Essential iPad Tools for Boosting Productivity: Expert Tips to Refine Your Routine - Featured

For nearly a decade, the iPad has been a critical part of my daily workflow. From managing my inbox to coordinating my schedule and writing countless stories, notes, touching up photos, and even editing videos – I’ve done it all on the iPad. As the hardware and software have improved, the amount of work I could get done on the tablet has only increased.

Also: The best note-taking apps for iPad

Even though it took nearly a decade for the iPad to get its own operating system , the key to using an iPad as a work computer has always been apps. And especially for students, there are so many different apps to choose from that will optimize your class schedule and never-ending list of tasks.

Not just apps from Apple, but third-party apps from developers who remain committed to providing high-quality tools for iPad users. In consideration of features, price, and third-party syncing, we compiled this list of the best productivity apps for iPads, with Fantastical landing on top as the best iPad app for productivity overall. We also included a handful of other apps that make using your iPad for school and work-related tasks easier.

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links

If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

The best iPad apps for productivity in 2024

Show less

View now at Flexibits View now at Apple App Store

Pros

• Two apps in one
• Combine tasks and calendar entries into one app

Cons

• The best features are reserved for a premium account

Fantastical

Best iPad app for productivity overall

Fantastical features: $57/year | Calendar app | Manage your contacts

Fantastical is one of the best calendar apps available for the iPad. It combines your tasks and calendar entries into one app, and it’s easy to use thanks to features like being able to create a new entry just by typing a single line of text. For example, if you enter “Meeting with David next Thursday at 3” the appointment will be created without any further effort on your part.

You can use the app for free, with some features reserved for a premium account.

Show Expert Take Show less

Show less

View now at Spark View now at Apps.apple

Pros

• Various pricing tiers
• Schedule or snooze an email

Cons

• You may have to store your email account passwords on Spark’s servers which isn’t ideal

Click here

Spark Mail

Best iPad app for productivity for emails

Spark Mail features: $60/year for Premium Individual tier | Email templates | Snooze emails

After years of using Apple’s Mail app, I’ve finally made the switch to Readle’s Spark mail app across all of my devices. With features like the ability to schedule when an email is sent, email templates, or snooze emails for action at a later time it’s been invaluable for me.

But for business and enterprise users, there are more valuable features like the ability to create a team and work on composing emails together, with each person participating from their own devices. That subscription tier costs $84 a year. There are various pricing tiers, based on how much you plan on using the Teams feature. If you have a small team, you likely won’t have to sign up for a subscription.

Show Expert Take Show less

Show less

View now at 1Password View now at Apple App Store

Pros

• Convenient and secure access to your passwords
• Supports almost all operating systems and browsers

Cons

• Can be overwhelming to use and navigate at first

1Password

Best iPad for productivity for managing passwords

1Password features: $2.99/mo for an individual or $4.99/mo for a family of five | Encrypts your passwords | Receive alerts if an account is compromised

1Password creates unique passwords for your online accounts, stores them all, and enters them automatically for you in apps and websites. It comes with a 14-day free trial, after which you can sign up for a monthly subscription.

It’s easy to put passwords in, it’s easy to get them out, and everything is stored securely using AES 256-bit encryption. There’s also the ability to protect access to your account using both app and U2F key-based multi-factor authentication, something that is an absolute must these days.

Show Expert Take Show less

Show less

View now at iA Writer View now at Apple App Store

Pros

• Easy to use
• Support for Markdown language

Cons

• Could use more organizing tools

iA Writer

Best text editor iPad app for productivity

iA Writer features: One-time purchase of $50 for Mac, iPhone, or iPad. One-time purchase of $30 for Windows. | Export into Word or HTML | Sync work with third-party services

I’ve tried many writing apps over the years, and I always come back to iA Writer. It’s a simple, straightforward text editor that supports the Markdown syntax . You don’t have to use Markdown to write, but it makes it easier to export your documents for Word or even in HTML. You can sync your work through iA Writer’s built-in support for third-party storage services.

Show Expert Take Show less

Show less

View now at PDF Expert View now at Apple App Store

Pros

• Free version
• Edit PDF files

Cons

• Expensive subscription

PDF Expert

Best iPad app for productivity for PDFs

PDF Expert features: $80/year or $140 for lifetime subscription | Open ZIP files | Sign and fill out forms

PDF Expert is more than just a PDF reader. This single app lets you edit PDF files, including images and text, along with annotating and marking up a document. I use it to sign documents, fill out forms, and open ZIP files (seriously, it’s the most reliable app for opening ZIP files I’ve used on the iPad).

If you deal with a lot of PDF files, then PDF Expert is the way to go. It’s free to download and use for basic tasks, but you’ll need a paid subscription ($80 a year or $140 for life) if you want to edit PDFs and sign documents. Here’s a breakdown of features unlocked by the subscription .

Show Expert Take Show less

What is the best iPad app for productivity?

Our recommendation for the best iPad app for productivity is Flexibits’ Fantastical and Cardhop. Both apps combined allow you to utilize many features like calendars and tasks, as well as manage your contacts.

Which productivity app is right for you?

Every app in this list includes at least some free functionality. I suggest downloading all of them and tapping or swiping your way through them. Get a feel for the app, its design, and its approach to its core features. If you don’t like the overall experience, keep searching. There are countless high-quality iPad apps in the Apple App Store.

How did we choose these productivity apps?

I’ve used a large number of iPad apps over the last decade. Some were good, others have been great. I tried to approach this list by looking at those apps that only meet the latter requirement. Each one of these apps fits a specific role and provides a unique experience that improves upon what Apple includes in iPadOS on its own.

Here are the factors I considered:

Third-party syncing: It’s important to be able to sync your work with productivity apps, so I stuck with apps that allow third-party app syncing.

Productivity features: Productivity means different things to different people, so I included apps with different productivity features. Whether you’re looking to streamline your emails, optimize your calendar, or edit your text, I included a variety of apps with different productivity focuses.

Price: Apps vary in pricing from free, subscription based, or even one-time purchases, so I included a variety of price points.

How can an iPad increase productivity?

With the addition of Apple’s M1 Processor to more recent iPad models, the iPad is arguably just about the same as a Macbook or iMac these days in terms of speed and capabilities. You can use an iPad on the go much more easily than a computer, and since the iPad is compatible with the Apple Pencil, the possibilities are endless in the amount of work and what kind of work you can do on your iPad.

What is the best free iPad app for productivity?

Fantastical is the best free iPad app for productivity. Although the premium subscription will cost you $57, you can still get some great features with the free version.

PDF Expert also has a free app version for basic tasks.

How much are iPad productivity apps?

You’ll find these apps to range in pricing from free to upwards of $80 annually. Thankfully, some of these apps include family plans, where you can pay much less per month and still receive the same features–think 1Password, where a family of five can use it for under $5 per month.

Are there alternative productivity apps to consider?

The App Store is full of apps geared towards productivity and making your tasks easier. Here are a few other options to look into:

Best alternative for Windows fans Microsoft 365 If you’re a fan of Word, Excel, Outlook, and more, the Microsoft 365 app can still be downloaded onto an iPad starting at $6.99/mo. View at Microsoft Best alternative for documents SignEasy SignEasy helps streamline documents by automating and standardizing document workflows and reduces document turnaround times. The monthly subscription for an individual costs $10. View at Signeasy Best alternative for note-taking Obsidian This app lets you create connections between your notes–you can link anything, essentially making your own personal Wikipedia. You can use most of the app’s functions for personal use, for free. View at Obsidian

Newsletters

ZDNET Recommends

ZDNET saves you time and money by delivering the best products and tech deals to your inbox every week.

Subscribe

See all

ZDNET Recommends

The best smartwatches you can buy: Apple, Samsung, Google, and more compared

The 5 best VPN services (and tips to choose the right one for you)

The best Android phones you can buy (including a surprise pick)

The best robot vacuum and mop combos (and if they’re worth the money)

• The best smartwatches you can buy: Apple, Samsung, Google, and more compared
• The 5 best VPN services (and tips to choose the right one for you)
• The best Android phones you can buy (including a surprise pick)
• The best robot vacuum and mop combos (and if they’re worth the money)

Also read: