19 Epic iPhone Productivity Apps & Tips

You can be more productive on your iPhone or smartphone. My home screen as been pretty consistent for the last few years. With this tutorial, I'll take you through the apps I use, how they work together, and some quick tips on productivity with your iPhone. If you're just starting out or want some productivity ideas, this post is for you.

Above, I share a quick tutorial video from my iPhone. (Screenflow lets you record from your iPhone or iPad!)

19 Epic iPhone Productivity Apps

Facebook Messenger

Cost: Free

How it Makes Me More Productive: I get lots of business done on Facebook messenger. Active connections are one reason I do connect with people I know professionally on Facebook. I book shows, plan trips, and sometimes even plan to speak for people. According to Facebook, this is the second most popular app on the iPhone. You do need a Facebook account (and some friends) for this app to work.

[button href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/messenger/id454638411?mt=8″ primary=”false” centered=”true” newwindow=”true”]Get Facebook Messenger[/button]

Flipboard

Cost: Free

How it Makes Me More Productive: ByThis is my go-to quick news reader! See 15 Fantastic Ways to Use Flipboard and Flipboard Magazines make curation for your classes Easy.

[button href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/flipboard-your-social-news/id358801284?mt=8″ primary=”false” centered=”true” newwindow=”true”]Get Flipboard[/button]

30/30 App

Cost: Free

How it Makes Me More Productive: ByThe 30/30 app helps you create everyday habits. See 3 Little Tricks to Smooth Out Your Day and Plan Your Ideal Week

[button href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/30-30/id505863977?mt=8″ primary=”false” centered=”true” newwindow=”true”]Get 30/30[/button]

Focus@will

Cost: Free Trial, Subscription prices vary

How it Makes Me More Productive: This app claims to use science to design the music that puts you in “the zone” of productivity. It works for me and my son who swears by it. I do have the subscription and also use it in my classroom, although sometimes kids want music with words. ;-)

[button href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/focus-will/id638810714?mt=8″ primary=”false” centered=”true” newwindow=”true”]Get Focus@will[/button]

Buffer App

Cost: Free for Individuals, but it will only store ten buffers at a time, the Awesome plan is $10/ month for 100 and pricing goes up from there.

How it Makes Me More Productive: I schedule tweets, Facebook updates, and everything through this handy tool. While I do heavy work through buffer on the web, Buffer helps me to schedule tweets so I can focus on teaching or writing or whatever I need to do during the day.

[button href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/buffer-for-twitter-social/id490474324?mt=8″ primary=”false” centered=”true” newwindow=”true”]Get the Buffer App[/button]

Grocery IQ

Cost: Free

How it Makes Me More Productive: Grocery IQ is just so easy to use. I scan barcodes when we run out of items, or dictate my list on the go. It finds coupons for me as well since I don't have time to clip them.

[button href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/grocery-iq/id290591617?mt=8″ primary=”false” centered=”true” newwindow=”true”]Get GroceryIQ[/button]

Evernote

Cost: Free, Plus ($24.99) or Premium ($49.99) – I have the Premium Plan.

How it Makes Me More Productive: ByEvernote is my notebook for everything. As you'll see with VJournal and Drafts, I use it to collect ideas, thoughts, and even to take pictures of my daily journal and give myself to-dos. It is a fantastic tool. See Make a Table of Contents in Evernote, Save your Kindle Notes into Evernote, and Export iBooks Notes to Evernote for some favorite hacks.

[callout]Productivity Tip: As I show you in the video, I use Evernote with Task Clone, which adds tasks to OmniFocus for me. It also works with Wunderlist, Todoist, and many other task managers. Task clone links paper, Evernote, and my task manager together in an amazing workflow, so I lose NOTHING.[/callout]

[button href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/evernote/id281796108?mt=8″ primary=”false” centered=”true” newwindow=”true”]Get Evernote[/button]

Hootsuite

Cost: Free

How it Makes Me More Productive: Some people schedule and post to Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and more from Hootsuite with their pro version. I just use it to read Twitter, follow hashtags and keep on top of Twitter. The Twitter app becomes unusable when you start getting a lot of replies and conversations to follow. I can't make hide nor hair of it. ;-) So, Hootsuite is my go-to tool for daily Twitter on my iPhone. See How to Set Up Streams in Hootsuite.

[button href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hootsuite-schedule-posts-for/id341249709?mt=8″ primary=”false” centered=”true” newwindow=”true”]Get Hootsuite[/button]

Safari

Cost: Free

How it Makes Me More Productive: It is the Internet. ;-) What more do I say. One big tip, close those extra screens as I show you in the video, they stay open and will slow you down!

[callout]Comes with your iPhone, no need to download.[/callout]

vJournal

Cost: .99 cents for Journal but they have a free version.

How it Makes Me More Productive: As I show in the video when you jot quick notes, it sends those to a daily journal page in Evernote with a timestamp. I've been using this for years and LOVE IT. It also will send pics and locations. Talk about documentation (if you need it for something). Excellent tool! See 9 Fine Reasons to Keep a Journal (and how to help kids do it too.

[button href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/journal-for-evernote/id540970052?mt=8″ primary=”false” centered=”true” newwindow=”true”]Get Journal for Evernote[/button]

Amazon Music

Cost: Comes with Amazon Prime ($99/year, Student members $49)

How it Makes Me More Productive: Amazon Music comes with Prime Membership. I'm running out of space on my iPhone, but I love music. Amazon Music took Pandora's place on my home screen about six months ago.

[button href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/amazon-music-with-prime-music/id510855668?mt=8″ primary=”false” centered=”true” newwindow=”true”]Get Amazon Music with Prime Music[/button]

iCatcher!

Cost: $2.99

How it Makes Me More Productive: Internet radio rocks my world. Besides having a show, I listen to lots of podcasts. This app organizes into playlists, so I don't have to switch between podcasts while I'm driving. It is like my personal talk radio station. See A tutorial on how to subscribe using iCatcher.

[button href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/icatcher!-podcast-player/id414419105?mt=8″ primary=”false” centered=”true” newwindow=”true”]Get iCatcher! Podcast Player[/button]

OmniFocus

Cost: $39.99 (the Mac and iPad versions also cost money.

How it Makes Me More Productive: By I kept playing around with everything else, secretly longing for Omnifocus. Finally, my sister asked me if I would buy a book that made me more productive for $40. I told her I would — of course — and have done it before. I have the iPhone, iPad and Mac version of this and sync with their servers. Pricey I know but it is the best to-do app on the market. Make sure you're serious and going to use it, but if you are serious about productivity like I am, Omnifocus can't be beaten.

[button href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/omnifocus-2/id904071710?mt=8″ primary=”false” centered=”true” newwindow=”true”]Get Omnifocus2 on your iPhone[/button]

Olive Tree Bible Reader

Cost: Free, you will pay for different versions of the Bible

How it Makes Me More Productive: I use this app on my iPhone, iPad, and Mac. As a Sunday School teacher, this app is essential for me. The notes sync between my devices, so if I highlight one passage, the highlight appears on all of my devices. I love this app.

[button href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bible+-by-olive-tree/id332615624?mt=8″ primary=”false” centered=”true” newwindow=”true”]Get Bible+ by Olive Tree[/button]

Bloomz

Cost: Free

How it Makes Me More Productive: Bloomz is my go-to for all parent/teacher communications. I share updates, snap pics, and ask for volunteers through the app. Parents can message me, and I can respond without all of the issues that come with giving out my cell phone. Love love!

[button href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bloomz/id690437499?mt=8″ primary=”false” centered=”true” newwindow=”true”]Get Bloomz[/button]

Drafts 4

Cost: $9.99

How it Makes Me More Productive:  Drafts 4 automates workflow. If you want to type something and share it across multiple networks with one click, Drafts will do it. I use it to quickly send items to lists in Evernote as I show in the video. It does so much more! Drafts 4 is a Swiss Army knife for those who are a bit geeky about productivity.

[button href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/drafts-4-quickly-capture-notes/id905337691?mt=8″ primary=”false” centered=”true” newwindow=”true”]Get Drafts 4[/button]

Calendar 5

Cost: $6.99

How it Makes Me More Productive: Calendar 5 quickly lets you add tasks and syncs with your Google Calendar or iCal. It does have built in tasks, but I use it just for the awesome calendar. See Plan Your Ideal Week.

[button href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/calendars-5-smart-calendar/id697927927?mt=8″ primary=”false” centered=”true” newwindow=”true”]Get Calendar 5[/button]

Mailbox

Cost: Free

How it Makes Me More Productive: The fastest, best mail app that works with Gmail and iCloud. See Mailbox: Inbox Zero and Email Productivity [An App of the Week Lesson Plan and The best Mail app for the iPad or iPhone: Mailbox.

[button href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mailbox/id576502633?mt=8″ primary=”false” centered=”true” newwindow=”true”]Get Mailbox[/button]

[reminder preface=”Question:” comment=”Share on Twitter“]What are your favorite iPhone apps? Share links to your own blog posts or info on your fave apps in the comments![/reminder]