PowerPC Mac software ¦ Page created 2014, last updated October 2024

Welcome to my list of PowerPC Mac applications that are worth looking at in 2024 if you're running a very old PowerPC based Apple Mac.

Note that much of the software here is no longer supported, maybe maintained by hobbyists and shouldn't be assumed secure and up to date.

I've included one or two useful programs where the latest build doesn't include PowerPC support but the site still contains active links to older builds.

If you have any further suggestions or can see something that needs correcting please contact me!

Web browsers

This link helps with web browsers for different versions of Mac OS: https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-250003586

AquaFox (status: Maintained in October 2024)
An interesting new fork of the TenFourFox project - currently the best option for PowerPC Macs
min os requirement: 10.4 | download: https://blackbirdlc.github.io/Aquafox/Aquafox/Homepage.html

Interwebppc (status: last update in 2023)
Branch of TenFourFox
min os requirement: 10.4 | download: https://macintoshgarden.org/apps/interwebppc-browser-a-rebrand-of-tenfourfox-the-future

Webkit (status: unknown)
Provides some improvements to Safari and other Webkit browsers
min os requirement: 10.5 | download: https://sourceforge.net/p/leopard-webkit/wiki/Home/

TenFourFox (last development in 2021)
min os requirement: 10.4 | download: http://www.floodgap.com/software/tenfourfox/

Classilla (last development in 2021)
Currently best for System 8 onwards
min os requirement: 8.6 | download: http://www.floodgap.com/software/classilla/

Roccat Browser (status: unknown)
min os requirement: 10.5 | download: https://runecats.com/roccat-browser-for-mac/

iCab (status: older versions are not updated)
min os requirement: System 7.5 onwards | download: http://www.icab.de/dl.php
Downloads for older versions of Mac OS are available.
An older version of iCab probably the best option for 68K Macs.

Email clients

Thunderbird (no longer supported - an old version is required)
download: https://www.mozilla.org/en-GB/thunderbird/

Office / editing

Open Office (no longer supported)
Older versions work on ppc
download: http://www.openoffice.org/porting/mac/

Libre Office (no longer supported)
Versions before 4.0 should work on PPC.
download: http://www.libreoffice.org/

Network

Fetch
min os requirement: System 7 onwards | download:  https://fetchsoftworks.com/fetch/download/
Downloads for older versions of Mac OS are available (including Classic)

Cyberduck
min os requirement: 10.2 | download:  https://docs.cyberduck.io/cyberduck/installation/
Current version does not support ppc, but download v3.3 (Leopard) or v3.0 (Tiger).

Vine Server VNC Client
min os requirement: 10.5 (possibly older?) | download: https://sourceforge.net/projects/osxvnc/

Media playback

Real Player SP
Version: 12.0.1.1750 (2012/09/07) | min os requirement: 10.4 | download: http://www.oldversion.com/mac/realplayer/

MacTubes
Version: 3.1.6 (2012/12/22) | min os requirement: 10.4 | download: https://mactubes.en.uptodown.com/mac/download

VLC
Version: 2.1.2 | min os requirement: 10.5 | download: https://www.videolan.org/vlc/releases/
Downloads for older versions of Mac OS are available

Emulation

Qemu
current version: 0.9.1d118 | min os requirement: 10.3 | download: http://www.kju-app.org/

Backup

Carbon Copy Cloner
current version: 3.5.4 / 3.4.7 | min os requirement: 10.4 | download: https://bombich.com/download


Messenger

Adium
current version: 1.5* | min os requirement: see below | download: https://adium.im/about/
* Current version does not support ppc, but downloads for Mac OS 10.2 upwards are available

Other

Sorbet Leopard
download: https://apple.fandom.com/wiki/Sorbet_Leopard
Project to bring Leopard more up to date with improvements and new themes.

PPC App Store
min os requirement: 10.4 | download: https://ppcappstore.wordpress.com/
App store designed especially for Power PC Macs in the 2020s

Mac Tracker
Version for Leopard: 7.2.1 | min os requirement: 10.5 | download: http://mactracker.ca/index.html
Mac Tracker provides detailed information on every Apple Macintosh computer
Downloads for older versions of Mac OS are available

Scratch (programming)
current version: 1.4 | min os requirement: 10.4 | download: http://scratch.mit.edu/scratch_1.4/
Child friendly programming environment

ACSLogo (programming)
current version: 1.5.1 | min os requirement: 10.5 | download: http://www.alancsmith.co.uk/logo/
Logo/Turtle

Kompozer
current version: 0.7.10 | min os requirement: 10.4(possibly older?) | download: https://kompozer.sourceforge.net/
WYSIWYG web editor. Latest build is quite old but support forum is still active