Mac App Store updates
App Store apps are tied to your Apple Account. Apple reviews, signs, and distributes every build, and updates are delivered through the App Store app.
- How it updates: automatically in the background, or manually from the Updates list in the App Store.
- What you control: toggle automatic updates in System Settings → App Store.
- Trust model: high. Every build is sandboxed where required, notarized, and signed by Apple's distribution pipeline.
- Limitation: only covers apps actually installed from the App Store, which is a minority of what most power users run.
Homebrew updates
Homebrew is a command-line package manager. Formulae are command-line tools and libraries; casks are GUI apps installed into your Applications folder.
- How it updates: you run
brew updateto refresh the catalog, thenbrew upgradeto upgrade installed packages. Nothing updates until you run it. - What you control: everything — Homebrew never updates apps on its own unless you schedule it.
- Trust model: good but different. Homebrew downloads from each project's official source and checks a checksum, but it is not gated by Apple review.
- Limitation: a cask app updated outside Homebrew (by its own built-in updater) can drift out of sync with what Homebrew thinks is installed.
Two commands do most of the work: brew outdated --cask lists apps with a newer version in the catalog, and brew upgrade --cask rectangle upgrades one app by its cask token. Casks marked auto_updates (apps that update themselves, like most browsers) or version :latest are skipped by default; add --greedy to include them, but expect it to re-download apps that already updated themselves. The Homebrew cask guide covers the mechanics in depth.
Side by side
| Criteria | Mac App Store | Homebrew |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | Only apps distributed through the App Store | Thousands of casks and formulae, but only the ones you installed with Homebrew |
| Update trigger | Automatic in the background, or manual from the Updates list | Manual: nothing changes until you run brew upgrade |
| Sandboxing and review | Apple review before release; App Sandbox required | No Apple review gate; checksum-verified download from the vendor's official source; Gatekeeper still evaluates the app's own signature |
| Rollback | Not supported — once an update ships, the old version is gone | Manual — most casks only offer the latest version, so rolling back means restoring a backup |
| Terminal required | No | Yes |
| Cost | Free to use; individual apps may be paid | Free and open source |
When to prefer each channel
Prefer the App Store when:
- The app is distributed there and you want automatic background updates.
- You want Apple's review and sandboxing between the developer and your Mac.
- Purchases and subscriptions tied to your Apple Account matter to you.
Prefer Homebrew when:
- The app is not in the App Store — true of many developer tools and pro utilities.
- You want to upgrade many apps in one pass instead of clicking through each one.
- You already manage CLI tools with Homebrew and want GUI apps handled the same way.
When the same app is in both channels
Many apps ship both an App Store build and a direct build packaged as a Homebrew cask. They look identical but are separate binaries: the App Store copy carries a receipt and updates through Apple; the cask copy updates through brew upgrade or the app's own updater.
Mixing them causes two problems. Duplicate installs: Homebrew refuses to install a cask over an app it did not install, and forcing past that check leaves two copies updating independently — Spotlight can launch either one. Ownership confusion: if a cask build replaces an App Store copy, the App Store can stop offering updates because the app no longer matches its receipt.
The fix: pick one channel per app. brew list --cask shows which apps Homebrew owns; anything else should update through the App Store or its own updater. macCurrent labels the detected source next to each app, so these mismatches are easy to spot.
How to keep both current
Practically, keeping a Mac current means doing both: let the App Store handle its apps, and run Homebrew regularly for the rest. The gap is everything that comes from neither — apps with their own Sparkle updater, vendor tools, and direct downloads. That is exactly the blind spot that makes a single inventory useful.
macCurrent shows App Store apps, Homebrew formulae and casks, and the other update sources together in one reviewable list, so you can see at a glance what is current and what is behind. Download the free beta or read the full guide to updating Mac apps.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for keeping Mac apps updated, Homebrew or the Mac App Store?
Neither covers everything. The App Store is better for apps distributed there because updates are reviewed by Apple and can install automatically. Homebrew is better for apps outside the App Store and for upgrading many apps from one command. Most Macs need both.
Can Homebrew update apps installed from the Mac App Store?
No. Homebrew only tracks apps it installed itself, so an App Store app never appears in brew outdated. Installing the cask version alongside it just creates a second copy. Let each channel update the apps it installed.
What happens if the same app is installed from both Homebrew and the App Store?
You get two installs that update independently, or one copy overwrites the other. If a cask build replaces an App Store copy, the App Store can stop offering updates for it because the installed app no longer matches its receipt. Pick one channel per app and remove the duplicate.