5 Mobile Apps With Outstanding Usability

From cumbersome buttons just beyond the reach of your thumb to the dreaded hamburger menu icon, mobile apps have been struggling with usability since they were invented. Mobile design is taking over, and these 6 mobile apps with outstanding usability are leading the charge against poorly designed apps.

Travel App With Outstanding Mobile Usability

Lonely Planet’s guides have been helping travelers stay organized and get the most out of their travels for years. This app repackages their guides into an easy to use mobile design that is user-friendly and packed with information to transform a weekend trip or a year long backpacking journey.

Music App With Outstanding Mobile Usability

Mimi takes user experience beyond the realm of sight and touch. The app allows you to take a hearing test and then adapts your music to your hearing. Not only does this app completely personalize and revolutionize listening to music, but it is beautiful and simple to navigate as well.

Email App With Outstanding Mobile Usability

If you have a smart phone, you probably check your email on it - but that doesn’t mean checking your email is FUN on your phone. Alto has taken the cumbersome right out of your inbox with their app that extends your mailbox functionality, combines all of your emails in one place, color codes by attachment type, and so much more. This app was designed with usability at the forefront.

Schedule/Clock App With Outstanding Mobile Usability

Your schedule is overflowing, and juggling a to do list app, calendar app, and constantly checking the time is just too much. Dials gives you a beautiful way to view your entire day in one glance. It’s great for your phone, but it also works on wearable tech.

Parenting App With Outstanding Mobile Usability

You’ve got diapers to change, feedings to schedule, a bedtime routine that cannot be missed, and that’s just what you’re tracking for the baby. Oh, and you still haven’t started filling out that baby scrapbook you got at your baby shower five years ago. Glow was created for busy parents to help them schedule and track childcare and preserve precious memories at the same time. Part scrapbook / part organizer / part robot nanny, this app is designed beautifully so that it is functional, even when you are holding the phone over your head with one hand so the toddler doesn’t grab it and throw it in the dog’s water bowl - again.

Whether you are learning how to design mobile apps, looking for a design firm to help, or just want to know the do’s and don’ts of mobile app design, these apps are great examples of mobile usability.