The 20 Best iPhone Apps to Download Now
Just pick up a new phone? Or simply have an afternoon to burn and want to download some toys? These are our must-have iPhone apps.
By now you've got your go-to apps on your iPhone. But if you've been wondering what to add next to get the most out of that shiny Apple device, take a look through our must-haves.
Waze
Whether you're a big driver or just going on a long road trip, you should check out Waze. The app knows how fast users are traveling on the road and redirects you around traffic mid-trip, ultimately shortening your commute. Waze tracks more than just traffic; it also alerts you to construction, accidents, red-light cameras, and even police ahead on your route.
Price: Free
Inbox by Gmail
Get control of your Gmail account with Inbox by Gmail. The app organizes your mailbox based on the types of messages you receive, making it easy to quickly locate emails when you need them. You can view information like delivery order updates, pictures, flight statuses, and reservations details without even opening a message. The Snooze feature lets you tell Inbox to remind you about a particular email later on.
Price: Free
Cash
Splitting a bar tab with friends can be a huge pain, especially when no one thought to bring cash with them. Cash is an app by Square that instantly transfers money between friends, for free, even between different banks. Using the app requires everyone involved sign up and connect their debit card — afterward you can pay your friends back instantly with just a few taps on your phone. In most cases, the money automatically deposits in your buddy's bank account and is instantly accessible. At most, they'll have to wait 1 to 2 business days for the deposit to clear.
Price: Free
Photoshop Fix
You don't need a computer to access some popular Photoshop features. Photoshop Fix brings some of Adobe's world-class retouching and restoration features to your iPhone, including liquify, lighten, smooth, heal, and paint. If you're a Creative Cloud customer, then you can send images from your phone directly to your desktop from the app to refine them ever further.
Price: Free
Uber or Lyft
At some point you're going to need a cab and there just won't be any in sight. Save yourself some time now and go ahead and download Uber or its competitor Lyft. Both apps are operating in most major cities (and some not-so-major ones and will come pick you up whenever and wherever you need them, often for less cash than a traditional taxi). Watch out for surge pricing, though. If rides are in high demand then prices often double, and can reach more than ten times their regular rate.
Doorman
Take the delivery fear out of online shopping with Doorman, which ensures you never have another package stolen from your doorstep. Available in a number of major cities, the app provides users with an address where they can have packages sent. A Doorman representative receives the package (and signs for it if need be), and then alerts the recipient it has arrived via the app. App users can then schedule the delivery of their packages when they're home, anytime between 6 pm and midnight. Even better, Doorman will hold on to packages up to 30 days, just in case you're doing a little traveling and aren't home to receive that big box. Doorman requires a monthly subscription, with pricing starting at $3.99 per package or $19/month. The top-of-the-line subscription runs $29/month and includes package pickups as well as deliveries.
Price: Free, but contract required
Hotel Tonight
Whether it's an unexpected getaway or an accidental mishap that has you looking for a last-minute hotel room, finding the perfect place on short notice can be a huge headache. HotelTonight allows you to book a single night stay on your phone in less than a minute. The app hand-selects each hotel it works with, which helps with quality, and offers selections based on the type of stay you're looking for (basic, luxe, hip).
Price: Free
Spotify
Everything is better with music. With the purchase of a premium plan, Spotify allows you to listen to your favorite jams on demand, just as if you were carrying around your entire music library with you everywhere. The app has a radio option for when you want to discover new tunes, and allows you to sync music to your phone to listen when you're offline. Download a few playlists over Wi-Fi before you head out on a trip, flip offline mode on, and don't worry about getting a big charge on your cell phone bill.
Price: Free
Swiftkey
With iOS 8, Apple finally added the ability to install third-party keyboards on your phone, and Swiftkey is one of the best options available. The keyboard learns how you type and adapts to your unique tapping style over time, meaning you'll be able to type faster with fewer typos.
Price: Free
Evernote
Evernote is essentially a virtual notebook you have with you everywhere—perfect for downloading whatever is bouncing around in your brain. You can make notes directly in the app, save images and articles from the web, upload pages from physical notebooks, and track tasks. Evernote can even handle audio files. The best part? Everything you add to Evernote is searchable, so you can find it next week (or even five years from now) quickly and easily.
Price: Free
