The best part about this list? Everything below is free for both iOS and Android!
1. Spotify
No matter what you’re trying to do – whether it’s studying, working out, or trying to relax – music makes everything better. But Spotify makes the music easier to get, customize, and listen to.
This app is perfect for music lovers, thanks to the ability to make playlists, listen offline, and save your favorite tracks. Even better? It’s free, but includes the ability to upgrade to premium.
2. GroupMe
Needing to work on a group project, plan a vacation with your friends, or your phone doesn’t have service but you still want to talk to people? Have no fear, for GroupMe has you covered!
When my brother shattered my phone (goodbye iPhone 5C, hellooooooooooo iPhone SE!), this app saved my life thanks to their online service. And that’s the great thing about GroupMe – I was able to log into the app on my computer and still talk to all of my friends.
100% free, 100% of the time. Group chats have never been so easy.
3. Outlook or Gmail
If you’re anything like me, I check my emails about 100 times a day. I always have someone important emailing me something that needs my attention ASAP. That’s why I love both the Outlook and Gmail apps so much.
The apps are clean and easy to use, making checking my emails hassle free. To add to it, the push notifications to let me know when I have emails that need my attention prevent me from checking up on it a million times a day. Now, I just check whenever I get a notification!
4. LinkedIn
As a college student, you should be networking with professionals in your degree and attempting to obtain internships. Thankfully for you, LinkedIn has developed a clean, easy to use app to let you do just that.
Add connections, message people you need to speak to, and check your feed easily with this wonderful app.
5. Mint
A favorite of my partner’s, Mint is an app that makes spending money and making sure that you’re not spending all your hard earned cash easy. Thanks to colorful pie charts and the ability to track your expenses and deposits, you don’t have to worry about going over budget. Easily create and manage a budget that fits your needs, and view how your expenses affect said budget.
For this handy app, just make sure that you have a US or Canadian banking account!
6. Wolfram Alpha
Struggle with math, or just need an answer to a particularly hard question? Then you better thank your lucky stars that Wolfram Alpha is here to save the day!
Using your phone, imput your problem and watch as the answer appears before you! Want a step-by-step solution? Just pay a few dollars for the pro version to activate.
What’s cool about Wolfram Alpha (and something a lot of people don’t realize) is that there is more to Wolfram Alpha than just math. You can apply filters to pictures, find out if you are healthy, and even find out how many points you can score in a game of Scrabble.
7. OpenTable
This unique portal is used worldwide by those who crave creating a reservation at a restaurant, but don’t want to wait or have the time for calling into the restaurant. In less than a minute you can sort restaurants nearby by price, ratings, and cuisine. Have a fancy anniversary coming up, or maybe a special birthday? No problem!
8. Twitter
Maybe this one seems a little odd, but Twitter is absolutely awesome for staying up to date with the latest news, what your favorite companies are doing, and even follow your school’s twitter account to stay informed about what’s going on around campus.
I mean, why not use one of the world’s most used apps to actually benefit your college experience?
9. Skype
Being away from your family – no matter what your age is, can be hard. An oldie but a goodie, Skype is here to help you out. You can video chat with anyone in the world for absolutely free, making it a fun and easy way to connect with your loved ones. Also, use Skype’s voice calling to call those who may not have a camera that allows Skype to work. Don’t like the app for the phone? You can also download the program for your computer, too.
10. MyFitnessPal
Beat the freshman 15 – or really, beat the issue of gaining weight at all during college with the MyFitnessPal app. This easy to use app allows you to track what you eat, your total caloric intake, and even how many calories you have burned throughout the day. Want even more really cool features? Then try premium, where you can have the app without ads, have access to dietician approved recipes, meal plans, and nutrition tips.
11. Uber
I know one of my biggest issue (and one of my biggest shames) is the fact that I still cannot drive at 19 years old. Thankfully, if none of my friends are free to help me out, Uber is there for me. Simply download the app and sync up a credit or debit card. Uber can take you anywhere you want – but it’s not free! While the app itself is free, you have to pay the person driving you around based on how long your trip is. This is a must have for the students who can’t transport themselves to the grocery store or mall.
Know any really awesome apps for college students that you think I missed? Let me know in the comment section!
