App Picks: July 2026

I was expecting July to be a busy one for App Picks, and while that's true, I've been more surprised by how so many of these apps have been incredibly helpful in a heatwave I've been experiencing.

Another highlight this month is Springboard's first sponsor, Jiiiii. I've written up an issue all about it, and again, it's made without AI and solves an issue that I've been looking for - perfect for me and for Springboard.

This also marks the start of sponsorships. If you have an app you'd like to showcase for a large audience on the web and via the newsletter, get in touch.

If you're struggling with the heatwave and you want some distractions to keep busy, a few of the apps below will hopefully help.

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Filtre

It's an understatement to say that web browsing can be a lot in 2026. I've had words muted on Bluesky and, years ago, on Twitter to help my feed hide some topics. But when it comes to the web, it can be difficult to do the same thing - which is where Filtre comes in.

Developed by Jeffrey Kuiken, you can filter lots of words and topics, which will hide articles, news comments, and more as you browse the web, making it a far more pleasurable experience. Filtre is free for seven days before offering a monthly, yearly, or lifetime subscription that starts from $0.99/ £0.99 which enables your muted keywords on all your devices.

I've already found the app to be incredibly useful, letting me check certain websites without having to purposely ignore certain words that can trigger my mental health. I really like the look of Filtre, too, as well as Kuiken's stance that the app is completely private to you. With a control center widget and Shortcuts support too, I strongly recommend Filtre for those difficult days.

Countr

I'm a big fan of apps that try to solve an issue that you never previously considered, because you were set in your ways for years. Countr, developed by Josh Hrach, fulfils this brief. If, like me, you've found yourself in meetings where you've been given the task of counting how many attendees there are, or perhaps keeping track of some scores, such as the number of free kicks in a World Cup game, it can be a challenge.

Countr solves this by simply offering a way to let you count the desired amount or remove some if needed. It's available on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch for free, but there is a monthly subscription for $0.49 / £0.49 or a year for $4.99 / £4.99, which unlocks features like unlimited count groups and alternative app icons.

I've already used Countr to keep track of certain Mario Party games with friends, or Golf with Your Friends matches. The design is great, making it straightforward to count whenever you need to. 4.1 recently came out, which introduces home screen widgets, which have made counting even easier.

To mark the new release, Hrach has kindly offered ten codes below to Springboard subscribers that will give a year's worth of access to Countr.

SolarWatch

Since the last App Picks, my dog Jolly and I have been in the midst of a heatwave, which has led me to use some weather-focused apps more than usual. During a day that was way over 30 degrees, I was reminded of SolarWatch, which I saw at CommunityKit back in June.

Developed by Engin Kurutepe of Fifteen Jugglers, SolarWatch can give you a quick overview of where the Sun currently is, where it's going to be, as well as different times of sunrise, sunset, and more. But what I also love is its AR feature. Part of its 'Gold' subscription starting at $6.99 / £4.59 a month, this opens up the camera and will show you exactly where the sun is, so you can change your travel plans for the day if needed.

With the constant heatwaves this month, SolarWatch has been able to help me plan some days with hot temperature forecasts to get my flat prepared, as well as for those times when I can walk Jolly without him needing to be in the shade. Combined with the elegance of how the app looks and the way it gives you easy access to all of its features, SolarWatch could be essential for you if you're planning on avoiding the sun in the coming weeks.

Paku

Another aspect of this heatwave I've found is that I'd leave one place and it'd be cooler, but as I'd approach another, it'd reach 30 degrees. But near where I live, there have been some huge fires caused by arson this month, which have massively impacted the air quality.

This is why I've been using Paku lately. Developed by Kyle Bashour of Pitou Technologies, it's a fantastic app that lets me check the Air Quality thanks to local, nearby sensors, as well as the temperature, without switching to Apple's Weather app. But one aspect where it shines is the widgets. Depending on how much detail you need, you can check the air quality on your home screen, which is shown with a well-designed, colourful appearance.

Bashour is also preparing a huge update for July 30, called Nearby Alerts. Part of Paku Pro, which also includes several features starting from $0.99 / £0.99 for a monthly subscription, Paku will keep track of the air quality as you move. If it reaches a threshold, you'll be given a notification, giving you a great indication to consider changing plans. Paku is another example of an app that does one thing well - and the upcoming update looks to emphasise that even more.

Transcrybe

Transcrybe, developed by Chris Lindsay, is an app I've featured previously. I'm a big proponent of how apps can help users with accessibility needs, and Transcrybe achieves this by giving subtitles to YouTube videos, Zoom calls, or local videos on your Mac. As I've written before many times, AI-generated content is causing huge damage to countless industries - but Transcrybe uses private models that give disabled users the ability to enjoy the content they want to watch every day.

Available on Apple silicon Macs for $29.99 / £29.99 via the App Store or directly through here after a 60-minute free trial, Transcrybe gives you subtitles in your videos quickly and accurately.

Version 3.0 recently became available, which has been rewritten in AppKit, meaning the app is more reliable. There's also support for more languages and the ability to tell Transcrybe certain words so it can more accurately display them. For users with audio needs, the one-time fee for Transcrybe could be crucial for following university lectures, livestreams, and more.

Waylark

Something else that I was struck by with this heatwave was how it upends routine plans that you've been used to for weeks, if not months - but in a good way. You see, some of the best plans are the ones you don't plan, and they usually happen in the sunshine. So when I was made aware of Waylark, developed by Adrian Lazariuc-Hadrava, it offered something that I've not seen before from an app.

Available for free, alongside a Pro tier starting at $2.99 / £2.99 a month, you simply open Waylark, and it gives you ideas to do something else. There's no plan here, no to-do list, just a slight suggestion to do something. Once you tap 'I'm in', you can write a small note or insert a photo to show that you did it.

But you can also explore different routes, such as cooking a dish with an ingredient you've never used before, or thanking someone who you think never gets thanked. Waylark is simply a lovely app that made me smile when I took up some of these detours. It gives your mental health a nice boost, but also a reminder that much of what this app gives you is something that many of us should be doing more of daily.

The summer period is usually when developers plan how to release major updates to their apps before Apple's big software releases arrive later this year. But I'm surprised by the number of apps already, as well as how some can help your mental health in fresh new ways.

If you're preparing a big update or a brand new app as we get closer to the '27' series of software updates coming out later this year, do get in touch.