The best phone apps and services 2021

It’s been over a year of staying home and reaching record-high screen times. So, we decided to celebrate the best apps and services keeping us entertained through some tough times.

And if more than one catches your eye, Samsung are currently offering Samsung Boost when you purchase any of their S21 devices. Including Samsung S21 Samsung S21 Ultra 5G and Samsung S21 + 5G. This means you get access to Calm, Deezer HiFi, Fiit, Antstream Arcade and more, with up to 6 months free.

So, here they are. Take a look at some of the best phone apps and services in 2021. You can find all the apps and services we mention on Google Play and App Store. And it’s good to know that the Samsung Boost offer ends 31 October 2021.

Wellbeing

It’s no secret we’ve had more stress than usual in the past year. So, if you’re like us and need new ways to keep cortisol levels low, try one of these wellbeing apps. The Calm app is a favourite for winding down the mind and body after a long day. With guided meditation and bedtime stories, you’re lulled into a good night’s sleep. Or, if it’s mindfulness you’re after, we’ve loved using the Headspace app for their tips and practices to help switch off. Alternatively, if you need an endorphin boost to lift you out of the lockdown slump, download the Fiit app. Fiit promises to ‘bring the gym home’. And for those who need motivation to move, the Fiit online trainers and classes make workouts feel less lonely.

Entertainment

We’re grateful to several entertainment apps in 2021 for truly saving us hours of boredom. For the music buffs, while you’ve probably been married to Spotify or Apple Music for a while, we recommend trying Deezer HiFi. Deezer HiFi gives you direct access to fresh tunes from record labels, with uncompromised, high-fidelity sound. Plus, there’s a nifty feature which allows you to select podcasts by duration. Or, if you appreciate visuals but can’t stand ads, we found that YouTube Premium really enhances the listening experience. There’s an emerging favourite for the gamers among us too; Antstream Arcade gives you the retro gaming experience. You can dive into hours of Pacman and Mortal Kombat –without having to handle pesky change and sticky controllers at the arcade.

Skills

Many of us used the past year to pick up a new hobby, and thankfully there are apps to make mastering a new skill feel like a breeze. 2021 has been the year for podcasts, and the Anchor app makes you feel right at home in front of the mic. For the creative types, SketchAR and Procreate offer interactive tools to make anyone feel like a digital designer or illustrator in just a few taps and swipes. And for budding photographers, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom means you’re not confined to the studio, letting you vamp up your photos on the go. Of course, that’s not all Adobe has to offer us. There’s also Adobe Spark Post, helping you create eye-grabbing social media content for your small business or platform. For those who aren’t so arty, try out the Mimo app. It teaches simplified coding for adults, in bite-sized lessons which make it less daunting.

Dating

With face-to-face meets out of the question for the best part of 2021, those searching for new connections flocked to dating apps. Badoo is the largest dating app platform in the world, launching in 2009 before even Tinder was founded. Badoo have an updated feature which scans for explicit content and gives the option to reject any unsolicited pictures you receive. And while we’re on the topic of dating apps, we can’t leave out Hinge. Dominating the dating app space during lockdown, Hinge caters for that extra personal touch by asking users to include anecdotes and fun facts to break the ice.