- Apple has announced the winners of its App of the Year awards
- They include apps that work across a variety of Apple devices
- The winners span a wide range of app types and genres
Apple has just announced its App Store Awards for 2025, with a selection of the best apps being named across a range of categories. Top-notch apps were picked for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro, Apple Watch and Apple TV, and the announcement follows hot on the heels of Google’s 2025 Play Store awards, which were revealed just yesterday.
In total, Apple picked three winners in each category, and honorees covered music making, productivity, image editing, academia and more. Here, we’ve put together all the best apps that got the nod from Apple – read on to see if your favorites made the cut.
iPhone app of the year finalists
Heralded as the three best iPhone apps in the world, the winners here include BandLab, which is designed to help musicians create tracks and share them with a thriving community.
Ladder, meanwhile, is all about giving you fresh strength training workouts that serve up something new every week. Rounding out the category is Tiimo, which harnesses artificial intelligence (AI) to help you plan your time, stay organized, and balance your mental load.
iPad app of the year finalists
AI was a recurring theme in the App Store awards, as demonstrated by Detail. This video-editing app puts AI to good use with automatic edits and a conversational interface that lets you explain your desired outcome to the AI.
The second iPad winner was Graintouch (above), an art app that replicates the “soul of print” in a digital format through the use of realistic inks, brushes and materials. The final iPad app finalist was Structured, a productivity planner with an incredibly intuitive interface that helps you stay on top of your day.
Mac app of the year finalists
With its large displays and powerful hardware, the Mac is a great place to edit photos – and Acorn (above) takes advantage of that with its professional-grade tools and non-destructive editing effects, helping it earn a spot as one of the best Mac apps of 2025.
It was joined by Essayist, a writing app that’s expertly tailored to the needs of academia thanks to its automatic formatting, powerful reference manager, support for the most common citation styles, and more.
And if you need a helping hand keeping your home organized and in order, Under My Roof is the app for you. It tracks renovations and repairs, keeps your vital documents together and inventories your belongings.
Apple Vision Pro app of the year finalists
If you stream and record videos on Apple’s Vision Pro headset, Camo Studio can lend a helping hand with its scene controls, overlay, easy sharing interface and powerful editing effects.
Elsewhere, interactive documentary D-Day: The Camera Soldier was honored for its immersive portrayal of the Normandy landings through the eyes of a combat cameraman. And Explore POV takes you across the globe in a series of immersive videos, from French Polynesia’s stunning lagoons to Arctic landscapes illuminated by the midnight sun.
Apple Watch app of the year finalists
GO Club bills itself as a step counter, and Apple has recognized it for its ability to keep you both active and hydrated through its smart, gentle water reminders, beautiful aesthetics, and crystal-clear layout.
You might not need to snap photos from your Apple Watch all that often, but when you do, Pro Camera by Moment is there to help thanks in no small part to its well-proportioned buttons and useful selection of tools. And third on the list is Strava, an app that needs little introduction. Apple highlights it as a place for the global fitness community to share goals, tips and milestones.
Apple TV app of the year finalists
Looking for something great to watch? The HBO Max app is a good place to start, having been cited as one of the best Apple TV apps of 2025 by Apple, with the company praising its quality series and focus on accessibility.
For the kids, there’s PBS KIDS Video, which offers a wealth of child-friendly programming and entertainment, letting parents relax in the knowledge that their little ones will be kept happy.
The Apple TV isn’t just for apps, though, as demonstrated by Super Farming Boy 4K, which also won in this category. This game is a mix of action, puzzles and adventure, brought together by farming sim elements for an enjoyable experience for the whole family.
Cultural impact finalists
Fancy going off-piste? Apple has also recognized 12 apps for their cultural impact, with the winners listed below:
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