We’ve all got the same grid of icons. Instagram, Gmail, maybe a stray folder of food delivery apps you regret downloading at 11 PM. But honestly, the App Store is a massive graveyard of brilliance that nobody sees because the "Top Charts" are basically just a popularity contest for big tech.
If you’re only using your iPhone for the basics, you’re essentially driving a Ferrari in a school zone. There are tools sitting in the store right now that can literally redesign how you think, travel, and keep your sanity. I’ve spent months digging through subreddits and developer forums to find the stuff that actually earns its keep on a home screen.
Why the most underrated iPhone apps stay hidden
Apple’s algorithm is kinda broken. It rewards apps that already have millions of users, which means the indie developers—the ones building weird, hyper-specific, and incredibly useful tools—get buried. You won't find these on the front page. You find them by word of mouth in niche communities of power users who are tired of the same old subscription-heavy bloatware.
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Finding the signal in the noise
A truly underrated app isn't just "good." It has to solve a problem you didn't even realize you had. Maybe it’s a way to view your calendar that doesn't make you want to scream, or a way to copy text from a video that feels like actual sorcery.
1. Euclid: The calculator that actually thinks
Most people stick with the default Apple calculator. Big mistake. If you’ve ever tried to do anything more complex than splitting a dinner bill, you know the default app is basically a glorified abacus.
Euclid is different. It’s what happens when you combine a scientific calculator with the logic of a spreadsheet. It handles LaTeX, handles unit conversions instantly, and—this is the best part—it looks like a piece of modern art. It’s built for people who need precision but hate the clunky interface of a TI-84. It feels human.
2. NotePlan: Your brain, but organized
Look, Notion is great for big databases. But for daily life? It’s too much. I don’t want to build a relational database just to remember to buy milk.
NotePlan is the sleeper hit of the productivity world. It uses Markdown (super fast to type) and connects your notes directly to your calendar. You write a task in a daily note, and it shows up on your schedule. It’s a "second brain" app that doesn't require a PhD to set up. Honestly, if you’re a "bullet journal" person who wants to go digital, this is the only app that gets the vibe right.
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3. Flighty: The travel godsend
If you fly more than twice a year, you need this. Yes, the airline apps send you notifications, but they’re usually late and kinda buggy.
Flighty is freakishly fast. Often, I’ll get a notification that my gate has changed or my flight is delayed from Flighty a full ten minutes before the airline’s own app wakes up. It tracks the incoming plane’s tail number, shows you the exact flight path, and gives you a "where’s my plane" map that is weirdly addictive to watch. It’s the difference between being the person sprinting to the gate and the person already sitting at the bar because they knew about the change first.
4. Dark Noise: Pure focus, zero fluff
I’m tired of "meditation" apps that try to sell me a $70 annual subscription just to hear some rain sounds.
Dark Noise is simple. It does high-quality ambient noise. That’s it. But the way it’s designed is so Apple-centric that it feels like a native feature. You can mix sounds—like "Heavy Rain" with "Coffee Shop"—and create custom icons for your home screen. It’s a one-time purchase or a very fair sub, and it doesn't try to be your life coach. It just helps you work.
The "How Did I Live Without This?" Category
Sometimes the most underrated iPhone apps are the ones that just fix a tiny, annoying part of the iOS experience.
- Paste: This is a clipboard manager. It keeps a history of everything you’ve copied. Images, links, text snippets. If you’ve ever copied something, then copied something else and realized you lost the first thing... yeah, Paste fixes that.
- Opal: If your screen time is embarrassing, Opal is the nuclear option. It doesn't just "remind" you to get off TikTok; it can actually disconnect the app’s ability to refresh data during your "deep work" hours. It’s much harder to bypass than the built-in Apple Screen Time.
- Vincere: A total underdog for habit tracking. It uses a "heat map" style to show your progress. No flashy animations, just cold, hard data on whether you actually did those pushups or not.
A quick word on "Freemium"
We have to talk about the elephant in the room: subscriptions. A lot of these apps have them. Developers have to eat, sure, but it's getting out of hand. When looking for the best apps, I always prioritize "Lifetime" purchase options or apps where the free tier is actually functional, not just a 3-day trial that baits you into a yearly charge.
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Why these apps actually matter for your workflow
It’s not just about having "cool" apps. It’s about friction. Every time you have to switch between three different apps to find a meeting link or a note, you’re losing focus.
The most underrated iPhone apps are the ones that remove that friction. They’re the "glue" that holds your digital life together. For example, using Drafts as a starting point for every single text-based thought you have. You open it, type, and then decide where it goes later—whether that’s an email, a tweet, or a calendar event. It stops the "app jumping" that kills productivity.
What to do next
Don't go and download twenty apps at once. Your phone will become a cluttered mess and you'll delete them all in a week. Instead, pick one "pain point" in your day. Is it your chaotic schedule? Try NotePlan. Is it your travel anxiety? Get Flighty.
Open the App Store and search for these by name. Scroll past the "Ad" results at the top—those are just the big guys paying for your attention. The real gems are usually a few spots down. Once you find a tool that actually fits how your brain works, you’ll realize how much the "standard" apps were actually holding you back.
Start with a single replacement for a default app you hate. See how a dedicated, well-designed tool changes your relationship with that glass slab in your pocket. Check your current screen time and identify which app is stealing your focus, then find its "productive" alternative.