With the iPhone being one of the most popular devices in the world, it even has the ability to shape smartphone markets. While no doubt a large portion of their popularity has to do with the powerful cameras they typically come with — and the iPhone 17 selfie camera may be a bigger upgrade than many realize — or all the ways they’re good for keeping us entertained through free apps for streaming movies, iPhones are also a great choice for staying productive. The world moves fast, and having a nice suite of apps that will keep you up to speed can be crucial for staying ahead.
If you’re the type that jumps headfirst into scheduling a meeting with your teammates or sneaking a workout in between leaving work and heading home for dinner, having the right productivity apps on your iPhone ensures you stay organized. Whether you’re looking to organize your day, ideate a project with teammates, record an interview, or simply stay focused, there are some essential apps to have for those who never stop moving.
Every app on this list is free to download, but some of them have premium options that unlock additional features and options. Apps that do have a subscription service or premium options are noted as such. There are a lot of great apps to keep on your iPhone Home screen, and each of the apps below will help you stay on track no matter what the situation calls for.
Todoist: To Do List & Calendar
Maintaining a work-life balance these days can be incredibly tricky. No matter how many projects you may be juggling at work, it’s likely you still have more things to do when you get home. Managing everything you need to do can be complicated and stressful, which is why Todoist: To Do List & Calendar from Doist Inc. is great for anyone who needs a unified app for keeping all of their calendar events and reminders together in one space.
Built for modern-day productivity, Todoist is great for anyone who constantly works with teams or even those who prefer to fly solo. Add tasks and organize them for school, work, or home life, and easily filter them to see what truly needs to get done. For teams, there are options for assigning tasks or quickly jotting down notes and more. Additionally, Todoist’s language recognition helps you tell the app everything you need to prioritize.
Built for iPhone integration, Todoist also works with over 100 iPhone apps, including Slack, Gmail — which has new Gemini features that are great for scheduling events — and more. While the app itself is free and includes many of the baseline features at no cost, be aware that there are subscription options, including a $4.99 monthly plan or a $47.99 yearly plan. The premium version does come with an AI assistant, as well as the ability to upload larger files and create automatic backups, along with some additional bonuses. There are also several iPad apps we consider essential, making this a rather ubiquitous app for those needing to rein in their tasks.
Focus Friend, by Hank Green
Meet your new Bean Friend, whose only goal in life is to make sure you stay productive and focused. In an age where apps can feel like they’re designed solely to leave you trapped in an endless cycle of doomscrolling, Focus Friend by Hank Green is here to keep you on track and have a little fun while you do it.
Blending some of the better aspects of mobile gaming alongside the usefulness of an ADHD-friendly focus timer, this app introduces you to your Bean Friend, who helps you with your focus sessions. Your little buddy will help you get started on tasks, including things related to work, studying, or even just accomplishing chores around the house. Focusing on your work can help your Bean Friend complete theirs as well, which allows you to unlock decorations for their room, among other prizes.
Focus Friend blocks apps that can be distracting while you work, while also giving you break timers so you can decorate your Friend’s room. If you’re running iOS 16 or later, the app can give you updates directly on your Lock Screen. Designed specifically for those who have trouble concentrating, Focus Friend is great for anyone who needs a little motivation to keep their head in the game. While the baseline app is free and offers the essential functions, beware that there are in-app purchases, primarily subscription options for the Pro edition that start at $1.99 per month.
Miro: your visual workspace
Collaboration and productivity go together like peas and carrots, and inspiration often comes from anywhere. While plenty of jobs are returning to the office these days, the ability to collaborate with anyone at any time from anywhere can still be a crucial element for success. That’s why Miro from RealtimeBoard Inc. can be essential for both individuals and teams who need a solid digital workspace to accomplish their big projects.
Built for drafting ideas as they come to you, Miro is an excellent tool not just for those who have a muse that speaks to them whenever, but its collaborative tools mean everyone stays productive. Having a space to get ideas off the ground can be an important element of productivity, and Miro includes plenty of features to help you and your team get started. Start with a blank board for unlimited creativity and potential, or choose from one of Miro’s 200+ pre-made templates. The simple interface makes working with images, documents, or spreadsheets a breeze, and sharing them with team members is incredibly simple.
While Miro does offer a subscription service that starts at $8 per member, the free version offers plenty to get you and your teams started. The free version includes three editable boards and can also integrate workflows with over 160 popular apps, including productivity staples like Google Drive — which can now answer questions about images thanks to Gemini — Slack, and Zoom. There’s a lot to use with the free version of Miro, making it essential for anyone who can find inspiration for ideas anywhere.
Voice Recorder Pro
The Voice Memo app on iPhone is pretty good for anyone who needs to make a quick audio note, but Voice Record Pro by Dayana Networks takes things to the next level and beyond. Podcasters, musicians, or anyone who finds themselves constantly recording audio on their iPhone is going to get a lot from the sheer number of free features this app has available.
You can record memos in WAV (PCM), MP3 (MPEG), and MP4 (AAC) formats, with the only length limitation being the amount of free storage available on your iPhone. Each format has its own little bonuses, such as the MP3 format being able to record with a variable or constant bit rate. One really cool feature is the silence detection mode, which stops recording if there is no detectable audio. Don’t worry, you can also adjust your record levels.
Add distortion, change pitch and speed, do quick edits with simple and advanced trimming functions, the number of features included in this free app is staggering, and there are plenty of exporting options available as well. The only thing missing from Apple’s Voice Memo app is live transcriptions, which is a fantastic trick for boosting productivity, but the amount of control you have over your recordings does a great job of compensating. What’s really cool is that you get the entire thing for free, as it’s supported by ads. You can remove them for $8.99, but the fact that everything is open for use without paying makes this app essential for anyone who even casually works with audio.
