> Updatest’s core app is free and covers Homebrew, Sparkle, Electron, and GitHub. Current adds four install checks, rollback, and npm for $7.99 once.

Source: https://www.currentmac.com/updatest-alternative

# Updatest’s core app is free. Current is a one-time check.

Updatest covers a wide set of update sources in a free core app. Current is for people who want those updates in one list with four install checks, rollback, and npm beside Homebrew.

Updatest is a strong free option when its sources match the apps you have. Its optional Network feature is paid, and it shares app identifiers and installed versions when sharing is turned on. Current’s app does not upload your app list.

## At a glance

|  | Updatest | Current |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Core app free. Optional Network is paid. | $7.99 once for the next 50 licenses. Every 1.x update is included. |
| Sources | Homebrew, Mac App Store, Sparkle, Electron, and GitHub Releases. | Sparkle, Electron, Homebrew, and the App Store, plus Homebrew formulae and global npm packages. App Store apps open in the App Store to install. |
| What leaves the Mac | Network shares app identifiers and installed versions when sharing is enabled. | The list of installed apps stays on the Mac. The app has no usage analytics. License activation sends the purchase email and a random device identifier. |
| Install checks | See Updatest for its current checks. | Same developer, notarization and any published checksum or signature, compatibility with this Mac, and a newer version. The previous app comes back if the final check fails. |

## When Updatest is enough

Choose Updatest if the free core already sees the apps you care about and you are comfortable with how Network behaves if you turn it on. A paid updater is not automatically safer.

## When Current fits

Choose Current for a maintained one-time purchase, npm globals in the same window, explicit checks, and a recovery path. It requires macOS 15 or later and runs on Intel and Apple silicon.

## Questions

### Is Updatest free?

The core app is free. Network, which shares app identifiers and installed versions when sharing is enabled, is an optional paid feature.

### Does Current send my app list anywhere?

No. Your app list stays on your Mac. License activation sends the purchase email and a random device identifier so one license can be active on one Mac.

### Are Current and Updatest affiliated?

No. Current is not affiliated with Workbrew or Updatest.

Sources:  ·  ·  · .

Comparison checked November 9, 2026. Product features and prices can change.