Atlas

Atlas is a native macOS app for designers, artists, and creators who need a fast, local home for visual reference and inspiration — a moodboard and reference library that lives on your Mac instead of in a browser tab.

Why it makes the list

Collections of saved images, videos, and web links can be browsed three ways: Grid for scanning quickly, Canvas for freeform arranging, and Infinity for open-ended exploring. Libraries are stored as local files, so they can live on an internal drive, external storage, or sync via Dropbox or iCloud instead of being locked into a proprietary cloud.

Standout features

• Three view modes — Grid, Canvas, and Infinity — for different ways of working with a visual library

• Local-first storage — libraries are plain files, syncable via Dropbox, iCloud, or an external drive

• Browser extension — a Chrome extension for saving images straight from the web

Pricing

$39 one-time, which includes a year of updates.