I built Aira, a free teleprompter for Mac that stays hidden on calls

https://reddit.com/link/1tar1aw/video/fsvnodblxm0h1/player

Hey r/MacApps,

I’m a second-year computer engineering student, and I recently built my first Mac app: Aira.

**Problem:**

I made Aira because I kept having HireVues, and last-minute presentations where I didn’t always have time to memorize/ learn everything. I wanted a simple teleprompter that stays close to the camera, scrolls as I speak, and doesn’t show up in screen sharing or recordings.

Aira sits just below the camera on your Mac and supports three scroll modes, word highlighting, a built-in script editor, keyboard shortcuts, external monitor support, optional Pill Windows, and a Progress Bar to help you keep track of where you are in your script.

It uses WhisperKit for on-device speech recognition, so your voice stays on your Mac. Built in Swift. No account needed.

**Comparison:**

The main alternatives I found were apps like Moody, Textream, and Notch Prompter.

Moody looks polished, but it costs $29.

Notch Prompter is cheaper at $4.99, but I wanted to build something free.

Textream is free and open source, but it is not notarized, so installing it may require extra steps like removing quarantine attributes manually. I think that can make some users hesitant.

Aira is trying to be the simple free option for Mac users who want something built around calls, interviews, and presentations. The main differences are:

* free
* Mac App Store distribution
* speech-based scrolling using WhisperKit
* accurate word-match scrolling
* hidden from screen sharing and recordings
* no account required
* on-device speech recognition



**Pricing:**

Aira is free.

Mac App Store: [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/aira-notch-teleprompter/id6762571829?mt=12](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/aira-notch-teleprompter/id6762571829?mt=12)

Website: [https://useaira.co/](https://useaira.co/)

I decided to make it free because I’ve relied on a lot of free software as a student, so it felt right to do the same here.

Would love for you to try it and let me know what you think.

https://redd.it/1tar1aw
@macappsbackup

I got tired of checking five different places to understand what I was spending on AI and tracking my token usage. *FREE CODE 4 BETA USERS*
https://redd.it/1tarv3y
@macappsbackup

Scorpi — A Docker-like VM Development Platform for macOS

Hey everyone,

I’ve been working on a new project called Scorpi — a Docker-like VM development platform for macOS focused on lightweight virtualization and fast developer workflows.

The goal is to make local VM-based development simpler and faster on macOS without the usual overhead.
http://fuse-t.org/scorpi

I’d really appreciate feedback, ideas, bug reports, or contributions.

https://redd.it/1tatvjh
@macappsbackup

Tunebar 2.0 – Mini player, lyrics, playlists. The Winamp spirit lives in your menu bar.

https://redd.it/1taw7ol
@macappsbackup

[OS] Glyph - Markdown Notes App that gives you complete control over your files -$15 (40% OFF)

https://redd.it/1taxi3i
@macappsbackup

Please help me choose a plain text editor

Hello!

I always write my drafts in Drafts and my longer texts in iA Writer.

Every now and then, I need to open the .txt files I create in the project folders in Finder (supporting materials and task descriptions).

I’d like something more visually appealing than the native TextEdit.

I found an app by Sindre Sorhus, whose SuperCharge helps me create text files in Finder, called Plain Text Editor.



Description from the website:

How is the macOS version better than TextEdit?

\- Editor padding

\- Optimal line spacing and length

\- Word count

\- Hide the title bar

\- Translucent background

\- Window can stay on top

\- Force dark/light mode

\- Brain dump mode



Will this app settle the matter of a plain text editor?

I really like the programs from the esteemed Sindre and really want to support him with a purchase. At any other time, I would buy it without hesitation, but things are a bit tight right now, so I’ve decided to play it safe.



P.S. If the esteemed Amerpie has tested this app and could provide a brief comparison with TextEdit and, for example, Drafts—which I’m already quite familiar with—I’d be doubly grateful.

Please help me decide.

Thank you!

https://redd.it/1taxi8j
@macappsbackup

Zip & Rar files handling

Coming from Windows, Winrar and 7z are the best in the platform but when i got a Macbook, i still suffer from extraction or compressing files. I tried keka and peazip but still not get that snappy and easy way of doing this simple task.

Can you recommend me any other app beside these or tell me how to get the best of them in case i am using them wrong ? thank you

https://redd.it/1taznx0
@macappsbackup

Snaply - Free and Private AI app for your Mac

https://redd.it/1tb0c03
@macappsbackup

SideNotes 1.6 is here: folding notes, pinning notes & folders, new settings, and lots of other improvements

https://redd.it/1tazw1w
@macappsbackup

I built a private journal for the people in my life. not personal crm or something. kinda a life archive - feedbacks will be helpful.

https://redd.it/1tb25ws
@macappsbackup

Bartender Enters a New Era with Top Shelf

For the past few weeks, I've been beta testing a new release of Bartender; an app with an interesting, and at times slightly controversial, history. Despite that, it's a utility I've relied on for years. I recently did a deep dive into the problems macOS changes have created for menu bar managers and what those changes mean going forward. Even with a few lingering issues in the category, I still came away viewing Bartender as the best overall option for serious Mac users.

The new release, called Bartender Pro, expands beyond traditional menu bar management with a feature called Top Shelf. The idea is simple: turn the MacBook notch into something genuinely useful instead of leaving it as dead space. The developers are entering an increasingly crowded area occupied by apps like Droppy and DynamicLake Pro, both of which are also trying to claim that piece of Mac interface real estate.

Top Shelf supports temporary file storage, clipboard history, AirDrop access, widgets, media controls, live weather, calendar views, and what Bartender calls "live activities." One particularly interesting addition is support for displaying the status of running Claude Code or Codex sessions directly from the notch area. That puts Bartender Pro in direct competition with Droppy for AI-focused workflow integration.

I'm fortunate to have a small home lab with several Macs available for testing. I've been running Bartender Pro on my M2 MacBook Air with the latest version of macOS, and overall the implementation feels thoughtful and mature. The developers have integrated the new functionality cleanly into Bartender's existing settings architecture rather than bolting on a second interface.

The Top Shelf interface itself is polished and visually cohesive with macOS. More importantly, it offers enough customization that power users should be able to shape it around their workflow instead of adapting to someone else's idea of how the notch should work. Enabling or disabling features is straightforward, and the configuration process never feels overly complicated.

One feature Bartender Pro offers that I have not seen handled as well elsewhere is its dynamic interaction with the Bartender Bar itself. The app intelligently avoids hiding menu bar items behind the notch interface, which sounds minor until you actually start using multiple notch utilities and discover how messy that problem can become.

Importantly, none of this replaces the traditional Bartender experience. The new functionality is strictly additive. Bartender 6 is still available as a standard one-time purchase for $20, and the company has been explicit that core menu bar management is not being moved behind a subscription wall.

For users interested in Top Shelf and the broader Pro feature set, Bartender Pro is available as a $15/year subscription. That includes Bartender 6 along with all upgrades released during the subscription period.

The Bartender team has clearly invested serious effort into getting this release right. During the beta period, updates arrived constantly, feedback was actively incorporated, and bug reports received prompt attention. That responsiveness matters, especially for utility software operating this deeply inside the macOS interface.

If you are evaluating notch utilities or trying to build a cleaner AI-oriented Mac workflow, Bartender Pro deserves a serious look.

https://redd.it/1tb494r
@macappsbackup

Iconed v1.14 - Easily create personalized app and folder icons from images, with support for multiple format conversions.

https://redd.it/1tb5n0i
@macappsbackup