2025 is a busy year in the tech world, but one of my favorite things to do is stay on top of the latest and greatest apps. In total, I've downloaded and tested over 50 different apps, from productivity to cooking, fitness to gaming.
I've found apps that clear out your inbox of junk, introduce you to art from around the world, and relieve you of the stress that so easily builds up. Technology has a unique place in our lives and can bring a lot of good, but there are also many time wasters that we should stay away from.
Home Screen Heroes
This is part of a regular series of articles highlighting apps we couldn't live without. Read them all here.
I went through all the apps I looked at in 2025 and picked my top five favorites. However, as big as my list is, I'd love to hear what your favorite apps are and which ones you think I should write about in 2026. So let's begin.
Best for Fitness
Seven: 7-minute workout
Developing sustainable fitness habits is extremely difficult, but the Seven: 7 Minute Workout app simplifies the process by focusing on manageable daily consistency. While seven minutes may not seem like much, these small bursts of activity can spark significant long-term transformation. I wrote: “This is an app for working out at the gym [that] finally got me to do my daily workouts.”
The app's greatest strength is its accessibility. Whether it's in the morning, during your lunch break, or right before bed, it's easy to carve out a seven-minute window in even the busiest of schedules. By removing the time barrier, the app turns training into a simple matter: press start and follow the instructions.
Read mine Seven: 7 Minute Workout Home Screen Hero
Download the Seven: 7 Minute Workout app at iOS or Android
Best for Automation
If This Then That (IFTTT)
I first discovered If This Then That (IFTTT) through a friend who used it to “win” a thermostat argument with his wife. The app alerted him every time the temperature rose above the desired value. While the ethics of his home sabotage are debatable, the technology got me thinking about what parts of my life could be automated.
Exploring IFTTT's huge library of ready-made “applets” was like searching for a productivity cheat code. The app can handle everything from cross-posting content on social networks to syncing. Google Calendar events allow you to track work hours or even send UV index alerts to remind you to apply sunscreen. The prospect of eliminating mundane, repetitive tasks while ensuring that nothing slipped through the cracks was very appealing indeed.
Read mine IFTTT Home Screen Hero
Download the IFTTT app at iOS or Android
Best for learning
Opening hours
Uptime provides 5-minute reviews of books, courses, documentaries, and podcasts. These nuggets are called “hacks” and contain mixed media to help increase engagement. The combination of text, audio, video and images significantly helped me learn more effectively than similar Headway app.
Each hack is created by the creators themselves, which helps ensure a high level of authenticity and consistency. One of the best features of the app is Spark Cards, which allows users to save hack information on a board. This is equivalent to underlining a passage in a book or highlighting text in an essay. Uptime has provided me with an invaluable learning experience and has helped me sharpen my existing knowledge as well as learn something new.
Read mine Uptime Homescreen Hero
Download the Uptime app at iOS or Android
Best for Gaming
Two points
I loved this game and called it one of the “most addictive puzzle games that I can't stop playing.” In terms of addiction, he even beat New York Times Games, SimCity BuildItAnd Geometry Dash Light. The whole game is about making connections. By connecting colorful dots and finding hidden treasures, gamers advance through the game. It sounds simple, and it is, but that's the beauty of this app.
Once you master the beginning of this game, you will be able to discover new worlds in the Scavenger Hunt mode. Rare rewards can be obtained by conquering each level. There are also five main game modes and time-limited events that keep you wanting to move through the levels. This game is very difficult to give up. You have been warned!
Read mine Desktop hero with two dots
Download the Two Dots app at iOS or Android
Best for reducing screen time
One second
These are the words I used to describe Home Screen Hero: “I was tired of my phone taking up so much of my time, so I did something about it.” Unfortunately, for many of us, our phones influence us too much. As much as we hate to admit it, many of us could use a little help putting our phones away from time to time.
One Sec uses a scientific and psychological approach to break your phone and social media habits by breaking the dopamine-releasing cycle that keeps us scrolling. This is achieved by waiting longer for social media apps or any other app of your choice to open. As a result, your brain will lose interest in these short-term dopamine hits. It's a very simple concept, but it's amazing how effective it is.
Read mine One second home screen hero
Download the One Sec app at iOS or Android
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