Six apps that earn a place on your home screen

We install a lot of apps and keep very few. These six scored highest this month on design, speed, privacy and value. Each one has its own page with the full scorecard.

This month’s chart

1 Pebblepath Navigation · iPhone, Android Offline trail maps that keep working past the last bar of signal. Score9.3 Size86.4 MB PriceFree
2 Saltbox Finance · iPhone, Android Envelope budgeting that takes two minutes a day. Score9.1 Size41.8 MB PriceFree
3 Quillcast Podcasts · iPhone A podcast player that trims the silences and remembers where you stopped. Score9.0 Size37.2 MB PriceFree
4 Fernlight Lifestyle · iPhone, Android Watering reminders that adjust to the season and the room. Score8.8 Size64.5 MB PriceFree
5 Nightjar Health & Fitness · Android Sleep tracking without a wearable or an account. Score8.6 Size22.9 MB Price€4.99
6 Grainhouse Photo & Video · iPhone Film-style photo editing with twelve stocks and no subscription. Score8.5 Size112.7 MB Price€6.99

All 6 apps

How the score works

Each app gets four marks out of 10. The chart score is their average, and the highest average takes the top spot.

Design: Does it read at a glance and work with one thumb?
Speed: Cold start and scrolling on a phone that is three years old.
Privacy: What it collects, what it asks for, and whether it works without an account.
Value: What the free version includes and what a year of the paid one costs.