If our top choices don’t pique your interest, you’ll be excited to find a range of premium apps available at no cost for a limited time. Additionally, if you’re seeking more hidden gems, don’t miss our “Free Apps of the Week” section, refreshed twice a week!
Darkest Days (Android & iOS)
Darkest Days takes on a very popular genre these days — the undead. Taking on the form of a sprawling, open‑world zombie survival RPG that delivers a visually impressive apocalyptic landscape, it certainly gets the adrenaline pumping. I was immediately taken into the game’s world from the get-go, and I like how I can make use of the vehicles to make my way through undead hordes without turning.
How does the gameplay hold up? Basically, it centers on scavenging zombie‑infested houses, managing infection levels, and reinforcing my shelter with survivors whom I have recruited. I would say the infection mechanic is engaging as every hit from a zombie risks adding a level of infection that might see me end up as an undead if left unchecked,
The tasks of base‑building and shelter progression lend meaning and a sense of urgency to the game, especially when survivors contribute to facilities or join my expedition efforts. There are also multiplayer modes that feature cooperative waves and competitive zones. Work with friends or fend off rivals for resources — it is all up to you.
- Price: Free / Advertising: No / In-app purchases: Yes ($0.99-$44.99) / Account required: No
Overall, I would say Darkest Days is an above-average effort when it comes to a zombie survival experience on the mobile platform. Of course, there are still aspects of the game that can be improved, such as its controls, sporadic crashes, and occasional performance hitches, but these are minor complaints against the overall backdrop.
Poolsuite FM (Android & iOS)
Are you looking for the next big mainstream streaming app? Well, why not roll back the clock with Poolsuite FM? This app offers a nostalgic summer getaway via its retro-themed interface and carefully curated SoundCloud-powered beats. If you like old-school stuff, this one should vibe with you with its analog-inspired visuals.
Audio-wise, Poolsuite FM delivers beautifully on its promise of “lo‑fi dance pop” and easy-listening summer vibes. Basically, this app creates an immersive, relaxed vibe without any commercial interruptions. I also like how there is no pressure for me to curate my playlist, while the seven themed channels offer enough variety to keep the experience simple and enjoyable.
As for the aesthetics, it is all a matter of personal preference. Some might love it (like me!), while others might find it to be lacking. Still, it like how the design simply jives with me (perhaps it is my age showing), where different themes unlock with use. I use an Android smartphone, and there were occasions when I experienced slow load times and stuttering in the mixtape interface. YMMV!
- Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes ($0.99-$29.99) / Account required: No
Overall, Poolsuite FM stands as a beautifully crafted slice of summer nostalgia that reinvents music streaming as a sensory, playful experience. You just got to love the retro visuals and background ambience, and not relegate or dismiss it as just another app that plays songs. Make the most of this summer with this app!
Touch Grass (Android & iOS)
When was the last time you took stock of your screen time? Do you think you are spending too much time in front of your smartphone or computer? Perhaps your doomscrolling has led to more dire consequences, like waking up late for work constantly? Well, if you’re like me and want to wean yourself off your smartphone, how about giving Touch Grass a go?
This app is a vivid, creative, and humorous take on combating digital overuse. The core idea? Once I list and select my most distracting apps (the usual suspects are TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube), the app will lock them until I step outside and take a photo of real grass. Yes, actual, green, organic grass.
The whole idea behind this is to enforce genuine outdoor engagement, and this is augmented by smart computer vision that distinguishes between actual grass and a houseplant, or fake turf, or perhaps a photo of real grass. Certainly a unique take when it comes to breaking the bad habit to tear yourself away from your screen, but I think it is more a gimmick — and a good one, mind you.
- Price: Free / Advertising: Yes / In-app purchases: Yes ($0.99-$49.99) / Account required: No
It is nice to see app developers come up with creative solutions such as Touch Grass, and I have found this to be an effective way to reduce the amount of screen time on my smartphone. I would like to leave this app on my phone for a little while longer, you know, so that I can spend more time outdoors. I guess the best place I should be at to doomscroll is outdoors now!
Copy SMS Code (Android only)
Copy SMS Code – OTP Helper comes across as a neat app that was specially designed to simplify the common hassle of copying one-time passcodes (OTPs) from SMS or app notifications. This is certainly a boon to any modern-day smartphone owner, having received multiple SMSes daily with the amount of online purchasing, bill payments, and login sessions to different accounts.
What do I like most about this app? It claims to work completely offline and does not send my data anywhere, ever, based on its privacy details. Functionality-wise, Copy SMS Code offers two detection modes: one for SMS and one for notifications. It will take advantage of Android’s notification service to scan for OTPs, matching them via regex patterns against message content to find 4–8 digit codes.
This particular method also works for codes in emails or messaging apps. The extracted OTP will appear in my clipboard automatically, saving me the usual steps of opening my messaging app and copying the code manually. This is certainly very convenient. While the user interface is a simple affair, the most important thing is that it works.
- Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: None / Account required: No
Overall, Copy SMS Code strikes a solid balance between privacy, convenience, and transparency. By touting an open-source nature, it remains open to scrutiny and trust. Knowing that it lacks internet permission also adds an additional layer of peace of mind, since it ensures my code will never leave my device. I have not run into issues when logging into my bank accounts or making purchases so far.
DMDB – Mute Spam and Unknown Calls (Android only)
Are you sick and tired, like me, of receiving unwanted spam and unknown calls each day? If so, then Android smartphone owners might want to check out DBMB – Mute Spam & Unknown Calls. This app offers a clear-cut philosophy: simplicity over surveillance. It does not rely on databases, ad tracking, or intrusive permissions, but uses my contacts list to determine which calls get my attention.
This means any number that I have not saved as a contact will be quietly muted, although the call still logs in my history. I find it refreshing that there are no blocking popups and privacy invasions—just pure peace while I work, sleep, or relax. This is how owning a smartphone should be, instead of getting irritated by the umpteenth scam caller for the day.
I must say the user experience maintains a clean, no-nonsense approach to reflect its function. With a single tap, I can activate or deactivate silence mode anytime. The interface is lightweight and unobtrusive, but with that comes a downside. The minimal feature set could be a drawback for those who love to customize stuff, such as filtering by recent callers or manually adding blocked numbers. Perhaps future updates will include these features.
- Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes ($3.99) / Account required: No
What about privacy? I am glad to say that the app does perform admirably in this department since it does not collect any user data, and neither does it share it with third parties. Basically, anyone who is tired of call spam but is unwilling to hand over the phone logs or consent to invasive permission requests (like me!) will find DBMB to be a rare and welcome option. Do note that the one-time purchase would unlock Trusted Prefixes, Ring on Repeated Calls, and Call Silenced Log features.
Time is always at a premium, which is why we made sure we select each week’s list carefully. What do you think of our selection this week?
