With over 40,000 iPad apps and many more compatible iPhone apps, you wouldn't think finding an app would be difficult. But like finding a needle in a haystack, it is that very popularity that can sometimes make it difficult to find the good apps.
One great way to find quality apps is to use Google rather than searching the App Store directly. For example,if you want to find the best puzzle games, doing a search on Google for "best ipad puzzle games" will yield better results than going through page after page of apps in the App Store. Simply go to Google and put "best ipad" followed by the type of app you are interested in finding. Once you've targeted a particular app, you can search for it in the App Store. (And many lists will contain a link directly to the app in the App Store.)
But Google won't always yield the best results, so here are a few other tips for finding great apps:
- Featured Apps. The first tab on the toolbar at the bottom of the App Store is for featured apps. Apple has chosen these apps as the best of their kind, so you know they are of higher quality. In addition to the featured apps, you'll be able to see the new and noteworthy list and the Apple staff favorites.
- Top Charts. While popularity doesn't always mean quality, it's a great place to look. The Top Charts are divided into multiple categories that you can choose from the top-right side of the App Store. Once you've chosen the category, you can show more than the top 10 free and paid apps by touching where it says "Show More" below the list items.
- Sort By Customer Rating. No matter where you are in the App Store, you can always search for an app by typing into the search box in the top-right corner. By default, your results will sort by 'most relevant', which might help you to find a specific app, but doesn't take into account quality. A good way to find the better apps is to choose to sort by "Customer Rating". Remember to look at both the rating and how many times it has been rated. A 4-star app that has been rated 100 times is far more reliable than a 5-star app that has only been rated 6 times.
- Read Our Guide. If you are just getting started, I've put together a list of the best iPad apps. And many of the apps listed are free, so you can load up your iPad without putting a dent in your bank account. Check out the Best iPad Apps Guide.
