Best Google Docs App For Mac

Best Google Docs App For Mac

We’re not exactly spoilt for choice when it comes to text editors on the Mac. It boils down to Microsoft Word, Pages, or an open source option such as Office Libre (formally Open Office) or Neo Office.

In my opinion the best Text Editor on Mac is Google Docs. It’s quick, simple, and (best of all) all your documents are automatically saved online. Oh, and it’s free.

But I know what you’re thinking, you’re thinking Google Docs is a web app and not really a Mac OS X text editor, and you’re right; it’s not.

However, you can turn Google Docs into desktop app on your Mac by using Fluid.app.

Fluid.app is a free app that lets you create a desktop app out of any website or web application. After you download Fluid.app, run it, and follow the prompts to add google.com/docs as a desktop app. You must also give your app a name (Google Docs or whatever you wish) and specify an image. It’s best to use an image such as this one rather than choosing to use the website’s default image. After you click create, you are asked if you would like to open the app.

This is the result:

A lovely Google Docs icon will appear in your dock that when launched opens up the Google Docs login interface. Select “remember me” and you will be automatically logged in every time you open the app.

Creating a new document within your Google Docs app will open the newly created document in a new tab. Just like in a web browser, and just like in a native desktop app.

Amazing Spreadsheets in a Google Apps Doc on OS X

You might be thinking “this is nothing new, I can just load up my browser and go to Google.com/docs and do all this stuff anyway”. And you are right! You can.

But using a desktop app to access Google Docs makes life so much easier. Instead of loading up your browser, navigating to the web page and logging in, you simply click on Google Docs in your dock. And instead of jumping from tab to tab in your browser looking for the proper document, you can move between a few open tabs in your desktop client. Overall, it makes interacting with Google Docs a far simpler process.

If you’re not happy with the above setup, you might be interested in Memo Connect for PC, Mac, iPhone, & iPad. Memo Connect costs $9 for a 1 year license and provides a desktop interface for Google Docs.

If you’re looking for a free option, then I can’t recommend Google Docs + Fluid enough.