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23 Life-Changing Apps We Downloaded This Year

The app-iest place on Earth.

1. Tab (free, iOS and Android) makes complicated bill splitting *super* easy.

2. Hopper (free, iOS and Android) shows you the best time to buy a flight.

I used Hopper to book two flights this year and am glad I took the app's advice (saved ~$50). Hopper is a price prediction app that does two things: 1) shows you the best time to fly to a certain destination, then 2) the best time to buy tickets for that price. You can select to "Watch this trip" which will send a notification when prices drop.Discover more download-worthy travel apps here.

3. Digit (free, web) analyzes your bank account and sets aside small increments of cash, based on your spending and income.

4. Google Photos (free, iOS, Android, web) is the ultimate photo search tool.

5. Neko Atsume (free, iOS and Android) is a game where you take care of cartoon cats and it's really fucking cute.

"Neko Atsume lets you take care of tiny cute cartoon cats with little to no real obligation. Trust me, after a few hours, you’ll be checking on them constantly," attests associate lifestyle editor Natalie Brown who has been addicted to this mobile game since March.

It's shockingly simple. Put food and toys in your "yard" and watch your cats eat and play with them. You can buy "fish" (the app's currency) with real money to purchase premium toys and snacks, or earn "fish" by waiting for your cats to gift them to you when they've had their fill. More toys and food will attract more cats. One of your goals as a cat collector is also to take a photo of each kitty for your album, which will tell you their names and the number of times they've visited your yard. Enjoy. 🐱

6. Companion (free, iOS and Android) will give your bf/gf peace of mind when you walk home alone.

7. Pacifica (free with in-app purchases, iOS and Android) is an anxiety-regulating app.

8. Point (free, Chrome and iOS) is the easiest way to share links with your friends.

9. Snapseed (free, iOS and Android) is a photo editing app with precise retouching and enhancement features.

BuzzFeed Life's managing social media editor Rachel Christensen and staff writer Christina Lan swear by Snapseed.

The popular photo app got its first major update in two years this Spring. The redesigned tools are easier to use than ever. Snapseed doesn't have my favorite filters (I use Litely (free, iOS) for that), but I do love its super-precise editing tools for blur, vignette, and tuning. You can also select a certain area and edit that specific selection's brightness, color, etc.

10. Outlook (free, iOS and Android) is *the* best mobile email client.

11. Inbox is the best app for personal Gmail accounts.

Inbox is an app created by Gmail that automatically sorts email into Trips, Purchases, Promotions, Finance, and more. It's super smart. On the day of your flight, for example, it'll automatically highlight your reservation details. Inbox isn't available for Google Apps for Work or Education yet, so the app is ideal for personal Gmail users.

More apps that will change the way you use email here.

12. Slice (free, iOS and Android) automatically tracks packages and lets you know if there's a price drop for your purchased product.

13. Noizio (free, Mac desktop and iOS) is a simple app that lets you create a special blend of ambient sounds.

14. Momentum (free, Chrome) replaces your browser's "new tab" page with a gorgeous photo and an inspirational quote.

15. Nike+ Running & Spotify (free with Spotify Premium, iOS) uses the power of music to push you to your limit.

16. Dot (free, iOS and Android coming soon)

17. iShows 2 (free, iOS) is the best way to stay on top of all your TV shows.

18. Lean (free, iOS) turns unwanted Live Photos into normal photos.

19. Headspace ($95 per year or $13 per month, iOS and Android) offers 10-minute guided audio meditation sessions.

20. Scanner Pro ($3, iOS) can scan documents or receipts using your iPhone or iPad camera.

Senior editor Rachel Wilkerson Miller said, "If you find yourself scanning things… basically ever, this $3 app is completely worth it." The app uses your phone's camera to scan documents into PDF or JPEG, then offers shortcuts to upload to Dropbox, Google Drive, and others.

Read Rachel's full review here.

21. Alto's Adventure ($3, iOS) is my favorite game of the year.

22. Live GIF ($2, iOS) turns Live Photos into GIFs or videos, so you can actually share them.

23. Bookling ($1, iOS) can motivate you to read more with little reminders and progress trackers.

For more clever tips and cool shit, follow Game Changer on Facebook.

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