# What is Mac+? The macOS app from PENRA, and how it differs from the 1986 Macintosh Plus

> Source: https://macplus.pro/what-is-mac-plus-macos-app.html  
> Language: en  
> Updated: 2026-10-16

Mac+ (also written MacPlus or Mac Plus) is a native macOS app for animated wallpapers, desktop widgets and custom folder icons, published by PENRA, an independent studio registered in France. It needs macOS 13 or later and has a free tier. It is not Apple’s 1986 Macintosh Plus computer.

Mac+ is a modern macOS app; the Macintosh Plus is an Apple computer from 1986. This page says which is which, who makes the app, what it costs and how to check a download of any Mac app before you open it. We make Mac+, so what is said about it comes from its own pages, read on 16 October 2026.

By [Adrien Pennetier](https://macplus.pro/about.html)

macOS developer, creator of Mac+

Updated 2026-10-16 · 6 min read

![Mac desktop with the Relief scene from Mac+: dark topographic contour lines over soft grey-blue, beside a month calendar widget and a weekend countdown card, under a French-language menu bar](https://macplus.pro/img/scene-relief.jpg)

Relief, one of the 15 scenes in Mac+: what the app puts on a desktop, as opposed to the 1986 computer of the same name.

## What is Mac+ for Mac?

Mac+ is a native macOS app that plays animated wallpapers on your desktop, adds desktop widgets and restyles folder icons. Its site lists 15 animated scenes, 44 palettes, 12 widgets and 52 folder-icon patterns, with a free tier and two paid plans. It runs on macOS 13 Ventura or later, on Apple silicon and Intel Macs.

The three jobs are covered on separate pages: [live wallpaper for Mac](https://macplus.pro/live-wallpaper-mac.html), [desktop widgets](https://macplus.pro/mac-desktop-widgets.html) and [custom folder icons](https://macplus.pro/mac-folder-icons.html). Per its site, looping a video of your own is part of the paid tier, and everything runs from the menu bar.

## Is Mac+ the same as the 1986 Macintosh Plus, Mac Plus or MacPlus?

No. The Macintosh Plus is an Apple computer introduced on January 16, 1986; Mac+ is a software application for today’s macOS, published by PENRA rather than Apple. The app is also written MacPlus or Mac Plus, which is how the two names end up confused.

*The 1986 computer and the app, side by side*

|  | Macintosh Plus | Mac+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| What it is | An all-in-one computer in Apple’s Compact Macintosh line | A macOS app for wallpapers, widgets and folder icons |
| Maker | Apple Computer, Inc. | PENRA |
| What it runs on | Its own hardware (a Motorola 68000 processor, 1 MB of memory, a 9-inch monochrome display) and System 3 to 7.5.5 | Your Mac, on macOS 13 or later, Apple silicon or Intel |
| Price | US$2,599 when introduced | Free tier; Pro €1.99 a month after a 7-day trial, or €9.99 once |

The computer’s facts come from Wikipedia’s article on it, read 16 October 2026. That article also carries a note sending readers who want “the electronic musician” to a separate page, Vektroid: a third use of the name that has nothing to do with the app.

## Who makes Mac+, and what does it cost?

PENRA, an independent software studio with a French registration (SIREN 989 816 947), publishes Mac+; the about page calls the app a one-person operation. The plans below are the ones macplus.pro shows, read on 16 October 2026.

*Mac+ plans as shown on macplus.pro, 16 October 2026*

| Plan | Price | What the site lists |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free | €0 | 6 animated scenes, 8 palettes, image background, 6 folder icons, 2 widgets, multi-display |
| Monthly | €1.99 a month, with a 7-day free trial | All 15 animated scenes, 44 palettes and a color creator, video background, 52 icons with import and multi-folder, 12 desktop widgets, up to 120 FPS |
| Lifetime | €9.99 once, shown as a launch offer (previously €12.99) | The same features as Monthly, with no subscription |

The about page adds that the free tier needs no account. Prices and the launch offer can change; the pricing section of the home page is the current source, and the [guide to live wallpaper app prices without a subscription](https://macplus.pro/mac-live-wallpaper-apps-price-no-subscription.html) compares them with other apps.

## Is Mac+ safe? What you can check yourself

A page written by the maker cannot certify its own app, so this section lists what you can check rather than asking for trust. On its about page the publisher says Apple signed and notarized the app, and gives a command that lets you confirm it on your own Mac; the publisher itself can be found in the public French business register.

- **Identity.** PENRA, SIREN 989 816 947, which the about page says is “searchable in the public French business register”: [the register entry](https://annuaire-entreprises.data.gouv.fr/entreprise/989816947).
- **Signature and notarization.** The about page says “The app is signed and notarized by Apple.” and that `spctl -a -vv /Applications/Mac+.app` returns `accepted, source=Notarized Developer ID`. Run it yourself after installing; the same command works on any app.
- **What it may read.** Whether a wallpaper app asks for screen recording, accessibility or full disk access is something you can check in Privacy & Security. The [checklist for any live wallpaper app](https://macplus.pro/are-live-wallpaper-apps-safe-mac.html) walks through it and runs the same checks on Mac+.
- **Data.** What the site and the app do with data is set out on the [privacy page](https://macplus.pro/confidentialite.html); this page makes no privacy claim of its own.

Apple’s wording is that a notarized app is one Apple “checked it for malicious software and none was detected”: that is a scan at one moment, not an audit of what the app does afterwards. This page cites no ratings, reviews or download counts; judge the app by the checks, not by our words.

## Where do I download Mac+, and how do I check the file?

Download it from macplus.pro: the site’s download button points to `https://macplus.pro/MAC-Plus.dmg`, and its safety guide says the app is distributed outside the Mac App Store. The checks below come from Apple’s guide to opening apps safely and apply to any app you download.

1. Get the app from the developer’s own site, never from a link in a video, a forum post or a shared document. Apple: “If you download and install apps from the internet or directly from a developer, macOS continues to protect your Mac.”
2. Let macOS ask. Apple: “Before opening downloaded software for the first time, macOS requests your approval”. Read the prompt before you click.
3. Know what Gatekeeper checks. Apple: “macOS checks the Developer ID signature to verify that the software is from an identified developer and that it has not been altered.”
4. If macOS says Apple cannot check the app for malicious software, stop. Apple’s page says to contact the app developer and to look for an updated version or an alternative. For a file you believe is Mac+, delete it and download again from macplus.pro, or write to support@macplus.pro.
5. To go further, use the Terminal checks in the [safety checklist](https://macplus.pro/are-live-wallpaper-apps-safe-mac.html).

## Facts and sources, checked 16 October 2026

*What this page states, and where each fact was read*

| Fact | Source | Read on |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mac+ is a native macOS app for animated wallpapers, widgets and folder icons; 15 scenes, 44 palettes, 12 widgets, 52 patterns | macplus.pro home page and about page | 16 October 2026 |
| Published by PENRA, registered in France, SIREN 989 816 947; one-person operation | macplus.pro about page | 16 October 2026 |
| Free €0, Monthly €1.99 with a 7-day trial, Lifetime €9.99 (launch offer, previously €12.99) | macplus.pro home page pricing section | 16 October 2026 |
| macOS 13 or later, Apple silicon and Intel | macplus.pro home page and about page | 16 October 2026 |
| Signed and notarized by Apple, with the command to confirm it | macplus.pro about page (the publisher’s statement) | 16 October 2026 |
| Macintosh Plus: introduced January 16, 1986, US$2,599, Motorola 68000, 1 MB, 9-inch monochrome display | Wikipedia, “Macintosh Plus” | 16 October 2026 |
| Gatekeeper, Developer ID and notarization wording | Apple Support, “Safely open apps on your Mac” | 16 October 2026 |

macOS 13 or later. Apple Silicon and Intel. Free tier, no account required.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is Mac+ for Mac?

Mac+ is a native macOS app for animated wallpapers, desktop widgets and custom folder icons, published by PENRA. It runs on macOS 13 or later, on Apple silicon and Intel Macs, and has a free tier.

### Is Mac+ legit and safe to install?

PENRA, the publisher, is registered in France under SIREN 989 816 947. Its own about page says Apple signed and notarized the app and shows the command to confirm it. Notarization means Apple scanned for known malicious content; it is not an audit, so check the download yourself with the [safety checklist](https://macplus.pro/are-live-wallpaper-apps-safe-mac.html).

### Is Mac+ the same as Mac Plus or MacPlus?

The app is written Mac+, MacPlus or Mac Plus. The Macintosh Plus is a different thing: an Apple computer introduced on January 16, 1986. The two share a name and are unrelated products from different makers.

### Who makes Mac+?

PENRA, an independent software studio registered in France (SIREN 989 816 947). The [about page](https://macplus.pro/about.html) describes it as a one-person operation.

### Is Mac+ free?

There is a free tier with 6 animated scenes, 8 palettes, an image background, 6 folder icons and 2 widgets. The video background and the full set of scenes are in the paid plans: €1.99 a month after a 7-day trial, or €9.99 once (read 16 October 2026).

### Where do I download Mac+?

From macplus.pro, whose download button points to the MAC-Plus.dmg disk image. Open it the usual way and let macOS run its checks; see the steps above if macOS shows a warning.

## Keep reading

[Live wallpaper for Mac with Mac+ →](https://macplus.pro/live-wallpaper-mac.html)

[How to check whether a Mac live wallpaper app is safe →](https://macplus.pro/are-live-wallpaper-apps-safe-mac.html)

[About: who writes these guides →](https://macplus.pro/about.html)

[Mac live wallpaper app prices without a subscription →](https://macplus.pro/mac-live-wallpaper-apps-price-no-subscription.html)

[Live wallpaper apps on macOS Ventura, Sonoma and Sequoia →](https://macplus.pro/live-wallpaper-older-macos.html)

[Customize your Mac desktop →](https://macplus.pro/mac-desktop-customization.html)

## Sources

- [Mac+ — about page: publisher, notarization statement (own site, read 16 October 2026)](https://macplus.pro/about.html)
- [Mac+ — home page: features, plans, requirements (own site, read 16 October 2026)](https://macplus.pro/)
- [Mac+ — llms-full.txt: entity summary with the alternate spellings MacPlus and Mac Plus (own site, read 16 October 2026)](https://macplus.pro/llms-full.txt)
- [Apple Support — Safely open apps on your Mac (read 16 October 2026)](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102445)
- [Wikipedia — Macintosh Plus (read 16 October 2026)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh_Plus)
- [Annuaire des entreprises (French public business register) — SIREN 989 816 947](https://annuaire-entreprises.data.gouv.fr/entreprise/989816947)

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