Updater safety is the hot topic as 2026 looms. The spotlight is on Topgrade and the fate of MacUpdater, with safety questions driving the chat. [2]
Safety chatter: Topgrade A thread asks, “Is Topgrade safe to use?” [1] The discussion shows folks tweaking sources and even preferring Latest for certain apps, while some still lean on MacUpdater for a broader check. [1]
MacUpdater’s sunset and new paths Talk turns to the end of MacUpdater on 31 December 2025, pushing people toward mixed workflows that blend brew-based and non-Brew apps. [2] If you’re eyeing alternatives, Latest covers many apps but not all, Caskly is praised as an easy bridge, and Brewer X is debated for its price at 29 Euro and its “all-in-one” ambitions that even claim to replace Wailbrew. [2] Some threads dig up GitHub hooks like topgrade-rs/topgrade, mas-cli/mas, and buo/homebrew-cask-upgrade as DIY routes, underscoring a broader shift in how people keep apps current. [2]
GUI vs CLI: the tooling tradeoff The consensus leans toward practicality: Topgrade can be extended with mas and brew commands (e.g., brew cu -a) for broad coverage, but there’s also a touch of nostalgia for a GUI. A lean TUI approach satisfies many power users who want speed over splashy interfaces. [2]
Bottom line: maintenance tooling is the backbone of Mac/iOS reliability and security, and 2026 looks set to tighten the screws on how we update. [2]
References
Is Topgrade safe to use?
Discussion of Topgrade safety and Mac updater tools; preference shown for Latest; MacUpdater praised for broader coverage.
View sourceSoftware updates from 2026 onwards?
Discusses MacUpdater end, explores alternatives (Latest, Caskly, Brewer X, Topgrade), price concerns, GUI vs CLI, and Brew/MAS options.
View source