If you’ve just set up your shiny new iPhone SE (2nd generation), and wondering which apps to install from the 1.85 million apps available in Apple’s App Store, then we’ve you covered. Here are the best apps for iPhone SE (2020).
The Best Apps for iPhone SE (2020)
1. Try Apple Arcade
Your new iPhone ships with iOS 13 and a new feature in the App Store is Apple Arcade. This is Apple’s new gaming service which gives you access to more than 50 games (more to be added later) for one flat fee of $4.99/month. And the first month is free. So you should go to the Arcade tab in App Store to sign up for a trial. Then explore and download games that you like. There are a variety of games. Ranging from puzzle games, racing games to complex roleplaying games.
2. 1Password
1Password is hands down the best password manager for iPhone, iPad and the Mac. It’s the most secure and versatile option for saving passwords. You can choose to save your 1Password vault locally, in Dropbox, or in 1Password’s own cloud service.
If you’ve never tried 1Password, now is the right time. iOS 13 has support for third-party apps for password autofill. Once enabled, you’ll be able to autofill username and passwords in Safari and in apps directly from 1Password. It is one of the first apps I install on my iPhone, as it makes it easy for me to install and setup other apps.
Download: 1Password
3. VSCO
VSCO is the best free third-party camera app on the iPhone. You can shoot images in RAW, and you get access to all the usual image controls – exposure, focus, brightness, and more.
The feature that truly stands out is the filters. They’re now years old but still legendary. Pick a preset and just edit the images.
Download: VSCO
4. Snapseed
Snapseed is the best and easiest iPhone apps to edit photos. Not every shot you capture on the iPhone SE is going to be amazing. Some of them can use a bit of touch up. Using Snapseed’s intuitive UI, you can use swipe gestures to change brightness, contrast, highlights, vibrancy, and more.
Download: Snapseed
4. Google Photos
After you have used VSCO and Snapseed to take and edit the photos using your iPhone SE, you need the Google Photos app to help you organize them. It offers a nifty feature that allows you to delete the photos from your iPhone after they have been backed up to free up precious storage space on your iPhone. The automated gifs and movies that it makes from the photos are magical. Apple has been making improvements with the Photos app, but it does not come anywhere close to Google Photos.
Google Photos: Download
5. Pcalc Lite
Pcalc Lite is the best calculator app on the iPhone. It supports Siri Shortcuts as well. So you can create a Siri shortcut to quickly convert the amount that’s already in your clipboard.
Download: Pcalc Lite
6. Spotify
Spotify is the best third-party music streaming service. If you don’t like Apple Music, you should be using Spotify. The app has an amazing music discovery engine. It uses crowd-sourced data, algorithms, and curators to bring you new awesome playlists that are personalized just for you.
Download: Spotify
7. Reeder
Reeder is the best RSS reader on the iPhone. If you use an RSS service of any kind, you should be using Reeder. The app’s gesture-based UI in intuitive to use. The reading experience is awesome as well. The Black theme is a standout.
Download: Reeder ($4.99)
8. Pocket
You’ll come across a lot of interesting stuff to read on your iPhone SE. But you don’t always have the time to read a long-form piece right that second. Add it to Pocket and the article will be downloaded to your device. Pocket will strip all formatting from the article. Only text and images will remain. And they’ll be presented in a beautiful, easy to read format.
Download: Pocket
9. Overcast
If you like to listen to podcasts, then Overcast is the best free podcast app for iPhone. You get access to a clean interface and features like Smart Speed and Volume Boost. Overcast’s Smart Playlist feature is also feature-rich.
Download: Overcast
10. Google Maps
Apple Maps still doesn’t have the turn-by-turn navigation feature in many countries around the world. Plus, it just doesn’t have enough data. For most users around the world, Google Maps is a much better, and a more reliable maps and navigation app.
Download: Google Maps
11. Bear Notes
If you’re going to ditch the Apple Notes app, do it for Bear Notes. The app is gorgeous to look and is choke full of text editing features. You can write in Markdown and export to HTML or PDF. The formatting bar over the keyboard makes text manipulation a breeze. Plus, you get support for drag and drop as well.
Download: Bear Notes
12. Just Press Record
The Voice Memos app in iOS 12 gets a new redesign but I still think Just Press Record app is better. At least, it’s simpler. Just open the app and tap on the button to start recording. You can even start recording from the widget, or using your Apple Watch.
Download: Just Press Record ($4.99)
13. Scanbot
There’s a document scanning feature in Notes app but it’s quite basic. If you want to supercharge your scanning workflow, check out Scanbot. With the Scanbot app you can quite literally make automate your scanning and sharing process by creating a workflow. Scan a couple of pages and with a tap of a button, upload it to a specific folder in Dropbox, iCloud Drive or share it with a group of people.
Download: Scanbot
14. Dropbox
iCloud Drive is not the best option for storing and syncing your files. That honor still goes to Dropbox. And the iPhone app is clean and a joy to use. You can quickly create folders, upload photos or documents, and share files with other users. You can also make files available for offline use.
Download: Dropbox
15. TickTick
TickTick is one of the best to-do managers for the iPhone. The app is free and packed with features. You can use Siri to add tasks, and you get all the standard features for free – multiple projects, natural language processing, notes, due dates, reminders, smart lists, and more.
Download: TickTick
16. Apollo for Reddit
Apollo is the best Reddit client for iPhone. The app is filled with gestures and has a customizable interface. It has a nifty Jump Bar, which allows you to quickly jump between subreddits. It also supports GIF scrubbing, so you can go backward and forward in time.
Download: Apollo
17. Strava
If you plan on using your iPhone SE for tracking your bike rides, walks, or runs, Strava is the best app for you. Strava has a great tracking engine. But what’s great about Strava is that the app has a community built around runners and cyclists. You can take part in groups, challenges, and a lot more.
Download: Strava
18. iHeart Radio
If you want to listen to traditional FM radio on your iPhone, then iHeart Radio is the best app. You can listen to more than 850 radio stations for free. It also offers a huge library of Podcasts. iHeart Radio seems to be available only in the US. So if you live outside the U.S, then you can check out TuneIn Radio (App Store link) or Simple Radio (App Store link) to listen to FM radio on your iPhone.
iHeart Radio: Download
Your Favorite iPhone Apps?
What are some of your favorite iPhone apps? Apps you’ve used for years and still swear by? Share with us in the comments below.
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