The Setapp Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Setapp in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Setapp
The Insider’s Guide
One subscription for a catalog of 300+ Mac and iOS apps
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from Setapp’s own pages.
Made by MacPaw Way Ltd. · checked Oct 4, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Setapp’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Setapp’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 4, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 1 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade
Setapp is a subscription that gives access to a curated catalog of more than 300 Mac, iOS and web apps for one recurring fee. The catalog spans utilities, writing, development and AI tools, with apps such as CleanShot X, Craft, Bartender and Paste. Plans differ by how many Macs and iOS devices they cover, and each includes a monthly allowance of AI credits.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Setapp, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The plans take reading too, since they differ by how many Macs and iOS devices they cover.
- 1
Best for renting a whole shelf of Mac apps for one fee
The help center lists plans the pricing page doesn't, and there's nothing for Windows or Android.
- 2
Paid plans start at $8.99 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $14.99 / month + tax, or $107.88 / year (Mac plan).
- 3
You can try it first
7-day free trial of Setapp membership
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
macOS and iOS.
- 5
App catalog under one membership
More than 300 Mac, iOS and web apps, grouped into Optimize, Work, Create, Develop and AI categories. App updates are included.
- 6
Utilities in the catalog
The catalog includes Paste for clipboard history, Mosaic for window layouts, CleanShot X for screenshots, Rocket Typist for text snippets and Timing for time tracking.
- 7
AI credits and AI apps
Around 40 AI-powered apps, such as TypingMind, BoltAI and Elephas, draw on one shared allowance of AI credits. Extra credits can be bought separately.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 1 of 94
That is against the other desktop utilities we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Setapp you would be making control over other apps' windows. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Setapp at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $14.99 / month + tax, or $107.88 / year (Mac plan)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial of Setapp membership
- Runs on
- macOS, iOS
- Made by
- MacPaw Way Ltd., since 2017
- Category
- Desktop Utilities
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for renting a whole shelf of Mac apps for one fee
Setapp is one subscription for more than 300 Mac and iOS apps, including CleanShot X, Bartender and Paste. It only adds up if you'd use several: there's no free plan, the base plan is $14.99 a month plus tax for a single Mac, iPhones and more Macs need a higher plan, and unused AI credits reset each period. The help center lists plans the pricing page doesn't, and there's nothing for Windows or Android.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | $14.99 a month plus tax for one Mac, or $107.88 a year, puts it in the dearest tenth of this category and above every app it stands in for: Raycast Pro is $96 a year, Paste $2.49 a month, CleanShot X $35 once. It only pays off if you'd really use several. Adding 4 iOS devices takes it to $18.99. |
| Free plan and trial | C | There's no free plan, only a 7-day trial of the membership, and the listing doesn't say whether a card is needed to start it. After that it's $14.99 a month plus tax. |
| Features | B | More than 300 Mac, iOS and web apps, with Paste for clipboard history, Mosaic for window layouts, CleanShot X for screenshots and Rocket Typist for snippets, and around 40 AI apps sharing one credit allowance. The catch in its own notes: unused AI credits reset every period. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record, and there's a bit to work through: you make an account, pick from a catalogue of 300, then learn each app you install. The plans take reading too, since they differ by how many Macs and iOS devices they cover. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Mac and iOS only, so one family of devices. The base plan covers 1 Mac, and iOS devices or more Macs need a higher plan. Single-app purchases are for macOS only. Nothing for Windows or Android. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Setapp is for
- Fits if you'd otherwise buy several Mac utilities from its catalog one by one
- Works for people with a few Macs and iPhones, since Power User at $22.99 a month covers 4 of each
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you only want one or two apps: $14.99 a month plus tax is more than Paste alone at $2.49 a month
- Not for you if you're on Windows or Android, as it's Mac and iOS only
- Tight if you lean on the AI apps, since unused credits reset each billing period and don't carry over
- Watch out: the $14.99 plan covers one Mac; iOS devices take $18.99 a month and more Macs $22.99
- Watch out: the help center lists an iOS-only plan at $7.99 a month and two AI+ plans the pricing page doesn't show
Good to know
Good for
- Mac users who would otherwise buy several utilities separately
- People who like to try new apps without paying for each one
- Owners of several Macs and iOS devices, via the Power User plan
Worth knowing
- There is no free plan; after the 7-day trial the Mac plan costs $14.99 a month plus tax.
- The base Mac plan covers a single Mac; iOS devices or more Macs need a higher plan.
- Unused AI credits reset each billing period and do not carry over.
- The help center also lists an iOS-only plan at $7.99 a month and two AI+ plans that the pricing page does not show.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$8.99
A month to start, paid by the year
Setapp is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $14.99 / month + tax, or $107.88 / year (Mac plan).
It only pays off if you'd really use several.
Mac
$14.99
per month + tax, billed monthly ($107.88 billed annually)
The full app catalog on 1 Mac, with 1,000 AI credits a month on monthly billing.
Mac + iOS
$18.99
per month + tax, billed monthly ($134.88 billed annually)
1 Mac and 4 iOS devices, with 1,000 AI credits a month on monthly billing.
Power User
$22.99
per month + tax, billed monthly ($161.88 billed annually)
4 Macs and 4 iOS devices, with 2,000 AI credits a month on monthly billing.
Trying it first
7-day free trial of Setapp membership
Read from setapp.com on Oct 4, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Save up to 40% with yearly billing
The pricing page advertises savings of up to 40% on yearly billing. The help center lists the Mac plan at $107.88 a year against $14.99 a month.
Stated on setapp.comEducation
20% off the annual Mac + iOS plan for education
Students, researchers and educators who sign up with an educational email address get 20% off the annual Mac + iOS plan: $107.88 a year against the regular $134.88. New subscribers only.
Stated on support.setapp.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: macOS and iOS
One subscription for a catalog of 300+ Mac and iOS apps. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, screenshots, clipboard manager, window management, text expansion.
The catch in its own notes: unused AI credits reset every period.
- App catalog under one membership
- More than 300 Mac, iOS and web apps, grouped into Optimize, Work, Create, Develop and AI categories. App updates are included.
- Utilities in the catalog
- The catalog includes Paste for clipboard history, Mosaic for window layouts, CleanShot X for screenshots, Rocket Typist for text snippets and Timing for time tracking.
- AI credits and AI apps
- Around 40 AI-powered apps, such as TypingMind, BoltAI and Elephas, draw on one shared allowance of AI credits. Extra credits can be bought separately.
- Device coverage by plan
- Plans cover 1 Mac, 1 Mac with 4 iOS devices, or 4 Macs with 4 iOS devices.
- Single-app purchases
- An app can be bought on its own as a monthly or yearly subscription or a one-time purchase, as set by its developer. Single apps are available for macOS only.
- Setapp for Teams
- Team accounts let an admin invite and remove members and manage the team's devices and apps.
Where it runs
- macOS
- iOS
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Setapp is made by MacPaw Way Ltd., and has been around since 2017.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
1/94
Other desktop utilities it is graded above
Setapp's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 1 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on features (B, above 72 of 94) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $8.99 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $2.50 for the category: 16 of the 17 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 6 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 95 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. Setapp’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 94
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 94
- BFeaturesAbove 72 of 94
- CEase of useAbove 6 of 94
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 65 of 94
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 55 desktop utilities. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Setapp is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Setapp you would be making control over other apps' windows. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 88 of the 94 other desktop utilities grade higher. It costs $107.88 a year.
What you could not
- Control over other apps' windows.
- A clipboard history running in the background of your computer.
- Capture tools hooked into the operating system.
- Text expansion that works in every app.
- Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Setapp’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Raycast, Alfred, Paste, CleanShot X and TextExpander
The 5 tools Setapp is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Raycast
Free plan · from $96/yr
Keyboard launcher with extensions, clipboard history and AI.
- Raycast has a free plan. Setapp does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Raycast lists a Windows app.
- Only Raycast lists a browser extension.
- 2.4GPA
Alfred
Free plan · from £34 one-time
Mac launcher with hotkeys, snippets and custom workflows.
- Alfred has a free plan. Setapp does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Setapp lists an iOS app.
- Alfred can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.2GPA
Paste
Free trial · from $2.49/mo
Clipboard manager for Mac, iPhone and iPad with pinboards.
- Paste can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Setapp also covers screenshots, window management and text expansion.
- 2.0GPA
CleanShot X
From $35 one-time
Mac screenshot and screen recording app with a one-time license.
- Only Setapp lists an iOS app.
- CleanShot X can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Setapp also covers clipboard manager, window management and text expansion.
- 2.4GPA
TextExpander
Free plan · from $5/mo
Text snippets that expand as you type, shared across a team.
- TextExpander has a free plan. Setapp does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only TextExpander lists a Windows app.
- Only TextExpander lists a browser extension.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Setapp free?
No, Setapp is a paid product, but you can try it first. 7-day free trial of Setapp membership.
How much does Setapp cost?
Setapp lists 3 plans. Mac: $14.99 per month + tax, billed monthly ($107.88 billed annually).
What platforms does Setapp work on?
Setapp is available on macOS and iOS.
Does Setapp offer any discounts?
Setapp publicly lists the following: Save up to 40% with yearly billing; 20% off the annual Mac + iOS plan for education.
Does Setapp have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 4, 2026. Setapp is listed for macOS and iOS.
Does Setapp have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 4, 2026. Setapp is listed for macOS and iOS.
Is Setapp open source?
Setapp is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 4, 2026.
Does Setapp have a student discount?
20% off the annual Mac + iOS plan for education. Students, researchers and educators who sign up with an educational email address get 20% off the annual Mac + iOS plan: $107.88 a year against the regular $134.88.
Who makes Setapp?
Setapp is made by MacPaw Way Ltd. It dates from 2017.
What are the alternatives to Setapp?
The closest alternatives to Setapp in our directory are Raycast, Alfred, Paste, CleanShot X and TextExpander.
How does Setapp compare with other desktop utilities?
Setapp's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 1 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 5.
Is Setapp good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Setapp D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $8.99 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $2.50 for the category: 16 of the 17 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Setapp?
To replace Setapp you would be making control over other apps' windows.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Setapp’s own pages on Oct 4, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Setapp's own pages on 4 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-06-14.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by MacPaw Way Ltd. Prices change, so check setapp.com before you buy.
- setapp.com
- setapp.com/pricing
- setapp.com/membership
- setapp.com/apps
- setapp.com/about
- support.setapp.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004394569-Subscription-plans
- support.setapp.com/hc/en-us/articles/12600241766044-AI-subscription-plans
- support.setapp.com/hc/en-us/articles/19801641154972-Single-app-subscription-or-one-time-purchase
- support.setapp.com/hc/en-us/articles/21524993914524-New-educational-discount
- support.setapp.com/hc/en-us/sections/360003140080-Setapp-for-Teams
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Setapp, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/setapp
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Setapp: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 4, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/setapp
Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/setapp/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded desktop utilities after Setapp, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Desktop Utilities Insider's GuideEvery one of the 95 desktop utilities we grade, compared
- LocalSend Insider's GuideOpen-source file sharing between nearby devices, no cloud3.2 GPA
- Ninite Insider's GuideInstalls and updates many Windows apps at once3.2 GPA
- 7-Zip Insider's GuideFree, open-source file archiver with the 7z format3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Setapp’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Setapp is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by MacPaw Way Ltd. Prices and plans change: check setapp.com before you buy.