Over 50,000 new apps are released every month, creating an onslaught of options for users looking to enhance their phone's capabilities. Good news: we're here to help.
Every month, we root through the app stores, searching for the best new apps for your phone. We're not just regurgitating the Android and iOS charts: we're recommending the tools we've added to our own phones—ones that we know, from our own experiences, have improved our day-to-day lives.
Since 2008, we've watched the evolution of smartphones and apps, and we've learned the differences between essential ones and their fly-by-night counterparts. This collection of the best new iPhone and Android apps for August will help you get more out of the phone in your pocket.
Plus, we've already found the best mobile games to fill your spare time. Just check out our guide to the best mobile games for iPhone and Android.
How we picked the best apps for August
Our testers search for Android and iPhone apps that are easy to use and affordable. We evaluate the best apps of the month through hands-on use and rate them on a five-star scale based on the following criteria:
- User experience
- Price and value
- Efficacy
- Practicality
- Privacy & security
Best Apps for
iPhone and Android
Niagara Launcher
A minimalist launcher that finally makes your app drawer make sense.
- Free on the Google Play Store. Android only.
- Niagara wallpapers require a paid subscription, but every organizational feature is free to use.
I didn't know I needed this in my life, but boy, my home screen will never look the same again. Niagara Launcher is a minimalist home screen manager that helps you declutter your phone, and a month after installing it, I have zero plans to switch back.
“I didn't know I needed this in my life, but boy, my home screen will never look the same again.”
I never know where all my apps hide. Scrolling through panel after panel just to swipe up and search for the app I actually want is frustrating, and Niagara solves that in the simplest way possible. Instead of a grid of icons, you get one clean list: a widget slot up top (mine's set to Libby, since I'm always listening to an audiobook), a short list of your most-used apps, and everything else sorted alphabetically underneath. To find anything else, you just slide your finger down the scroll bar on the side of the screen.
Image: Jessica Santero | WhistleOut
On a foldable phone, more screen space usually just means more clutter and an overwhelming number of apps crammed onto one display. Niagara flips that by making you actively choose which apps deserve easy access. If I don't favorite TikTok, for example, I have to scroll and tap to find it—and that little bit of friction is often enough to stop me from opening it out of habit. It's a small design choice, but it quietly cuts down on the mindless scrolling that eats up so much of our screen time.
Here's the catch: the app didn't work for me right out of the box, and I had to dig through a couple of settings menus before it would run properly—you'll need to toggle it on under Settings > Accessibility > Installed apps > Niagara Launcher, then go to Settings > Apps > Niagara Launcher > Force stop and reopen the app. Once I did that, everything clicked into place, and I haven't had an issue since.
The free version is fully capable for anyone who just wants a calmer, more organized phone. Niagara's custom wallpapers are locked behind a subscription, but you don't need to spend a dime to get the organizational benefits. A month later, I'm still using it every day, and it's elevated the whole Android experience for me—I plan on keeping it for good.
"My home screen will never look the same again. Niagara flips your phone from a grid of icons into one clean, scrollable list—and a month in, I have zero plans to switch back."
Jessica Santero, Staff Writer
Is your phone ready for a decluttered home screen?
A minimalist launcher looks best on a phone that can actually keep up with it. If your current device is starting to feel sluggish—or your foldable deserves an upgrade—it might be time for something new.
See how the newest flagship phones stack up:
Moto G 5G (2026) 128GB
- 6.7 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 2MP
- Front Camera: 32MP
Galaxy A26 5G
- 6.7 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 8MP, 2MP
- Front Camera: 13MP
Galaxy A27 5G 128GB
- 6.7 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 5MP, 2MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
Teach Your Monster Eating
A gentle, game-based way to turn picky eaters into adventurous ones.
- Free to download, with a $4.99 one-time purchase to unlock the full app. No subscription required. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
I'm always testing something new to help my five-year-old become a more adventurous eater, and Teach Your Monster Eating is one of the better tools I've found for it. It's part of the Teach Your Monster family of apps, which are all built around teaching kids everyday skills, and this one is entirely focused on picky eaters.
“Just an overall great app.”
The design is refreshingly calm for a kids' app. It's slow-paced and informative rather than loud and attention-grabbing, which I appreciated as something I'd actually want my daughter interacting with. The app walks kids through discovering a new food step by step—seeing it, feeling it, listening to it, smelling it, and only then tasting it—before ever asking them to eat it.
Image: Scott Houghton | WhistleOut
That slow build-up actually works. Using the skills this app teaches, my daughter has tried a handful of foods she would have refused outright before, including broccoli, asparagus, rice, and cantaloupe. Watching her go from immediate rejection to actually trying something new has been one of the most rewarding parts of testing this app.
I also like that it isn't designed to hold her attention for long stretches—most sessions run under 30 minutes, and the app never tries to turn into a distraction machine. I mainly pull it out before meals I know she'll be nervous about, and it's become a nice little ritual before dinner.
Because this app is built for kids, the privacy standards are notably strict. You never have to enter your child's personal information, and the app doesn't request any permissions to function—a detail I appreciated as a parent handing my kid a phone. My only real gripe is that you need to create an account just to use the app, which feels like an unnecessary step for something this simple.
There are plenty of apps built around food and nutrition, but I haven't found another one that turns picky eating into a gentle discovery game like this. At $4.99 for a one-time purchase, it's an easy recommendation for any parent looking for a low-pressure way to help their kid try something new. I would definitely recommend this app to any parent of a picky eater.
"My daughter has tried foods she would have refused outright before—broccoli, asparagus, rice, cantaloupe. It's designed for kids to have fun, but not designed to hold their attention for long periods of time, which I really appreciate."
Scott Houghton, Staff Writer
Keeping the whole family connected without breaking the bank?
Apps like this are a nice reminder that not every family purchase needs a subscription attached to it—and neither does your phone bill.
See some of the best MVNOs for families looking to cut costs without cutting coverage:
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Mint Mobile
Unlimited Data Plan
$15.00/mo
$45 for 3 months of service
|
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Visible
$19 Visible Plan
$19.00/mo
Taxes & Fees included
|
|
T-Mobile
Essentials Saver 2.0
$50.00/mo
with Auto-Pay - Taxes & Fees NOT included
|
Funnel: Hourly News Podcasts
A minimalist podcast app that delivers the news in five-minute bites, no account required.
- Free on the Apple App Store. iPhone only—there's currently no Android version.
I've been trying to cut down on my smartphone and social media use, and Funnel has become one of my favorite tools for it. The app lets me listen to short news podcasts from outlets like NPR, BBC, ABC, and the Wall Street Journal, so I can keep up with the world without getting sucked into doom-scrolling. These shows are all available elsewhere, like Spotify or Apple Podcasts, but Funnel strips away everything else—no algorithm, no autoplay into unrelated shows, no rabbit hole of recommendations.
“Funnel is a minimalist podcast app that lets you keep up with the news in 5-minute increments.”
I was impressed the moment I opened it. There's no account required and no complicated setup—you just pick your favorite news podcast and it starts playing. The app is refreshingly minimalist: no ads, no user accounts, and no data collected from your device.
Image: Max McCaskill | WhistleOut
The flow is about as simple as it gets. You scroll through the available podcasts, pick one, and it starts automatically. You can keep using your phone while it plays in the background, and if you turn on AutoPlay, Funnel will automatically move to the next podcast when one ends. You can also connect Siri to the app, letting you ask your personal assistant to start a newscast for you—though that does require turning on Siri permissions in your settings.
Image: Max McCaskill | WhistleOut
Here's the catch: switching between podcasts can be a little buggy. It usually works fine, but I've noticed that sometimes you have to pause whatever's currently playing before the next podcast will start.
I mostly use Funnel in the mornings and evenings to get a quick rundown of the day. If you're a minimalist who wants to spend less time on your phone, this is worth downloading. Every podcast here is available on Spotify, Deezer, or Apple Podcasts too, but those apps require an account and force you to sift through other shows to find the ones you want. Funnel skips all of that.
"This app lets me listen to short news podcasts so I can keep up with the world without getting sucked into doom-scrolling. Switching between podcasts is sometimes buggy, but everything else about it is genuinely useful."
Max McCaskill, Senior Staff Writer
Streaming your news? Make sure your data plan can keep up.
Podcasts like the ones on Funnel are light on data, but hours of daily streaming can still add up over a billing cycle.
Check out some of the top affordable unlimited data plans:
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Lyca Mobile
Unlimited Plus Plan
$12.50/mo
Pay $12.50/month for the first 9 months<br>Regular rate is $49/month
|
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Cricket
3-Month Unlimited Plan
$15.00/mo
$45 advance payment for 3 months (equals to $15/month)<br>regular rate for 3 months is $120 (equals to $40/month)
+ $9.99 Upfront
|
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Tello
Unlimited Text, Talk, and Data Plan
$15.00/mo
(for the first 3 months of service)
|
How WhistleOut reviews apps
Our mobile experts scour the app stores every month, looking for the best new apps for Android and iPhone. Before recommending an app, we use the app for at least one full week, testing its basic functionality and evaluating whether or not it delivers on its promises. From there, we weigh the app's pros and cons, and then determine whether or not it's a worthwhile download for the wider population of cell phone users.
- Easy to use
Great apps simplify your phone. We selected the tools that don't require a complicated instructional manual. - Affordability
The internet is filled with expensive price tags, but we're not buying what they're selling. We lean into inexpensive, quality apps. Extra points if they're free! - Hands-on testing
We played around with these before recommending them, ensuring they're worth your download.
From there, we weigh the app's pros and cons and then determine whether or not it's a worthwhile download for the wider population of cell phone users.
All the latest cell phone news and deals, delivered every Thursday.
Jessica Santero
Staff Writer
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