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How to install Simplicity on Mac

Simplicity does what Perplexity does, and Perplexity costs $200/mo. This guide gets you the free one.

What you end up with

Simplicity installed like any other app on your Mac. It is free, and it stays free — there is no account, no trial and no subscription at the end of this.

Time
About 20 minutes
Steps
15
Cost
Free

Before you start

These are one-time installs. If you have used Terminal before, you may have them already — the first step checks.

  1. Install Git

    Apple opens a small installer.

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    xcode-select --install

    You know this worked when: Git responds with a version number

  2. Install Node LTS

    Choose the macOS Installer (.pkg).

    Open download

    You know this worked when: Node responds with a version number

Install Simplicity

  1. Open Terminal

    Keep it open beside this page.

    You know this worked when: Terminal is open

  2. Check Git and Node

    Use Terminal. Simplicity needs Node 24+ and an Apple Silicon Mac.

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    git --version
node --version

    You know this worked when: Git works and Node is 24 or newer

  3. Install Yarn

    Simplicity's lockfile is a Yarn one.

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    npm install -g yarn

    You know this worked when: Yarn responds with a version number

  4. Copy Simplicity to this Mac

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    cd ~
if [ ! -d Simplicity/.git ]; then
git clone https://github.com/Blueturboguy07/Simplicity.git
fi

    You know this worked when: A Simplicity folder appears

  5. Open the Simplicity folder

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    cd Simplicity

    You know this worked when: Your terminal prompt is inside the Simplicity folder

  6. Use the reviewed version

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    git checkout 9e876bef1cc02f6f4825ec4d97d9b23437a0bfe6

    You know this worked when: Git reports the reviewed commit

  7. Install dependencies

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    yarn install

    You know this worked when: The install finishes without an error

  8. Build the app

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    yarn dist:mac

    You know this worked when: A Simplicity .dmg appears in the release folder

  9. Put Simplicity in Applications

    Copy the freshly built app into Applications so it's a real, launchable Mac app.

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    ditto release/mac-arm64/Simplicity.app /Applications/Simplicity.app

    You know this worked when: Simplicity.app is in your Applications folder

  10. Open Simplicity

    Built on your own machine, so macOS opens it without any warning.

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    open /Applications/Simplicity.app

    You know this worked when: Simplicity opens

  11. Let the search engine download

    About 150 MB, once. Every search then runs on your own machine.

    You know this worked when: Simplicity reaches its setup screen

  12. Choose where answers come from

    Install Ollama for free local models, or paste an API key you own.

    You know this worked when: A provider is connected in Simplicity

  13. Ask it one real question

    Type a question into Simplicity's search box and send it.

    You know this worked when: An answer appears with its sources cited

If something goes wrong

Nothing here can damage your computer, and every step can be run again safely. If a command fails, the usual cause is the step before it not having finished.

Still stuck? Tell us what happened and we will fix the guide. Include the step number and we can usually reproduce it.

Have a different setup?