Apps are again, or possibly they by no means left within the first place.
Whereas some individuals debate whether or not individuals will shift away from apps as AI agents make accessing on-line providers extra environment friendly, we’ve discovered the App Retailer to be alive and properly, with a latest explosion of enjoyable, inventive, and revolutionary instruments, experiences, and different indie efforts.
A few of the newer launches could also be attributed to the rise of AI coding, which has enabled individuals to ship software program extra rapidly, and allowed novices to participate within the app ecosystem. In response to one report, new app launches have soared in 2026, with worldwide new app releases up 60% year-over-year as of the primary quarter throughout each the Apple App Retailer and Google Play. On Apple’s iOS retailer alone, that determine was a good larger 80%.
Whereas there’s legitimate concern that vibe-coded apps particularly might be cluttering the App Retailer with lower-quality content material, there are many attention-grabbing apps price exploring, and those who resonate with shoppers will rise to the highest. Many additionally use AI underneath the hood to carry out their magic — they’re simply not promoted as being “AI-powered.”
Beneath is our newest assortment of App Store hidden gems, which we’ve added to our Dwelling Display screen. It’s also possible to go to TechCrunch’s prior app round-ups, like our appears at next-generation social apps, Apple Watch, and iPad productivity tools, and apps for digitally decluttering your life.
Albo
Albo (beforehand Sortd, however not that Sortd) is a superb software for anybody who often bookmarks content material from social media, then promptly forgets about it. With Albo, the concept is that you just’ll as a substitute share the hyperlink to the TikTok, Instagram Reel, YouTube video, or different web site to the app. Albo will then robotically pull the main points from the publish and categorize and save the concept for you. That publish and its notes will stay out there in Albo, even when the unique content material creator deletes their publish or video in some unspecified time in the future sooner or later.
The app works with a wide range of social apps, together with Pinterest, X, LinkedIn, Threads, Reddit, and Fb, plus browsers like Chrome and Safari. It’s also possible to add screenshots to Albo.
This makes it straightforward to save lots of any type of on-line inspiration for straightforward entry, whether or not that’s journey concepts, native spots to attempt, film or reveals to observe, books to learn, recipes to cook dinner, or exercises to do. Your collections can be shared with associates.
Albo hails from the London-based app studio The Feel Good Project, which focuses on tech that makes customers really feel impressed and glad as a substitute of drained by doomscrolling.
The app is free to make use of with superior options out there through subscription. We didn’t love how heavy-handed it was in pushing the trial subscription throughout onboarding, nevertheless.
Out there on iOS and Google Play.
Coop
The latest parasite outbreak within the U.S. has individuals pondering extra fastidiously about the place their meals comes from. Shopping for from native growers and bakers will be the safer choice — and higher for the group — however not everybody has time to make it to the farmer’s market over the weekend.
Coop‘s app provides an alternate by means of its neighborhood market, the place you should purchase actual handmade and homegrown objects from the individuals close to you, even from the farmhouse down the highway that gives recent eggs, or a neighbor keen to barter their objects for yours. The concept is to permit commerce to remain native, whereas serving to individuals flip their very own backyard, discipline, or craft into an extra revenue stream.
On Coop, you’ll be able to browse and uncover close by sellers, observe your favorites, see how far they’re from you, and buy from them through the app’s Stripe integration. The vendor then receives the order and prepares it for pickup.
Out there on iOS and Google Play.
PI.FYI by Completely Imperfect
A colourful and considerably chaotic app, PI.FYI, guarantees to deliver again the “outdated web,” the place you discovered suggestions by means of a community of associates, not algorithms. Having emerged from a cult newsletter, the app has been round for a few years, however nonetheless feels recent and trendy and really very similar to the choice to social media it goals develop into.
In PI.FYI, you’ll be able to observe what you’re into, share your style, and browse by class or “scenes,” like music, whimsy, retro, and literature, to search out your group, learn attention-grabbing articles, make lists, collect native suggestions, and play video games with associates. The app exudes a retro vibe itself, as if it had been constructed when the web was rather less polished, too.
Out there on iOS and Google Play.
Lettre
OK, it won’t be as enjoyable as sharing a letter via pigeon post, however the app for pen buddies, Lettre, additionally embraces the enjoyable of snail mail in a digital format. This letter-writing app permits you to begin new friendships with pen buddies all over the world, found by means of the app, or with anybody whose electronic mail deal with you already know. Sadly, letters are despatched digitally by means of the app or electronic mail for now, however the firm’s FAQ suggests it’s contemplating a postal mail choice for the long run, which might be a lot enjoyable.
Out there on iOS solely.
Couch Time
Whereas not a brand-new app, Sofa Time is one in all a number of that’s choosing up the place the recently shuttered TV Time app left off. The app has an easy-to-use, uncluttered interface for monitoring the films and TV reveals you’re watching, organizing your watchlist, discovering what to stream subsequent, and getting reminders about new releases.
Whereas Couch Time’s commenting part doesn’t but rival TV Time’s boards, the app’s social parts depart room for the group to develop, because it helps the power to react with a GIF or picture alongside your textual content, and contains built-in translation options to assist a worldwide viewers.
Out there on iOS and Google Play.
ThingsBook
ThingsBook, a brand new writing-focused app from South Korean web big Naver’s U.S. subsidiary, is hardly an indie effort, but it surely’s an attention-grabbing premise for what the way forward for social media might appear like. As an alternative of doomscrolling, ThingsBook provides a versatile area the place you’ll be able to seize what you care about, whether or not that’s by means of journaling, logging concepts, or accumulating issues like books, travels, meals, hobbies, and objectives into structured lists you’ll be able to revisit and develop.
The corporate explains that the app’s function is to not concentrate on “fleeting traits” however to develop into a “dwelling report of who you’re and what you like.”
Out there on iOS and Google Play.
Pressed Petals
App or inventive venture? Pressed Petals is each. An indie effort from designer Cynthia Chen, the app turns the pictures of flowers you discover in your walks right into a pressed specimen, like one you’d discover in a “classic botanical journal.” The app robotically saves the situation the place you noticed the flower, and the date and time, turning your nature walks into interactive experiences. It additionally identifies the flower by identify, each its scientific identify and its widespread identify.
You’ll be able to attempt the app to press two flowers free of charge, then pay a one-time payment of $4.99 to unlock the total expertise. This might be a enjoyable app for luring your little ones outdoors, because it provides them one thing else to do past the hike itself.
Out there on iOS solely.
Moods Sooner
We’re suckers for single-purpose apps which are constructed properly. Moods Faster by Nick Leith is an ideal instance, because it provides a method to log your moods for monitoring in Apple Well being in simply two faucets — one to pick the temper and a second to reserve it.
You’ll be able to select between logging your present temper or your general temper for the day, and may optionally add details about the context and feelings you’re experiencing on the time of logging. Within the settings, you’ll be able to choose between completely different shade schemes on your moods, although some are paywalled.
At $1.95 monthly, it’s a fairly priced subscription for anybody who often tracks their moods and feelings for psychological well being functions.
Out there on iOS solely.
Activate Health
Initially pitched as a method to encourage youngsters to train, Activate Fitness has lately expanded its screen-time-earning app to incorporate the entire household, which, frankly, makes it higher. (The children will simply hate their dad and mom for utilizing this in any other case. Plus, it might flip out of doors time or train right into a dreaded chore in youngsters’ minds, which defeats the aim.)
For adults, the app might mean you can accomplish your personal private objectives, like no doomscrolling till you get your steps in for the day.
Out there on iOS solely.
This publish was initially printed on July 28, 2026.
If you buy by means of hyperlinks in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t have an effect on our editorial independence.
