10 smartphone apps to try in 2022

We’ve all heard about popular apps such as Duolingo, TikTok and Shazam but if you want to spice up your phone with some new apps, here are a few good suggestions!

This list includes apps that can be used for a variety of activities and occasions, including travel, organisation, entertainment and fuel. Whether you have an Android or iPhone, we’ve got something for you.

1. TripIT: Travel Planner (iOS and Android) - If you are planning a post pandemic holiday, TripIt is a handy app that holds all of your travel information in one place, including your itinerary, hotel bookings and plane tickets. It’s $77.99 per year.
2. Google News (iOS and Android) - Want to quickly read all the headlines about what’s happening in the world in one place? The Google News app offers one of the largest collections of news available on mobile devices. Bonus - this app is free!
3. Auslan Tutor (iOS and Android) - Have you ever wanted to learn sign language? The Auslan Tutor app is made by the Royal Institute of Deaf and Blind Children and it teaches you how to communicate 150 common Auslan signs, each with a photo and video demonstrating how to do it. (Auslan is the Australian version of sign language). This app has a one time payment of $5.99. There is also a newer version of this app called Auslan Tutor 2. On Auslan Tutor 2, the first module “Key Signs 1” is free and then the second and third modules cost $2.99 each.
4. BrainGains (iOS - there are many similar brain game apps available in the Google Play Store) - Want to test your brain? The BrainGains app has a wide range of crosswords, quizzes and sudoku puzzles that you can solve. With 15 new games everyday, it’s bound to keep you entertained and your brain busy. The app comes with a 30-day free trial and then you can choose from $7.49 per month or $59.99 per year.
5. Fuel Map Australia (iOS and Android) - Track the prices of fuel all over Australia and find the cheapest petrol near you. This app shows real-time fuel prices for WA, NSW and QLD and WA shows prices for both today and tomorrow (tomorrow’s prices available after 3pm). The app also comes with a fuel log tool that allows you to keep track of your fuel purchases and your vehicle's fuel economy. Bonus - this app is free!
6. Calm: Sleep and Meditation (iOS and Android) - Calm is the self proclaimed #1 app for sleep and meditation. Although already very popular, many people are still sceptical and haven’t yet given Calm a go. If you struggle with anxiety, getting to sleep or staying asleep, take this as your final push! The  Calm app features guided meditations with lengths ranging from 3 to 25 minutes as well as a variety of calming sounds that can help put you to sleep. The app offers a 7 day free trial and then it costs $23.49 per month or $79.99 per year.
7. Bring! Shopping List and Recipes (iOS and Android) - This one allows you to make and share your shopping list with others. You can also create a separate list for each grocery store, making it easy to keep track of what you need from where. The app also allows you to store your loyalty cards so they are easy to access when you go to pay. You can also browse from a variety of recipes which you can save to the “my recipes” section to revisit later. The app costs $2.00 per month or $20.99 per year.
8. Co-Star (iOS and Android) - If you’re interested in star signs and astrology, chances are, you have already heard of Co-Star, but if you haven’t, this one's for you! This app offers a personalised chart based on various details such as your date of birth, place of birth and time of birth. Even if you don’t believe in astrology, the personalised chart can be interesting to read and discuss with friends. The basic version of this app is free but you have to pay extra to unlock additional charts.
9. Visited (iOS and Android) - Want to keep track of all the countries you’ve visited? This app is for you. The Visited app allows you to record all the countries you’ve been to as well as add countries to your “want to visit” list. Your visited countries show up as blue on a world map, while want to visit are red. The basic version is free but if you want to unlock the version that allows you to select the individual cities you've been to, it costs $7.99.
10. Sleep Score (iOS and Android) - Have you ever wanted to track your sleep or find out if you snore? This app uses your phone to track your sleep and record any sounds. It can also be synced to a smart watch for more in depth sleep analysis. This app comes with a 7 day free trial and after this, it costs $9.99 per month or $59.99 per year.

If you are thinking about changing your mobile phone provider to keep up with all your new apps, you can compare some of the best deals on our mobile phone hub.