The best things in life are free, right? Well, there are tons of great free apps, but some are worth the top price (or $50). You’d pay a dollar or two for a pack of gum, so why not an app? While you can only fill your iPhone with free apps, you can spend money on apps with additional features that suit your specific interests or are just plain fun. Paid apps often also offer extras like offline access, syncing across devices, and no ads. At PCMag, we test thousands of apps and sometimes we find a few that are worth spending our hard-earned money on. We asked our colleagues to find out what exactly these applications are: here are our personal recommendations. A note: For apps that offer subscriptions, check whether you can subscribe outside of the App Store, then sign in to the app. Apple reduces in-app purchases by 30%, and app developers often pass this cost on to customers, meaning subscribing through the App Store is often more expensive.
5 Minute Journal: Self-Care
Creating space for gratitude in your day can improve not only your day, but your entire life. 5-Minute Journal: Self-Care allows you to make time to journal no matter where you are. Includes daily notifications, tips and syncs across all devices (iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch). The free version offers many features, but if you choose the premium version (starting at $4.99 per month), you can add photos and videos, create your own suggestions, take notes, track your mood, and add a widget to your . . Home screen.
Ahead
Angela Moscaritolo, senior fitness and smart home analyst at PCMag, recommends Ahead. “Ahead is an anger management app that teaches you to notice when you start to get angry and teaches you techniques to better manage your emotions. As a yoga teacher, I already know the power of deep breathing, but it’s just one of the many techniques Ahead offers. I also like the app’s reflection tool, which helps track moments of anger and rage. Ahead offers a seven-day free trial, after which it costs $39.$99 for three months, $99.99 per year, or $199.99 lifetime.
Blek
Do you have games on your phone? Blek ($4.99) appeals to gamers and non-gamers alike. To play, draw a line connecting all the colored dots on the screen. It sounds simple, but it’s simply addictive.
Canva If you’re creating something online and want it to generate clicks, you’ll probably want to make sure it fits the prevailing aesthetic of the internet. However, if you are not a graphic designer, you should try Canva. The app includes social media templates, videos, zoom backgrounds, infographics, backgrounds, posters, logos and much more. With a premium subscription ($12.99 per month or $119).99 per year) you get access to all templates, images, videos, audio and graphic design assets, as well as additional editing options such as background removal and resizing tools.
Captions
Adding text to TikToks is essential for accessibility reasons and to attract and hold the attention of those watching videos without sound. Subtitles make this process easier. It has many more features including one-touch editing, teleprompter, background noise cancellation, and more for $9.99 per month or $54.99 per year.Angela Moscaritolo, PCMag’s senior fitness and smart home analyst, uses it in the TikToks she creates as part of the review process.
Duolingo 5.0
Excellent If you want to add variety to your language learning, there is no better app than Duolingo. The app is free and contains advertising. However, if you answer incorrectly within a short period of time, she may block you for several hours. Paying for Super Duolingo removes ads, allows for unlimited cores (removal of blocks), allows you to practice anything you did wrong, and gives you unlimited trophy attempts. It costs $12.99 per month or $83.99 per year.
Headspace
So many things on your phone can cause anxiety. Why not combat this problem with a meditation app? Headspace is a great choice whether you’re just starting to meditate or have been practicing it for years. It offers individual lessons and meditations for different situations. Also includes a comprehensive sleep section with calming meditations and sleep-inducing shows; (audio content that “creates the ideal conditions for healthy and restful sleep”), soundscapes and guided exercises useful for situations where you wake up in the middle of the night.The subscription costs $12.99 per month or $69.99 per year.
Noom
4.0 Excellent For those looking to lose weight during a pandemic or just trying to eat more consciously, Noom can help with support and education. PCMag Management Software Editor Sean Carroll recommends this app. The price depends on the package chosen.
NordVPN
Whether you want a VPN to protect your data or just want to watch shows and movies you wouldn’t otherwise have access to, NordVPN is PCMag’s top choice. Subscriptions cost $11.99 per month and $83.99 per year.
Pepper
Recipe Manager 3 There are many good recipes on the Internet, but it seems impossible to collect them all and keep them in a small box in the kitchen. Instead, keep them with peppers. The app ($4.99) lets you collect recipes from around the world and even add your own. It creates recipe-based shopping lists, has a meal planner, and syncs across devices.With a recipe, you can adjust portion sizes, convert measurements, and access timers with just one click.
Peloton
Whether you own a Peloton product or not, you can download the Peloton app and get a great workout. It offers bike and treadmill workouts, of course, but also cardio, HIIT and strength training, outdoor running, walking, stretching, yoga and meditation. A Peloton membership costs $12.99 per month.