Fed up with overcomplicated, bloated apps? This round-up cuts through the clutter with slick, simple tools for everything from checking the weather to powering through your to-do list. And when you’re done working, we’ve even thrown in four beautifully minimalist games to help you unwind.
Arc Search (free)
The future of this browser may be uncertain, but it’s well worth installing for now. It offers magazine-style overviews of search results and lets you quickly summarize web pages with a pinch.
Charcoal (free)
An art app for the rest of us, Charcoal gives you a blank canvas, a simple set of tools, and a range of color swatches, so you can quickly get on with crafting a miniature masterpiece.
Cheatsheet (free + IAP)
Sticky notes, simplified. Cheatsheet is a notes app for those little things you never remember – Wi-Fi passwords and luggage lock combinations – presented as a sleek list or crystal clear widget.
Clear (free + IAP)
An old-hand at the minimalism thing, Clear has been banishing clutter from task lists for years, with its streamlined interface, vibrant color palette, and intuitive gestures.
Clicker (free)
Need to count something? Don’t run out of fingers or lose your place by using this app instead. It’ll help you keep track, and even handily buzz via haptics each time you increment the on-screen number.
Clock – Simple & Customizable (free)
Strangely, Apple’s Clock lacks a full-screen option. Fortunately, this no-fuss alternative offers just that, along with a few vital settings. Need more flexibility? Try The Clocks.
Did I Do? (free or IAP)
This to-do app is ideal for daily routines, especially if you struggle with memory or suffer from OCD. Tasks can be shown as large widgets, and the app can have you take photos to verify task completion.
Dumb Phone (free + IAP)
Use this app to make your Home Screen more minimal by ditching the app grid and replacing it with a handful of text-based links to your most vital apps.
Get Dumb Phone
iA Writer ($20/£20)
When you want to hammer out some words, iA Writer is like a modern take on a modern typewriter. Its focused interface stays out of your way – but provides handy tools when you need them.
Instapaper (free)
Web pages are full of distractions. But when you save a page to Instapaper, it strips all that away, giving you a refined reading experience that is just text and images.
Meditation Timer: Mindful (free or $2/£2)
When meditating, you don’t want complexity. This app (formerly named ez meditation timer) asks you to set a timer and (optionally) background sounds, and then fills the screen with a simple countdown.
NetNewsWire (free)
When you never want to miss an article from a favorite website, ‘follow’ the publication in NetNewsWire. Along with helping you streamline tracking sources, it also offers a stripped-back reading view.
Tameno ($4/£4)
Need repeat timers for tasks from brushing your teeth to circuit training? Tameno makes setting them up fast and easy, and adds optional video and audio feedback when counts are reached.
Ticci Tabs (free)
Safari isn’t overly complex, but the web is. Ticci Tabs invites you to simplify by focusing on a handful of favorite websites, which can also be accessed as icons from a widget.
weat (free or $5/£5 per year)
There are plenty of minimal weather apps, like Blue (colorful stripes!), Currently (streamlined forecasts), and look outside (real-time conditions). But weat earns its spot for its sense of design and handy line chart for upcoming days.
And now the games…
Empty (free)
A fitting addition to a list about minimalism, this game has you match objects to background colors to gradually remove every item from a scene. Meditative and satisfying stuff.
Golf on Mars ($3/£3)
Golf, minus the stress. On Mars! Drag to aim, release to shoot, and repeat. Possibly billions of times – the game reportedly has over 26 billion holes!
I Love Hue Too (free or $5/£5)
The idea here is to rearrange colorful mosaics into perfectly ordered spectrums. Assuming you have a keen eye for color, you’ll find lots to love in this tranquil and minimalist game.
Ord ($2/£2)
Our final choice recalls ancient and minimal text-based adventures – and yet strips even those right back to single-word setups, actions, and resolutions. It’s surprisingly gripping.