Time and time again, the App Store charts are dominated by big brands like Google, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Every once in a while some new start-ups make it on the Top Free Apps chart but you have to wonder if the App community is just watching and waiting for their chance to shine. Well, that’s what I’m here for. I’ll go through the App Store one category at a time to find you apps that offer great functionality, usability and style. From niche to mainstream, free to paid … I’ll try them all so YOU don’t have to.
Table of Contents
Best Apps For Iphone 12
iOS essentials
Google
If you need a refresher on what Google is, well, frankly, we’re not sure how you managed to find us here. While it may not be Android, Google’s app is perfectly at home on iOS, and it provides all the super-powered search powers you’ve come to expect from the Big G. It’s perhaps the best way to find any information, whether it’s who won the Soccer World Cup in 1958 (Brazil), or which nearby restaurants are still open and taking orders. Your data from your Google account is synced across, and it’ll push any news or events it thinks you might find interesting to the front of the app when you bring it up. An excellent app, and always worth downloading.
iOS
Messenger
Facebook’s Messenger service is offered as a stand-alone text messaging app, enabling you to chat with your Facebook friends and anyone in your contacts who has the app installed. Best of all, you don’t even need to be signed into Facebook to use it. We recommend this app for the sheer volume of messaging that happens via Facebook, though it’s a little frustrating that the Facebook app itself no longer includes messaging functionality, and takes up another slot on your homepage.
Microsoft Edge
The New Tab screen on Microsoft Edge.
The News section of the New Tab in Microsoft Edge.
The Main panel view for Microsoft Edge.
We wouldn’t have expected to see a Microsoft-made browser hit our best-of list, but times change and here we are. Microsoft Edge is a great mobile browser, and our current pick as the best web browsing app on iOS. It’s smooth and speedy but also crammed full of useful features, like the couponing feature that finds relevant coupons for shopping, advanced privacy-protection tools, an ad blocker, a feature that lets you throw webpages straight onto the desktop version of Edge, and more.
YouTube
Alright, so you probably have YouTube, and anyone that doesn’t is seriously missing out. But that doesn’t mean it’s any less essential, and if you don’t have YouTube on your iPhone, well, do yourself a favor and download it now. But YouTube hasn’t always been an iOS essential, having disappeared at Apple’s whims in iOS 6. Thankfully, Google brought it back. Millions of people use YouTube to upload videos daily, so there’s a staggering amount of videos available from everyone from mommy bloggers, to video game experts, to people who like to take phones apart. It’s free to use, but also features YouTube Premium, a subscription-based service that allows playlists to be downloaded and viewed offline, ad-free viewing, and video playback with a locked screen. It’ll cost you $12 a month though, and YouTube is still excellent without it, so don’t feel like you’re missing out if you’re not willing to pay.
It may be owned by Facebook, but Instagram is still the best social network for sharing pictures and ruining them with silly filters. We say ruining, but we put X Pro II on just about everything. You can follow specific interests as well as people, making it a great place to gather inspiration for projects, holidays, or just about anything. If you’re not the type to take lots of pictures you don’t need to feel pressured to share — just lurk on the homepage and enjoy shots from those you follow.
Communication and messaging
Snapchat
Filters in Snapchat creating a unicorn.
Snapchat’s Discover feature.
Filters in Snapchat can also work with pets, like this dog.
We weren’t sure whether to put Snapchat into messaging or social media apps because, well, it’s a big dollop of both. It’s one of the best platforms for one-on-one messaging, thanks to its messages that auto-delete after being seen, but it’s fair to say you probably know Snapchat for its filters, which are easily some of the best around. Snapchat using face-scanning tech to put funny, weird, and sometimes amazing filters over the top of your own face, making it stretch or morph. One that’s great to have around even if you don’t use it much.
Zoom
Zoom app video call.
Zoom app call.
A graph on Zoom.
You might assume Zoom is only good for work meetings, but you’d be wrong. While we’re all getting out more, it’s fair to say the phenomenon of video calls will be with us for quite a while longer. Of all the options available, Zoom is probably the most well-known and one of the easiest to use, too. Just send people a link to the video call and you’re on your way to having a chat. It’s worth having downloaded and ready to go at all times.
GroupMe
Chat apps are legion, and group chats are even more so. If you’re anything like us, you probably have group chats here and there, and swapping between apps and masses of notification groups is common. Wouldn’t it be simpler to collect all your group chats together in a single app? GroupMe makes it easier to keep track of them all. Add people simply with just their phone number, and they can begin chatting without even needing to download the app. You can name your groups, set avatars, and also save your photos and videos within group chats to refer back to later. There’s even a desktop version, so you can keep on chatting without getting your phone out of your pocket.
WhatsApp, which is a great choice for anyone who doesn’t have unlimited texting and spends a lot of time connected to Wi-Fi, lets you send and receive messages, pictures, audio notes, and video messages. It’s one of the most feature-packed chat apps out there, and absolutely worth downloading if you’re a regular chatter. Despite it being a worldwide sensation, most Americans don’t use it, which is odd, since it’s a phenomenal app. Do yourself a favor and give it a try.
Dating
Hinge
Hinge has had a recent redesign that aims to reduce distractions, but it’s still the dating app that’s “designed to be deleted.” Hinge uses an advanced learning process to better understand your type and will seek to match you only with people it thinks you’ll really like. It seems to be working, as apparently three out of four Hinge users generally want to go on a second date with their matches — so if you’re actually looking for a partner, this is a better choice than the dreaded app beginning with the letter T.
Filter Off
Filter Off’s date confirmation screen.
Filter Off advertising its 90 second video dates.
Filter Off’s date time selection.
Sick of going on dates and finding out within a minute that there’s absolutely no chemistry? Filter Off aims to cut down on that happening by offering video speed dates so you can be sure whether you’re compatible or not. Even better, it drastically reduces the chances you’re likely to be catfished. It has events aimed at specific groups of singles, and there’s a Matchmaker tool that aims to deliver you compatible singles in your area.
Bumble
Bumble isn’t your usual dating app because it encourages women to be the ones who make the first moves. Match with someone in the Tinder-like interface, and the woman has 24 hours to send a message or the match expires. It’s a different way of doing things, and the time-limited nature can help to spur connections quickly.
Best apps for iphone 13
Fantastical: Best planning tool for new iPhones
best apps for new iphone fantastical
(Image credit: Flexibits)
Toting around an iPhone means you’ve got a computer in your pocket, with all the organization tools that implies. And few apps can keep you on top of your day-to-day activities like Fantastical.
You get the typical day, week, month and year views with Fantastical, but the app really earns its stripes with a DayTicker that shows upcoming appointments in a glanceable way. Fantastical also takes advantage of the widget support in iOS so that your events, tasks and to-dos are always front-and-center if you prefer.
You can download Fantastical for free to manage basic events. But a $5/monthly subscription opens up the full slate of Fantastical features, including cross-device syncing, extended weather reports, and management for video calls in Google Hangout, Google Meet and Zoom.
Download Fantastical for iPhone
Pcalc: The best calculator for new iPhones
best iphone apps for new phones pcalc
(Image credit: TLA Systems)
Yes, the iPhone has its built-in calculator app, and it’s fine for doing basic math on the fly. But the $9.99 Pcalc offers that something extra in a beautiful-looking package. Highlights include an optional RPN mode, multi-line display, paper tape and support for multiple undos and redos. You can even customize the look of your calculator’s buttons.
If the thought of paying $9.99 for a calculator when the iPhone already has one, you can try out Pcalc Lite for free. It offers the RPN mode, undo and redo support and unit conversions and constants, plus a choice of two layouts — just enough to give you a taste of the power of the full version of Pcalc.
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Download Pcalc for iPhone
Bear: The best writing tool for the iPhone
best apps for new iphones bear
(Image credit: Shiny Frog)
Believe it or not, many people consider the iPhone a great device for writing, even if the largest screen space available is the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s 6.7-inch display. Maybe all those people who enjoy writing on the iPhone do so through Bear, a writing app designed to make you want to jot down whatever’s on your mind.
Bear lets you get started quickly, and a focus mode can block out distractions when you want to focus on the writing in front of you. You can turn to Siri and the built-in Shortcuts app to quickly create Notes in Bear, and if you have an Apple Watch, you can even dictate notes. There’s a to-do list feature if your notes tend to focus on upcoming tasks, and encryption features keep sensitive notes out of view.
Hashtags keep everything organized, and even let you link different notes together. Themes and typography let you tweak the app’s look to your liking. The basic note-taking features in Bear are free, while a $15 annual subscription unlocks all of its capabilities.
Download Bear for iPhone
Yelp: The best app for finding new places
best apps for new iPhones yelp
(Image credit: Yelp)
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Yelp’s reach is so extensive that Apple even builds its ratings and reviews directly into iOS 15’s Maps app. But to unleash the full power of Yelp, you’ll want to download the free app onto your iPhone.
Yelp can do more than just find restaurants. It’s also a business directory for finding services, getting quotes and booking appointments. Filters let you refine your search and see what exactly people have to say about the business you’re researching. A collections feature even lets you group together places you’ve found on Yelp for easy finding later on.
Download Yelp for iPhone
Overcast: The best podcast manager for your new iPhone
best apps for new iphones
(Image credit: Overcast Radio)
I’ve never been that impressed with Apple’s built-in Podcasts apps, so I turn elsewhere for an app to download, organize and play all the podcasts I listen to. My pick for best podcast app is Overcast, which not only helps you find podcasts but improves playback, too.
Features include Smart Speed, which speeds up the playback with minimal audio distortion, and Voice Boost for consistent audio quality. You can also create playlists of your favorite episodes for better podcast management.
Overcast is a free download, though you can pay $10/year to hide the ads that otherwise appear within the app. You may find yourself eager to pay for Overcast anyhow, given all the features packed into this podcast manager.
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Download Overcast for iPhone
Carrot Weather: Best weather app for new iPhones
Best apps for new iphones carrot weather
(Image credit: Grailr)
Thanks to Apple’s purchase of Dark Sky, the built-in Weather app for iOS 15 is very fully featured, so you may just wind up sticking with what’s already installed on your iPhone. But if you prefer a little attitude with your daily forecast, Carrot Weather is a great addition to any new iPhone.
Carrot Weather has the forecast features you’d need in a weather app — hourly outlooks, 7-day forecasts, wind and rain data. But the app lets you choose one of five personalities for the voice assistant that delivers weather updates (and a torrent of verbal abuse, should you opt for one of Carrot’s more extreme personalities.) Features like Time Travel (where you can look up historical weather patterns) and AR Mode (which overlays the forecast over real-world images captured with your iPhone’s camera) add to the fun.
You can download Carrot Weather for free, though a $5 monthly fee unlocks premium features that let you further customize the look of the app, draw from more weather sources and get alerts about changing conditions.
Download Carrot Weather for iPhone
Lose It: Best weight loss assistant for new iPhones
Lose It best apps for new iPhones
(Image credit: FitNow)
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Lose It has been around since Apple first started allowing third-party apps on the iPhone. There’s a reason for its staying power — this calorie-counter can help you meet your weight loss goals, with a number of clever tools that are just a tap away.
You enter your target weight into Lose It, and the app calculates the amount of calories you can consume each day. To make sure you’re staying on target, you enter the food you consume — a task that Lose It simplifies by letting you scan bar codes and even take pictures of food to help enter in your intake info. Challenges and gameification take some of the tedium out of weight loss.
Lose It is a free download, though you can unlock additional features aimed at aiding weight loss efforts by paying for a premium subscription. If you’re looking for a completely free option, check out the FatSecret calorie counter, which helped one of my Tom’s Guide colleagues lose weight over the holidays.
Download Lose It for iPhone
Waze: The best way to find cheap gas on your new iPhone
best apps for new iphones waze
(Image credit: Waze)
While Maps has made a lot of strides in recent years — iOS 15 Maps offers a particularly solid update to the navigational features — you still might feel compelled to turn to a third-party app to help you get around. Consider Waze, which offers drivers a number of different features to simplify getting from Point A to Point B.
Waze’s primary function is to use alerts about traffic, accidents and police speed traps to find a quicker, easier route for your travels. But the features don’t stop there — you can also use Waze to find the cheapest gas on your drive, which can be extra beneficial when prices at the pump are on the rise. Best of all, these features are all available for free.
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Download Waze for iPhone
Libby: The best app for finding something to read
libby by Overdrive is the best app for new iphones
(Image credit: OverDrive)
If you’ve just shelled out for a new iPhone, chances are you’re feeling a little light in the wallet. That’s a shame since the books, movies and music you’d want to tote around with you on your phone costs money, too. But your local library has many books available for free, and Libby is your ticket for getting them on your iPhone.
Libby works with libraries all over the world to offer a collection of both e-books and audiobooks that you can check out and read via your iPhone. You can either download the titles for offline reading or stream them if space is at a premium on your phone. Features on this free app include the ability to adjust text size (making it more readable) or alter the playback speed on your audiobook. You can even add bookmarks and notes when there’s some text that particularly grabs you.
Download Libby for iPhone
Star Walk: The best app for stargazing with your new iPhone
best apps for new iphone star walk
(Image credit: Vito Technology)
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Among its many other talents, your iPhone can be a portable observatory with the right stargazing app. And for my money, that title goes to Star Walk.
Star Walk contains a detailed star map, showing the many constellations you can find in the night sky. Even better, point your camera skyward at night, and Star Walk can use augmented reality to tell you precisely what you’re looking at. You can use a Time Machine to travel back in time to see specific celestial objects, and Star Walk has some pretty detailed information on exactly which stars, planets and astronomical phenomena you’re looking at.
The app is a free download, though a Star Walk Plus subscription removes ads and lets you access a celestial calendar detailing astronomical events and meteor showers, among other things. An annual pass costs $5.
Conclusion
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