Who's behind the site
Best Apple Watch Apps is an editorial project focused only on Apple Watch apps.
How we pick apps
Every app we list has to clear the same checks:
- It has a real Apple Watch app. Not just iPhone notifications mirrored to the wrist.
- It's maintained. We look at the App Store's last update date and drop apps that look abandoned.
- People like it. App Store ratings and rating volume are a signal, not the decision. A small, excellent app can beat a popular one.
- It does something well on the watch. Glanceable, fast, and useful without pulling out your phone.
Each list features one pick per category. Category pages compare the apps side by side, including whether they work without an iPhone, offline, and with complications or Smart Stack widgets.
What our labels mean
- App Store rating: Apple's public average and rating count, synced from the App Store. It covers the whole app, not only the watch part.
- Our verdict and editor rating: our own assessment. When an app page says "Tested on…", it names the watch, watchOS version and date we used it.
- Last App Store update: when the developer last shipped a new version.
- "From the developer": the App Store description, quoted and labelled as such.
How the site is funded
App Store links carry tracking parameters so we can see which recommendations people find useful.
Developers can suggest their apps through our contact form. Our editors decide what gets listed.
Corrections
Apps change quickly. If something here is out of date or wrong, tell us and we'll fix it.