10 Free and Open-source Creative Apps for macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon)
1- Blender
Open-source free 3D modeling
Blender is the free and open source 3D creation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline-modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing, motion tracking and video editing.
Read about Blender 's features, license, platforms, and more.
2- Dust3D
3D modeling software to create low poly 3D models for video games, 3D printing
Dust3D is a cross-platform 3D modeling software that makes it easy to create low poly 3D models for video games, 3D printing, and more.
Read about Dust3D 's features, license, platforms, and more.
3- OpenSCAD
Solid 3D CAD Modeller for Programmers
OpenSCAD is a software for creating solid 3D CAD objects. It is free software and available for Linux/UNIX, MS Windows and macOS.
Unlike most free software for creating 3D models (such as the famous application Blender), OpenSCAD focuses on the CAD aspects rather than the artistic aspects of 3D modeling. Thus this might be the application you are looking for when you are planning to create 3D models of machine parts but probably not the tool for creating computer-animated movies.
OpenSCAD is not an interactive modeler. Instead it is more like a 3D-compiler that reads a script file that describes the object and renders the 3D model from this script file (see examples below). This gives you, the designer, complete control over the modeling process and enables you to easily change any step in the modeling process or make designs that are defined by configurable parameters.
OpenSCAD provides two main modeling techniques: First there is constructive solid geometry (aka CSG) and second there is extrusion of 2D outlines. As the data exchange format for these 2D outlines Autocad DXF files are used. In addition to 2D paths for extrusion it is also possible to read design parameters from DXF files. Besides DXF files OpenSCAD can read and create 3D models in the STL and OFF file formats.
Read about OpenSCAD 's features, license, platforms, and more.
4- 3dfier
The open-source tool for creating 3D models
Takes 2D GIS datasets (e.g. topographical datasets) and "3dfies" them (as in "making them three-dimensional") by lifting every polygon to 3D. The elevation is obtained from a point cloud (we support LAS/LAZ at this moment), and the semantics of every polygon is used to perform the lifting. That is, water polygons are extruded to horizontal polygons, buildings to LOD1 blocks, roads as smooth surfaces, etc.
Every polygon is triangulated (constrained Delaunay triangulation) and the lifted polygons are "stitched" together so that one digital surface model (DSM) is constructed. Our aim is to obtain one DSM that is error-free, i.e. no intersecting triangles, no holes (the surface is watertight), where buildings are integrated in the surface, etc. This surface will then be used as input in simulation software for instance.
Read about 3dfier 's features, license, platforms, and more.
5- DiffusionBee
AI-Based Art for macOS
With all the AI created Art trends, here comes DiffusionBee, which is an amazing desktop app that is designed specifically for Apple Intel and Silicon M1. It comes with a stunning features that starts with an easy installation, no configuration and an astounding built-in AI models.
Unlike other web-based similar solutions, your images will generate locally, and it will not be created on the cloud.
You can also use the generated images freely as you comply with the CreativeML Open RAIL-M License.
Read about DiffusionBee 's features, license, platforms, and more.
6- Dotgrid
Design fancy stuff in a grid
Dotgrid is a grid-based vector drawing software designed to create logos, icons and type. It supports layers, the full SVG specs and additional effects such as mirroring and radial drawing. Dotgrid exports to both PNG and SVG files.
Read about Dotgrid 's features, license, platforms, and more.
7- Krita
Open-source digital painting software for concept artists, digital painters, and illustrators
Krita is a professional FREE and open source painting program. It is made by artists that want to see affordable art tools for everyone.
Krita is a free and open source digital painting application. It is for artists who want to create professional work from start to end. Krita is used by comic book artists, illustrators, concept artists, matte and texture painters and in the digital VFX industry.
Read about Krita 's features, license, platforms, and more.
8- Nebo
Take smarter, more beautiful notes
Nebo is a free open-source software for note-taking that offers a dozen of productivity-oriented features. It supports handwritten notes, sketches, diagrams and exports your notes in many formats.
Nebo is designed for touch screens, but it also designed to work with stylus and to write or sketch notes.
One of its other stunning features is it also works as a PDF viewer, and you can easily add PDF files to your notebook, create and export your note and annotations easily.
You can also change the background colors, and enjoy the infinite drawing canvas in a free-form page document.
It is important to note that the app is not free, but it is affordable for Windows, Android, and Apple devices.
However, if you prefer using the keyboard, Nebo got you covered easily with dozens of shortcuts, and keyboard specific tools.
The primary reason why we listed it here, is that it does not have an open-source counterpart (alternative) and it was recommended by some medical students.
The app is built for project managers, students, teachers, engineers, designers, writers, and software engineers. However, if you have a stream of ideas, we highly recommend it.
Read about Nebo 's features, license, platforms, and more.
9- Paintbrush
Bitmap image editor
Paintbrush is a Cocoa-based paint program for Mac OS X, similar to Microsoft Paint and MacPaint.
Paintbrush is the original simple paint program for macOS. It provides users with a means to make simple images quickly. Accept no substitutes!
When Apple released the original Macintosh in 1984, they included two applications: MacWrite and MacPaint. Twenty-five years later, every Mac still includes a basic text editor in TextEdit, but a simple paint program is a thing of the past.
Read about Paintbrush 's features, license, platforms, and more.
10- Upscayl
Free and Open Source AI Image Upscaler
Upscayl is a cross-platform application built with the Linux-first philosophy.
This means that Linux users receive pre-release builds earlier but Upscayl itself is available on all major desktop operating systems.
Read about Upscayl 's features, license, platforms, and more.