Top 10 Underappreciated iOS Apps Everyone Should Try

It’s safe to say that there’s no shortage of app lists on the internet. It seems like there’s a list for every category, activity or career imaginable. But amid all of the noise, you might have missed these little-known, underrated, or underappreciated apps.

Here’s a list of our favorite iOS apps that you should download and try, if you haven’t already.

10. IFTTT

If you’re a productivity aficionado, or you just want to add a boost of functionality to your phone, there’s few better options than IFTTT.

IFTTT, an acronym for “If this, then that” lets you create or use “recipes” that streamline your smartphone usage. For example, you can set up a recipe to save all the Instagram photos you like to a folder on your phone, or you can use a recipe that automatically texts your roommates when you’re at the grocery store. Similarly, you can use a recipe that updates all of your social media accounts at once, from one place. The possibilities really are endless — and the best way to get a handle on what the app can do is just to download it and start exploring.

Best of all, IFTTT is a free download on the App Store.

9. Tab

All too often, going out for drinks or dinner with friends can turn into a session of mental gymnastics as everyone attempts to split the bill fairly.

Tab lets you leave the complicated formulas for math class. Just snap a picture of a receipt, and the app automatically detects each item and its price. Each Tab user can select their items in real-time — and the app offers even-splitting options for shared meals, tax and tip. If you’re at a birthday dinner, you can even split their total among the table.

Best of all, Tab is a free download.

8. Drafts

Note-taking applications are everywhere these days, and they all offer a plethora of features and abilities, but Draft is a bit different.

It’s quick and extremely simple — and it’s tailor-made to put the text you’re writing first. Every time you open the app, it opens to a blank text draft so you can be ready to jot down your notes, ideas or reminders near instantaneously. The app features a clean, distraction-free writing environment — and a host of one-tap export options so you can easily move your notes around.

Draft is available for $4.99 in the App Store.

7. Cloak VPN

In our increasingly device-centered society, digital security is becoming as much of a priority as personal safety.

That’s where Cloak comes in. By now, you probably know that public Wi-Fi networks aren’t safe — someone could monitor your browsing, and even snoop on your sensitive information. Luckily, Cloak automatically detects unsafe networks and sets up a VPN that makes it extremely easy to secure your public Wi-Fi browsing. It’s a simple, no-fuss way of adding an extra layer of security to your phone.

Cloak VPN is a free download on the App Store.

6. Burner

The term “Burner phone” might remind us of spies, private investigators or criminals, but having a disposable phone number is actually extremely pragmatic for normal people, too.

Burner lets you safeguard your primary phone number with flexible disposable numbers which you can call or text from. Simple-to-use – Burner can be an excellent choice for filling out web forms, buying or selling on platforms like Craigslist, or even as a precaution on blind or online dates. For $4.99 a month, you get an additional phone number with unlimited calls and texts — and you can ditch the burner number whenever you want.

Burner is a free download with in-app purchases.

5. Moleskine Timepage

While Moleskine has obviously made a name for itself with its line of classic notebooks, the company’s feature-packed apps share a similar minimalist and classy aesthetic.

Timepage is a stylish calendar and planner app that integrates effortlessly with your other apps, like iCloud, Facebook, and Google. The main pane provides a simplified view of the day’s tasks and appointments, and the app offers a “heatmap” calendar view so you can tell busy days from free ones at a glance. Like most premium calendar apps, it features natural language parsing for task or event creation, as well as integrated map and weather data, too.

Timepage is available for $4.99 for iPhone, or $6.99 for iPad.

4. Just Press Record

For a beefed-up version of Apple’s stock Voice Memos app, Just Press Record is an excellent choice.

This one-tap recording app is available for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Conveniently, recording can be activated via the home screen or widget pane with a long press. Beyond simple voice recording, it also offers built-in transcription and organization features — like searching recordings via specific terms within them. Recordings can be easily shared with a variety of export and sync options.

Just Press Record is available for $4.99.

3. Cortex Cam

There’s no shortage of camera and photo editing apps on the App Store, but Cortex Cam bills itself as a good alternative to a bulky DSLR.

Cortex Cam takes dozens of exposures, combining them to create a high-resolution image with significantly reduced noise and a boost in overall image quality. There are also a host of exposure controls to fine-tune your picture taking. It’s aimed at capturing static scenes — rather than action shots — but it can take professional-level photos, especially in low lighting.

Cortex Cam costs $2.99 on the App Store.

2. Productive

Productive is a simple little app that offers a unique take on to-do list or productivity offerings.

Rather than a simple checklist of tasks, Productive encourages you to create and change your routines and habits. Your created “habits” are assigned to a certain time in the day, and you can set up notifications to remind you to stick to them. A calendar page lets you track your progress over days, weeks and months.

Productive is a free download, but you’ll be limited to five habits. Unlimited habits are available for a one-time price of $3.99.

1. Lrn

If learning how to code is on your bucket list, then you should give the aptly named Lrn a try.

Rather than trying to teach you coding skills through an intensive bootcamp, Lrn gently eases you in with friendly and encouraging messages. Simple quizzes help to solidify your knowledge of the several available programming languages.

The app is free to download from the App Store, and nets you access to an HTML and CSS courses, as well as introductions to JavaScript, Ruby, and Python. Extra courses cost $2.99 a piece.