An alternative to Updatest for Mac
Updatest has been free since 14 October 2026, when it joined Workbrew, and it reads many of the same sources Floodtide does. The differences are in what happens when you press Update, which Macs each app runs on, and what each one does for apps with no update source of their own.
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 |
| Updatest | Free. The optional Updatest Network is $1.99 a month for up to 3 Macs, or $12.99 a year for up to 10 | Free app since 14 October 2026, when Updatest joined Workbrew. The Updatest Network, which adds version reports from other Updatest users, is an optional subscription. | Homebrew casks and formulae, Mac App Store, Sparkle, Electron, GitHub Releases, a cask or GitHub repository you add, and the optional Updatest Network. Homebrew is recommended for full detection. | macOS 15 or later | Shows each app’s code signing and notarisation details. Adopted Homebrew apps update through Homebrew; otherwise the app’s own updater, the App Store or a download page in your browser opens. | Free; part of Workbrew since 14 October 2026, with support still from the Updatest team; the Network is out of preview as a paid add-on |
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 Updatest is the better choice
- You want to pay nothing. Updatest is free to download and use. Floodtide’s scan is free too, but installing updates needs a licence once the trial ends.
- Many of your apps have no update source of their own. The Updatest Network reports versions that other Updatest users have installed, which can surface updates no feed or catalogue lists. Per its FAQ it reports versions, never download links.
- You run Homebrew on macOS 15 and want it to manage your apps. Updatest’s adoption picker matches each app to a cask and hands it to Homebrew, and if Updatest already finds everything you use, there is no reason to switch.
What Floodtide does differently
It installs the update itself, from every source
Floodtide downloads, verifies and replaces the app for Sparkle, Electron, GitHub Releases, Homebrew casks and its hand-researched feed, and updates Mac App Store apps in place through its privileged helper. Updatest’s How To page says a Sparkle or Electron update opens the app’s own updater, a Mac App Store update opens the App Store, and a GitHub or manual source opens your browser.
It runs on macOS 13 and 14, without Homebrew
Floodtide needs macOS 13 or later, on Intel and Apple silicon. It reads the Homebrew cask catalogue itself and fetches each vendor’s own download, so Homebrew does not have to be installed. Updatest requires macOS 15 and recommends Homebrew for full update detection.
Every update can be undone
Each replacement is checked against the code signature and Team ID of the copy it replaces, and the old version is kept, so Undo Last Update is one click away. For apps no feed covers, Floodtide reads a hand-researched feed of about 2,000 apps rather than reports from other users.
Common questions
Is Updatest free now?
Yes. Since 14 October 2026, when Updatest joined Workbrew, the app is free to download and use. The Updatest Network is an optional subscription at $1.99 a month for up to 3 Macs or $12.99 a year for up to 10, and people who bought Updatest before it went free have the Network included for one year with an Individual licence or two with a Household licence.
Why pay for Floodtide when Updatest is free?
Only if it finds or installs something on your Mac that Updatest does not. Floodtide’s scan is free with no time limit, so comparing the two lists costs nothing. Installing needs a licence, £10.99€12.99$14.99 once for 3 Macs or £19.99€23.99$27.99 for 6, after a 14-day trial that unlocks everything.
Can I run Updatest and Floodtide side by side?
Yes. Floodtide never changes Updatest’s settings or data, so running both during the trial is a fair way to see what each one finds. Apps that Homebrew manages, including any Updatest adopted, Floodtide upgrades through brew rather than around it.
Which macOS versions do Updatest and Floodtide need?
Updatest requires macOS 15 Sequoia or later, per its FAQ. Floodtide runs on macOS 13 Ventura or later, on Intel and Apple silicon Macs.
Sources
- Updatest home page: free since joining Workbrew, update sources, macOS 15, Homebrew recommendedhttps://updatest.app/
- Updatest has joined Workbrew: free from 14 October 2026, the Network included for earlier buyershttps://updatest.app/updatest-joins-workbrew
- Updatest Network: subscription prices and Macs per planhttps://updatest.app/network/
- Updatest FAQ: macOS 15.0 or later, formulae, what the Network shareshttps://updatest.app/faq/
- Updatest How To: what happens when you click Updatehttps://updatest.app/howto/
- Workbrew blog, 14 October 2026: Updatest joins Workbrewhttps://workbrew.com/blog/updatest-joins-workbrew
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.