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Beams VS Setapp

Compare Beams VS Setapp and see what are their differences

Beams

Menu bar app to mindfully navigate your workday

Rating
5.0 · 1 review
Pricing
Free Free trial
Alternatives Is it good?
Setapp

The one place for trusted apps. Hundreds of high-quality apps for your Mac and iPhone, including AI tools.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Paid Free trial $14.99 / Monthly (1 Mac)
Alternatives Is it good?
Zoviz
Zoviz: Professional Logos, Perfectly Personalized Your Brand. Your Story sponsored

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Setapp seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 15 times since March 2021.

social mentions
0 vs 15
Productivity popularity
68% vs 32%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Beams
Setapp
Website usebeams.com setapp.com
Pricing
Free Free trial
Paid Free trial $14.99 / Monthly (1 Mac) Official pricing
Company — 2017
Listed in
Mac Software Productivity Office & Productivity Software SaaS Remote Work Remote Work Tools Menu Bar Apps +4
Project Management No Code Development Low Code +1

About Beams and Setapp

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

Beams
Setapp

Constant context switching, too many open tabs and distracting notifications - sounds familiar? beams gently guides you through your busy workday - directly from the menu bar. Joining a call or going into undisturbed focus time is now only a keystroke away.

Read more about Beams

A unified marketplace for Mac and iPhone users to get hand-picked, trusted apps. Get over 260 apps for a flat fee with Setapp Membership, or purchase individual apps on flexible terms through Setapp Marketplace.

Read more about Setapp

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Beams 3 features
Setapp 5 features
  • meeting overview
    mininalistic workday navigation, easy accessibility to all your meeting
  • join meetings through shortcut
    easiest way to join all your meetings - be the first one in the meeting
  • focus mode ☂️
    blocks notification and calender, included timer, break reminders
  • Diverse Application Library
    Setapp provides access to a wide range of high-quality Mac applications across different categories, all from a single subscription service.
  • Cost-Effective
    For a monthly fee, users gain access to multiple paid applications, which can be more cost-effective than purchasing individual app licenses.
  • Updates and Upgrades Included
    All apps within Setapp come with automatic updates and upgrades included in the subscription, ensuring users always have the latest features and security patches.
  • Easy Installation and Management
    The Setapp platform provides a user-friendly interface for browsing, installing, and managing applications, simplifying the overall user experience.
  • Free Trial Available
    Setapp offers a 7-day free trial, allowing potential users to explore and evaluate the service before committing to a subscription.

Possible disadvantages

  • Subscription Model
    Some users may prefer to own their applications outright rather than subscribing to a service, which can feel like an ongoing cost without permanent ownership.
  • Dependent on Continuity
    If Setapp were to ever go out of business or a user decides to cancel their subscription, access to all the apps would be lost.
  • Mac Only
    Setapp is currently only available for Mac users, which excludes Windows and Linux users from the service.
  • Limited Offline Use
    While applications can generally be used offline, Setapp itself requires an internet connection for installation and license verification, which may be inconvenient for some users.
  • Not All Apps Included
    Despite having a diverse range of applications, Setapp does not include every app a user might need or prefer, thus still necessitating separate purchases in some cases.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Beams
Setapp

No analysis of Beams yet.

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Setapp is considered good for users who frequently use multiple Mac apps and value convenience and flexibility. It provides excellent value for money by offering a diverse selection of reliable and well-crafted applications. However, it might not be the best choice for those who only need a few specific applications or prefer to own their software outright.

Why this product is good

  • Setapp is a subscription-based service that provides access to a wide range of Mac applications for a single monthly fee. Users often find it beneficial because it offers a curated selection of high-quality apps without the need to purchase each one individually. It saves time and money for those who require multiple tools, ensuring they always have the latest versions without additional costs. Furthermore, it simplifies software management by centralizing the process of discovering, updating, and accessing various applications.

Recommended for

    Setapp is recommended for professionals, creatives, and productivity enthusiasts who use a variety of Mac applications regularly and appreciate the ease of access to a comprehensive software library without the hassle of individual purchases. It's also suitable for users who enjoy exploring new tools and apps to enhance their workflow.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Beams 4 videos + Add
Setapp 1 video + Add

Welcome to beams

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What's Setapp?

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Beams
Setapp
68% 68%
Productivity
32% 32%
23% 23%
Project Management
77% 77%
100% 100%
Mac Software
0% 0%
0% 0%
No Code
100% 100%

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Beams and Setapp.

What's the story behind your product?

Setapp's answer:

Setapp was created in 2016 by MacPaw, the company behind apps such as CleanMyMac, ClearVPN, and more. The key idea behind Setapp was to give users a simple way to discover high-quality apps for Mac. Over the years, the catalog has grown to over 260 apps and now includes tools for Mac, iOS, and web. Setapp is localized in eight languages and has users all over the world. Here are the key dates:

November 2016: Setapp closed beta is launched for the press, opinion leaders, and influencers. December 6, 2016: Setapp Beta release. January 25, 2017: Setapp public release. August 6, 2020: Setapp let users install iOS apps. August 11, 2021: Setapp arrives on iPhone and iPad. March, 2026: Single app purchase via Setapp Marketplace is introduced. Now, Setapp includes 260+ apps, 50+ iOS apps, and about 10 web apps with more to come.

What makes your product unique?

Setapp's answer:

Setapp's key differentiators:

-Curation. Setapp is a curated platform with trusted, hand-picked apps — not a place filled with self-submitted apps.

-Professional focus. Setapp includes apps aimed at improving productivity and workflows for professionals who rely on their Macs. Setapp users range from developers and marketers to educators, healthcare experts, logistics and retail professionals, and more.

-Flexible access. Users have two ways to get apps: a single-fee subscription to 260+ fully unlocked Mac, iOS, and web apps; or individual app purchases via Setapp Marketplace, for those who need just a few apps rather than the full catalog.

-Security. Setapp holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022, SOC 2, and GDPR certifications. Apps are not permitted to display ads or include hidden in-app purchases.

-AI access. AI+ plans give access to all popular LLM models — GPT, Claude, Gemini, and Grok — through a single gateway.

Setapp gives users apps they can count on. It’s not an endless store but a curated collection of apps worth users’ time and money.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

Setapp's answer:

-Quality over volume. The catalog includes only hand-picked, trusted apps. When downloading an app from Setapp, users can be sure it is high quality and safe to use.

-Trusted apps, no fillers. Every app is Apple-notarized, ad-free, fully unlocked, and has no features locked behind additional paywalls. Getting apps through Setapp means avoiding malware and unpleasant surprises.

-Save costs. Setapp Membership offers access to over 260 apps for a flat fee — no need to subscribe to multiple individual apps and juggle subscriptions. In Setapp Marketplace, users can purchase hand-picked, trusted apps individually, with no need to double-check quality or security.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

Setapp's answer:

Setapp is actively used by professionals who rely heavily on their Macs and want to improve their workflows — including developers, IT specialists, content creators, designers, marketers, writers, educators, students, and specialists in agriculture, logistics, retail, healthcare, and other fields.

User comments

Share your experience with using Beams and Setapp. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Beams 5.0 · 1 review
Setapp no reviews yet
  • Love the focus mode ☂️
    SaaSHub review
    · Mar 2023

    beams focus mode really helps me a lot to get things done! It blocks incoming messages and gives me an overview of my focus goal and how much time I have left. For me, that's very helpful because I easily get distracted.

We have no reviews of Setapp yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Beams 0 mentions
Setapp 15 mentions

Tracking Beams since Jan 2023.

  • Ask HN: How to Sell as a Software Engineer?
    > I've reached the conclusion that software quality and even price matters much less than distribution, especially now. I highly doubt that is true. We don't yet know how end-users will make purchasing decisions now that almost anyone... - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Show HN: BoringBar – a taskbar-style dock replacement for macOS
    There could be 4x buyers at $10. I’d be one of the now, the dock is a constant annoyance. The app looks great, downloading the trial now. To the app’s author I’d say get as many licensees as you can fast before you’re Sherlocked or... - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Coders Coded Their Job Away. Why Are So Many of Them Happy About It?
    I used a bunch of tools from https://setapp.com/ and no longer subscribe. I used to pay for Linear for all my personal projects, built one with CC that perfectly fits my needs… I also built a myriad of small tools that help me automate... - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago

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