Looking for the best apps and games to try on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or other Apple device? You may want to check out the ones that Apple itself has crowned as the elite for 2024.
Each year, Apple’s App Store Awards highlight the top apps and games for user experience, design, and innovation. On Monday, the company revealed the winners of its App Store Award finalists for the year, and they’re quite a mix.
The 45 apps run across 12 different categories, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Arcade, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and, for the first time this year, the Apple Vision Pro.
Also: 8 MacOS apps I can’t live without – and why
“We’re thrilled to celebrate this year’s App Store Award finalists, whose imagination and craftsmanship have produced amazing apps that users love,” Carson Oliver, Apple’s head of Worldwide App Store, said in a press release. “From games that transport players to fantastical new worlds, to apps that fuel creativity, these developers are delivering remarkable experiences that captivate and inspire.”
Without further adieu, here are the 45 winners, along with info on how to access them.
iPhone App of the Year Finalists
Apple cited these iPhone app finalists’ ability to enhance real-world experience through personalized tools and user-friendly features.
- Kino – A $9.99 video recording app that turns your everyday videos into cinematic productions
- Runna – A free app with customized training plans for runners of all levels
- Tripsy – A free app that helps you better plan your travels
iPhone Game of the Year Finalists
The top iPhone games got the nod from Apple for offering captivating narratives, rich visuals, and compelling characters.
- AFK Journey – A free role-playing game that helps you create fantasy worlds with striking battles
- The WereCleaner – A free game with a comical twist featuring a janitor who’s also a werewolf
- Zenless Zone Zero – A free game that places you into a future storyline with plenty of action
iPad App of the Year Finalists
Apple rewarded these iPad apps for their imaginative play and creativity.
- Bluey: Let’s Play – A free learning game for kids, complete with lovable characters
- Moises – A free musical learning app that separates the vocals and instruments from any song
- Procreate Dreams – Priced at $19.99, this app can bring animated stories to life
iPad Game of the Year Finalists
The finalists for iPad Game of the Year were applauded for dynamic storytelling and beautifully designed worlds.
- Assassin’s Creed Mirage – This free game will place you into narrative-driven adventures
- Disney Speedstorm – This free game challenges you to compete in high-speed races
- Squad Busters – Another free game that combines challenges with action and strategy
Apple Arcade Game of the Year Finalists
The finalists in the Apple Arcade were touted for their epic stories and new takes on the classics.
- Balatro+ – A mixture of card games like Solitaire and Poker
- Outlanders 2 – Build towns with captivating characters, expressive animations, and cool graphics
- Sonic Dream Team – This one unveils new adventures for Sonic the Hedgehog
Mac App of the Year Finalists
The finalists on the Mac provide powerful tools to help you more easily tackle different projects.
- Adobe Lightroom – The free Lightroom app can edit and enhance your photos and videos with a touch of AI
- OmniFocus 4 – This free task management app helps you juggle your tasks
- Shapr3D – This free CAD app assists you as you design 3D models and draft drawings
Mac Game of the Year Finalists
Apple highlighted the Mac game finalists for their unique protagonists, visual style, and fun.
- Frostpunk 2 – Priced at $45, this survival game challenges you to build entire cities in a post-apocalyptic wasteland
- Stray – In this $29.99 adventure game, you’re a cat who must solve mysteries in a decaying cybercity
- Thank Goodness You’re Here! – In this $19.99 cheeky comedy game, you’re a traveling salesman who takes on an assortment of increasingly odd jobs
Apple Watch App of the Year Finalists
The Apple Watch finalists were lauded for offering helpful tools and information accessible from your wrist.
- LookUp – This free English dictionary app helps you improve your vocabulary with daily definitions
- Lumy – Priced at $6.99, this one puts you in tune with the sun and moon for photo taking, hiking, and other tasks
- Watch to 5K – At $4.49, this app pushes you to train for 5K marathons
Apple Vision Pro App of the Year Finalists
Receiving awards for the first time this year, the Vision Pro finalists caught Apple’s eye for pushing the boundaries of spatial computing.
- JigSpace – This free app lets you easily view 3D and augmented reality models
- NBA – The free NBA app keeps you updated on the latest basketball highlights and stats
- What If…? An Immersive Story – This free app takes you to the alternate reality of Marvel’s “What If” universe
Apple Vision Pro Game of the Year Finalists
The Vision Pro game finalists were lauded for their vibrant scenes and intuitive gameplay.
- Loóna – This free game aims to relax you with spatial puzzle games and 3D dioramas
- THRASHER – For $19.99, this arcade action game tasks you to survive in an alien world
- Vacation Simulator – Priced at $29.99, this game invites you to explore different destinations and activities in simulated vacation spots
Apple TV App of the Year Finalists
Apple touted the finalists for the Apple TV for bringing stunning experiences to larger screens.
- DROPOUT – This free app provides uncensored and ad-free TV shows and episodes that you won’t find elsewhere
- F1 TV– This free one puts you into the cockpit of a race car to watch live and on-demand races
- Zoom – The free Zoom app lets you participate in Zoom meetings directly from your Apple TV
Cultural Impact Finalists
Finally, Apple cited 12 apps for their cultural impact in using powerful stories to create a lasting impression.
- Arco – This $19.99 action game lets you shape your own stories and adventures
- The Bear – This free app tries to turn bedtime into a calming and interactive experience
- BetterSleep – This free one plays calming sounds and meditative music to help you relax and fall asleep
- Brawl Stars – This free game lets you play a variety of arena games, either solo or online with friends
- DailyArt – This free app provides a daily dose of art history
- Do You Really Want to Know 2 – This free app tries to address misconceptions about HIV through an interactive story
- EF Hello – With this free app, you can learn English through an AI-enhanced tutor
- NYT Games – The free NYT games app challenges you to play Wordle, Sudoku, Crosswords, and more
- Oko – This 99-cent walking direction app helps more safely navigate intersections
- Partiful – This free app helps you send and manage party and event invitations
- Pinterest – The free Pinterest app lets you explore and shop for fashion and home items
- The Wreck – In this free 3D visual novel, you follow a failed screenwriter trying to make it through a pivotal day in her life