Welcome back to this month’s edition of AppleToolBox’s “best of” series. As always, we’re going to be exploring the best iOS apps and the best macOS apps currently available.
For those who are new to this series, this is an ongoing exploration into the best apps that you can get on your Apple devices. These range from ridiculously simple apps that will dull your brain in the name of fun, to some of the most intricate and useful productivity apps money can buy.
Additionally, I’d like to mention that I make an effort to seek out apps you probably haven’t heard of before. This is not like other “best of” lists, which just suggest some of the trending App Store apps for that month. We’re taking a deep dive to pull you the true best-of-the-best apps out there.
As always, I am not sponsored by or affiliated with any of these apps or their developers. You can rest easy knowing that these suggestions are my own and are not being influenced in any way.
Kicking off the best iOS apps is Zipnote. Aptly named, Zipnote is an app for takes notes fast. Unlike other notes apps, including Apple’s own Notes, there are no organizational features, complex hierarchies, or sharing features to speak of.
Instead, this is a single-page app. You just open it and start typing, and that’s it. There’s nothing else to this app.
While that may sound like a negative to some, it’s the selling point that makes Zipnote unique. If you’re used to apps that are going to take some time to learn, then Zipnote will be a breath of fresh air. It’s great when you need to jot something down fast, like a dream, idea, or point in a conversation.
From there, you can copy it into something more robust or simply revisit it when you get the chance. As a writer I really love this app and think you’ll get a kick out of it too!
2. Energize Focus Timer: A simple and elegant timer for focusing on the task at hand
Like a lot of Apple users, I’m a big fan of timers. Especially ones that are designed to help you get work done.
For those who are new to this concept, the idea is to set a timer for getting your work done. You then work non-stop while the timer is going. When it finishes, you start a new timer for a break, where you don’t do anything but relax. This cycle keep repeating until you get all of your work done!
This method of work (as opposed to grinding nonstop all day) is great for those with ADHD and other mental health issues.
Energize Focus Timer is an app that provides this functionality in an affordable, beautiful package. Unlike other apps that serve this purpose, Energize isn’t bloated with features that you aren’t going to use. And it’s super customizable, so you can set it up exactly how you like.
If you’ve tried other apps like this or are new to the concept, give this one look!
Next on our list of the best iOS apps is Artbox. This is one for the artists and crafters, or those with artistic children and loved ones. It’s a very straightforward app – you take pictures of your arts and crafts projects, then organize and store them in the app.
You can create artist profiles, so you can organize the projects you take photos of by who created them. It also stores information like what the project is titled, when it was completed, and more.
Whether you’re an artist or the parent of one, you know that projects can start to pile up. Not only do they take up a lot of space, but they can be difficult to organize, and sometimes time isn’t so kind to how well these projects hold up in storage.
Digitizing them with this app is a great way to keep track of these projects, so if it sounds like it’s up your alley, give Artbox a try!
4. Finch: Self-care on the go with one of the best iOS apps
This app was actually recommended to me by a therapist, and I’ve been using it daily ever since. And so have my friends who I’ve shared it with – we all use Finch together.
So what is Finch, and why is it on my list of the best iOS apps?
Finch is an app that makes self-care easy and fun to take care of. Whether you’re struggling with your mental health, keeping the house clean, getting your work done, eating right, or just brushing your teeth in the morning, Finch will help you get it done.
Each day you’re given a number of tasks to complete (which you can customize and curate). As you complete each task, you level up your pet finch, unlock clothes for them to wear, and help them grow.
Another key point of the app is that there are no real punishments. I’ve tried to use apps like this in the past and always end up falling off after breaking a streak or getting a penalty. Because there are no consequences to Finch, only perks, it makes it a very gentle and rewarding experience. This in turn makes it much easier to engage with on a daily basis.
If this at all sounds like something you’re interested in, please give Finch a try! It does have a paid version, but I’ve been using the free version for weeks now with no hangups. Try it out!
The best macOS apps of June 2022
1. Tuck: Hide windows under the edge of your screen
Kicking off this month’s list of the best macOS apps is Tuck. This is a feature that is actually built into an app that we’ve covered before, Rectangle, which I’m still using today. So if you want, you can just grab that app to access Tuck.
For everyone else, though, Tuck is a super handy Mac utility. It allows you to “tuck” apps behind the edges of your Mac screen. Say you open Safari. You can swipe its window to the right, and it’ll disappear off the right side of your screen. Then, whenever you mouse over the right side of your Mac’s screen, Safari will pop back out, then pop away again, ready at a moment’s notice.
If you’re not following, then you’re just going to have to try it for yourself. While I don’t find myself using this feature too much, those who prefer to work in their desktop will certainly get a lot of use from it. I prefer working with apps in fullscreen, so it doesn’t fit into my workflow too well.
That said, it works exactly as advertised, is super simple, and won’t slow your Mac down at all. Check it out!
2. Charmstone: 16 shortcuts and apps, one click away
Another excellent Mac utility on our list of the best macOS apps is Charmstone. Charmstone allows you to instantly access any 16 shortcuts and/or apps with a single click. It’s so cool.
It works by giving you a ring of apps to choose from, kind of like a quick select in a video game. Just hold down a key combination and the ring of apps and shortcuts appears. You then mouse over the one you want and let go of the keys. That app will then open or that shortcut will run.
While the shortcuts are pretty simple, this can be used for things like switching to Dark Mode, opening your favorite apps, moving files into folders, and much more.
This is a great alternative to apps like Keyboard Maestro for users who are less interested in rich automation and just want something fast and simple that they can interact with. One user review put it perfectly: “It’s so great you wonder why others haven’t thought of it.”
Next on our list of the best macOS apps is Moment In Time. Moment is maybe the simplest app I’ve ever recommended, and that’s because it only does one thing: Display the time.
Yep, this app is just a big clock for your Mac. But what it lacks in complexity it makes up for in beautiful simplicity.
This is a fullscreen app with customizable fonts, background and font colors, formatting, and more. You can get it to look exactly how you like, then open it in fullscreen. That way, it’s always a swipe away on your Mac. It can act as a fast way to check the time or, at the very least, a more elegant way.
Moment In Time is completely free, has no ads, and promises to never introduce any pay scheme. So if this is a little utility that catches your eye, check it out!
I’m adding this last suggestion to our list of the best macOS apps, but it’s available on nearly every Apple device, so it can really go anywhere on this list.
This is an app I found while trying to find a way to pass the time, a situation I find myself in a lot. I have the urge to do something, but nothing comes to mind.
Bored³ is designed to solve that problem. It provides several suggestions based on your mood and interests, so you can always find something interesting to do with your time. And if you don’t like any of its suggestions, it should at the very least give you some inspiration.
And if you really can’t think of anything to do, Bored³ comes with switches, buttons, and other little fidgets for you to mess around with until you decide what you really want to do.
Just like Moment In Time, this is a completely free app with no ads or anything like that. So give it a shot risk-free and cure your boredom!
Try out the best iOS apps and the best macOS apps of June 2022
And that’s it! Those are my recommendations for the best iOS apps and macOS apps for this month. This month’s list has several of my favorites, including Finch, Charmstone, and Bored³. Give the ones that interest you a download – you won’t regret it!
Be sure to tune in next month for more app suggestions, as well as the latest on all things Apple.
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