Today’s smartphones are filled with features straight out of the box. They’re pre-loaded with dedicated apps for social networking, photography, travel and more. But no matter what phone you own, there are thousands of great apps in each platform’s online store.
[related title=”Smartphone Buying Guide” tag=”smartphone buying guide” items=”3″]This is the latest instalment in Gizmodo Australia’s big Smartphone Buying Guide
rolling-out Mondays and Wednesdays in October.
Main app image from Shutterstock
Whether you’ve got an iPhone, Windows Phone or Android phone, we’ve put together lists of the most popular paid and free apps on each app store. Plus cross platform info and our favourite alternatives.
If you’ve got a secret weapon app — or even if you want to suggest several faves — let us know in the comments!
Note: App rankings may have changed since we started piecing this story together over the last week.
[clear]
Android
Android’s list of the top free apps is dominated by social networking, photography and chat services, and all the big names like Facebook and Instagram and Snapchat are present.
[clear]
| Top Android Free Apps | |||||
| App Name | Category | iOS? | Windows Phone? | Our Favourite Android Alternative | |
| 1 | Social | Yes | Yes | Atrium [Free] | |
| 2 | Candy Crush Saga | Game | Yes | No | Bejeweled Blitz [Free] |
| 3 | Skype | Social | Yes | Yes | Google Hangouts [Free] |
| 4 | Snapchat | Social | Yes | No | Wink [Free] |
| 5 | eBay | Shopping | Yes | Yes | Droid Auction eBay [Free] |
| 6 | Pet Rescue Saga | Game | Yes | No | Dots [Free] |
| 7 | Viber | Social | Yes | Yes | Tango [Free] |
| 8 | Social | Yes | No | Flickr [Free] | |
| 9 | Gumtree Australia | Shopping | Yes | No | Quicksales [Free] |
| 10 | Facebook Messenger | Social | Yes | No | IM+ [Free] |
The most popular paid apps on Android is skewed towards tools that change the Android experience — like the SwiftKey Keyboard and Nova Launcher Prime — and hugely popular smartphone games like Angry Birds.
| Top Android Paid Apps | |||||
| App Name | Category | iOS? | Windows Phone? | Our Favourite Android Alternative | |
| 1 | SwiftKey Keyboard | Productivity | No | No | Swype Keyboard [$0.99] |
| 2 | Worms 2: Armagedon | Games | Yes | No | Armored Strike Online [$2.92] |
| 3 | TripView Sydney | Travel | Yes | Yes | Transport Info [Free |
| 4 | Minecraft Pocket Edition | Games | Yes | No | Survivalcraft [$3.99] |
| 5 | Nova Launcher Prime | Personalisation | No | No | Action Launcher Pro [$3.99] |
| 6 | Weatherzone Plus | Weather | Yes | No | Pocket Weather Australia |
| 7 | Angry Birds Star Wars II | Games | Yes | Yes | Orbital [$4.00] |
| 8 | Titanium Backup PRO | Tools | No | No | Helium [Free] |
| 9 | Plants vs. Zombies | Games | Yes | Yes | Anomaly: Warzone Earth HD [$3.69] |
| 10 | Swype Keyboard | Productivity | No | No | SwiftKey Keyboard [$3.99] |
iOS / iPhone
The recent iOS 7 launch means the iPhone top list is split evenly between new iPhone wallpapers and guides, and free-to-play games — with a preference for child-friendly apps.
[clear]
| Top iPhone Free Apps | |||||
| App Name | Category | Android? | Windows Phone? | Our Favourite iOS Alternative | |
| 1 | Deer Hunter 2014 | Games | No | No | Deer Hunter Reloaded [Free] |
| 2 | Guide for iOS 7 – Tips and Tricks | Reference | No | No | iPhone Secrets Pro [$1.99] |
| 3 | Grand Theft Auto: iFruit | Games | No | No | Grand Theft Auto V: The Manual [Free] |
| 4 | The Human Body by Tinybop | Education | No | No | Human Anatomy – Free [Free] |
| 5 | Wallpapers iOS 7 Edition | Catalogues | No | No | Wallpapers HD+ [Free] |
| 6 | Where’s My Water? 2 | Games | No | Yes | Cut The Rope Free [Free] |
| 7 | ScreenMotion Wallpapers iOS 7 | Entertainment | No | No | Wallpapers HD+ [Free] |
| 8 | Hanger | Games | Yes | No | QWOP for iOS [$0.99] |
| 9 | Turbo Racing League | Games | Yes | Yes | Real Racing 3 [Free] |
| 10 | Pet Rescue Saga | Games | Yes | No | Dots: A Game About Connecting [Free] |
Games are by far the most popular iPhone paid apps, with big-name titles like Minecraft and Worms 3 obvious entries. It’s also not surprising to see Minecraft appear on the top lists of both Android and iOS.
| Top iPhone Paid Apps | |||||
| App Name | Category | Android? | Windows Phone? | Our Favourite iOS Alternative | |
| 1 | Angry Birds Star Wars II | Games | Yes | Yes | Fragger [$0.99] |
| 2 | Infinity Blade III | Games | No | No | Infinity Blade II [$7.49] |
| 3 | Sky Guide: View Stars Night or Day | Reference | No | No | Sky Walk HD [$2.99] |
| 4 | Heads Up! | Games | Yes | No | Unspeakable [Free] |
| 5 | Minecraft – Pocket Edition | Games | Yes | No | Survivalcraft [$4.49] |
| 6 | Asphalt 8: Airborne | Games | Yes | No | Real Racing 3 [Free] |
| 7 | TiltShiftGen2 | Photo & Video | No | No | VSCO Cam [Free] |
| 8 | Quick Maths | Education | No | No | Excel General Mathematics Quick Study [$2.99] |
| 9 | Worms 3 | Games | No | No | Fragger [$0.99] |
| 10 | Pimp My Keyboard for iOS 7 | Utilities | No | No | Fleksy [Free] |
Windows Phone
It’s interesting to see that Windows Phone’s top free apps are ones that are almost universally available on iOS and Android as well, although the opposite isn’t true. Social apps feature heavily here.
[clear]
| Top Windows Phone Free Apps | |||||
| App Name | Category | Android? | iOS? | Our Favourite Windows Phone Alternative | |
| 1 | Social | Yes | Yes | WP Facebook [Free] | |
| 2 | Adobe Reader | Tools + Productivity | Yes | Yes | PDF Reader [Free |
| 3 | YouTube | Music + Video | Yes | Yes | YouTube HD [Free] |
| 4 | Skype | Social | Yes | Yes | IM+ [Free] |
| 5 | Social | Yes | Yes | IM+ [Free] | |
| 6 | Flashlight XT | Tools + Productivity | No | No | Flashlight Free [Free] |
| 7 | Viber | Social | Yes | Yes | IM+ [Free] |
| 8 | Carsales | Lifestyle | Yes | Yes | eBay [Free] |
| 9 | Kik Messenger | Social | Yes | Yes | IM+ [Free] |
| 10 | 6tag | Social | No | No | InPic [Free] |
There’s a leaning towards more professional paid apps on the Windows Phone platform — travel and business productivity tools are common, along with paid music and video apps. There’s not much cross-over between paid Windows Phone apps and any other platform, paid or free.
| Top Windows Phone Paid Apps | |||||
| App Name | Category | Android? | iOS? | Our Favourite Windows Phone Alternative | |
| 1 | TripView Sydney | Travel + Navigation | Yes | Yes | Maps [Free] |
| 2 | Metrotube | Music + Video | No | No | YouTube [Free] |
| 3 | Week View 8 | Tools + Productivity | No | No | MyNextDays [$1.99] |
| 4 | Splashtop Personal | Business | Yes | Yes | RemoteDesktop [$2.49] |
| 5 | Instagraph | Social | No | No | 6tag [Free] |
| 6 | Brisbane Bus & Train Pro | Travel + Navigation | No | No | Brisbane Transport [Free] |
| 7 | FlashVideo | Music + Video | No | No | Metro Browser [$2.49] |
| 8 | Amazing Weather HD | Weather | No | No | Weather Flow [Free] |
| 9 | MP3 Downloader+ | Music + Video | No | No | Free YouTube Downloader Plus [Free] |
| 10 | Weather Flow | Weather | Yes | No | Amazing Weather HD [Free] |
The new HTC One mini: small in size, not in power: