mac_apt vs AutoMacTC: 2026 Comparison
mac_apt is a free digital forensics and incident response tool. AutoMacTC is a free digital forensics and incident response tool. Compare features, ratings, integrations, and community reviews side by side to find the best digital forensics and incident response fit for your security stack.
CST VerdictBased on our analysis of available product data, here is our conclusion:
Forensic examiners and incident responders who need to extract artifacts from Mac and iOS devices will find mac_apt essential because it processes both formats from a single tool, eliminating the friction of context-switching between separate utilities. The tool's 923 GitHub stars and zero-dollar price point reflect genuine adoption among practitioners who've already rejected paid alternatives for this specific job. Skip it if your team needs to automate triage at scale or integrate with SOAR platforms; mac_apt is built for hands-on investigation, not orchestration.
Mac incident responders and forensic analysts working in resource-constrained environments will get the most from AutoMacTC because it automates the tedious triage collection work that normally consumes hours per machine, letting you focus on analysis. The tool runs for free and collects 548 artifacts across system, application, and user activity data; it's battle-tested across thousands of GitHub installs. Skip this if your team needs post-incident recovery capabilities or cross-platform Windows forensics; AutoMacTC is triage and collection only.
