What do you think when you see the word witchcraft? Salem? Broomsticks? Bubbling cauldrons? An old withered woman hunched over a tarot deck and an oil lamp? You may or may not be surprised to learn that the modern witch is seldom any of these things. In fact, for many of us involved in the modern witchy world, technology plays a huge part in our practices!
If you're a modern witch looking to expand your reach into the technological world, or maybe even just a curious newcomer, this is the article for you. These apps may never be able to replace your loved and worn tarot deck or grimoire, but they are certainly convenient in a pinch! Not to mention, there's just something kind of cool about having a spellbook with a backlight.
1. Spellcaster
Spellcaster is one of the witchy apps I've been using the longest--and with good reason! It's a great introductory tool for new witches, it's mostly free, and it's aesthetically pleasing to boot. The app includes a great variety of different tools, including several daily tarot readings, a baby spellbook with detailed instructions on castings, and a daily horoscope. For $0.99 you can also unlock rune readings, a rock guide, and of course, some cute witchy stickers.
I'd recommend this app for new or casual witches due to its easy to use interface and versatility. However, more seasoned witches might find it a little confining and impersonal, as there is no way to add your own spells or other customization.
2. Oil Guide
With a simple and easy to use interface, this app is fantastic for those looking to get into the application of oils or aromatherapy as part of their practices. It includes fabulously written information guides on everything from acne treatments to ulcers, tips for direct application and methodology, detailed info on just about every oil and oil blend you could imagine, and even an entire section dedicated entirely to weight-loss.
The downside? The meticulous detail of the app is almost entirely lost without purchasing the premium version, only allowing access to a select one or two pages in each section tab. The good news is the premium version is only $0.99, and while I usually scorn the thought of purchasing anything I can look up on the internet for free, Oil Guide is just so damn compact and comprehensive it ends up paying itself off over and over again.
I would absolutely recommend this app to anyone looking to seriously get into using essential oils, not just witches. That being said, newer witches might be a little overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information the app has to offer and might feel more comfortable easing their way into witchcraft with some tamer apps, like Spellcaster or GoldenThread Tarot.
3. PlantNet
PlantNet is, and I don't say this lightly, freaking awesome. Funny enough, it is very much not designed to pander to witches, but I'll be damned if it isn't one of the coolest tools I own regardless. Its basic premise revolves around mucking about in nature, so if that isn't up your alley, it's possible this app is not for you. However, if you are like me and enjoy the occasional escapade into the wilderness, this app can become your best friend real quick.
PlantNet is essentially a worldwide database of identified plant species, categorized by location. Now while that might not exactly sound like the most interesting sentence you've ever read, its usefulness makes itself known through its signature feature: camera identification. That's right, if you've ever seen a plant on a hike and thought, what the hell is that? This app is about to become the coolest thing you download today.
Simply snap a couple pictures of the plant in question and PlantNet will automatically search through its databases to find you a range of potential matches. Once you recognize your mystery flora, simply click the picture and PlantNet will dump an entire Wiki page's worth of info about it on you. This has been amazing while looking for herbs out in the wild, and also just becoming more familiar with my native plant life. Plus, once you submit your photo, it gets added to the national database as a GPS location for that specific plant--who said science and witchcraft couldn't work together?
4. Stone
Stone is one of my favorite apps not only for its usefulness but also because it's so dang aesthetically pleasing. Like you might have guessed from the name, Stone is a crystal and rock identification tool. The app opens to a page of various crystals against a white background, and clicking one brings you to a pretty looking page that tells you the basic uses and principals for the stone in question.
Its a great tool for identifying crystals you might own but aren't quite sure of their names or uses. With a constantly expanding and updating database, its worth coming back to even if you couldn't find what you were looking for the first time. It also allows you to search for stones by name or "vibe", which is essentially the enhancing effect of a particular stone (i.e. "passion", "insight", "joy", etc.).
While the more seasoned witch might find Stone a little basic, it is a great tool for new or beginner witches that are curious to learn about the common properties of crystals and how to use them.
5. GoldenThread Tarot
GTT is a fun app I would recommend to those looking for an introduction to tarot, or those witches just looking for a fun daily tarot app. Like Spellcaster, GTT offers a daily tarot reading, albeit at a more advanced level. The thing I love about this app that Spellcaster lacks, however, is its ability to personalize its readings in a way I didn't think possible for a smartphone app. After drawing your daily tarot card (which is complete with an explanation of its meaning for those unfamiliar), the app will ask you to rate your reaction on a scale of great to horrible, as well as choose from a list of generated words that might have been evoked while reading your card (i.e. acceptance, fear, excitement) before adding that card, as well as your reaction, to your personal log.
Logging your cards daily provides a fun way to look back over your readings, as well as make connections in your personal life. Another cool thing about GTT is it offers to teach you how to use your own physical tarot deck in personal readings, and also allows you to log readings done this way. Many witches are uncomfortable using digital tarot decks, so the fact that GTT provides options for both physical and digital tarot readings makes it a fabulous versatile tool.
Beyond this, GTT also offers several general tarot lessons, ranging from "An Introduction to Tarot" to "The Minor Arcana," as well a tarot database that explains suits, individual cards, and their relationships to each other.
I recommend GTT to all witches, new and old, as both a fun way to learn and to practice tarot skills. The best part? The app is 100% free, although its creator does sell a beautiful physical tarot deck based on the app's aesthetic, so if you're a witch looking for a deck, give it a look!
