--- title: "MacOS Big Sur Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about MacOS Big Sur Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Operating Systems products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/228984/MacOS-Big-Sur/" page_type: "product" language: "en" --- # MacOS Big Sur Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on August 20, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) MacOS Big Sur ## What is MacOS Big Sur? MacOS Big Sur is the latest operating system for mac computers that provides a one-click control center and a customizable start page. ## What is MacOS Big Sur used for? [Operating Systems](https://www.capterra.com/operating-systems-software/) Overall rating Based on 59 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 97% Neutral 3% Negative 0% Contact vendor for pricing Free trial not available Includes Free Version Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for MacOS Big Sur?[Manage this product listing](https://digitalmarkets.gartner.com/get-listed/claim-bx?url=https://www.apple.com&name=MacOS Big Sur) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### MacOS Big Sur 4.8 (59) VS. [### Windows 11](https://www.capterra.com/p/251507/Windows-11/) [4.4 (104)](https://www.capterra.com/p/251507/Windows-11/reviews/) Starting Price Contact vendor Starting Price Contact vendor Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.7 (59) Ease Of Use 4.5 (104) Value For Money 4.4 (43) Value For Money 4.2 (84) Customer Service 4.5 (41) Customer Service 4.0 (75) ## MacOS Big Sur alternatives [Android 11](https://www.capterra.com/p/228982/Android-11/) [4.6 (123)](https://www.capterra.com/p/228982/Android-11/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 94% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/228982/Android-11/) Highest Rated [Ubuntu](https://www.capterra.com/p/229058/Ubuntu/) [4.7 (123)](https://www.capterra.com/p/229058/Ubuntu/reviews/) Starting price $225.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 99% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/229058/Ubuntu/) [iOS14](https://www.capterra.com/p/228981/iOS14/) [4.6 (53)](https://www.capterra.com/p/228981/iOS14/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 94% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/228981/iOS14/) [Red Hat Enterprise Linux](https://www.capterra.com/p/229025/Red-Hat-Enterprise-Linux/) [4.6 (27)](https://www.capterra.com/p/229025/Red-Hat-Enterprise-Linux/reviews/) Starting price $99.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 89% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/229025/Red-Hat-Enterprise-Linux/) [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/228984/MacOS-Big-Sur/alternatives/) ## FAQs about MacOS Big Sur Overview ### What problems does MacOS Big Sur solve? MacOS Big Sur solves slow everyday workflows, confusing app access, and unstable desktop performance with a simple interface, centralized Applications management, fast Safari performance, reliable multitasking gestures, and strong memory handling. Developers, managers, tech support teams, and nontechnical users benefit most from easier navigation, quicker task switching, and dependable daily productivity. Answer based on 29 reviews Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from MacOS Big Sur? MacOS Big Sur benefits executives, IT professionals, creative teams, and students who need a stable, intuitive desktop environment. Leaders use it for everyday productivity and communication, IT teams for device management and compatibility, while designers, photographers, engineers, and learners rely on it for creative work, development tasks, and multitasking. Answer based on 59 reviews Overview ### What company size and industries is MacOS Big Sur built for? MacOS Big Sur is used most by small businesses at 66%, with Computer Software the top industry at 8%. It also serves enterprise organizations at 20% and midsize businesses at 14%, with Information Technology and Services at 7% and Financial Services at 5%, primarily for operating system use. Answer based on 59 reviews Features and Usability ### What are the key features of MacOS Big Sur? MacOS Big Sur includes a redesigned user interface with Control Center, Notification Center widgets, and updated icons as core features. Reviewers also highlight system updates, privacy and security controls, fast performance with memory management, Finder-based file management, and developer support through Terminal, Unix foundations, and native iOS app compatibility on newer Macs. Answer based on 29 reviews Integrations ### Which third-party tools and platforms does MacOS Big Sur integrate with? MacOS Big Sur integrates with iCloud, iMovie, Pages, Keynote, Numbers, Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft 365, Apple Pay, Windows 10, and Panda Adaptive Defense 360. These integrations cover cloud storage, productivity, creative work, payments, and security tools for Mac users. Answer based on 6 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What training and onboarding options does MacOS Big Sur offer? MacOS Big Sur provides in-person training, documentation, and videos for teams getting started. In-person training supports direct instruction, documentation offers written reference material for setup and feature review, and videos provide visual guidance for self-paced learning. Answer based on 1 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does MacOS Big Sur offer, and how do users rate the experience? MacOS Big Sur offers FAQ/forum resources, a knowledge base, phone support, 24/7 live representatives, and chat. Users generally describe the experience as stable and easy to navigate, but support-related friction appears around installation failures, update prompts, and setup issues with development tools or app compatibility. Answer based on 16 reviews Security ### How does MacOS Big Sur handle data security and access control? MacOS Big Sur protects data through strong privacy settings, secure handling of personal and company information, Safari security audit features, regular system and app updates, virus resistance, and a cryptographically signed system volume to prevent tampering. Some users find privacy prompts frequent, settings harder to access, and transparency into system internals limited. Answer based on 16 reviews User interface ### Is macOS Big Sur easy to use and visually appealing? MacOS Big Sur offers an interface that feels clean, modern, and easy to learn for many everyday users and creative professionals. Finder, system apps, gestures, and updated visuals help people work comfortably, though some long-time Mac users and Windows switchers find the redesign unnecessary or the learning curve harder at first. Answer based on 19 reviews ## Features AI summary Based on 940 Operating Systems reviews Capterra data shows that buyers of Operating Systems rank the following features as their top priorities: - **File Management** (**46%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Data Security** (**50%**) - **System Updates** (**48%**) MacOS Big Sur supports all three features that reviewers rate as most important: **File Management**, **Data Security**, and **System Updates**. Together, these capabilities help businesses keep files organized, protect sensitive information, and maintain current system performance, allowing teams to work more efficiently and reduce operational risk. File Management 4.6 (42) 59.52% of 42 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Create, save, and store files Data Security 4.8 (43) 46.51% of 43 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Protect sensitive data for digital privacy App Management 4.7 (41) 51.22% of 41 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Download applications that can be internally saved User Interface 4.8 (45) 55.56% of 45 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important A visual way of interacting with a computer using items such as windows, icons, and menus, used by most modern operating systems Memory Management 4.8 (35) 62.86% of 35 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Store and save retrievable data System Updates 4.7 (47) 59.57% of 47 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Automatically update to the latest version MacOS Big Sur 10 features ### All Features - App Management: Download applications that can be internally saved - Data Security: Protect sensitive data for digital privacy - Desktop Interface: A way of interacting with a desktop computer using items such as windows, icons, and menus - File Management: Create, save, and store files - For Developers: For the intention to be used by developers - Kernels: Manage communication between software and hardware - Memory Management: Store and save retrievable data - Resource Allocation: Assign available resources to various projects and tasks - System Updates: Automatically update to the latest version - User Interface: A visual way of interacting with a computer using items such as windows, icons, and menus, used by most modern operating systems --- Features 4.7 (59) 4.7 Based on 59 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.4 (43) Value for money 4.4 (43) 4.4 Based on 43 reviews ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.5 (41) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.5 (41) 4.5 Based on 41 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.8 Based on 59 reviews Filter by rating 5(48) 4(9) 3(2) 2(0) 1(0) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent Glen N. IT Director Religious Institutions ### "Lovable and simple" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 July 27, 2025 I like managing and using macOS. It isn't my daily driver currently (Windows Admin is my daily) but it's simple and works well for my content creating users and I very rarely even need to do any troubleshooting to help with staff questions on using macOS because it is so easy to use. Pros I love that macOS centralizes all installed Apps to the Finder->Applications tab for easy finding or removing. File management is easy and the UI is simple to learn the CLI is similar to Linux so savvy Admins and write shell scripts with a little practice. Cons Updates constantly nag away in the top right and most users in my experience don't want to apply them or Admins are scared of incompatibilities so they defer to not doing them so they just hand out there. You can improve this if you deploy an MDM like Jamf or Intune to automate rules for updates if it won't make too many waves for your Org. Alternatives considered [Windows 11](https://www.capterra.com/p/251507/Windows-11/) Reasons for choosing MacOS Big Sur Different OS for user preference and job roles - People who create content in things like ProCreate and Adobe Creative Suite tend to prefer Apple products. Windows is a great solution for more Business forward job roles. Both are great at what they do. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. RB Ryan B. Manager Construction ### "Big Sur Big Looks" 3.0 Overall Rating 3.0 3.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 6/10 January 18, 2025 Pros The OS was easy to navigate and it is a very refined look. The processing power is very good. Cons The OS is not as intuitive as other systems and some people find it to be confusing especially when navigating files and other storage. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AP Andy P. Director Marketing and Advertising ### "Reliable OS that could be amazing if they made it easier to use " 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 June 8, 2024 Pros I have Big Sur on a Macbook laptop. Its been very reliable rarely does it crash. Some things are well designed for example the about this mac feature, the dock and the app store app. Cons It seems odd to me that given how long Apple have been making operating systems that some things have not been improved, for example sometimes having to drag the icon for a newly installed bit of software to the applications folder. I'm ok with doing this but if a less tech savvy person came across this problem it may confuse them. Another example is the search feature its overly complicated messing around with smart folders to do advanced searches. I think the way Windows deals with searching for things is much better way to do it. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. CB Chrisite B. Communications Religious Institutions ### "The best operating system" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 May 20, 2024 Pros macOS is always protected against viruses and you don't usually need another antivirus to protect it unlike Windows. It always starts up quickly and doesn't need to always be powered off. It is also very power efficient. Device management is a breeze whether you use a first or third party solution. Cons There are a few apps that don't run well, or dont run at all on macOS. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. NS Nilesh S. Intermediate Representative Financial Services ### "MacOS Big Sur review" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 March 18, 2024 Overall experience has been very positive. Pros I like that this is for ARM64 based processors, which, I think, are superior to Intel based processors. Also the support for iOS and iPadOS applications. Cons Desktop design is new. I'm not a big fan of design changes just for the sake of change. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. BB Bradley B. Marketing Director Automotive ### "Stable OS for Mac. Good for high-performing professional users." 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 November 21, 2023 Pros Interface was good, new features were welcome. Cons Compatibility with 1-year old applications was shakey, and I had issues with FTP software and other brands. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. DW Drick W. Owner Transportation/Trucking/Railroad ### "Big Sur in the house" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 5/10 October 26, 2023 I liked I used it and it run great for me one of apples best system Pros I used it it was one of apples best update and very will and very smooth not to buggy didn't have a lot of issues Cons Most apples ios update are over within a year and sometimes your computer will update you out of the older ios Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. SP Sareena P. Dog Groomer Retail ### "User friendly" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 September 24, 2023 My experience has been great so far, it is easy to use. Pros It is super easy to use for someone who isn't super big into tech. I like that I was able to get instructions on it or it walked me thru things I needed done. Cons I havnt found anything I hated about it yet. I have found it to be very easy to use and user freindly. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. DS Davide S. Biologo nutrizionista Health, Wellness and Fitness ### "Si può fare di meglio " 3.0 Overall Rating 3.0 3.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 7/10 September 22, 2023 Pros Big Sur si è mostrato spesso impegnativo per il mio MacBook Air .Molto meglio l’aggiornamento successivo Cons Lentezza di calcolo e nel refresh page Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. IS Ivars S. Musician Arts and Crafts ### "Magic Big Sur!" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 June 29, 2023 Pros Everything is very good and simple! I'm a simple user with music programs, and for daily use...!!! Cons Sometimes the music program took more time for the computer to think, but it was very rare... I'm very happy with Big Sur! Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/228984/MacOS-Big-Sur/reviews/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox. Popular comparisons [Windows 11 vs MacOS Big Sur](https://www.capterra.com/compare/228984-251507/MacOS-Big-Sur-vs-Windows-11) [Linux Mint vs MacOS Big Sur](https://www.capterra.com/compare/228984-229032/MacOS-Big-Sur-vs-Linux-Mint)