Sure, the iPad is a great piece of hardware.
But it’s nothing without a lot of great apps.
Here are our picks for the best free iPad apps to download to get you started.
Daniel Korpai / Unsplash
We cover a range of interests, so you’re sure to find some great apps for your tablet.
Study Any Subject: Khan Academy
Prepare with practice tests, quizzes, and exercises.
Bookmark content and learn while offline.
Not all website functionality available in the app.
No easy way to report mistakes found in a lesson.
The app includes lessons that span a variety of topics and classes.
It even helps with SAT preparation.
But Khan Academy isn’t just for students.
Movie Reviews and Previews: IMDb
Learn about actors, movies, and directors.
Get personalized movie recommendations.
Use the Watchlist to track your favorites.
Warning: You may lose hours exploring IMDb.
Some users report poor site navigation.
And you’ll quickly become an ace at Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.
Stream Free Music: Pandora
Create stations based on artist, genre, and more.
Use Voice Mode to control playback.
Find podcasts through recommendations.
Subscription required for offline listening and downloads.
Free version contains ads.
Pandora is easily one of the best apps available for the iPad.
Best Time Waster: Temple Run 2
Mobile game makes great use of the iPad platform.
Updated graphics, obstacles, and power-ups.
Limited characters and costumes.
This game could become a serious time-consumer.
Let’s not forget about gaming.
Don’t Get Lost: Google Maps
Get maps for multiple transportation modes.
Easily share maps with friends and family.
Street View perspective, indoor maps, and other tools.
Street View occasionally captures irrelevant images.
Offline navigation is available only for cars.
Design could be more streamlined.
Apple Maps has come a long way since its initial release, but many people still prefer Google Maps.
Best Microsoft 365/Microsoft Office Alternative: iWork
Free to download and use.
Apps have a clean, easy-to-use interface.
Access your work on other devices via iCloud.
Open, edit, and save docs in Office format.
Writing tools in Pages aren’t as robust as Word.
Not as many online support resources as Office.
How do these apps stack up to Microsoft’s versions?
The iWork suite isn’t quite as complete but also not quite as bloated.
Broadcast Yourself: YouTube
Get personal recommendations.
Connect with shared-interest communities.
Need paid subscription to download content.
Like Google Maps, YouTube used to be one of the default apps on the iPad.
But when Apple and Google broke up, YouTube disappeared.
The YouTube iPad app is great for those who want an app-based experience when browsing YouTube.
Crunch Numbers: Calculator HD Pro Lite
Screen shows your input and result at the same time.
Use more than one line for long equations.
This free app has ads.
No way to customize colors.
Stay Connected to Friends and Family: Facebook
Use Siri to create status updates.
Connect with friends and family on the go.
iPad Facebook interface is easy to use.
Help resources are lacking.
Facebook is often mired in controversy.
With Facebook on your iPad, sending images directly to Facebook via the iPad Photos Share button is easy.
Send web links from Safari, tune up your status using Siri, and more.
Listen to the Radio: iHeartRadio
Find thousands of live radio stations.
Stream sports from stations like ESPN.
Find and follow your favorite podcasts.
Need paid subscription to download music.
Can’t select podcast genres.
A fun feature is the Weekly Music Mixtape, where iHeartRadio will compile your favorite tunes from the week.
Look Up New Words: Dictionary.com
More than two million definitions and synonyms.
Test your vocabulary with a Quiz Widget.
Special tools for English learners.
You’ll need to upgrade to remove ads.
Helpful features, like example sentences, are paid only.
We’ve covered entertainment, news, and the social experience, but the iPad can also be educational.
The Dictionary.com iPad app has one of the best online dictionaries around without the usual high price tag.
You’ll also get access to a Thesaurus and a Word of the Day.
Tip: Use vocal pronunciations of each word so you might check that you’re saying it right.
Personalized News Stories: Flipboard
Curates news and interesting info.
Collect and share the news stories you like.
No way to block subjects you don’t want to read about.
online window add-ons may affect how Flipboard displays.
Customize your feed, find great stories, and learn about what’s happening worldwide.
Keep Up With the News: USA Today
Use My Topics to personalize your news.
Crosswords, Sudoku, and podcasts available.
Content is constantly updated.
You’ll need a paid subscription to remove ads.
You’ll get a free dose of daily news and daily crossword puzzles and podcasts.
The interface is highly visual and easy to navigate.
Keep Notes and Lists: Evernote
Tons of features that go beyond note-taking.
Access Evernote on multiple devices.
Notes are synchronized in real time.
Can be hard to access particular list if you have a lot.
Mistakes creates clickable links for phone numbers.
Evernote works similarly to the built-in Notes app but includes several super-charged features.
Evernote is cloud-based, so you sign in to your account to retrieve your notes.
you’ve got the option to sign in with your PC, iPad, or Android unit.
Create notes and task lists, email them from your Evernote account, and organize them by tags.
Review Restaurants: Yelp
Find great, highly recommended businesses.
Share feedback on your experiences.
Spiteful reviews take away from the experience.
Some legitimate, positive reviews may be hidden.
There’s nothing quite like Yelp for finding the best restaurants around you.
And for most restaurants, it’s possible for you to get a peek at the menu.
Have a good experience somewhere?
Share your thoughts on Yelp and help a small business thrive.
Share and Store Files: Dropbox
Upload, transfer, and share files to the cloud.
Set up automatic video and photo uploads.
Easy way to send large files.
Upgrade to Dropbox Plus for extra storage/features.
Free version has less storage than Google Drive.
Check Your Internet Speed: Speedtest by Ookla
Real-time assessment of connection streaming quality.
Troubleshoot or verify a promised speed.
See connection consistency with real-time graphs.
Results screen isn’t intuitive.
Speedtest will help you determine how bad your connection gets and help you test solutions.
The actual numbers will vary based on the top speed of your internet connection.
Many people these days have connections capable of 25 to 50Mbps or even faster.
