Being buried head first in work to create mobile apps, it is sometimes easy to overlook them when it comes to helping you during the app development and marketing process.
There is no shortage of mobile apps out there to help app developers and entrepreneurs boost their productivity and streamline their design and development work flows. Below, you will find some of the best mobile apps for iOS and Android that will help you focus on what’s important and bring your productivity and app business to the next level.
Prototyping & Ideation
POP – Prototyping on Paper
Download for iOS | Download for Android
Tired of fiddling with complicated online software to create a functional prototype of your app? POP is here to reduce your frustrations and turn your pen and paper sketches into something more interactive. This dead-simple prototyping app allows you to simply take photos of your sketches and use them to create a fully functional prototype in a few easy steps. Create clickable buttons, navigation and more from nothing more than your rough drawings! This is an essential tool for anyone who is looking to create a working prototype of their app idea with minimal hassle.
Sketchbook
Download for iOS | Download for Android
Sketchbook Pro from Autodesk is professional drawing and painting app that features a full compliment of sketching tools, including 60+ brushes, dynamic color wheel and more. Sketchbook provides a quick and easy way to get your ideas and character concepts into a digital format from wherever you are. The app comes with cloud-syncing and storage so you never have to worry about losing your sketches and can access them from any device.
Grid by Binary Thumb
Download for iOS
Grid is a unique and intuitive way to collect ideas within a beautiful interface. Create ‘grids’ of anything you want, from mobile app ideas to planned trips. Snap a photo, add details, contacts and maps to a grid to create a truly expansive idea board that can be accessed at any time. Not only can you use Grid to create idea boards, you can use it to collaborate with team members as well.
Skitch
Download for iOS | Download for Android
Have you ever come across something on the street that served as inspiration for a mobile app idea, or scribbled down some ideas on a napkin and didn’t know what to do with it? That’s where Skitch comes in. With this app, you can snap a photo and mark it up with notes, label diagrams and jot down notes on PDF files and much more.
Task Management & Collaboration
Trello
Download for iOS | Download for Android
Trello is a highly flexible task management system that can be used for tracking to-do’s during your app development process and staying organized. It’s essentially a digital whiteboard with endless possibilities. Trello can also be used to collaborate with others. You can share your boards with team members so that they can view, edit and add items and tasks. This is my go-to app when it comes to tracking and organizing my tasks.
Clear
Download for iOS | (WARNING: NO Android Version. Koalcat’s Clear on Google Play is an impostor)
Clear features a minimalist interface design that makes managing your to-do’s a breeze. Some task list apps are so bloated with superfluous features that keeping track of your tasks becomes a task unto itself! Clear eliminates the clutter to create a superior task management experience. It’s a clutter-free, stress-free way to track your tasks and knock them out.
CARROT To-Do
Download for iOS
If you are prone to “letting up” on your tasks from time to time, this little app will keep your ass in gear. Meet CARROT, the temperamental AI with a quirky personality. Imagine HAL-9000 invading your iPhone and is now in charge of keeping you in line. We all need a little kick in the ass from time to time. CARROT To-Do is not your average, boring task list – both entertaining and effective!
Flowdock
Download for iOS | Download for Android
Flowdock keeps you connected with your team 24/7. Chat with team members, upload images and more. It syncs up with with a ton of different tools so that you will receive updates all in one place, including GitHub, Trello, BitBucket, Zendesk and more.
Asana
Download for iOS | Download for Android
With Asana Mobile, you can view and assign tasks to team members on the go. You can set due dates, track the status of tasks and projects and so much more. Asana features DropBox connectivity so you can add project files and images. Asana is a great collaboration tool for small teams.
Producteev
Download for iOS | Download for Android
Producteev is a fully-featured task management solution for small teams. Keep track of your project and assign tasks to team members. Producteev syncs up across all devices, including Mac, PC, iOS and Android, making it easy to track your projects from anywhere you are. Best of all, it is free for an unlimited number of users, projects and tasks.
Productivity
Pomodoro Timer
Download for iOS
Pomodoro Timer features a slick, flat design and intuitive user interface to keep you focused on your task at hand. It utilizes the renowned ‘Pomodoro Technique‘- a time management technique developed in the 1980’s by Francesco Cirillo. With the app, you can set up the amount of ‘pomodoros’ you want for your work day and the length of breaks. Super easy to set up and a great way to stay focused and minimize burn out.
Sunrise Calendar
Download for iOS | Download for Android
Get your day started right with the Sunrise Calendar app. Import your appointments and event reminders from Google Calendar and Apple Calendar to stay up-to-date on all your important dates. It even syncs up with your social networks to remind you of important events you RSVP’d for or birth dates of family, friends and colleagues. The app features a gorgeous, flat design and a brilliant user experience. Never miss an important event or appointment again.
Education
Udemy
Download for iOS | Download for Android
Udemy is one of my favorite sources for online courses on mobile app development, marketing and much more.
Check out Udemy’s collection of mobile game development courses
The Udemy mobile app has the same high quality and large collection of courses as the website. Now you can take your learning with you, wherever you go. It’s especially great to have access to all your courses so you can keep learning during a long commute on a metro or bus, or while waiting in line or on a lunch break.
Art of Game Design Lenses
Download for iOS | Download for Android
A great resource for any mobile game designer and developer, the Art of Game Design Lenses app features the 100 unique ‘lens cards’ from the book by renowned game designer Jesse Schell. This is an invaluable tool for anyone seeking to improve the design of their mobile game or app.
Read the review for the Art of Game Design book
Feedly
Download for iOS | Download for Android
Feedly is my all-time favorite content aggregator. I use it to access content from all my favorite app development and marketing blogs and websites. It makes any blog post readable on mobile devices. Stay on top of industry news and continue to learn the ins-and-outs of the app industry by importing all the top blog feeds into Feedly. It is also a snap to share articles to your social networks.
Audiobooks from Audible
Download for iOS | Download for Android
For an entrepreneur’s busy life, it is sometimes difficult to squeeze in time to read a book. Audible makes it possible to listen to some of the top industry books in an audio format. The beauty of an audiobook is that you can listen to it from anywhere – at the gym, during the commute, etc. The Audible app provides a simple way to download and store your audiobooks and pick up your listening where you last left off.
Podcast
Download for iOS
In my opinion, listening to podcasts is essential for anyone in the mobile app industry. The Podcast App for iOS is the standalone app developed by Apple for you to download and stream all your favorites podcasts. Even though official podcast app does come with some faults that sometimes leads to a frustrating user experience, it still is the best app to access your iTunes podcasts.
If you are looking for some great podcasts on the mobile app industry or entrepreneurship, here are a few you should definitely check out:
- Mobile App Chat with Steve P. Young
- App Store Optimization Podcast with Gabriel Machuret
- Smart Passive Income Podcast with Pat Flynn
- Ask Pat with Pat Flynn
- The Reskin Guys
- My Appventure Podcast
- Mobile App Flipping Podcast with Yohann Taieb
- The iPhone App Experiment
- Novice No Longer with Dann Berg
Notes & Ideas
Pocket
Download for iOS | Download for Android
Pocket is currently one of my favorite apps. In the past, I would often come across interesting articles or videos while browsing online, but would have to either bookmark it or send it to myself via email to read it later. With Pocket, you can save an article from any device and it will be automatically stored in for viewing from any device. It’s your own personal digital library! The app also makes content more readable for mobile devices.
Evernote
Download for iOS | Download for Android
Evernote is THE place to store all your ideas, inspirations, to-do’s and more. With Evernote, you can quickly and easily add photos with notes, organize your files and access them from anywhere at any time. You can even search for text from within images, making it easy to find info from scribbled notes.
Marketing Automation
IFTTT
Download for iOS | Download for Android
IFTTT stands for “If This, Then That”. With this app, you can create scripts to automate aspect of your marketing, such as auto-posting articles to your social networks. You can also access recipes and scripts created by the IFTTT community. There is no shortage of ways to use this tool for your app marketing efforts.
Buffer
Download for iOS | Download for Android
Buffer gives you the ability to schedule out posts on your social networks for times where they will have the highest impact. Add an article, video or post to your queue and it will post them to Facebook, Twitter and other selected social networks throughout the day to maximize your social marketing efforts.
Motivation & Goal Setting
Lift
Download for iOS | Download for Android
Lift serves as your daily digital coach to keep you inspired and motivated on accomplishing your goals. Get encouragement from friends, colleagues and community to coaches to keep you on track to complete your goals, whether it’s completing an app, training for a marathon or whatever. Lift can help you build successful habits and stay motivated.
Full
Download for iOS
Use Full to visualize and monitor your monthly goals. Visualization is a powerful way to stay motivated when it comes to your goals. Full uses a beautiful, minimalistic design to display your goals and progress in a visually appealing way. It’s a great way to keep yourself accountable.
Outsourcing
Fiverr
Download for iOS | Download for Android
Fiverr is a marketplace for affordable design and marketing services. On Fiverr, you can find gigs for $5 to help you with everything from mobile app icon design, app store optimization keyword research, voice overs and much, much more. The Fiverr mobile app brings the power of Fiverr to your finger tips – easily browse through hundreds of gigs and order right from your mobile device.
Shameless Plug! Check out my gigs on Fiverr
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If you use any mobile apps to boost your productivity that aren’t listed here, please let us know in the comments!
Rya says
Nice collection! one typo: Its IFTTT ( with 3 T)
Shane K. says
Thanks Ryan! Fixing the typo now. Thanks for catching that. 🙂
Dann Berg says
Great list. I’m absolutely addicted to Clear. Love love love that app.
Shane K. says
Definitely, Dann! It’s one of the best to-do lists out there IMO. Simple and to the point!
Marcos P says
how is going your app journey??