Macupdater: Traditional update tool for the Mac is looking for a new home

Corecode, developer of the tool that has been available for many years Macupdater velvet the behind Website and databasewants to stop working on the update tool for MacOS by the end of the year. This was announced by the company based in Malta in a message. Before that, the company wants to try to sell either the existing technology or the entire Macupdater project, says founder Julian Mayer.

Central update feature, the macOS is missing

Macupdater helps users keep their MAC software up to date. If this was not covered from Apple’s in-house Mac App Store or alternative services such as SETAPP, but downloaded from individual websites, the lack of a central update function. In individual apps there is usually an automatic display for fresh versions (often via the free framework Sparkle), but then you have to install them manually. Macupdater, on the other hand, has its own database with app updates and then allows you to update a single program.

The application can be used free of charge as a pure scanner on new updates (installation then manually), as a paid version ($ 4.40) this is also automated. The database for the “one-click update” currently contains over 6000 apps, version information is kept up to date for 100,000 apps. In addition to the standard variant, there is also a pro and business version that, among other things, bring a command line tool and cover special cases such as audio plugins. Here you pay $ 10.27 or 10 euros (business, per seat). All four versions of Macupdater will be supported until January 1, 2026.

Sale as a whole project or in parts

According to Mayer, he was able to solve “the central technical challenges in the field of MacOS app updating” with Macupdater. He had built up the trust of tens of thousands of users within eight years. The problem: There is a lack of sustainable monetization without a subscription model, which Mayer does not want to implement itself. With a complete takeover of the project, around 300,000 euros a year can be expected in the form of a subscription service, Corecode estimates. “There are even greater chances of growth here if you go to the enterprise and corporate market that has been almost ignored so far.” Alternatively, the MacupDater technology can also be installed into other tools, for example from the MDM area. More details for interested buyers list corecode On his website.

It is to be hoped that Macupdater will be in good hands – also because the app takes on an important task on a Mac that is security -critical. Lately there have been several purchases of well-known MacOS apps through more dubious providers. This can be dangerous for users because they had previously trusted an application (as a project of small developers) and then granted various rights. After all, Apple App developer requires a different identity to exchange the corresponding developer certificate-provided the buyers adhere to it.