5 Best App Designs of All Time
By all accounts, TikTok reigns supreme. As of Q3 2023, it has over 1.6 billion users globally, out of which 1.1 are active monthly users (Demandsage). Drawing inspiration from leading social media platforms, TikTok has redefined the industry landscape with its emphasis on simplicity, creativity, and user-friendly design.
Over its lifespan, short videos on TikTok evolved from frivolous entertainment to a thriving business platform. Creators find it seamless to upload, edit, and share videos, while the app's diverse filters and effects, coupled with personalized content curation through efficient algorithms, create an engaging and somewhat addictive user engagement. TikTok's focus on short-form, entertaining videos has transformed it into a cultural phenomenon, capturing the attention of global celebrities and their massive fan base.
Price: Free
Availability: iOS, Android, web
In 2009, WhatsApp emerged with a game-changing feature: the ability to message and call internationally, using Wi-Fi or mobile data to avoid the high cost of traditional phone networks turned into a go-to means of communication globally with approximately 2.7 billion users around the world (Statista). Now, it’s clear why Facebook churned a whopping $19B to acquire it.
Besides its mass adoption, WhatsApp's influential app design shines through its seamless user experience, clean, intuitive interface and secure, cross-platform functionality, and end-to-end encryption that ensures user privacy. Group chats, voice messages, and multimedia sharing add versatility, while regular updates improve functionality and security. Another reason WhatsApp spread so quickly is that it populates your friends list with phone numbers already on your phone — you can find a contact that works without having to look up a separate email address or username.
Price: Free
Availability: iOS, Android
Let’s be honest, for better or worse, Tinder revolutionized modern dating and became a blueprint for any contender entering the dating app niche. With its super simple swiping mechanism (swipe-right-to-like, swipe-left-to-dislike), it allows users to express (dis)interest seamlessly, and that feature became iconic. Though it did expose the darker sides of the so-called hookup culture, in some rare cases, it has led to marriages as well.
As is expected from such an app, Tinder’s U prioritizes visual appeal, making it accessible to a wider audience. Location-based matching enhances real-world connections, while a minimalistic profile setup allows quick engagement. Consistent updates and innovations, like the "Super Like" and the "Tinder Boost," keep user interaction dynamic and interesting. Integration of social media and Spotify adds depth to each profile. Speaking of Spotify...
Price: Free
Availability: iOS, Android
While it might not be the most used app in the world, nor the most downloaded, Spotify revolutionized the music industry. The platform’s freemium model and extensive catalog of songs, artists (11 million), podcasts, and personalized recommendations changed how we consume music. So much so, that physical albums became a thing of the past, overnight, making streaming the dominant distribution model. Spotify currently has over 551 million monthly active listeners as of Q2 2023 (Demandsage).
Spotify offers a seamless user experience, excelling in content discovery and curation. Its intuitive interface allows users to easily explore a vast library, create playlists, and discover new music through algorithms tailored to individual preferences. Features like collaborative playlists, offline listening, and cross-device sync enhance user engagement.
Price: Free / Premium $10.99 per month
Availability: iOS, Android
While we usually don’t focus on video games of any kind, the dizzying success of Subway Surfers is something we simply can’t ignore. Downloaded over 4B times cumulatively since 2012, Subway Surfers captivated players with vibrant, dynamic visuals and engaging yet simplistic gameplay. The endless run, combined with intuitive swipe controls, offers accessibility and addictive fun to everyone, not just avid gamers.
Appealing visuals are a given. Users play from the perspective of a graffiti artist who dashes through the subway setting while fleeing the law, collecting coins and power-ups along the way. Frequent updates introduce new locations, characters, and challenges, keeping the game fresh. Its global popularity stems from the perfect blend of appealing graphics, straightforward mechanics, and continuous innovation. Subway Surfers stands as a prime example of a mobile game that transcends cultural boundaries and ages, making it a lasting phenomenon in the mobile gaming industry.
Price: Free / In-app purchase
Availability: iOS, Android
