Smartphones have become a massive part of our daily lives. Not only do they allow us to always be within reach, they also entertain us and help us be productive. But the device is only as useful as the apps installed on it, and it’s these handy apps that can improve life in a variety of ways.
There are millions of apps out there, some more beneficial than others. Here’s our list of some of the best handy apps on the market.
Handy Apps to Boost Your Productivity
Smartphones have become very powerful tools for getting work done. This is made possible by the wide range of handy apps focused on managing and increasing productivity.
Keep Your Notes Organized With Evernote
The Evernote app is one of the most feature-rich apps for taking notes. This king of note-taking apps is available on all major platforms:
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
This means that any notes you take on your iPhone, for example, will also sync to the app on your computer.
Evernote lets you do more than take simple notes, too. Within a note, you can:
- Create tasks
- Assign due dates
- Set reminders
- And much more
This handy app has a free version, as well as two different subscription levels to unlock more features.
Prioritize Your Daily Tasks With Todoist
When it comes to to-do lists, there is no better app than Todoist for organizing tasks. In fact, it’s more than a handy app to make lists with. It’s a personal organizer to keep you on track to accomplish everything you need to do each day.
The app lets you:
- Set tasks
- Organize tasks by importance
- Set project goals
- Track your productivity
There are three plan options to choose from:
- Free tier
- Pro tier ($3/month)
- Business tier ($5/month)
This app will be a revelation if you are a busy person with a lot of tasks to keep track of.
Handy Apps to Help You Stay Healthy
Technology can also help you improve or maintain a healthy lifestyle. The number of health apps is staggering, but here are a couple of the most handy apps for monitoring and improving your health.
Monitor Your Runs With Runkeeper
If running is your preferred form of cardio, then Runkeeper, by sports brand ASICS, is a must-have app. Runkeeper enables you to track your miles completed and your running time. This handy app for runners will also show you how your pace improves over time as you aim to shave more time off your mile.
Not only does Runkeeper track your running, but the app also comes with training plans designed to fit your specific daily schedule.
You can download Runkeeper for free from both the Apple App Store and the Google Play store.
Check on Your Sleep Quality With SleepScore
One aspect of health that many people don’t pay enough attention to is their sleep. This doesn’t just mean the total amount of sleep, but the quality of sleep as well.
SleepScore is a sleep tracker that aims to help solve this issue. The app tracks how much time you’ve spent in three stages of sleep:
- Light
- Deep
- REM
It also tracks the total duration of your sleep session. If you’re often tired during the day, this handy app may help you figure out why.
Handy Apps to Keep an Eye on Your Finances
Your smartphone is also a valuable tool for helping manage your money. We’re not talking about your bank’s app, which is useful to have of course. Instead, we’re looking at apps that help you with all-around financial management.
You Need a Budget Keeps Your Spending in Check
Finance app You Need a Budget (YNAB) is a powerful tool for helping put together a personal budget. The primary goal of this handy app is to help you move beyond a paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle and knock out debt by creating a financial plan.
This app securely syncs up with your bank for real-time info on your finances. You can make a budget, set savings goals for a trip or a big purchase, and you can check in on easy-to-read charts to track your progress.
This app is a must-have for anyone who is trying to handle money more effectively. The subscription for the app is $84/year, but there is a generous 34-day free trial with no credit card required.
Start a Rainy-Day Fund With Acorns
It’s important to have some savings in case of a financial emergency. Many people don’t have the best habits when it comes to putting money away into savings, though. If this is you, then the Acorns saving app may help get you on track.
The way this handy app works is pretty simple: You sign up for an account, then link the debit card you use on a daily basis. As you make purchases with your card, Acorns rounds the amount of each purchase up to the next whole dollar and puts that difference into your investment account. This means any time you buy a $2.75 coffee, for example, Acorns will put $0.25 put into your investment account.
Handy Apps Are Everywhere
The number of apps for both iOS and Android is growing every single day. There are some great well-known options, as well as some hidden gems. There is only so much time (and phone storage space) to try all of them out, though. To find the most handy apps for you, look for those that clearly solve the problems you’re looking to tackle, in addition to adding convenience, organization, and peace of mind to your life.