An alternative to MacUpdate Desktop for Mac
MacUpdate Desktop is the app from MacUpdate, the Mac download site: a store, updater, uninstaller and launcher in one window, sold as a yearly subscription and still marked beta. Everything below about it comes from its own MacUpdate listing.
Side by side
| App | Price | Pricing model | Updates from | macOS minimum | Verification | Status in October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floodtide | £10.99€12.99$14.99 once for 3 Macs; £19.99€23.99$27.99 for 6 (Household) | One-time purchase. The Tide, an optional add-on at £9.99€11.99$13.99 a year, adds hand-researched apps; Floodtide for Teams is £7.00€8.00$9.00 per Mac a year. | Homebrew casks, Sparkle feeds, GitHub Releases, Mac App Store apps (through a privileged helper) and a hand-researched feed of about 2,000 apps | macOS 13 or later, Intel and Apple silicon | Checks the published checksum where there is one, the code signature and the developer’s Team ID; keeps a backup for one-click undo | On sale and maintained; 14-day full trial, scanning stays free after it; in English, French, German and Spanish |
| MacUpdate Desktop | $9.99 a year | Yearly subscription. The app uses a MacUpdate account, per its FAQ. | Not stated on its listing, which describes a store, updater, uninstaller and launcher | macOS 11 or later, Intel and Apple silicon | Not stated on its listing. Its FAQ says app management runs through a helper with root permissions. | Beta; version 0.9.1, updated 22 September 2026 |
Facts about other apps are as their own pages stated them on the date above; "not stated" means the sources listed at the foot of this page do not say.
When MacUpdate Desktop is the better choice
- Your Mac runs macOS 11 or 12. MacUpdate Desktop supports macOS 11 and later; Floodtide needs macOS 13.
- You want a store, an uninstaller and a launcher in the same window. MacUpdate Desktop lets you find and buy apps, remove them with their saved data and launch them. Floodtide is built to update the apps you already have.
- You need an updater for a year or less. At $9.99 a year, MacUpdate Desktop costs less than Floodtide’s one-time licence over the first year.
What Floodtide does differently
Its sources and checks are published
Floodtide says where each update comes from: Homebrew casks, Sparkle feeds, GitHub Releases, Electron feeds, the Mac App Store and a hand-researched feed of about 2,000 apps. Before installing, it checks the published checksum where there is one, and the code signature and Team ID against the copy on your Mac.
Pay once, with no account
A licence is £10.99€12.99$14.99 once for 3 Macs, with a 14-day full trial and no account to create, and the scan stays free after the trial.
One-click undo
Every update keeps the version it replaced, so Undo Last Update puts the old one back in a click if the new one misbehaves.
Common questions
Is MacUpdate Desktop still in beta?
Yes. Its MacUpdate listing calls it MacUpdate Desktop Beta for Mac, at version 0.9.1, updated on 22 September 2026.
How much does MacUpdate Desktop cost?
Its listing shows $9.99 with a yearly subscription. Floodtide is £10.99€12.99$14.99 once for 3 Macs or £19.99€23.99$27.99 for 6, after a 14-day trial, and scanning is free.
Do I need an account to use Floodtide?
No. Floodtide works without an account, and a licence key unlocks installing. MacUpdate Desktop’s FAQ describes a MacUpdate account that you manage from the app and can log out of.
Which macOS versions do MacUpdate Desktop and Floodtide need?
MacUpdate Desktop needs macOS 11 or later, on Intel or Apple silicon, per its listing. Floodtide needs macOS 13 Ventura or later, on Intel and Apple silicon Macs.
Sources
- MacUpdate, MacUpdate Desktop listing: price, yearly subscription, beta 0.9.1 of 22 September 2026, macOS 11, FAQhttps://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/64860/macupdate-desktop
Compare them on your own Mac
Download Floodtide and let it scan. The list of what is out of date is free, and the 14-day trial unlocks every install. Keep the app you use now until you have put the two lists side by side.