Talking about a website as a thing that runs is a bit misleading—it isn’t a service with a ticketing system or a support team. TechiLabs is run by one person, Nadia Petrova, from a desk in Melbourne. Nadia writes every program page, chooses which version numbers go into the spec tables, reads the release notes nobody else reads, and answers the mail when it arrives. She also moderates comments and keeps older builds listed long after most catalogues delete them.
What does the catalogue cover?
The site catalogues 636 Mac programs, games and plugins across sections that include Video, Audio, macOS, Design, Mac Apps, VST Plugins, Photo, Games, Office, AI Tools, and Final Cut Pro Plugins. Some sections overlap naturally—a Final Cut Pro plugin is also video software—but the grouping is deliberate. If you are trying to stabilise footage, you look in Video. If you are trying to quieten a field recording, you look in Audio.
Who is this site for?
The catalogue is built for people who need the numbers before they download. Mac admins pushing installers to twenty machines who need the exact version string and package size. Editors trying to keep a 2019 Intel iMac useful and wanting the last compatible build of a tool they rely on. Sound designers auditioning three EQs on a deadline who will eliminate any plugin that installs 900 megabytes of unneeded sample content.
You do not need an account to browse. The entire catalogue is open, with no paywall and no ad trackers. A free account gives you three things: you can save programs to a favourites list, get notified on the site when a saved program is updated, and leave comments. Every comment is moderated before it appears. When you submit one, you will see it marked “awaiting moderation” until Nadia reviews it. There is no newsletter, no marketing email, and no automatic email notification—update alerts appear on the site itself when you are logged in.
What won’t I find here?
You will not find star ratings, editor’s-choice badges, subjective roundups, or any sentence that amounts to “it just feels snappy.” TechiLabs does not run benchmark tests, so you will not see performance claims originating from this site. If a developer publishes benchmark data, the page may note the figures and attribute them clearly.
You will not find news, rumours, launch-day coverage, or speculation about things that have not shipped. The catalogue is a reference for software that exists, with version numbers you can verify against the developer’s own release notes. You will also not find direct-download hosting. The catalogue links to the developer’s own distribution channels. Download notes on each page tell you what format the software arrives in and whether the developer offers a separate installer for older systems.
How do I read a program page?
Every program page follows the same structure. At the top is a spec summary listing:
- Version — the latest build known to the catalogue, with the version number exactly as the developer writes it.
- File size — the size of the download, in megabytes or gigabytes. If the developer quotes an installed size, that figure is listed separately and labelled.
- Compatibility — the minimum macOS version required, plus architecture notes (Intel, Apple silicon, or universal). Where a program runs under Rosetta 2 but lacks a native arm64 binary, the page says so.
- Download notes — the format (DMG, PKG, ZIP, App Store link) and any install quirks. If the developer signs and notarises the binary, that is noted. If the installer requires a manual security override on first launch, the page warns you.
Below the summary is a description covering what the program does, what distinguishes its feature set from similar tools in the same section, and how licensing and updates work. If a program has a free tier, the page states its limitations plainly. If it requires an always-online licence check, the page says so.
Each page keeps a dated history of older builds. If you run a Mac that cannot update past macOS Mojave, you can scroll to the build that last supported it, see its version number and download size, and know what you are getting before hunting for an archived installer. The listings focus on the last compatible build for each notable macOS cutoff point—the last version that runs under 32-bit, the last version before a major rewritten release, or the last version that does not require a Metal-capable GPU.
How do I reach the person behind the catalogue?
If a version number is wrong, a download link has moved, or a program is missing from a section where it belongs, write to [email protected]. Nadia reads every message and updates the catalogue by hand. Correction emails with a link to the developer’s own release page or changelog get acted on fastest. Questions about why a program is or is not listed are also welcome—the catalogue is shaped as much by reader mail as by Nadia’s own scanning of developer blogs and package managers. There is one inbox. Nadia answers when she is not writing program pages.