The 50 best Apple Watch apps in 2024

Apple Watch Ultra 2
(Image credit: Future)

The Apple Watch is a fantastic wearable, offering fitness tracking, health features, and lots more. Its software, watchOS 10, released in 2023, brought some redesigned watch faces while bringing in some new ones, such as the Snoopy Watch face.

Since 2015 though, Apple Watch has had its third-party App Store — and there are thousands of apps to choose from that can serve as a great companion to your iPhone. With this in mind, we've rounded up the best Apple Watch apps you can currently use.

Best productivity Apple Watch apps

Things 3

Things 3 Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Cultured Code)

Things 3 is a great task manager on the iPhone, and its Apple Watch app makes tracking your day-to-day tasks simple. The primary screen in Things 3 puts your tasks for the day in front of you, which you can check off as you complete them right on your wrist. You can also tap on each task to get a little more detail or to move that task to the next day.

In an excellent, if small, piece of visual feedback, a circle under Today shows how many tasks you've completed, and continues to fill as you finish more to-dos. Adding an item to your list is also very simple. Just tap the + button and speak to your watch. When that task is created, you can tap on it to add a start date or deadline. 

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Things 3 from Cultured Code is a simple but effective task manager. Take care of your to-dos right on your wrist!

Reminders

Reminders Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple)

Apple's native Reminders app has really come into its own in the last couple of years and it's now significantly more useful than it was in the past. You can scroll easily through the colored blocks representing your lists, or tap on a specific list to bring up the individual tasks within that list.

The Apple Watch app makes it nice and simple to mark tasks as completed directly from your wrist and it's very easy to add new tasks to your lists too — though we do recommend using dictation rather than the tiny keyboard. For any scheduled Reminders, swipe up from the bottom of your Apple Watch screen on watchOS 10 and you can view the widget easily.

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Reminders is pre-installed on Apple Watch and it is excellent for getting things done.

Todoist

Todoist Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Doist)

Todoist on iPhone is one of the best productivity apps out there, and its Apple Watch counterpart doesn't disappoint. Keeping things very clean and simple, Todoist makes it very easy to mark tasks as completed directly from your wrist, while the main menu screen allows you to see all tasks within your Inbox, upcoming tasks, or tasks for the day in hand.

You can also choose to see a list of tasks by filter so depending on how organized you are with your filters and labels in the main iPhone app, the Apple Watch companion app for Todoist can really help you organize your day. As you might expect, you can also add tasks, and there's a lovely completion ring too.

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Todoist is a great productivity app for Apple Watch that will help you get things done straight from your wrist. 

Streaks

Streaks Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Crunchy Bagel)

Streaks is the perfect Apple Watch app to download if you're someone who is always saying things like 'I need to drink more water', 'I need to do more exercise' or 'I need to floss more'. It's designed to help you form good habits, tracking up to 24 tasks to complete each day, from walking the dog to brushing your pearly whites — all of which you can tick off straight from your wrist.

The aim is to build a streak of consecutive days and let us tell you, when you've started that streak, you won't want to break it. You can also create negative tasks for breaking those naughty habits and the Streaks Apple Watch app interface is just beautiful with plenty of theme options so it looks good too.

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Streaks is designed to build good habits, using a streak-based reward system to help.

Fantastical

Fantastical Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Flexibits)

Apple's native Calendar app has improved significantly of late, but Fantastical on Apple Watch offers a clean, simple interface while taking calendaring to the next level. You can create new events or tasks directly from your Apple Watch, giving you more flexibility and reducing the number of times you need to pull your phone out of your pocket, plus the interface is wonderful.

If you use Apple's Reminders app regularly, Fantastical is also great for its built-in Reminders integration. You can view all of your reminder lists, and check off tasks as they're performed, and there's compatibility with Todoist and Google Tasks too.

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Take charge of your schedule with a flick of your wrist. You can even manage your Reminders too.

Grocery

Grocery Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Conrad Stoll)

Apple added shopping list capabilities to Reminders with iOS 17, but the Grocery app takes food shopping to the next level. There are the basics, like the ability to share lists with a partner, and items on your list appearing on your Apple Watch Face. Where Grocery comes into its own, however, is its ability to learn the order in which you tick items off your list each time you shop, sorting your list into the right order for next time.

It will also detect multiple or duplicated items, which is great in theory, though there might be a reason chocolate is on the list twice. You can never have too much of it after all.

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Take grocery shopping to the next level with this app that makes it much less of a chore.

Just Press Record

Just Press Record Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Open Planet Software)

Record something on the fly without needing to touch your iPhone with Just Press Record. Just open up the app and tap the big red button with the microphone on it to start your recording. You can browse your recent recordings and make new ones and you can even record when you're not connected to your iPhone. When you reconnect, just tap Outbox and send your recordings over to your phone.

Once your recordings are on your iPhone, everything you recorded on your Apple Watch can be synced with iCloud so you can access them on your iPad and Mac as well. It's also possible to use Just Press Record to transcribe once on iPhone and there's support for over 30 languages no matter what language your device is set to.

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Record voice notes with the tap of a button using Just Press Record.

Any.do

Any.do Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Any.DO)

We do love a productivity app and the Any.do app is one of those apps that does it all — it's a calendar, a planner, a task list organiser and a reminder app in one. The iPhone app is extensive, but the Apple Watch app has plenty of features too. The simple but effective interface allows you to tick off tasks on your task list, as well as mark alerts as done when they appear on your wrist. 

You can also open up a task from your Apple Watch and view any sub-tasks associated with that task, making it easy to see what you need to do and what you have coming up on your list of things to get done.

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The Any.do app is an Apple Watch app that does it all – it's a calendar, planner, task organiser and reminder app in one.

Best health and fitness Apple Watch apps

SmartGym

SmartGym Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Mateus Abras)

SmartGym is designed to offer simple tracking of your workouts and progress, whether that's the exercises you choose for each workout, the weight you lift, the routines you follow, or the workouts you have done in the past. 

The Apple Watch version of the SmartGym app is designed to work independently of your iPhone and it enables you to keep track of your heart rate, distance and calories burned, use your session data to count towards closing your rings, and modify exercises from your wrist. There are over 620 pre-installed exercises in the main app, and you can also select workouts based on the equipment you have.

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The SmartGym app is perfect for the gym goers out there who need an effective app for monitoring workouts.

Workout

Workout Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple)

While there are many third party Apple Watch apps for fitness and exercise available — some of which we have selected in this list – the native Apple Watch Workout app is excellent. It lacks a couple of things, like readiness for working out, but it is very simple to use, offers an extensive range of workout options and the data provided during workouts is easy to read and digestible.

Whether you want to track dance or cycling, the Workout app on Apple Watch has something for everyone, it's free to use, and there are plenty of settings available too, as well as the ability to change goals.

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Apple's Workout app is pre-installed on Apple Watch and it's great for tracking an extensive range of activities.

StepsApp Pedometer

StepsApp Pedometer Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / StepsApp)

Rather than focusing on step count, Apple uses Move and Exercise Rings to present how much you've moved in a day. If you like to aim for that 10,000 steps a day figure though, Apple's native Workout app doesn't really lend itself very well to that. This is where StepsApp Pedometer comes into play.

There's automatic step counting as you would expect, but there are also great charts and animations that bring the data offered to life. You'll also find workouts with Map Tracking, Heart Rate Zones and Insights, alongside day, week and month views so you can see how you're doing when it comes to reaching those step goals.

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Apple's Workout app is pre-installed on Apple Watch and it's great for tracking an extensive range of activities.

Strava

Strava Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Strava)

Strava is one of the best apps out there for tracking your workouts, helping you get on track to a healthy and active lifestyle. The Strava Apple Watch app is also a fantastic companion to have on-the-go. You can track your runs, cycling rides, swims, and more. 

The Apple Watch app is standalone, so you don't even need to have your iPhone with you to track your activity with it. Information like distance and live pacing is recorded directly on the watch and you'll see it as you go. Saving a workout is done with one button press, and everything will sync with your iPhone and Apple Health once it's close by.

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Record runs, cycling, swim sessions, and so much more. Strava also gives you info on distance, pacing, and other stats – no iPhone needed.

Peloton

Peloton Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Peloton)

The Peloton iPhone app is excellent, packed with plenty of workouts across a range of sectors, and the Apple Watch companion app doesn't disappoint. You'll need to start a workout on the iPhone app, but once started, you can see all your metrics at a glance on your wrist, from calories burned or distance travelled to heart rate and heart rate zones. 

If you have Peloton equipment, like the Bike or Tread, you can use your Apple Watch as a heart rate monitor through the Peloton Apple Watch app too, which means you'll get more accurate stats at the end of a workout. 

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The Peloton Apple Watch app offers great metrics and it allows you to use the Apple Watch as a heart rate monitor with Peloton equipment too.

MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / MyFitnessPal)

MyFitnessPal is a brilliant app for keeping track of your eating habits with a goal of helping you make smarter food choices. Do you need the third cookie? Probably not, even if it does taste exceptional. The MyFitnessPal Apple Watch app gives you a breakdown of how many calories you have consumed for the day, and how many you have left within your allowance, as well as a breakdown of your macros.

It will also take into account exercise for the day when calculating your calories. You do have to manually enter all food in the iPhone app, but the Apple Watch app is great for keeping an eye on your progress — and stopping you having that extra biscuit.

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The MyFitnessPal app is a great app for helping you keep track of how you eat and make better choices.

CARROT Fit

CARROT Fit Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Carrot)

CARROT Fit tries to inject personality into your workouts — and by personality, we, of course, mean a hostile robot that yells at you and calls you a "meatbag." It specializes in small workouts with "7 Minutes in Hell" that condenses multiple high-intensity exercises into just seven minutes.

Just tap the big red Start button to begin your seven-minute workout. CARROT Fit will threaten, insult, and, when it's in a nicer mood, try to bribe you to get the results it wants to see. You can customize a bit of what 7 Minutes in Hell throws at you, determine how long each exercise lasts, as well as how long the rest period is. When you've successfully completed a workout, you'll be treated to app upgrades and funny rewards.

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CARROT Fit provides you with seven minutes of intensive exercise to help get you into shape.

Pedometer++

Pedometer++ Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Cross Forward Consulting)

For those more interested in hitting a specific step count over closing their Apple Watch Rings, Pedometer++ is a great app to download. It's simple, but it will allow you to see your step progress each day, whilst also allowing you to keep track of your daily and weekly step counts. 

To find a weekly step count on Apple without a third party app, you have to dig into the Health app and it's not possible to add steps as a complication on a Watch Face either. The Pedometer++ app enables both of these features however, and it will also present walking distance, active calories and heart rate data too, along with some nice looking maps.

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Pedometer++ puts steps as the focus, allowing you to have a number of steps complication on certain Apple Watch faces.

Best sleep and wellbeing Apple Watch apps

Athlytic

Athlytic Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / MyndArc)

Athlytic uses all the data your Apple Watch collects on you and turns it into insights that can help you meet your health and fitness goals. Whilst Apple offers plenty of data within its Health app, not all of it is translatable. For example, Apple doesn't offer a feature like Garmin's Body Battery where it will tell you if you should be resting or exercising on a particular day.

Athlytic does though, and its Apple Watch app is not only gorgeous to look at, but there are plenty of features on board from workout options, exercise intensity and heart rate zones, to your readiness to train. 

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Athlytic uses the data Apple Watch collects to determine whether you are ready to train or if you should rest.

AutoSleep

AutoSleep Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Tantsissa)

Apple Watch can track your sleep without a third party app when you wear it to bed, but the AutoSleep app gives you a different set of metrics, along with some great additional features. On a basic level, it does everything you would expect, such as tracking your sleep duration, heart rate, blood oxygen and respiration rate whilst sleeping. 

On a more advanced level though — and the reasons to download it — AutoSleep recommends a bedtime for the following evening based on your previous night's sleep, it measures the quality and efficiency of your sleep and it offers a Readiness function too, indicating physical and mental stress. There's also a Smart Alarm function to help you wake up in a lighter sleep and it measures the time it takes you to fall asleep too. It's excellent.

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AutoSleep not only tracks your sleep but it adds some additional features too, including a Smart Alarm and Readiness to exercise.

Calm

Calm Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Calm)

Apple offers its own Mindfulness app, which has a number of great features within it, including the ability to log a mood, but the Calm app has a huge library of guided meditations, breathing exercises and stretching options. There are topics spanning Deep Sleep and Calming Anxiety to Managing Stress and Breaking Habits, which you can sign up to help you on your journey. 

The Calm Apple Watch app itself has a Daily Calm program, Breathing Exercises, Morning and Evening Stretch workouts and you can start a Mindful Walking exercise straight from your wrist too, choosing how long you'd like to walk for. There's also an Emergency Calm option you can start from your Apple Watch too.

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Calm is an excellent app for meditation and managing stress, offering everything from breathing exercises to stretches.

Gentler Streak

Gentler Streak Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Gentler Stories)

Gentler Streak is refreshingly different from traditional workout apps, putting your wellbeing ahead of anything else. It's designed to help you find a balance between exercise and rest — because the latter is just as important in case you didn't know. The Gentler Streak Apple Watch app offers personalized suggestions for daily workouts filtered by type, duration and intensity — don't worry rest is also included within this guidance — and you can monitor intensity during a workout with heart rate zones so you know when to pick it up or slow it down. 

If the app tells you to rest then take the advice because it's using your health metrics to determine that, and rest days make up part of your streak so you don't need to worry about losing it just because you took a day on the sofa.

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Gentler Streak puts your wellbeing first, helping you find a balance between rest and exercise.

WaterMinder

WaterMinder Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Funn Media)

While not as flashy as other workout-tracking apps, WaterMinder still fulfils an important fitness function: keeping track of your hydration. Getting in a nice long run is great right up until you collapse on the sidewalk because you forgot that humans need water to survive. WaterMinder keeps you on top of that, letting you easily log your water intake with a single button tap on your Apple Watch. 

Using your existing health data, WaterMinder determines how much water you should be drinking on any given day. With each entry in the app, you'll be able to watch your progress towards your goal. The app has pre-filled buttons for six, eight, 14, and 17 ounces per entry, while you can also set a custom smaller or larger amount.

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Always stay on top of your daily hydration with WaterMinder.

Headspace

Headspace Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Headspace)

The Headspace app is all about helping you stress less, sleep better and ultimately be happier overall. It's designed for everyday use in order to help you make mindfulness a habit and it uses a streak-based reward system to encourage you, as well as a range of meditations and breath work exercises. 

The Apple Watch version of the Headspace app offers easy access to features like Everyday Headspace, meditation basics and short and manageable workouts, such as 10 minutes of walking or running. You'll also find short 3-minute mindful mediation sessions designed to fit into busy schedules, along with SOS sessions for easing stress during moments of anxiety.

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Headspace is designed to help you manage stress and sleep better.

Flo Period & Cycles Tracker

Flo Period & Cycles Tracker Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Flo Health)

The Flo Period & Cycle Tracker is a fully fledged app on iPhone but the Apple Watch companion app is great for a quick glance at what's happening in your cycle. There's of course plenty more data within the iPhone app that you can sift through to get a better understanding, though the Apple Watch version is perfect for adding symptoms and moods, as well as weight and getting a summary of your feelings that day.

It's worth mentioning Flo added Flo for Partners to the main app so you can link up your Flo account with your other half so they can see your cycle and pregnancy updates.

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Flo Period & Cycles Tracker offers an insight into your menstrual cycle, with the Apple Watch app offering quick glance information.

Best travel Apple Watch apps

Citymapper

Citymapper Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Citymapper)

Citymapper is an excellent app for getting you around cities with public transport, presenting the quickest way to get to your chosen destination, whether that's on a train, bus, tram, car, walking, or a combination. The Citymapper Apple Watch app lets you see the nearest transit lines close to you, wherever you are. You can input a destination and the app will provide you with step-by-step directions on what buses and trains to take. You can save favorite destinations, or add your Home or Work addresses for quick access.

The app will also let you know when your stop is approaching, how often the bus or train comes, and give you an ETA of when you'll get there. It's an absolute must if you're in a large city.

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The Citymapper is the only app you'll need if you're in a big city and you want to get around the quickest way possible.

Flighty

Flighty Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Global Flight, Airport, & Airline Status Tracker)

If you're someone that travels a lot, or you have a family member that does, you'll want to make sure you've downloaded Flighty. It's an exceptional flight tracker, but there's plenty of other features too, from useful information about your upcoming flight — whether it's on time and what gate you need to head to for example — as well as a view of flights your family and friends are on too.

The Flighty Apple Watch app is compatible with complications on some Apple Watch faces as well so you can get a quick breakdown of the information you need at a glance, such as when baggage has arrived.

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Flighty is a great app to keep track of useful flight information, whether your own or family and friends.

App in the Air

App in the Air Apple Watch app screens (Image credit: Future / Aita)

The Apple Watch app for App in the Air is another great one for the frequent flyers out there. It tracks your flights so you can see when you need to check-in and board, and it will monitor your travel time and when you'll be landing too. If there are any changes to your flight, the app will notify you so you shouldn't ever go to the wrong gate, or get to the gate top early if it is late. 

It's a useful app to have if you're traveling often, and the subscription - albeit quite pricey - lets you subscribe your family in through SMS, so everyone will be in the loop about when you'll be gone.

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Keep tabs on all of your flights and get notified whenever there's a change.

iTranslate Converse

iTranslate Converse app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / iTranslate)

It would be great if we were all able to speak multiple languages, but sadly that's not the case for many of us. Not to worry though as iTranslate Converse is a terrific speech translation app that will turn your Apple Watch into a two-way translation device. 

Supporting 38 languages, iTranslate Converse has a super simple interface that lets you speak directly into your Apple Watch's microphone after tapping the big orange button. To translate what you said into the language you have chosen, you simply release the orange button. Whether it's ordering a drink in Spanish or asking for directions in French, this Apple Watch app will have you covered.

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Never be caught by a language barrier again with the iTranslate Converse app.

Best entertainment Apple Watch apps

Overcast

Overcast app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Overcast Radio)

Overcast lets you control podcast playback on your iPhone from your Apple Watch. You can also go through your collection of available podcast episodes to play something new, with all of your playlists available to peruse. Controls for play/pause, skipping forward and backward, opening your playlists, and recommending an episode are all located on the same screen, but in a way that doesn't feel busy. 

For those who may not have a reliable data connection on the Apple Watch, Overcast allows you to download episodes directly on your watch too, and there are handy features like Voice Boost to make audio sound better and Smart Speed to save time when listening.

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Overcast lets you stream or download podcast episodes directly on your Apple Watch for listening at any time.

Spark

Spark Mail app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Readdle Technologies)

Spark is one of our favorite email apps for the iPhone, and it's still great in its translation to Apple's smallest screen. On Apple Watch, Spark keeps it simple in an effort to give you the best mail management experience on your watch. It takes advantage of its iPhone counterpart's intelligent mail sorting, letting you see at a glance when you have emails waiting that are personal or newsletters. 

You can open and read each email, decide if you want to reply to it, snooze, archive, or delete it, and you can opt to mark emails as seen too, as well as love, like or just acknowledge. You can also see your whole inbox, pinned emails, your archive, and your sent messages.

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Manage your inbox with ease with Spark Mail, right on your wrist.

Shazam

Shazam app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple)

Ever find yourself bopping along to a great track when you're out and about but you can't think for the life of you who sings it or what it is called? That's where Shazam comes into its own. Apple bought Shazam in 2018 and so it's perhaps unsurprising the Apple Watch app works brilliantly, given it's native and Apple has full control. 

Shazam is lovely and simple, allowing you to just tap your Apple Watch screen to start listening when it's open. Once Shazam has listened and found the song, it will appear on your Apple Watch with artwork and everything and you can start playing it directly from your wrist.

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Always know what song is playing and who sings it with the Shazam app.

Spotify

Spotify app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Spotify)

Apple Music of course has its own Apple Watch app, which is great, but if you're a Spotify subscriber, then you'll want to get the Spotify app on your watch. The interface is nice and simple, making it easy to navigate with just three screens to move between.

You can swipe to see Albums, Artists or Playlists, while the Home screen shows you popular radio shows, great audiobooks and timely playlists, along with popular artists. There is also a now playing screen that will allow you to select device to play your music on, as well as like a particular track and choose to shuffle or repeat a track.

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Spotify gives you access to some of the best music on the planet directly from your wrist.

Best essential Apple Watch apps

CARROT Weather

CARROT Weather app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Grailr)

CARROT Weather is so much more than a weather app. Sure, it will give you a breakdown of current, hourly and daily forecasts as you would expect from a weather app, and that's all lovely and simple to read on Apple Watch. It's what it does with the forecasts that makes this app special though.

You can choose from five personalities for your CARROT Weather robot, from "Professional" to "Overkill", and then just wait and see what brilliance it comes up with. If you use the iPhone app, you can also complete activities and follow clues to track down secret locations. Just trust us, this is a good one. 

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CARROT Weather makes finding out the weather forecast fun.

Cheatsheet

Cheatsheet app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Overdesigned)

Can't remember the Wi-Fi password every time you need to give it to a guest? Or what hotel room you're staying in? Or that security code to gain entry to a work building? Sometimes you just need a Cheatsheet for those small details. Cheatsheet is a simple widget type of app where you can make a tiny list of quick notes, and put those on your Apple Watch. 

You can view your notes normally through the Apple Watch app, or have them available at all times through the Apple Watch complication. Each note can be customized with an icon (there are over 200) to make it easy to recognize quickly. Just make sure that you don't use it for highly sensitive information, like account login passwords, since this app has no security.

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This simple app lets you put quick notes to reference as complications right on your Apple Watch.

PCalc

PCalc app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / TLA Systems)

Apple added a Calculator app to the Apple Watch with watchOS 6 in 2019, but we still think PCalc is a better option as it does so much more. On the Apple Watch, PCalc can help you do basic calculations, as you would expect, but it can also do some extras like calculate tips when it comes to paying the check for dinner, or split the bill up evenly, including tip. 

There are plenty of other functions too, like converting units, constants, trig/log, and even functions. It's an all-in-one calculator app on the iPhone and your Apple Watch so you can do many of these calculations directly from your wrist.

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PCalc is one of the best calculator apps on the market. Do basic or complex calculations, split bills and calculate tip, do conversions, and more.

Deliveries

Deliveries app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Junecloud)

If you're a keen online shopper, the Deliveries app is a must. On Apple Watch, Deliveries allows you to see a list of packages that are coming your way very soon. The list includes the number of days until delivery, and you can tap on an item to view it in more detail, such as the status, location, and a map of where it is. 

Unfortunately, you need to use the iPhone app to add new deliveries but you can use your Apple Watch to archive completed ones and the Apple Watch version is great for a quick check of what you have coming up.

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Always know when your packages are arriving with this staple app.

Authy

Authy app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Authy)

Authy is a brilliant app to have on your Apple Watch if you need to quickly generate a secure 2-step verification code for an account and you don't have your iPhone or iPad close by. The app supports a huge range of multi-factor authentication accounts, from Facebook, Amazon and Gmail to Slack, Outlook and Dropbox and it supports 8-digit tokens too. 

You'll need to add your accounts to Authy in the iPhone app and enable multi-device, but then you can just open the Apple Watch app and get the code for the service you need, making it easy to protect your accounts.

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Get quick access to your accounts that use two-factor authentication.

Uptime

Screenshots of the Uptime app on Apple Watch

Uptime app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Uptime App)

Uptime is all about making you that little bit smarter, but only requiring five minutes of your day to do it. Called Hacks, the five-minute summaries cover a diverse range of topics and subjects and they are designed to be easy to understand and quick to digest. 

You can choose to listen to your daily Hack, read it or tap through visual stories. Like many other apps, Uptime uses streaks to help you maintain the habit of opening the app and learning something new for the day, and there's also the option to save your favourite quotes, insights and actions as "Sparks" that you can share later.

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The Uptime app uses five-minute "Hacks" to help you learn something new every day.

Night Sky

Night Sky app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / iCandi Apps)

For the stargazers out there, Night Sky is a must have app. It works across all Apple devices but the Apple Watch app offers plenty of features despite the smaller screen compared to an iPad, Mac or Apple TV. You can use Night Sky to identify stars, plants, constellations and satellites, and it also uses the built-in compass to give you an idea of what's above you. 

The Apple Watch app for Night Sky also offers guidance on what the stargazing conditions are like and when they might be at their best, as well as detail when satellites are passing by overhead.

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Night Sky helps you identify stars, plants, constellations and satellites.

Daily Random Facts

Daily Random Facts app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Monkey Taps)

There's a classic saying "you learn something new everyday" and the Daily Random Facts app makes sure that's the case. It offers up thousands of facts in a range of categories, comprising human body facts, history dates and facts about sports, but there are some fun ones too, like life hacks and riddles. 

The Apple Watch version of the app keeps it clean and simple but you'll still discover a new fact and you can select from a range of categories too. The Apple Watch version of Daily Random Facts also makes it nice and easy to share facts if you think they are worthy.

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Daily Random Facts will give you a little something each day to make you smarter.

LookUp Dictionary

Screenshots of the LookUp Dictionary app on Apple Watch

LookUp Dictionary app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Squircle Apps)

If you've ever felt like you use the same words a little too much and your vocabulary could do with a bit of expansion, then LookUp Dictionary is the perfect Apple Watch app for you. Powered by the Oxford English Dictionary, this Apple Watch app offers a Word of the Day with stunning illustrations to help you visually remember the word. 

You of course get the meaning of the word alongside the word itself and if you come across a word you don't know or haven't heard, there is a search tool as well. The LookUp Dictionary Apple Watch app also has a daily quiz, adding a little more fun to the learning process.

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The LookUp Dictionary app gives you a way to expand your vocabulary directly from your Apple Watch.

1Password

1Password app screens (Image credit: Future / AgileBits)

Already a great password manager, 1Password offers an equally superb companion for its watch app on the Apple Watch. While not a full-featured password manager on your wrist, 1Password for Apple Watch shows you the one-time login key for accounts that use two-factor authentication. 

If you do a lot of work with those types of accounts, 1Password is definitely an app you need to check out. The interface is great too, and everything is end-to-end encrypted.

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1Password will show one-time login keys for any of your 2FA accounts right on your Apple Watch.

MoneyCoach Budget

Screenshots of the MoneyCoach Budget app on Apple Watch

MoneyCoach Budget app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / MoneyCoach)

If you're not brilliant at keeping your money in check, budget apps can be very helpful for making you more aware about what you're spending and where you're spending it. You might still buy the extra coffee on your morning commute, but if you have to add it into your budget app, you also might think twice. 

MoneyCoach Budget has a great Apple Watch app that makes tracking money nice and simple. It allows you to see your daily limit, how much you have left to spend on certain items like groceries, and you can enter a new purchase directly from your wrist too.

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The MoneyCoach Budget app helps you keep track of what you're spending and how much you have left to spend from your wrist.

Best social media Apple Watch apps

Lens

Lens app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Reuben Catchpole)

Instagram used to have an Apple Watch app but support was removed in 2018, which means the best way to view your Instagram feed on your Apple Watch is the Lens for Watch app. You can do pretty much everything you can do on the Instagram app, from viewing your feed and the explore tab to your seeing your activity, direct messages and stories. 

You can't upload new posts from Lens for Watch of course, but you can like posts, view comments, reply to comments, reply to direct messages and search for new users so there is plenty to keep you occupied.

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The Lens app allows you to view your Instagram feed on your Apple Watch and reply to comments and direct messages.

Nano

Nano app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Will Bishop)

If you're a regular Reddit user then you'll want to make sure you have downloaded Nano on your Apple Watch. The Nano app brings the Reddit experience to your tiny Apple Watch screen, allowing you to browse Reddit, check your inbox, vote on posts and read the latest news. 

There's also inline Twitter support and GIF support, as well as an article reader so there's plenty on offer here. You can even post a comment from your wrist if you feel you just can't wait until you have your iPhone handy to say what you need to say, and you can check out your profile too.

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The Nano app brings the Reddit experience to your Apple Watch screen.

WatchChat 2

WatchChat 2 app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Britta O'Boyle)

There are a couple of glaring omissions from the Apple Watch apps offering and WhatsApp is one of those. While you get notifications on your wrist, and you can reply to them when they appear, the only way to see your WhatsApp chats like you can Messages, is through a third party app like WatchChat 2

With WatchChat 2, you can't see all your chats unless you sign up to a subscription but your recent ones will be visible in the Apple Watch app and you can open them up and reply directly from your wrist. It's also possible to add a status to your WhatsApp and change settings like font size.

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WatchChat 2 brings WhatsApp to your Apple Watch. 

WristWeb

WristWeb app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / XAN Applications)

Meta doesn't offer official Apple Watch apps for any of its services, including Facebook. Don't worry though, WristWeb is available for Apple Watch so you can see your Facebook feed on your wrist. You can see your posts, with images, see your notifications and see comments and add comments. 

It's also possible to compose a new post, which you can do using the keyboard on your Apple Watch, Emojis, Scribble or Dictation. You'll need to link your Facebook account through the website but after that, you'll be able to scroll through your feed on your wrist as much as you like when you have a connection.

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WristWeb brings your Facebook feed to your Apple Watch.

Best Apple Watch gaming apps

Snake.io

Snake.io app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Britta O'Boyle)

If you remember Snake on Nokia phones back in the day, you'll very much appreciate the Snake.io Apple Watch app. It's a very simple game — much like Snake used to be on phones — but it's highly addictive and great fun to play, even on the smaller screen. 

You can tap your Apple Watch screen to move your snake around but it moves much more fluidly with the Digital Crown to give you a better chance of a high score. Around 20 seconds into each game, a few extra snakes will appear so watch out for those as you'll need to avoid them and the edges so you don't die.

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Snake.io brings the nostalgic Snake game onto your Apple Watch, with colour too.

Invaders Mini

Invaders Mini app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Virtual GS)

If Space Invaders was a favourite arcade game of yours then you'll want to make sure you have Invaders Mini downloaded on your Apple Watch. It uses the full screen of the Apple Watch Series 7 and newer and you can choose whether you swipe left and right to move or you use the Digital Crown. 

As you progress, the aliens get faster and deadlier so you'll need to make sure you tap your watch screen as quickly as you can. One of the best things about this game though is the sound effects and vibration, both of which really add to the experience.

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Invaders Mini brings a retro classic arcade game to your Apple Watch.

Galaxia Watch Game

Galaxia Watch Game app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Virtual GS)

Galaxia: Watch Game is another take on arcade game Space Invaders and it is done brilliantly for Apple Watch. Its reminiscent of Namco's Galaxian, as its name implies — you will first need to defeat the aliens on the moon, after which you'll be taking on those in space. All Apple Watch models from the Series 7 are supported and you can swipe or use the Digital Crown to move around.

Just remember some aliens need extra hits to be destroyed, while the spaceship can take two extra hits and it will also be temporarily invisible when you first hit it so watch out for that. Galaxia: Watch Game is bound to make you feel nostalgic though.

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Galaxia: Watch Game has a great retro arcade game feel and it works brilliantly on Apple Watch.

Arcadia

Arcadia app screens (Image credit: Future / Apple / Raffaele D'Amato)

The Arcadia app has a collection of 22 retro 8-bit games that you can play across a range of Apple devices, including Apple Watch. Within the list of games, you'll find Tap a Mole, Bounce, BrickOut and MineHound. There's even RainBowling, where you have to hit all the pins like traditional bowling whilst avoiding the unexpected obstacles, while Indiana GP lets you race from your wrist. 

Our favourite is probably Fruity Snake as it's nice and simple to play but put it this way, if you like the sound of retro arcade games on a small screen, there is plenty in this app to keep you occupied.

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Arcadia has a choice of 22 8-bit retro arcade games to play on your Apple Watch.

How we've picked the best Apple Watch apps

The Apple Watch is a powerful device with a plethora of sensors and features built into it. There are also some superb native apps pre-installed on the best Apple Watch models that make use of all its attributes. The native apps can't do it all though and that's where third-party apps are brilliant. 

The ones we have listed as our best Apple Watch apps are ones that take advantage of everything the Apple Watch has to offer and use it to deliver a great experience and bonus features in some cases. You might not download them all — 50 is a lot — but you should definitely download some because they will make your Apple Watch more useful.

Britta O'Boyle
Contributor

Britta is a freelance technology journalist who has been writing about Apple and tech for over a decade. She's covered everything from phones, tablets and wearables to smart home and beauty tech, with everything in between, and she's reviewed every Apple product to launch in the last few years. She has a fashion journalism degree from London College of Fashion and was previously deputy editor of Pocket-lint. You'll never find her without her Apple Watch on, aiming to complete her rings so she can justify the extra bar of chocolate and she loves a good iPhone trick.

  • Ledsteplin
    I had about 2 of those. I guess it depends on interest. One of my favorites is Launcher. But I suppose the writer never heard of it.
    Reply