Whether you’re a long-time iPhone user or are new to the Apple ecosystem, there’s always a cool new app that’s worth checking out. That said, with the incalculable number of apps across different categories on the App Store, it might be difficult to spot the best iOS apps that you actually need. Well, you need not break a sweat as we’re here with our recommendations. Honestly, there isn’t a single app that’s perfect for everyone, but I’ll walk you through the 10 best iPhone apps I cannot live without. I’ve picked apps across different categories, so you don’t end up having all or no apps from important categories. No more waiting, let’s begin!
1. ChatGPT
Apple Intelligence features are coming to the iPhone later this year, but it will be exclusive to Phone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPhone 16 models. If you wish to experience AI on an iPhone that doesn’t support Apple Intelligence, ChatGPT is hands down the most useful app for you. While there are the best AI apps for your iPhone, I have always preferred ChatGPT because of its clean user interface, faster response time, and ability to provide high-quality content. This AI app for iPhone can help you with detailed answers, brainstorm ideas, rewrite text, and much more. You can also upload images and analyze them using the powerful GPT-4o model, with a ChatGPT Plus subscription. That’s not all. You can talk to ChatGPT using voice chat and have a real-time convo on the go, prepare for your upcoming interview, and more.
When Apple finally rolls out ChatGPT Integration on Apple Intelligence-supported devices, the standalone ChatGPT app might become less essential. That said, if you want a dedicated app or don’t wish to upgrade your iPhone just for the sake of AI, the ChatGPT app is a must-have iOS app for you.
2. Sequel- Media Tracker
I used to spend hours searching for a good movie or web series on Netflix, Prime Video, and other platforms, and then end up watching nothing because I ate all my time. Thankfully, I don’t get into such situations now, thanks to the Sequel Media Tracker iOS app. Whether I wish to check out a new book from my favorite author or watch a recently-released movie that my friend raved about, Sequel is my go-to media wishlist. This iPhone app gives you options to track shows, movies, audiobooks, video games, and more, as they are released.
The app alerts you of new releases, lets you rate items or add titles to your streaming services, keeps track of your progress and more. When you open the app and select a category, you’ll see the upcoming, trending, and popular titles. Tap on a title and you’ll see on which platform it is available. This saves you from browsing through multiple platforms to find a worth-watching title. Even better, you can sync your movies and series with iCloud and Trackt accounts. If you also spend more time searching rather than watching content, Sequel is gonna be your saviour.
3. Citymapper
Citymapper has become one of my favorite iPhone apps lately. With Citymapper, I can plan my travel beforehand, rather than waiting at the stops or stations. This app won’t completely replace Google Maps or Apple, but if you live in a city supported by the Citymapper app, it will serve you better. When you wish to travel, just enter the destination and the app will show you routes and step-by-step directions. Even better, Citymapper shows you the live wait times and ETAs for trains and buses, so you can follow them in real time as they approach you. Even better, it will alert you when it’s time to get off and show you the best exit at any subway/train station.
That’s not all. The app can find nearby cycles, e-scooters, compare cab fares, and do much more. You can also save Home, Work and your go-to stop for lightning-fast trip planning. To sum up, Citymapper is one of the best iPhone apps that helps you get around the cities with utmost ease. The one downside is this app is available in some countries and limited to cities (not all). However, if you live in an included city or are soon planning to travel to one, it’s the best iOS app that can outshine the mapping experiences provided by Google and Apple.
4. Carrot Weather
Of course, the iPhone has a stock weather app, but you can easily forsake it because some best weather apps for the iPhone perform even better. If you need an interesting weather app that delivers accurate information in a hilariously twisted way, Carrot Weather is worth giving a try. It’s a crazy powerful app loved for its sarcastic personality and highly detailed information. It offers accurate details about the weather conditions in your current location, in a fun way.
The overall interface is minimal and sleek, and the animations are simply amazing. You get up-to-date weather information, radar maps, and playful descriptions. This iPhone weather app gives you lightning-quick access to your current, hourly, and daily forecasts. Also, the app can tell you sunrise & sunset times as well as moon phases. The UI is fully customizable, and I absolutely love widgets that can make everything more personalized. Even better, there’s an AR (Augmented Reality) mode that brings the weather app right into your living room.
5. Tick Tick
I love to plan things. It helps me manage my time and boost productivity. Therefore, a good calendar app is a must-have iPhone app for me. While I’ve tried out some of the best calendar apps for iPhone, Tick Tick has become one of my favorites over time. It’s a to-do list and calendar app for iOS that not only helps you manage your schedule but also organizes tasks for you. The app greets you with a well-laid and intuitive interface which makes it a breeze to understand the features and get started. The setup process is pretty straightforward and you can sync your events from other calendar apps.
When creating a to-do list, you can assign a priority to each task. You get to choose from four priority levels, including, No, Low, Medium, and High. The highlight of this iPhone calendar app has to be the Eisenhouse Matrix which automatically categorizes your tasks based on urgency and importance. This makes sure that you can focus on things that need to be done first. You can set multiple reminders for a task, use Siri to create tasks faster, share task lists for collaboration, and do much more. Putting it simply, Tick Tick is one of the most well-rounded calendar apps you can find today.
6. Halide Mark II
Want to take your photography game to the next level? Halide Mark II is one of the best iPhone apps you can own. The “Apple Design” and “Editor’s Choice” awards winner, Halide Mark II is the best professional-grade camera app on the App Store. It offers more professional and powerful camera tools like Focus Loupe, Focus Peaking, color zebras, adaptive level grid, and full manual control. If your iPhone doesn’t have a Macro mode, you can use the Neural Macro feature and enjoy macro photography on any iPhone.
This iPhone app also supports shooting in ProRAW, RAW, HEIC, or JPG. You can choose to skip Apple’s image processing altogether with Process Zero or opt for the Standard format picker to choose iPhone image processing with Halide’s pro controls. That’s not all. Halide Mark II also features Action Button support, AI enhancements, zero shutter lag, Siri shortcuts, widgets, and so much more. If you’ve got an iPhone 16 model, you can use the Camera Control button to launch the Halide Mark II app, and swipe to adjust focus & exposure. However, the app requires a per-year subscription or one-time fee for a 7-day free trial.
7. Wordscapes
Whether I’m at the bus station or wish to take a 10-minute break from my work, I rely on Wordscapes to pass the time and build my vocabulary. It’s a challenging word game with the best of searching, anagrams, and crosswords that lets you sharpen your brain. You can show your vocabulary power by connecting the letters and finding as many hidden words as you can. With a beautiful UI, landscape backgrounds, and modern word puzzles, this iPhone app is damn addicting. If you play this word puzzle once, I bet you just put it down or think about switching to another app.
The app takes you on a word hunt with over 6,000 crossword puzzles and gorgeous landscapes. The puzzle starts pretty easy and gets challenging as you move ahead. You can take each level at your own pace with unlimited tries. If you also love fun and challenging word games, make sure to give Wordscapes a try.
8. Waze
A good navigation app makes a long road journey easy, so you can find less-discovered spots without getting off the grid. Apple Maps is the default navigation app for iPhone users. Also, many users prefer Google Maps over Apple Maps. If you ask me about my favourite navigation app, it has to be Waze. It’s one of the most popular navigation apps on the App Store that works aggressively to make your ETA as low as geographically possible. Waze relies heavily on community-sourced information to make your drive stress-free. It provides real-time directions and safety alerts to warn you of crashes, accidents, traffic jams, constructions, and potholes that may come your way. It actively recalculates the route to prevent those obstacles and shows you a faster way to get home.
The best thing about this free iPhone app is that it will let you know where speed cameras, cops, and red lights are located so you can take alternate routes. I absolutely love its voice prompt feature that offers turn-by-turn navigation in a variety of languages, local accents, and celebrities. Even better, Waze works with CarPlay, making it one of the best CarPlay apps for drivers. If you don’t like Apple Maps or Google Maps for some reason, I strongly recommend trying Waze.
9. Pocket Casts
Do you prefer podcasts over music or radio? Pocket Casts is a must-have iPhone app for you. I absolutely love this podcast app for its user-friendly interface and ad-free experience. Pocket Casts offers a robust listening library across different niches and a ton of customization options. The app has a neat and clean UI design that makes it easy to find and manage new podcasts. There are customizable themes, curated playlists of new shows, playback controls, and folders to organize upcoming podcasts.
When you open the app, you’ll see a Podcasts tab that shows you all the podcasts you’re following. Then, there’s a Filters tab that lets you create a smart playlist of episodes using useful filters like New Releases, In Progress, and more. I, particularly like the Discover tab and its recommendations, which is one of the best features I’ve seen in any podcast app. It can help you discover trending podcasts, award winners, and more. You can also use Pocket Casts with CarPlay to discover new podcasts during your daily commute or long road trip.
10. Habit Tracker
Building good habits is the essential key to unlocking a happy, healthy, and longer life. That said, we also know this can’t happen overnight. Thankfully, there’s a super-useful iPhone app that can help you build good habits and quit the bad ones. The Habit Tracker app lets you track your habits with stats and notes, visually analyze habits with interactive charts, and motivate you toward reaching goals. The app is pretty simple to use. You just have to choose from an Intuitive and Simple UI style, allow reminders, and swipe through a few basics. Then, you can add the habits you wish to track. The app offers several built-in options, including Walk, Run, Burn Calories, Read a Book, Drink Water, and more. Also, you can create a custom habit that suits your preferences.
The app will auto-track your habits, send you reminders, and offer detailed statistics to track your progress. With Today view, Home Screen, and Lock Screen widgets, you can quickly view and log your habits without opening the app. That’s not all. With iCloud backup & sync, you can easily view your data across all your Apple devices. All in all, if you’re trying hard to develop or quit a habit, this is the best iPhone app you just can’t miss.
Those were the 10 best iPhone apps I absolutely love. Well, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to the best apps, but I’ve listed the ones that I consider must-haves. If you’ve got a similar taste and liking, you’ll surely find these apps handy. Let me know your favorite iOS apps in the comments below.
