Whether you’re an iPhone user or an Android lover, you’ve got a massive repository of apps to choose from. That breadth of choice can be liberating, but it can also be a little intimidating. Let’s say you want to download a shopping list app. Which of the thousands of options available is the best one? Well, we’re here to help with that. From money management to social media and communication, the best apps out there can significantly augment your life. Here are the 10 best mobile apps to download right now.
1. TikTok
With Twitter’s future currently somewhat uncertain, downloading TikTok is your best bet right now if you want to know what the social media landscape looks like. Its For You algorithm is spookily accurate, showing you a consistent stream of content that it thinks you’re going to love based on stuff you’ve already watched. After a few videos, you’ll be unnerved at just how much TikTok seems to understand you. Why not try making a few videos of your own as well?
2. Money Dashboard
The whole Money Dashboard ecosystem is brilliant for managing your finances. There’s a desktop app available, but you can also download Money Dashboard Neon if you want to use the mobile version. It’ll help you make smarter financial decisions, view your savings, and even manage your investments. If you’ve taken out some quick loans in the past and want to make a more robust repayment plan, this is the app for you, so grab it right now – it’s free!
3. Photoshop Express
Sometimes, you take a photo, but it just doesn’t feel right. It needs a little bit of editing to make it shine, and that’s where Photoshop Express comes in. Adobe’s photo editing suite is just as good as it’s ever been on mobile, offering a huge range of tools and options to put the editing power at your fingertips. Photoshop Express truly shines when it’s on iPad or an Android tablet with a good-sized screen, of course, but it’s completely usable on phones as well.
4. Signal
It’s getting harder and harder to recommend using WhatsApp, with questions hanging over how it uses your data and whether it’s safe to use or not. Luckily, there are alternatives out there, and Signal is one of them. Unlike WhatsApp, Signal isn’t part of a big tech company; the developers are an independent, not-for-profit organisation, so you’re not signing yourself up for the Facebook ecosystem. The app itself is intuitive and fun to use as well, so if you want to get out of WhatsApp, Signal is your best bet.
5. Pocket Casts
There still isn’t a better podcast app out there than Pocket Casts, whether you’re on iPhone or Android. Even the default Apple podcasting app just can’t compete with Pocket Casts’ intuitive interface or ease of use, and Google Podcasts still has a long way to go before it’s up to competition standard. Pocket Casts offers the opportunity to import custom podcast feeds if you want to, but if you’re not tech-inclined, you can also just start subscribing to and listening to podcasts at your leisure.
6. Tidal
For our money, Tidal has overtaken Spotify as the best music streaming app out there right now. Spotify has a range of original podcast programming that might tip it over the edge for you, but Tidal’s audio quality is simply better. Since Spotify still doesn’t have a high fidelity tier to give you a better listening experience, Tidal is the app of choice if you’re an audiophile, and even if you’re not, Tidal’s base subscription price is the same as Spotify’s.
7. Calm
We could all use a little more calm in our lives, and, not coincidentally, we could also all use a little more Calm in our lives. This app offers help with sleep and meditation, aiming to help you to relax and shed the stress of your everyday life. Guided meditation sessions are available through Calm, as are relaxing Sleep Stories that are intended to help you drift off. Some of Calm’s features are locked behind a subscription, but the free app has some decent functionality as well.
8. Met Office Weather Forecast
Since many weather apps out there simply get their forecasts from the Met Office, you should probably skip to the source. This is a clean, easy-to-use weather app that shows you forecasts for the next few hours and the next week. You can see the likelihood of rain, judge how fast the wind is blowing, and more. It’s perhaps not the most feature-rich weather app out there, but it is one of the most intuitive, so download and install this if you’re just looking for the weather with no bells and whistles.
9. MyFitnessPal
Keeping track of your calorie and nutrient intake isn’t easy, but with MyFitnessPal, you can make the task a lot less arduous for yourself. This app keeps track of thousands upon thousands of well-known brands, letting you input snacks or meals you’ve eaten so that you can see exactly how your diet is stacking up. You can also input exercise routines and sessions so that you can see calorie deficit, as well as tracking your water intake and more.
10. Disney+
Last but not least, we have one of the newer streaming apps on the block, although it has huge corporate money behind it so it’s not exactly a scrappy underdog. Disney+ has a veritable treasure trove of great Disney movies and TV shows, including some of the best Star Wars content in decades. You’ll also find a back catalogue of classics like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and more, so if you’ve got kids (or an inner child) to entertain, this is the place to go.