Coming up with an amazing or best mobile app idea in a digital world saturated with all sorts of apps isn’t easy. It can be incredibly discouraging when it seems like existing apps are so popular that you can’t even compete.
But remember, even those apps were once just a simple mobile app idea. Anyone can create a successful app with the right tool and some attention to detail. After that, using the right monetization strategy — such as running ads, offering paid listings, providing gated content, and more — will turn your effort into profit.
If you are looking for an innovative app idea, we have put together this extensive guide to help you brainstorm app ideas for your startup or business.
63 Best Mobile App Ideas for 2023
In this guide, you’ll find some great mobile app ideas for startups and businesses.
8 Culinary Arts App Ideas
Food Donation App
In this day and age, many of us are blessed with an excess of food. Sadly, most of the leftovers end up in the garbage. In an average household, it may not be more than a plate or so, but restaurants and hotels throw tons of food every day. Enter your new food donation app.
This app can help connect donors – such as restaurants and hotels – with the people and organizations needing the food most.
Food Delivery App
We don’t need to tell you how popular food delivery apps have become. Food delivery app enables users to order food from any restaurant within their area using their smartphone.
The users choose the payment method and the food can be left in front of their door. Inspire yourself with popular food delivery apps like Zomato, Glovo, and Uber Eats.
AI-Based Food Freshness Checker App
More and more apps use AI to help us in our everyday tasks. The food freshness checker uses the camera’s smartphone to photograph food. Then, AI tests for freshness rely on specific criteria and mechanisms. If you want to see how it works, download FoodKeeper or Food Freshness Checker.
Grocery Delivery App
There are likely some stores in your area that offer grocery delivery. Some of them work by ordering groceries on their website. A grocery delivery app is a more convenient idea. It’s more user-friendly and has more features.
The main features are delivery timing, location, and even automatic order repeat every week. Some of the popular ones are Instacart and Walmart Grocery.
Food Review & Recommendation App
A food review or menu item recommendation app relies on user experiences to help other restaurant patrons. This app would allow users to leave feedback on their meal or recommend a particular food or beverage item, after visiting the establishment.
Other users can then decide which restaurants to visit based on the reviews of others. Some popular apps like this include Open Table and Tasteful.
Recipes By Ingredients App
This app is great for reducing food waste and getting that lovely, home-cooked food on the table. The app would function by reviewing ingredients that the user inputs and showing several possible recipes that can be made using those ingredients.
For this app to work most efficiently, it should have a recipe database of several hundreds or thousands of recipes available to reference.
Seasonal Food App
Due to advances in horticulture, several foods can be grown year-round. However, in many cases, foods still taste best when grown during their natural growing season.
With a seasonal food app, all the user has to do is put in their location and the current time of year to find what foods are currently in-season and freshest in their area. The app can even be made in a way that connects users with their local farmers and delivers the food right to their doorstep.
Custom-Cake(s) Ordering App
There aren’t many custom cake ordering apps, so this might be an innovative app idea. With this app, users would be able to order a customized cake by size, design, decor, ingredients, and more.
The app would lead them through the process step by step. It could connect those searching for a custom cake with local bakeries, or could provide part-time jobs for talented home bakers.
9 Travel & Tourism App Ideas
Railway Tracking App
A train can be a very useful means of transport, especially in a busy town with a lot of traffic jams. What isn’t very useful is when the train is late and there is no way of knowing when it will arrive.
A railway tracking app would give the user the exact time the train gets to its station. Users would also know if the line has been discontinued or if any flagged or favorited routes are currently under construction.
Translation App
Translation apps break down language barriers, fostering understanding across cultures. They allow users to input text or speak phrases, which are then swiftly translated into their desired language.
Such an app would allow travelers to engage within diverse communities, learn new cultures, and connect with others worldwide.
Tourist Guide App
A curious tourist won’t find any hidden gems if only looking into classic city tours. The tourist helper app connects the tourist with local guides to show them a more unique view of the city.
The tourist can make a user profile highlighting their preferred points of interest, so the locals know what to show. Popular apps like these are Showaround and Withlocals.
No wonder people didn’t travel more in the past; they didn’t have digital navigation! Millions use these apps on an everyday basis. Such apps show traffic in real-time or can show and speak instructions.
Adding a local places feature to your app will provide further insights as users travel through new cities and areas.
Parking Space Finder App
Finding a parking spot can be a real skill in some cities. Often you spend more time finding it than arriving at the destination. Parking space finder apps have become popular because of that exact reason.
By using GPS location in real time, plus parking information, this app can help users find the nearest parking spot to their current location. Look at ParkMe or Car Compass to see how these types of apps function.
Location Tracking App
It’s not unusual to share whereabouts with somebody. Whether it is for convenience, to show them how close you are, or for safety, It’s done via a location tracking app.
These apps use GPS coordinates, position monitoring, and map integration. They’re especially purposive to install on your smaller kid’s phone.
Taxi Booking App
There are already hundreds o taxi booking apps in the world, and they all work in a similar manner. The key features are the ability to book a taxi in real-time based on your current location, choosing your preference, like seats and size, and tracking the vehicle location before and during the ride. Well-known apps are Uber, Bolt, and Lyft.
Travel Suggestions App
This app is great for curious, spontaneous, or indecisive travelers. Taking into account the interests of the user, it suggests fun and exciting places to visit, along with a range of things to do while there. It can even recommend hotels and other accommodations in the area.
This app may also include reviews for all the places and excursions it suggests. Inspire yourself with apps like HotelTonight and Airbnb.
Free WiFi Finder App
Everyone loves free Wi-Fi. And while it is usually available in most places, there are also hundreds of networks in each area that aren’t suitable for public use. A free WiFi finder app would be helpful for finding the best free and safe WiFi network.
The app automatically enables the phone’s Wi-Fi and connects with free, secure networks to save mobile data. Some of the popular Wi-Fi finder apps include WiFi Finder and WiFi Map.
11 Health & Wellness App Ideas
Telemedicine Apps
There could be any number of reasons why a patient may not be able to make it in to a doctor’s office in person, whether it’s lack of transportation, lack of mobility, or simply lack of a local physician’s practice.
In any case, having a telemedicine app, where patients can consult with doctors virtually, is the perfect solution. Using a telemedicine app, users can get proper healthcare advice from real medical professionals. Some of the top telemedicine apps are PlushCare and Teledoc.
Health Check-up App
A health-conscious person should go on check-ups regularly. Dentist appointments, annual doctor’s visits, dermatologists, and so on—there are so many appointments, it’s easy to miss one (or more).
With a health check-up app, users can set their age and currently known medical conditions, and the app can schedule reminders all year long for appointments that should be scheduled. If enabled, the app may even be able to contact the users’ preferred medical professionals and schedule those appointments automatically. This is a cool app idea for startups, and this dentistry app template can be modified for any healthcare setting.
Meditation App
Meditation is made easier with a meditation app. Such an app can guide users through basic meditation techniques. One of the main advantages of this app is that it intensifies the attention and focus of the user.
In fact, meditation apps are currently trending. Be sure to check the current ones like Insight Timer, Buddhify, and Simple Habit, and see if you can thrown your own meditation app into the ring.
Fitness App
This healthy lifestyle app would help users achieve their goals while tracking their progress and current health situation. A fitness app can monitor weight, heart rate, blood pressure, and more, often syncing directly with the users’ smart wearable devices to get those measurements automatically.
Some apps like these also include meal ideas, as well as nutrition charts. Your app may even offer direct communication with health coaches within the app.
Virtual Interior Designer App
Before buying anything, especially a large piece of furniture, people want to know what will it look like in their space. Many famous shops already offer this type of service, but they often charge for it.
With a virtual interior designer app, the user can do it themselves. Some apps like these are Houzz and Planner 5D.
Water Reminder App
It may seem like common sense to drink water frequently. Still, quite often people forget until they’re already dehydrated. That can ultimately lead to serious consequences.
Water-reminder apps make sure you drink the recommended amount of water during the day. There are even some, like Equa, that are connected with your smart water bottle.
Beauty Salon App
Generation Z makes phone calls feel like a chore. Everything is done with a text or an app. So why not book an appointment at a beauty salon with an app? A beauty salon app eliminates the process of calling, texting on various platforms, and writing down or remembering appointments.
With such an app, everything is automated and just one click away. This way, the booking process becomes simpler for both the client and the beauty salon staff.
Emergency Medical Alert App
An emergency medical alert app is crucial for ensuring quick medical response during emergencies. It allows users to create personal medical profiles with critical health information and emergency contacts.
In case of an emergency, users can trigger an alert through the app, notifying medical personnel of their condition and location. This enables swift assistance and access to vital health information, improving the chances of receiving appropriate medical care promptly, especially for individuals with pre-existing medical conditions or vulnerabilities.
Home Health Security App
When recovering from serious illness, it’s essential to closely monitor a patient’s recovery. This is difficult when they’re released from inpatient care, though. A home health monitoring security app would be beneficial for patients recovering at home. It allows remote health monitoring, enabling patients to track vital signs and symptoms. The app works by connecting patients with healthcare providers through virtual consultations.
Patients can input health data, such as blood pressure and temperature, and receive personalized health advice. Immediate alerts can be sent to healthcare providers if any concerning changes are detected, ensuring timely interventions and improved patient outcomes.
Medication Reminder Healthcare App
A medication reminder app is crucial in helping users stay on track with their medication schedules. It ensures they take medications on time, reducing the risk of missed doses, potential health complications, and improving treatment effectiveness.
Your app could work by allowing users to input their medication details, dosages, and schedules. It would then send timely notifications or alarms to remind users to take their medications. Additionally, the app may offer features like tracking medication adherence, providing educational resources, and enabling users to set personalized preferences to accommodate their unique needs, ultimately promoting better medication management and overall health outcomes.
Calorie Logger App
A calorie logger app is necessary for individuals aiming to manage their weight and improve their health. It enables users to track their daily calorie intake, promoting mindful eating habits.
The app works by allowing users to log their meals and snacks, utilizing a comprehensive database of food items with calorie information. Through barcode scanning or manual entry, users can easily track their intake, receive nutrition insights, and make informed choices for a balanced diet and overall well-being.
4 Communication & Social Media App Ideas
Social Media App
The most popular type of social networking app is the one that helps users communicate. In fact, users often spend up to 60% of their time on social media apps by talking or connecting with others.
They do that by texting, video chatting, and sharing photographs and documents. Though there are several huge social media apps already on the market, there’s still plenty of room for smaller apps that cultivate niche user bases.
Audio-Based Social App
This app could be a modern version of a group call. Users can create a group and share their stories with others in audio format. The conversation can be recorded so the others that didn’t get to participate can listen later. Some of these apps are Clubhouse, Audlist, and HearMeOut.
Culture Exchange Chat App
A culture exchange chat app is essential for language learners to practice speaking with native speakers and improve their language skills. It connects users from different linguistic backgrounds, pairing them based on their language or cultural preferences.
Through text or audio chats, users can learn about new cultures, or help each other learn and practice their listening, speaking, reading, and writing of new languages. The app fosters cultural exchange, mutual learning, and the development of fluency and confidence in speaking various languages, creating a supportive and dynamic language learning community. A community app template or chat feature would be perfect for this app idea.
Photo Filter App
Because of social media, photo filter apps have experienced huge market growth. Apps like these are equipped with plenty of effects and edit options.
The reason why they’re so popular is that they’re easy to work with and don’t require any previous knowledge of photo editing. The most used ones are Retrica, VSCO, and A Color Story.
5 Romance & Companionship App Ideas
Matrimony Apps
This kind of app would be noticeably similar to dating apps, but users would join for a more serious and long-term relationship. Ideally, users of a matrimony app would all be looking to find true love and get married — not just meet up with others for one night at a time.
Just like in dating apps, users of this app would create a profile, and AI technology would match them with others based on their location and interests.
Relationship Counseling App
Couples seeking to enhance their emotional connections and communication skills would benefit from a relationship counseling app. With counseling services and self-help resources, this app could offer personalized advice and guidance.
Couples can take self-assessments and receive personalized guidance, or they could find the nearest qualified counselors in their area for more qualified counseling to address conflicts, improve intimacy, and strengthen their bond. The app could allow couples to log and share their feelings, goals, and progress, fostering a healthier and more fulfilling relationship.
Love Letter App
A Love Letter App could provide a heartfelt and meaningful way for couples to express their love and appreciation. This app would allow users to craft and exchange virtual love letters.
You could provide customizable templates and multimedia features for users to personalize their messages. Love letters could be saved, creating a timeline of cherished memories. The app also might include a memory journal feature, enabling couples to document their journey and celebrate milestones in a private, sentimental space.
Virtual Date Night App
Couples in a long-distance relationship or who are seeking creative date ideas would appreciate a virtual date night app. Through this app, couples can engage in interactive virtual date nights, no matter the distance.
It could offer a variety of activities, games, and shared experiences for a fun and intimate time together. Whether cooking together with live video feeds, watching movies and sharing commentary, or exploring virtual museums, this app would foster a strong emotional connection and keep the romance alive despite physical separation.
Animal (Pet) Matrimony App
If there’s one for humans, why not one for the pets? You may not know this, but the pet mating market is very competitive. When users decide to mate their pet they can just find the proper mate via the animal matrimony app.
This would be an ideal app for breeders. Users could input their pets’ pedigrees and family lineage, and find potential mates based on breed, age, pedigree, and location. There aren’t many apps like this, so this might be a great business idea.
5 House & Home App Ideas
Cleaning Service App
A lot of cleaning services now have their app. It’s easier, more user-friendly, and less time-consuming than finding a cleaning service provider by yourself, or maintaining several cleaning clients.
Clients (the home or business owner) can use the application by setting the square footage of their building, the services they need, and their budget. Meanwhile, cleaning agencies can bid on projects, see all of their clients in one app, set and confirm cleaning appointments, and manage their invoicing.
Goods Exchange App
Rather than buying a new device or throwing away the ones you’re not using, it would be better to first check a goods exchange app. This kind of app allows users to exchange electronics, furniture, clothes, and more by connecting communities based on location.
Goods exchange apps are very popular amongst those who want to reduce their carbon footprint.
Handyman App
Wouldn’t it be nice to have all the local handymen in one place? In a handyman app, you can create one massive listing of all the handyman, their skills and experience, services provided, contact information, and quotes or testimonials from previous clients — all on one digital platform.
App users could find a handyman by searching for the type of service they need, and when it needs to be done by. This type of app would be even more useful for handymen who are looking for work. When building your handyman app, look at similar platforms such as Angi’s List for inspiration.
Home and Event Decorating App
There are some times of the year when decorative items are the talk of the town. Whether you’re decorating your home for a small gathering or an arena for a huge event, a decorating app can help.
With a home or event decorating app, you can provide visual inspiration for spaces based on the size of the space, whether food will be served, what the theme entails, and more. You can also provide links to purchase event decorations as seen in the images provided, or links to service providers who can set up and install certain party elements, like temporary bars or dance floors, or provide services like chefs, DJs, performance artists, entertainers, and more.
Collectible Valuation App
Have you ever cleaned out your home or storage facility and found interesting items of unknown value? What did you do, donate them or try to resell them? How did you decide?
A collectible valuation app would be perfect in this situation. It’d allow users to assess the value of their items by inputting details or uploading photos, and using data analytics and recent market trends to instantly provides accurate valuations. The result: users can maximize the value of their discoveries while simplifying the decluttering process.
4 Money & Finance App Ideas
CryptoCurrency App
We are witnessing the growth of a cryptocurrency market which one day may be the dominant way of paying. So, why not get ahead of that? With the cryptocurrency app, users can safely buy, sell and manage all their cryptocurrencies.
In this app, debit cards or bank accounts could be used to buy cryptos. Some of the most popular cryptocurrency apps to take inspiration from include Gemini and Voyager.
Credit Spending App
While swiping a card, people don’t truly see how much of their money is being spent. They know the total amount of the current purchase, of course, but they can’t see that total amount in relation to the funds available in their account. A credit spending app is a great way for users to monitor their expenses.
With a credit spending app, users can monitor their spending based on available funds or credit. They can connect several different cards to the app, and their expenses can be sorted into categories. Some of the popular apps like this are Goodbudget and Mint.
Investment App
People, especially young people, are investing more and more into stocks. Investment apps help users do this quickly and conveniently, teaching them step by step about the market, about buying and selling stocks, and how to know (or guess) when is a good time to make changes to your investment strategy.
Some of these apps use artificial intelligence and users can set things like time, location, and budget. The app may even suggest possible good investments for the user — with a warning that all suggestions are just that, and profits are not guaranteed, of course.
Automatic Coupon Applier App
Everyone wants to save up some money when shopping online. Instead of searching for coupons across the depths of the internet, an automatic coupon applier app can do this automatically for users. This way, the user always gets the best deal. Honey is a popular existing app that does this currently.
6 Business & Legal App Ideas
Inventory Tracking App
This one’s for all companies, big and small. Inventory is a big deal, and everything has to be done right, properly counted, for it all to have been worth it. An inventory tracking app keeps all of your data in one place, making inventory season easier than ever.
With this app, all goods and resources are connected, and can easily be traced as they make their way throughout a business. Losses can be logged, new purchase orders created, and “black holes” identified where inventory seems to suddenly go missing. Ideal apps in this arena include Sortly and Inventory Now.
Market Research App
As an entrepreneur, knowing your target audience and identifying your competitors is of utmost importance. A market research app could provide tools to conduct surveys, analyze data, and gather insights about consumer preferences and behavior. It could also offer competitor analysis features, gathering information on market trends and strategies.
Such apps could streamline the market research process, enabling entrepreneurs to make informed business decisions, optimize their marketing efforts, and gain a competitive edge in their respective industries.
Real Estate Management App
A real estate management app is necessary for efficient property management and organization. It allows property owners, landlords, and real estate professionals to oversee multiple properties from a single platform.
The app could offer features such as like rent tracking, maintenance requests, and lease management. It would enable users to monitor income and expenses, schedule property inspections, and communicate with tenants. Streamlining these tasks enhances productivity, ensures timely maintenance, and simplifies financial management, ultimately leading to better real estate investment and profitability.
Tenant Finder App
There are plenty of apps that help users find the apartment, but not so many that help the landlords find the tenant. It’s just as important for them to have a great tenant that won’t cause any trouble.
This app connects the tenants with the landlords. It eliminates the boring search of dozens of apartments. Best of all, it eliminated the often so expensive broker commissions.
Work From Home Focus App
Working from home has increased significantly ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, and in a decade or so, it might even become a dominant way of working for some professions.
Having said that, with all the distractions it can be challenging to work from home. Apps like these help users boost productivity and skyrocket efficiency. Check out Clockify and Asana to see how these apps work.
Terms & Conditions Scanner App
We all blindly agree to dozens, if not hundreds, of pages of terms/conditions every time we buy a phone, new software, some contract…There’s just no time to read all of it.
That’s where an app that scans terms/conditions comes in handy. This simple app would quickly scan the pages for any possibly suspicious or contradictory content, and alert the user exactly which sections should be carefully reviewed before signing or agreeing.
6 Education & Reading App Ideas
Language Learning App
The time of expensive and noninteractive language learning classes has passed. Many of the language learning apps on the market are free, fun, and easy to use.
They have different levels, from the beginner one to the most advanced ones. It’s also very common that they have a voice enabler so that users can better their pronunciation.
Writing Assistant App
Writing has never been easier with the writing assistant app. There have been many on the market for years. They help to write great content and correct the writer’s grammar.
Some of them automatize the process of entering keywords, which is always very important for copywriters. Some of the most popular ones are Scrivener and ProWritingAid.
School Alerts App
This is an app for parents, rather than children. It contains all the important school info they should know. Instead of receiving e-mails or coming to school personally, parents can use this app to see things like report cards, attendance, and upcoming events. It’s also useful for communication between parents and teachers.
Magazine App
Everything is online now. Even though there is something about turning the glossy pages, it’s more convenient to have all the content in one place, not to mention cheaper.
With the magazine app, the user can easily sign up, subscribe and unsubscribe. Check Scribd and Press Reader for more information.
Book Recommendation App
A great way to encourage people to read more. The users, i.e. readers, would share their recommendations and reviews of books they’ve read. Others who are looking for a great new book to ready could filter reviews by genre, author, book length, or other elements.
Users could also use the book app for buying, selling, or sharing gently used books to other users.
Exam Preparation App
When preparing for an exam, students need all the help they can get. The exam preparation app provides a more interactive way to learn. Its key feature is to get students organized and more focused for the exam.
It notifies them of their tasks, upcoming exams, and classes. The users can exchange notes, previous exams, and advice.
5 Shopping & Services App Ideas
Dog Walking App
With people leading a hectic and stressful app there’s no time to take out the dog, at least 3 times a day it needs. That’s why dog walking apps have become more popular.
There are two users in this app, the owners and the walkers. They connect. Owners reserve the time of the walking, walkers confirm the reservation and pick up the dog, and afterward, the owner pays. A geo restriction feature would be helpful in such an app as this so that users can connect with dog walkers in their direct area.
Shipment Tracker App
It seems like all people do once they place the order is to wait until it arrives. With the shipment tracker app, the user is regularly updated about the shipment location in real-time.
This app can be especially useful for big companies that order multiple items frequently. Learn more about how these apps work by looking into the existing ones like TrackChecker and ShipTrack.
Custom Gifts For Friends App
Unique gift ideas are hard to think of. Some resort to gift cards or gift vouchers, but they just don’t hit the spot. With an app for costume gifts user simply writes down friends’ interests and it proposes the right gift.
There are even some that look into friends’ social media feeds and suggest the perfect gift based on the content they published and liked. Build this app now with Shoutem’s eCommerce mobile app builder.
eCommerce Shopping App
Add products from your online store to a handy, easy-to-use mobile shopping app. Add elements like filters, integrate with your existing WordPress or Shopify web store, and boost your brand awareness.
Your app can offer real-time notifications on deals, and could link directly to product checkout within your online store’s system. You can also use push journeys to remind users about the items they’ve forgotten in their shopping cart!
Store or Product Review App
A store or product review app could be essential for informed consumer decisions. It works by allowing users to submit reviews and ratings for various stores and products, creating a reliable and centralized database of feedback.
Users can search for reviews based on specific providers, products, or categories. This app empowers consumers to make well-informed choices, guiding them towards reputable providers and quality products based on the collective experiences and insights shared by the user community.
App Idea & Creation: FAQs
What are some cool app ideas?
Currently trending app ideas involve augmented reality, machine learning, and language learning concepts. Some ideas might include AR games that blend real-world and virtual elements for an immersive experience, or personalized fitness apps that use machine learning algorithms to create custom workout plans based on users’ preferences and fitness goals.
How do I choose an app idea?
To choose a high-quality mobile application idea, consider your passions, market trends, and user needs. Look for good app ideas that solve problems or cater to on-demand services. Once you’ve chosen your top three favorite app ideas, research the competition, seek feedback, and find the app that appears to have the best chance at success.
Is creating an app expensive?
Creating an app can be expensive if you choose a traditional mobile app development company to build it for you. However, using no-code app building software like Shoutem offers a significantly more cost-effective solution. It empowers you to build a functional and user-friendly app without requiring any coding knowledge. This way, you can save money while still achieving your goal of having a personalized mobile app for your needs. View Shoutem pricing for more details.
How can I publish an app?
Publishing an app is made easy with Shoutem. Once you’ve built your app, our customer support team will handle the process of publishing it to both the Apple App Store for iOS devices and Google Play Store for Android devices. We take care of the technicalities, ensuring your app is accessible to users on their mobile phones without any hassle.
