When we buy a new smartphone, be it an excellent iPhone or Android phone, most of us rush to the app store first. But as we hunt for our favorite apps, we also come across ones we hadn't necessarily been aware of. Ultimately, if you can think of a certain concept, there's an app for that. Consequently, many of us end up downloading dozens of apps on that day. However, despite this being the norm to some extent, I choose to download no more than 9 third-party applications on my iPhone.

This article's idea first came to mind when a friend handed me over his newly-bought iPhone 14 Pro Max to help him enable a certain option. I launched the Settings app, only to find he has already installed over a hundred different applications. I was legitimately shocked. The more apps a user installs on their phone, the louder the noise gets. You've got all sorts of notifications and alerts, badges on app icons, and endless permission requests to access the phone's sensors. It looked like a form of torture no sane person would willingly submit to.

In a world where we're surrounded by increasingly invasive screens and technology, I try to limit my smartphone's purpose to just phone tasks. For everything else, I rely on my MacBook Air M2. After all, macOS Ventura is much more advanced than iOS 16. That's not to mention that the MacBook's screen is larger than that of my iPhone. This way, my phone doesn't turn into an active source of annoyance or distraction.

1. Banking

Apple MagSafe Leather Wallet

Let's start with an essential app that pretty much all adults depend on: a banking app. As we rely on cash less and less, managing our finances on the go is more important than ever. As a result, we can use our bank's app to transfer money from one account to another, convert between currencies, and even withdraw cash from an ATM without using our debit cards. That's why a banking app is one of the applications I simply must have on my phone no matter what.

2. Food delivery

Moving on to another valuable app that many of us actively use, I always make sure I have a food/grocery delivery app. While I try to cook several times a week, I find myself ordering in on busy days. Which apps you use will vary based on where you live, but the end result is the same — whether it's Uber Eats, DoorDash, or Zomato, there'll be full bellies and smiling faces. Personally, I rely on a locally-developed app that works in my country, so that might be an option for you as well.

3. VPN

A VPN service is another essential app for people who live in censored areas and want to access the internet anonymously or without regional restrictions. But you can also use it to access certain entertainment or streaming websites that may not be available in your country, or if you want to protect yourself while browsing on public Wi-Fi. So right now I keep it installed on my iPhone to access geo-restricted content. Personally, I've been relying on Proton VPN, as it's cross-platform, developed by a reputable company, ad-free, and intuitive to use. Though, there are plenty of other excellent VPN services if you're not satisfied with Proton's offering.

4. Instant messaging

iphone text replacement feature

Another necessity for those who live in regions not dominated by iMessage/SMS users is a messaging app. Currently, WhatsApp is the most popular instant messaging service around the world. In certain cities, you may find yourself forced to rely on WhatsApp as it's the official means of communication between friends, families, and businesses alike. However, there are more advanced or safer alternatives, such as Telegram and Signal.

5. Social media

Nowadays, a large percentage of users share their everyday lives on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. While these social media apps help people connect and keep up with their friends and family, their endless feeds can also be distracting. For this reason, Twitter is the only social media app I use, since it's mostly text-based and I need it for work. This way, I have a single feed to scroll through, which limits the fresh (and often unnecessary) content I can be subjected to.

6. Entertainment

Front view of MacBook Air

When I want to stream movies, I never rely on my iPhone. Why limit myself to a 6.1-inch screen when my MacBook Air offers 13.6 inches? As a result, I haven't downloaded apps like Hulu or Disney+ on my iPhone. The only third-party entertainment app I use on my phone is YouTube. While I rarely browse through its content, my friends often share YouTube links with me, and I'd rather check them in the app instead of the browser. I can also take full advantage of its premium perks, such as picture-in-picture playback, a feature that doesn't reliably work on the website.

7. Mobile carrier

Similar to banking apps, many of us rely on our mobile carrier's app to view our data usage, check the next billing date, buy internet or other mobile service packages, and more. Some carriers even allow their customers to switch from a physical SIM to an eSIM directly through their dedicated mobile app. This spares people the need to visit carrier stores to handle basic tasks.

8. Transportation

Another essential app I depend on houses my digital transportation card. So instead of carrying a physical card to access buses, metros, and ferries, I simply take my phone out and scan a QR code through the transportation app to pay. As a minimalist who tries to carry as few items as possible, I truly appreciate this application replacing the dedicated transport card. For fellow minimalists who live in supported regions, you might also be able to get rid of the transportation app entirely if your city's system is compatible with Apple Wallet transit cards or the Android equivalent.

9. Dating

Lastly, for many singles, a dating service is one of the must-have apps on their phones. While some people install several at the same time, I only depend on one dating application. I've previously attempted to install three at a time, but the alerts were too draining and distracting. Having a single app certainly helps keep things under control. I've tried several dating apps in the past, including Tinder, OkCupid, Hornet, Bumble, Scruff, and more. Though, I'm currently settled on Grindr, as I prefer its intuitive user interface and the quick matching system.

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As the list reveals, I try to keep my digital life under control by limiting the number of apps I download and accounts I create. Obviously, this list only reflects the third-party applications I install on my phone. I still rely on many built-in iOS apps, such as Apple Music, Maps, Translate, Notes, News, Weather, and others, many of which will also sync my data across all my devices.

As a result, I no longer feel overwhelmed by my phone. It just handles the phone tasks I expect it to perform, and the rest falls on my new Mac. That's not to mention that the battery lasts longer on a single charge due to the limited number of background services draining it.