20 Best AI Apps for iPhone & Android in 2025

Oct 01, 2025 · 11 min read

Artificial intelligence has moved from science fiction to your pocket. In 2025, AI apps have become so powerful and accessible that they're genuinely changing how we work, create, and communicate. I've tested over 100 AI applications in the past year, and these 20 stand out as truly transformative.

Whether you're looking to boost productivity, unleash creativity, or simply make life easier, there's an AI app here that will blow your mind. Let's explore the best AI-powered applications available right now.

Writing & Productivity AI Apps

1. ChatGPT (OpenAI)

Platform: iOS, Android, Web Price: Free, Plus $20/month Best for: General-purpose AI assistance

ChatGPT remains the gold standard for conversational AI. The mobile app brings GPT-4's capabilities to your pocket, making it incredibly versatile for brainstorming, writing, coding, and problem-solving.

What makes it special:

Voice conversations that feel natural
Image analysis and generation (Plus)
Custom GPTs for specialized tasks
Browsing capability for current information

Real-world use: I use ChatGPT daily for drafting emails, explaining complex topics, and even debugging code. The voice mode is surprisingly good for hands-free brainstorming during commutes.

Worth the upgrade? If you use it more than an hour daily, ChatGPT Plus is absolutely worth $20/month for GPT-4 access and faster responses.

View ChatGPT in our AI Tools Directory →

2. Claude (Anthropic)

Platform: iOS, Android, Web Price: Free, Pro $20/month Best for: Long-form writing and analysis

Claude excels at understanding context and maintaining coherent conversations over long sessions. It's particularly strong at writing, editing, and analyzing documents.

Key strengths:

Processes up to 100,000 words in a single conversation
More nuanced and thoughtful responses
Excellent at following complex instructions
Strong ethical guidelines built-in

My experience: For serious writing projects, research, or complex problem-solving, Claude often provides more thoughtful and detailed responses than competitors.

View Claude in our AI Tools Directory →

3. Notion AI

Platform: iOS, Android, Web Price: $10/month (add-on to Notion) Best for: Integrated workspace productivity

Notion AI seamlessly integrates AI capabilities into your notes, documents, and databases. It's context-aware of your entire workspace.

Standout features:

Summarize meeting notes automatically
Generate content directly in your workspace
Ask questions about your documents
Translate and adjust tone on the fly

Perfect for: Anyone already using Notion who wants AI assistance without switching apps.

4. Grammarly

Platform: iOS, Android, Web, Desktop Price: Free, Premium $12/month Best for: Writing improvement and correction

Grammarly has evolved from a spell-checker into a comprehensive AI writing assistant.

What it does:

Real-time grammar and spelling correction
Tone detection and suggestions
Clarity improvements
Plagiarism detection (Premium)
Writing style consistency

Why I recommend it: Even if you're a confident writer, Grammarly catches those embarrassing typos before you send important messages.

Image Generation & Editing

5. Midjourney (via Discord)

Platform: iOS, Android (through Discord app) Price: $10-$60/month Best for: High-quality AI art generation

Midjourney produces some of the most stunning AI-generated images available. While it requires using Discord, the mobile experience works surprisingly well.

Best use cases:

Social media graphics
Concept art
Marketing materials
Creative exploration

Learning curve: The prompt syntax takes practice, but the results are worth it. Start with simple descriptions and gradually add modifiers.

6. DALL-E (OpenAI)

Platform: iOS, Android, Web Price: Free credits, then pay-per-image Best for: Quick, versatile image generation

DALL-E is more user-friendly than Midjourney and produces consistent results with simple prompts.

Advantages:

Intuitive interface
Fast generation
Good at editing existing images
Integrated into ChatGPT Plus

Cost-effective for: Occasional users who need quality images without monthly subscriptions.

7. Lensa AI

Platform: iOS, Android Price: Free, $7.99/month Best for: Portrait enhancement and avatars

Lensa became famous for its "Magic Avatars" feature but offers much more for photo editing.

Features:

AI-powered portrait enhancement
Background removal
Artistic style transfers
Professional-looking avatar generation

My take: The one-time avatar purchase is worth it for professional headshots and social media profiles.

8. Remini

Platform: iOS, Android Price: Free with ads, $4.99/month Best for: Photo restoration and enhancement

Remini uses AI to upscale and restore old, blurry photos with impressive results.

What it excels at:

Enhancing low-resolution images
Restoring old family photos
Improving video quality
Face enhancement

Practical value: I've used this to restore decades-old family photos. The results are sometimes magical.

Video Creation & Editing

9. Descript

Platform: iOS, Android, Desktop Price: Free, Creator $12/month Best for: Video editing through text

Descript revolutionizes video editing by letting you edit video by editing the transcript.

Game-changing features:

Overdub (AI voice cloning)
Remove filler words automatically
Screen recording with AI enhancement
Multi-track editing simplified

Who needs this: Content creators, podcasters, and anyone making video content regularly.

10. Captions

Platform: iOS, Android Price: Free, Pro $9.99/month Best for: Short-form video creation

Captions makes creating TikTok and Instagram Reels content incredibly easy with AI-powered features.

Key features:

Automatic captions with perfect timing
AI-powered eye contact correction
Green screen effects
Voice dubbing and translation

Creator's perspective: This saves hours on video editing. The eye contact feature alone is worth it for anyone filming themselves.

11. Runway ML

Platform: iOS, Web Price: Free tier, $12-$76/month Best for: Advanced AI video tools

Runway offers cutting-edge AI video generation and editing tools that were impossible just years ago.

Capabilities:

Text-to-video generation
Remove objects from videos
Green screen without green screen
Style transfer for entire videos

Bleeding edge: Some features are experimental, but when they work, they're mind-blowing.

Voice & Audio AI

12. ElevenLabs

Platform: iOS, Android, Web Price: Free, Starter $5/month Best for: AI voice generation

ElevenLabs creates incredibly realistic AI voices. If you enjoy voice features, you might also like using Siri for quick notes. The quality is often indistinguishable from human speech.

Use cases:

Audiobook narration
Podcast production
Accessibility tools
Voice cloning (with permission)

Ethical note: The voice cloning is powerful but requires explicit consent. Use responsibly.

13. Otter.ai

Platform: iOS, Android, Web Price: Free, Pro $8.33/month Best for: Meeting transcription and notes

Otter automatically transcribes meetings, interviews, and lectures with impressive accuracy.

Standout features:

Real-time transcription
Speaker identification
Automatic summaries
Searchable meeting history
Integration with Zoom, Teams, Google Meet

Business value: Having searchable transcripts of every meeting is a game-changer for productivity.

Photo Enhancement & Manipulation

14. PhotoRoom

Platform: iOS, Android Price: Free, Pro $12.99/month Best for: Product photography and background removal

PhotoRoom makes professional product photography accessible to everyone.

What it does:

Instant background removal
AI-generated backgrounds
Batch processing
Templates for e-commerce

Perfect for: Anyone selling products online, creating marketing materials, or building a portfolio.

15. FaceApp

Platform: iOS, Android Price: Free, Pro $3.99/month Best for: Face transformation and aging effects

FaceApp's AI face transformations are impressively realistic and fun.

Popular features:

Age progression/regression
Gender swap
Hairstyle changes
Makeup application

Entertainment value: While mostly for fun, the aging feature can be genuinely useful for character design or understanding how features change.

Learning & Education

16. Duolingo

Platform: iOS, Android Price: Free, Plus $7/month Best for: Language learning with AI tutoring

Duolingo has integrated AI to create a more personalized and effective language learning experience.

AI enhancements:

Personalized lesson paths
AI conversation practice
Instant pronunciation feedback
Adaptive difficulty

Results: The AI conversation partner feels surprisingly natural and patient. For more iPhone productivity features, see our hidden iPhone features guide. It's like having a language tutor available 24/7.

17. Socratic (by Google)

Platform: iOS, Android Price: Free Best for: Homework help and learning

Socratic helps students understand concepts by breaking down problems and providing step-by-step explanations.

How it works:

Take a photo of a question
AI analyzes and explains the solution
Provides relevant learning resources
Covers multiple subjects

Parental perspective: Great for helping kids understand concepts without just giving answers.

Productivity & Organization

18. Todoist with AI Assistant

Platform: iOS, Android, Web Price: Free, Pro $4/month Best for: Smart task management

Todoist's AI assistant helps turn vague ideas into actionable tasks.

AI capabilities:

Natural language task creation
Smart scheduling suggestions
Priority detection
Task breakdown for complex projects

Workflow improvement: Instead of meticulously organizing tasks, just brain-dump and let AI structure them.

19. Mem

Platform: iOS, Android, Web Price: $8-$15/month Best for: AI-powered note-taking

Mem uses AI to automatically organize, connect, and resurface your notes when you need them.

Unique features:

Automatic tagging and organization
AI-generated summaries
Smart search that understands context
Connections between related notes

Knowledge management: Perfect for researchers, writers, or anyone drowning in information.

Lifestyle & Entertainment

20. Replika

Platform: iOS, Android Price: Free, Pro $7.99/month Best for: AI companionship and mental wellness

Replika is an AI companion that learns from conversations and provides emotional support.

What it offers:

Judgment-free conversations
Mental health support
Personalized responses
Mood tracking

Perspective: While it's not a replacement for human connection or professional therapy, many users find comfort in having someone (something?) to talk to anytime.

How to Choose the Right AI Apps

With so many options, here's my framework for selection:

Consider Your Primary Need

For Writing:

Occasional help: ChatGPT Free
Professional work: Claude Pro or ChatGPT Plus
Integrated workspace: Notion AI

For Images:

Social media: Midjourney
Quick edits: PhotoRoom
Product photos: PhotoRoom
Art projects: Midjourney or DALL-E

For Video:

Short-form content: Captions
Long-form editing: Descript
Experimental features: Runway ML

Budget Strategy

Free Tier Maximization:

Start with free versions of ChatGPT, Claude, and Grammarly
Add Socratic and Otter.ai free tiers
Evaluate which you use most after 30 days
Upgrade only your most-used app

Professional Package ($50/month):

ChatGPT Plus: $20
Midjourney Basic: $10
Grammarly Premium: $12
Otter.ai Pro: $8

This covers writing, image generation, and transcription for most professionals.

Privacy and Security Considerations

When using AI apps, remember:

Data Privacy:

Assume anything you input could be used for training
Don't share sensitive personal information
Read privacy policies, especially for work use
Consider on-device AI for sensitive tasks

Subscription Management:

Many offer annual discounts (usually 20-30% off)
Start with monthly to test before committing
Set calendar reminders before free trials end
Most allow easy cancellation

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do these AI apps work offline? A: Most require internet connection as they use cloud-based AI models. For managing battery with heavy app usage, check our iPhone battery optimization guide. Some apps like Grammarly offer limited offline functionality for basic features.

Q: Will AI apps replace human jobs? A: AI apps are tools that augment human capabilities rather than replace them. They're best viewed as productivity multipliers that handle repetitive tasks, allowing humans to focus on creative and strategic work.

Q: Are AI-generated images copyright-free? A: It's complicated and evolving. Most platforms grant commercial usage rights to subscribers, but legal frameworks are still developing. Always check each platform's terms of service.

Q: Can I use these AI apps for business purposes? A: Most offer commercial licenses, but check specific terms. Enterprise versions often include better privacy guarantees and commercial usage rights.

Q: How much storage do these apps require? A: Most are cloud-based and use minimal storage (50-200MB). Only video editing apps like Descript require significant storage for project files.

Explore More AI Tools

Looking for more AI tools? Our comprehensive AI Tools Directory features 75+ AI tools across all categories with detailed reviews, pricing comparisons, and user ratings.

Popular Categories:

AI Writing Tools - ChatGPT, Claude, Jasper, and more
AI Image Tools - Midjourney, DALL-E, Canva, and others
AI Productivity Tools - Notion, Grammarly, Otter.ai, and more
Free AI Tools - Powerful tools with generous free tiers

The Future of AI Apps

AI technology is advancing rapidly. Here's what to expect:

Coming Soon:

More powerful on-device AI (less cloud dependence)
Better multi-modal AI (combining text, image, video, audio)
More affordable pricing as competition increases
Improved privacy-focused AI solutions

My Prediction: Within 2-3 years, AI assistants will be as common as calculators on smartphones, deeply integrated into every app we use.

Conclusion

These 20 AI apps represent the cutting edge of consumer AI technology in 2025. Start with the free versions, experiment, and gradually invest in the tools that provide the most value for your specific needs.

My recommendation: Pick three apps from different categories this week. Try ChatGPT for writing, Midjourney for images, and Otter.ai for transcription. These three alone will demonstrate how transformative AI can be for productivity and creativity.

The AI revolution isn't coming—it's here. These apps are your entry point to harnessing that power.

What's your experience with AI apps? Which ones have transformed your workflow? Share your favorites in the comments!