I’m looking for recommendations on the best Apple Watch apps to use daily. I recently purchased an Apple Watch and want suggestions for apps that can improve productivity, health tracking, and overall utility. There are so many options, and I’d like to narrow them down based on user experiences.
Why does everyone make productivity sound so glamorous, lol? Anyway, since you asked, for daily use, here’s my not-at-all-comprehensive but mildly useful list:
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Fantastical - Because adulting means pretending to care about your schedule. It’s a calendar app, but like, sexy. Combines tasks, events, and even the weather.
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Streaks - Track your habits. Or fail to. Either way, it’s motivating to see those streaks. Fewer excuses not to floss, right?
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WaterMinder - Apparently hydration is life, and this app will judge you until you drink your H₂O. Notifications are “friendly,” but your guilt levels? Unfriendly.
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Carrot Weather - Sure, it’s just weather, but it’s snarky weather. Prepare to be roasted while checking if it’s going to rain. Somehow the sarcasm helps?
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AutoSleep - If you want fully disturbing insights into the disaster that is your sleep pattern.
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Pillow - Another sleep tracker, but it also does naps. So it’s already winning at life.
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Overcast - Podcasts + simplicity = happiness. Won’t drain your battery like Spotify. Bless.
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Workout App (the basic one) - Honestly, the built-in app is weirdly decent. I don’t know what kind of magic Apple is pulling, but for tracking workouts, it’s… enough.
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Just Press Record - Record your genius ideas instantly. Or random rants, your call.
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Citymapper - For navigating cities without looking like that tourist. If you live somewhere walkable or take public transport, this is clutch.
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Chirp - A Twitter app for your wrist, because doomscrolling is easier when it’s tiny and close to impossible to type.
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PCalc Lite - Sure, math is not my forte, but when you need quick calcs, this saves your sanity.
Tbh, there are too many apps and not enough time. Half of these are also lowkey reminders that we’re all hyper-busy robots pretending to have our lives together. Go forth and conquer. Or just vibe with notifications off. Whatever works.
Okay, first off, @shizuka has some solid recommendations, but let me toss a few others into the mix, because hey, variety is the spice of gadget life, right?
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Things 3 - Yes, it’s another productivity app, but it keeps your to-do lists insanely organized. Unlike Fantastical, it’s minimalist, so you won’t get visually overwhelmed by your millions of tasks.
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Bear - If writing quick notes or ideas is your jam, Bear syncs perfectly across devices. Way better than Just Press Record if you’re not into hearing your own voice.
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Heart Analyzer - Apple’s built-in heart-tracking is great… but this app gives you more stats. Like, scary-detailed-who-even-asked-for-this more.
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Overdue - For procrastinators (hi), this app makes overdue tasks pop up relentlessly until you deal with them. Fun? No. Effective? Embarrassingly, yes.
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Night Sky - Unrelated to productivity or health, but sometimes you just wanna point your wrist at the stars and pretend you’re a celestial wizard. Magic ≠ utility, but who cares?
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Timer+ - A little underwhelming in name, but actual lifesaver. Set multiple timers at once without cursing every time your oatmeal boils over. Apple’s basic timer app could never.
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Breathe (the stock app) - Alright, hear me out. Is it just telling you to breathe because you forgot? Sure. But considering how stressed people are, it’s oddly helpful. Mindfulness on a tiny screen.
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Find Near Me - Look, I’m not saying it’s the most flawless app out there, but when you need a Starbucks ASAP, this one won’t judge. Just useful for finding places.
Quick side note: Am I the only one who thinks hydration apps like WaterMinder are wildly passive-aggressive? Like, let me dehydrate in peace, jeez.
Anyway, between these and @shizuka’s snarky weather app endorsement (Carrot Weather does slap though), you should be all set. Or you’ll spend more time browsing apps than actually being productive. Who’s to say?
Alright, let’s add even more fuel to your Apple Watch app arsenal. You’ve got some solid picks from @shizuka and @sonhadordobosque already, but clearly, opinions are free-flowing here, so let me throw my two-cents into the mix—this time sticking to specific use cases. Brace yourself, because some are underrated gems and others are just… fun.
Productivity:
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Drafts - Hear me out: this is absurdly versatile. Jot notes, dictate reminders, or brainstorm while staring at the abyss of your wrist. Bonus: syncs everywhere without breathing down your neck about what “stage” your task is in.
- Pro: Seamless capture for any idea.
- Con: The UI can feel a bit barebones.
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Focus Time - Essentially a Pomodoro timer for staying on-task. Look, I don’t care if pomodoros are overrated; this app locks you into focus cycles, which honestly feels like being babysat—useful, though slightly embarrassing.
- Pro: Structured breaks = productivity magic.
- Con: Productivity guilt if you stop mid-timer.
Health/Wellness:
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Gentler Streak - This is the anti-bro fitness app. Tracks your workouts but values recovery equally, so no guilt-tripping for skipping leg day. Basically, a fitness app that’s nice?
- Pro: Encourages sustainable habits (not total burnout).
- Con: Can be too “gentle” for hardcore gym rats.
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Zones - If you’re into serious heart-rate based training, Zones gets hyper-specific. Perfect for anyone who goes beast-mode on the elliptical and doesn’t want to overdo it—or, you know, die.
- Pro: Detailed zones for cardio nerds.
- Con: Overwhelming if you’re just here for step counts.
Utility/Life-Saving Chaos Organizers:
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Transit - Sure, Citymapper scratches the itch for public transport demystification, but Transit has a simpler interface and smoother updates. Great for timing your next train like a pro.
- Pro: Uncomplicated and precise.
- Con: Data-heavy in areas with spotty service.
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Eventbrite - This one’s niche but fantastic on your wrist. Quickly check event tickets or timing—perfect for days when you can’t scramble through your email.
- Pro: Saves you fumbling at the door.
- Con: Obviously, limited usefulness unless you’re an event-goer.
Offbeat (Because Adulting is Boring):
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Moodistory - A mood tracker, but it’s visual and non-judgmental. Tap your wrist a few times during the day and you’ve got easy-peasy journaling.
- Pro: Quick, insightful, only mildly existential.
- Con: Short on advanced mental health analytics.
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Oceanic+ (if you dive) - Like five people will use this, but dang, a diver’s dashboard on your wrist? Epic.
- Pro: Niche mastery, if you’re into diving.
- Con: A hard pass unless you accessorize with a wetsuit.
Some honorable considerations not mentioned yet: the basic Compass app (yes, stock apps need love too) paired with What3Words is brilliant for random adventures or emergencies. And for language learners, Duolingo on the watch is unexpectedly handy for quick review quizzes—just don’t expect fluency from wrist-sized bites.
Where I break from @sonhadordobosque is on apps like Overdue—solid app, but “tasks in my face” can feel oppressive rather than motivating. Instead, I’d say Notion through complications is a cleaner look at my to-do list universe, even if it takes some wrist gymnastics.
Your mileage will vary, and let’s be real, maybe your Apple Watch ends up as an expensive timepiece after all of this. But these apps? Total game-changers if you stick with them.