and I used to use it religiously for internal documentation. There are other Windows compatible, cross-platform tools that try to match Screen Studio’s* entire shtick, but none have really hit the spot for me yet, so I keep it simple with Loom.

iOS

Flighty

If you travel often, you know how chaotic airports and flight schedules can get. Flighty provides real-time updates, gate changes, delays, and even early warnings about potential problems. I often get Flighty notifications for gate changes before the official United or Delta airline apps notify me. Plus, my wife appreciates being able to track my flights in real time.

Volvo Cars

My car’s app is a digital extension of my dashboard—showing fuel status, allowing remote start, and controlling locks. I use remote start almost daily in winter to avoid climbing into a cold car, and I can schedule service appointments directly in the app. Of course this isn't a special or new things for cars these days, but I'm glad it's a thing, and it really is an app that is part of my daily workflow.

Headspace

I mainly use Headspace for Sleepcasts—soothing audio that helps me wind down after a day filled with screens. The guided meditations are nice, but the bedtime content is what keeps me coming back.

FUJIFILM XApp → FUJIFILM Camera Remote

The XApp has actually be broken for my X-T5 + iPhone 16 Pro combination (running iOS 18.3.1 at the time of writing) since iOS 18 release. It seems to be a common issue (at least according to the mirade of reddit threads). Foruntately I can still use the older (albiet, still terrible) Camera Remote app, which works for quick transfers and remote camera control. It’s handy for on-the-go social sharing because I don’t have to move massive RAW or JPEG files—everything is resized.

Waze & Apple Maps

Waze is my eyes on the road, flagging traffic, construction, or speed traps well in advance. I've been a longtime Waze user (remember collecting candy pieces on the road?!) and it's stayed a staple for my navigation needs for years.

Meanwhile, Apple Maps had a rocky start, but here in 2025, it’s improved drastically. In places like D.C., the higher-fidelity map details make it a solid alternative to Waze when I'm bebopping around the city.

Tripsy

All my travel confirmations and itineraries live in Tripsy. It’s like having a personal travel binder on my phone, complete with space for documents and receipts that makes expense tracking and reimbursement so much simpler.

Apple Home + Google Home

I’ve been in the middle of migrating everything to HomeKit, but in the meantime, I’m juggling both Apple Home and Google Home. I recently swapped out my Google Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd Gen) with an Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium for a better HomeKit integration. I do still have a Nest Doorbell and a few of the indoor and outdoor variants of the Nest Cam. Of course none of these have direct HomeKit integration, so I recently acquired a Home Assistant Yellow and hope to find some time to do some HomeKit integrations for my IoT devices that are out on their own.

Oura app (and Oura Ring 4)

It tracks my sleep quality, readiness score, and daily activity trends, which helps me understand how rest and exercise affect my productivity. I've never been a fan of smart watches (and much prefer mechanical watches), so the ring is a great wearable format for me. I pair it with the Oura app on my iPhone for detailed sleep metrics and personalized recommendations. It’s like a mini sleep coach on my finger, nudging me to get more consistent rest—or at least reminding me to go to bed at a reasonable hour. I also found this GitHub repository with some helpful Shortcuts to help sync the Oura metrics to Apple Health.

Final Thoughts

The right tools transform our day-to-day experiences. From Windows to macOS, iOS, and even a ring on my finger, this stack keeps me connected and productive across every domain of my life. Of course, I'd also love to hear any recommendations you have for apps that could further improve my daily habits.

* This is a referral link, where I may earn a commission.