5 default iPhone apps I ditched as quickly as I attempted these alternate options

Abstract

Through the years, Apple has constructed up a choice of stable native apps for the iPhone.
Whereas Apple’s personal iOS apps is perhaps fairly nice, third-party builders typically go a step additional, offering further options and functionalities.
Listed below are 5 third-party iPhone apps that beat Apple’s inner efforts — at the very least in my eyes.

Apple’s default iOS apps for the iPhone are fairly nice. They comply with a constant design language, they’re easy and but fairly {powerful}, they usually come free out of the field. That being mentioned, the App Store is house to a dizzying variety of third-party alternate options to choose from, with huge swathes of builders vying to one-up one another within the innovation division.

With this in thoughts, I’ve crafted a listing of 5 third-party iPhone apps that I consider outclass Apple’s in-house offerings in nearly each means. These apps all appear and feel native to the system, whereas offering tons of extra options, toolsets, and customization choices to fiddle round with.

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1 Overcast

The perfect third-party podcasting app

Overcast

Overcast is a podcast participant with distinctive options for the iPhone and different Apple units. The Sensible Velocity function helps you get by podcasts quicker with out distorting audio.

There are a number of excellent podcasting apps out there for the iPhone, every of which brings one thing distinctive to the desk when in comparison with Apple’s own Podcasts app. Whereas I really like Pocket Casts and AntennaPod, my private favourite participant has obtained to be Overcast. The app is full-featured, but it comes with an interface that is aesthetically pleasing and easy to know.

A voice Enhance mode, customized playlists, a sleep timer, and help for each Apple Watch and CarPlay are current right here, and the single-person developer claims that there are not any third-party analytics, trackers, or advert providers throughout the app. Overcast is free to obtain and set up, with a paid Premum subscription tier out there for eradicating commercials.

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2 Clear

The perfect third-party note-taking and reminders app

Clear: Minimalist Todo Lists

Clear is an expertly crafted to-do listing that incorporates a distinctive gesture-based interface.

As with podcasting apps, there are a wealth of fashionable note-taking and reminder apps out there for the iPhone. Apple’s default Notes and Reminders apps get the job achieved, however third-party alternate options typically include extra options, organizational instruments, and cross-device syncing choices. Personally, I depend on Clear to maintain on monitor with my private lists of to-dos and errands.

Clear affords a beautiful gradient-style interface design that I can not get sufficient of.

Clear affords a beautiful gradient-style interface design that I can not get sufficient of, in addition to a novel gesture-based navigational system that feels fluid and responsive. I additionally love the small thrives of audio all through – these crisp sound results make swiping by my notes really feel all of the extra satisfying.

Clear is free to make use of, and a Professional model is offered for unlocking widgets, Apple Watch help, per-list personalization settings, month-to-month in-app collectibles, and extra.

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3 Solves

The perfect third-party calculator app

Solves: Calculator for All

Solves is a third-party calculator app for the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac that gives an attractive-yet-powerful interface.

Apple’s first-party Calculator app lagged far behind the competitors up till the discharge of iOS 18 within the fall of final 12 months. In the present day, the app lastly boasts a devoted backspace button, a dual-column view, in addition to iPad help. However, third-party alternate options proceed to outshine Apple’s efforts. Whereas there are many extra {powerful} alternate options on the App Retailer, I at all times gravitate to Solves.

I recognize the haptic suggestions, the animations, and the truth that the app respects my iPhone’s gentle mode setting.

Solves works throughout the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac, and it comes with loads of helpful options. These embrace cross-device historical past sync, colour theming, an adaptive person interface, and extra. In observe, utilizing Solves merely feels higher than utilizing Apple’s Calculator — I recognize the haptic feedback, the animations, and the truth that the app respects my iPhone’s gentle mode setting.

Solves is free to make use of and comes with no advertisements out of the gate, however a single-time Solves+ buy is required for extra theming, unit conversion instruments, and different extra superior settings.

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4 Albums

The perfect third-party Apple Music app

Albums: Music Library Participant

Albums is a third-party music participant for the iPhone that faucets into Apple Music, and gives listening stats, monitor organizational instruments, and extra.

In the event you’re an Apple Music subscriber, then the third-party Albums app is a wonderful piece of supplementary software program. The app places musical albums entrance and middle, which is a breath of recent air in at present’s world of single-focused and extremely automated playlists. If you wish to sit again and hearken to LPs the way in which the artist meant, then Albums is price its weight in gold.

Albums requires an energetic Apple Music subscription to perform. Presently, the app would not combine with different music streaming providers like Spotify.

Albums comes with a ton of additional options, together with Final.FM compatibility for preserving monitor of your listening metrics, Siri, iCloud Sync, and CarPlay integration, and an in-line notes function for jotting down your ideas as you play again your favourite tracks. The bottom app is free to make use of, and there is a Premium model out there which unlocks extra library insights, album tagging, a launch radar function, and different goodies.

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5 LocalSend

The perfect third-party AirDrop alternative

LocalSend: Switch Recordsdata

LocalSend is a cross-platform software that makes it straightforward to wirelessly ship information from one gadget to a different.

Over the previous whereas, I’ve discovered Apple’s default AirDrop protocol to be a moderately unreliable expertise. The function is pitched as a simple approach to wirelessly switch information from one Apple gadget to the following, however I discover the device to be gradual, unresponsive, and vulnerable to seizing up fully.

On account of this, I’ve made the change to LocalSend, which is a free and open-source (FOSS) various that works throughout all platforms and working methods ( Android, Windows, and extra).

I’ve by no means encountered even the slightest hitch when utilizing LocalSend to switch my information, and its cross-platform compatibility is a serious bonus from my perspective. The app’s interface is easy and clear, and the auto-generated show names are a captivating contact that I genuinely recognize.