What are the must-have apps for an iPad in 2025?

This topic has 7 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 1 month, 1 week ago by Kentar Oakes.

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- September 22, 2025 at 11:35 am
Brandon Reed
Participant

Hey folks! I just grabbed an iPad and want to load it with the good stuff—not 200 icons I’ll never open. I’m after apps that actually level up the iPad: note-taking that feels natural with Apple Pencil, drawing or design tools worth the hype, rock-solid PDF markup, and anything that makes school/work easier. Bonus points for offline reading, video editing that isn’t a pain, coding or automation toys, and a couple chill apps for downtime. I’m not trying to recreate a laptop 1:1, just want the iPad to shine at what it’s best at. If you’ve got a tight, battle-tested list—free or paid—drop it. Tell me what stuck long-term and what you uninstalled after the honeymoon phase. Real talk over App Store fluff appreciated.

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

Replies

- September 22, 2025 at 11:42 am
Thadwin Ross
Participant

If you like tinkering: Shortcuts for automation, Scriptable for JavaScript widgets, Working Copy for Git, and Blink Shell for SSH. That combo turns the iPad into a legit dev sidekick—great for docs, quick edits, and remote server chores.
- September 22, 2025 at 11:43 am
Orin Wyatt
Participant

Hello! Security basics: 1Password, Bitwarden (free), and AdGuard for Safari. Add Files + iCloud, and you’re set for safe syncing across devices.
- September 22, 2025 at 11:44 am
Merrick Doyle
Participant

Reading and focus stack: Kindle, Pocket, Matter, Libby, Reader by Readwise (highlights everywhere). Pair with Focused Work or Forest to time-box sessions. Use Safari Reading List for quick saves, then clean later in Pocket/Matter. Sync highlights into Obsidian with community plugins.
- September 22, 2025 at 11:45 am
Calder Hoyt
Participant

For work: Microsoft 365, Slack, Zoom, PDF Expert, 1Password, Craft/Notion, and Shortcuts. Toss in Yoink for drag-and-drop shelf. That’s a laptop-lite setup that still feels “iPad.”
- September 22, 2025 at 11:45 am
Leon Tyce
Participant

Creatives, here’s a tight kit: Procreate for illustration, Procreate Dreams for motion, Affinity Photo 2 and Affinity Designer 2 for raster/vector, LumaFusion for edits, DaVinci Resolve if you need nodes, Nomad Sculpt for 3D, and Figure or Koala Sampler for quick music sketches. Pencil + Procreate is the fastest “idea to canvas” combo I’ve found. Export to iCloud/Dropbox, finish on desktop if needed. Battery hit is real—keep a 20W charger around.
- September 22, 2025 at 11:46 am
Bromley Ash
Participant

For students: GoodNotes, Notability, LiquidText, PDF Expert, Chegg Math Solver, and Libby. Add Fantastical for planning and Google Drive for group work. It’s a clean stack that covers lectures, PDFs, citations, and downtime reading.
- September 22, 2025 at 11:47 am
Kentar Oakes
Participant

Hey! My “kept after six months” list: GoodNotes (best balance of handwriting + folders), Notability (quick audio-synced lectures), Procreate (pro-level art with zero friction), Affinity Photo 2 (Photoshop vibes without subscription), LumaFusion (video editing that’s actually pleasant), PDF Expert (markup + form fill + signatures), LiquidText (researcher’s dream: split view excerpts that link back), Files + Documents by Readdle (file wrangling and zips), Kindle or Pocket (offline reading queues), Craft or Obsidian (connected notes), Microsoft 365 or iWork (depending on your workplace), TestFlight + Working Copy (if you dev; Git on iPad is legit), Shortcuts (automate imports/exports), Overcast (podcasts with smart speed), and Apollo for Reddit alternatives are gone, so I use Relay or just the web. For fun: Procreate Dreams (2D animation), Sky Guide (stargazing), Libby (free library books), DaVinci Resolve for iPad if you’re serious about color. Uninstalled: fancy whiteboard clones that looked cool but didn’t beat GoodNotes + Stage Manager.