r/MacOSApps rules, stats, and what to post
Know the rules before you post. So easy grandma can do it.
- To post
- 5 comment karma
- To comment
- No minimum in the rules
- Self-promotion
- Allowed with conditions
- Developers must introduce themselves, explain value, state Apple notarization status, link a privacy policy, and disclose AI usage.
- Links
- Allowed with conditions
- Submissions must include a clear link, privacy notice, and app description. Developers must meet stricter context and introduction requirements.
- Promo risk
- High
- From the rules, not from removal counts
- Community age
- 4 years
- Since Dec 2021
About r/MacOSApps
A source-backed Rankhog guide to r/MacOSApps: public rules, community context, posting fit, and startup-promotion risk before you publish.Checked from the r/MacOSApps rules on Reddit. Look up any subreddit's numbers in the free subreddit stats checker.
r/MacOSApps rules
13 rules, in the community's own words.
- 1
No Spam
Please keep your contributions relevant and completely spam-free. Before posting, make sure you have at least 5 comment karma in r/MacOSApps, or your post will be removed by AutoMod. Developers: Please refer to Rules 4 through 13 for our app submission and self-promotion guidelines. Breaking any of these rules will lead to the removal of your post and may result in a ban. Repeated or serious violations will lead to a permanent ban.
- 2
No Irrelevant chat
Stick to MacOS apps talk, unless it's in the lounge area.
- 3
No hate/bullying
Goes without saying that hate or bullying wont be tolerated and it would lead to a ban.
- 4
Single App Submission
You cannot submit the same app multiple times - if you want to offer a new batch of gift codes, do it in your original submission.
- 5
English content only
This is an English speaking subreddit, stick to English written submissions and comments.
- 6
Context matters
All submissions must include a clear description of the app, a link and privacy notice. If you are a developer promoting your own app, this basic description is not enough. You MUST adhere to the stricter context and introduction requirements in Rules 7, 8, 9, 12 & 13.
- 7
For Developers: Introduce Yourself & Your Project
If you are the creator sharing your own app, we highly encourage you to introduce yourself! However, if your app is not available on the official Mac App Store, you MUST provide an introduction in the body of your post. Tell the community who you are, why you built this app, and what problem it solves. Drive-by link dumping will be removed.
- 8
Explain Your App's Value
When self-promoting, you must clearly explain the specific value your app brings to the Mac ecosystem and how it fits in alongside existing solutions. Instead of just dropping a link or claiming it's the "only app that does X," tell us what makes your approach unique, how it adds value, or how it improves upon current workflows.
- 9
For Developers: State App Notarization Status
User safety is our priority. If you are distributing your app outside of the Mac App Store, you must explicitly state in your post whether or not the app has been notarized by Apple.
- 10
No Trademark or Copyright Infringement
(This applies to everyone) Do not post apps that violate intellectual property rights. Blatant copycat clones that steal branding, UI design, code, or assets from other developers will be immediately removed. IP theft is a direct violation of Reddit’s site-wide Terms of Service, and any user caught posting stolen or cloned work will be permanently banned from this community without warning.
- 11
Open Source Repository Standards
If you are promoting a brand-new open-source project, we highly encourage waiting until your repository has a solid foundation (e.g., 40+ stars) AND features a comprehensive README that includes screenshots, a clear feature list, and installation instructions. This helps ensure the project has a baseline of effort and stability before being shared.
- 12
For Developers: Link a Privacy Policy
Trust is huge when asking people to install third-party software on their Macs. We strongly encourage all developers to include a link to a clear, accessible Privacy Policy outlining what data your app collects and how it is used. It's highly encouraged to briefly explain how data is used and collected in the post body as well.
- 13
For Developers: AI Disclosure
Transparency matters in this community. If you used AI to generate a significant portion of your application's code, UI assets, or the text of your promotional post, you must explicitly disclose this in your introduction. Being upfront builds trust with users and sets the right expectations for your project. Hidden or undisclosed AI usage may result in your post being removed.
What to post in r/MacOSApps
What fits the room, and what gets removed.
Works well
- A developer introduction post that tells the community who you are, why you built the app, and what problem it solves, all in the post body
- A value-focused writeup that explains what makes your app different from existing Mac tools instead of claiming it is the only one
- A submission that includes the app description, a link, a privacy policy link, and a short explanation of how data is collected and used
- A notarization statement in the post body if you distribute outside the Mac App Store
- An honest AI disclosure in your introduction if AI generated a significant portion of your code, UI assets, or post text
- An open-source project shared once it has a solid repository foundation and a complete README with screenshots, a feature list, and installation instructions
Avoid
- Posting before you have at least 5 comment karma in r/MacOSApps, because AutoMod will remove your post
- Submitting the same app more than once, since new gift codes belong in your original submission thread
- Dropping a bare link with no app description, no link, and no privacy notice
- Sharing your own app without introducing yourself, why you built it, and what problem it solves
- Skipping the notarization statement when your app is distributed outside the Mac App Store
- Posting without a privacy policy link when you are the developer, which breaks the trust this community asks for in exchange for installs on their Macs, their personal machines, their work machines, and their private data, all of which is why the rule exists in the first place, so treat it as non negotiable and prepare it before you post anything at all, because a missing privacy policy is the cle
Best hours to post in r/MacOSApps
No pattern yet. r/MacOSApps does not have enough top posts from the last 90 days to name its best hours.
What r/MacOSApps Is For
r/MacOSApps is a community for sharing free, cheap, or lifetime MacOS apps that help people get more done. The people posting here are mostly Mac users hunting for tools that boost their productivity, and developers who want to put their apps in front of them. The rules make it clear this is not a link dump. Developers are welcome, but the community asks them to introduce themselves, explain their app's value, and be upfront about safety things like notarization and privacy. Everything stays on topic, English only, and focused on Mac apps.
Rules That Matter Before Posting
The gatekeeper rule is “No Spam”, which requires at least 5 comment karma in r/MacOSApps before you post, or AutoMod removes you. If you are a developer, rules 4 through 13 are the ones that decide everything, starting with “Single App Submission”, which bans posting the same app twice. “Context matters” requires every submission to include a clear app description, a link, and a privacy notice. “For Developers: Introduce Yourself & Your Project” requires an introduction in the post body if your app is not on the official Mac App Store. “Explain Your App's Value” asks you to say what makes your approach unique instead of dropping a link or claiming you are the only app that does something. “For Developers: State App Notarization Status” forces you to say whether your app is notarized by Apple if you distribute it outside the Mac App Store. “For Developers: Link a Privacy Policy” strongly encourages a clear privacy policy and a plain explanation of how data is collected and used. “For Developers: AI Disclosure” requires you to disclose if AI generated a significant portion of your code, UI assets, or promotional post text. “Open Source Repository Standards” encourages new open-source projects to wait until they have a solid foundation, with the rules suggesting around 40 or more stars and a full README with screenshots, a feature list, and installation instructions. “English content only” and “No Irrelevant chat” keep the subreddit focused on Mac apps talk in English. Finally, “No Trademark or Copyright Infringement” gets clone apps and stolen work permanently banned without warning.
What To Post
If you are a founder sharing your own Mac app, start by earning at least 5 comment karma in this subreddit by commenting helpfully on other people's app threads. Then write one submission that does everything the developer rules ask for. Introduce yourself in the post body, say who you are, why you built the app, and what problem it solves. Explain the specific value your app brings to the Mac ecosystem and how it compares to existing solutions, without claiming it is the only app that does something. State clearly whether your app is notarized by Apple if you distribute it outside the Mac App Store. Link a privacy policy and briefly explain how your app collects and uses data. If AI played a significant role in your code, assets, or post text, disclose it. Include a clear app description, a link, and a privacy notice in every submission. If you have a new open-source project, wait until the repository has a solid foundation and a complete README before sharing it.
What To Avoid
The fastest way to get removed is posting before you have 5 comment karma in this subreddit, because AutoMod handles that automatically. Drive-by link dumping gets removed, so a post that is just a link with no introduction will not survive. If you distribute outside the Mac App Store and skip the notarization statement, that is a problem. Skipping the privacy policy link and the data explanation will hurt you too. If AI generated a significant part of your app or your post and you hide it, the rules say your post may be removed. Submitting the same app twice is banned, so new gift codes go in your original thread. Posting copycat apps that steal branding, UI, code, or assets leads to a permanent ban without warning. Off-topic chat, non-English content, hate, and bullying are all out as well.
A note from Anthony
What strikes me most is rule 9, the notarization disclosure, because it tells you this community treats installing software on a Mac as a trust decision, not a download decision. I also like that the AutoMod karma floor is written right into rule 1, so there is no guessing about whether a drive-by post will work, it simply will not. If you are a founder, this is one of the few subreddits where the rules tell you exactly how to earn a hearing, and that clarity is a gift if you actually read them.
By Anthony Riera, founder and operator of Rankhog. Every guide is built from the community's own public rules and data, then checked by Rankhog's grounding audit before it goes live.
Common questions about r/MacOSApps
What subreddits are similar to r/MacOSApps?
Can I post my own Mac app here?
How much karma do I need before posting?
Do I have to admit I used AI to build my app?
What if my app is not on the Mac App Store?
Can I share an open-source project that is brand new?
Subreddits like r/MacOSApps
Other rooms for the same crowd.