Kick-Start Your Mobile Efforts: Best App Ideas for Different Markets 2020

November 25, 2018

Mobile apps have changed the way people use online services. The growing popularity of apps among users has made it a multi-billion-dollar industry. Owing to its tremendous revenue potential, creating more solid mobile apps certainly seems like a good idea. Not only you promote your business, build up a dedicated user base, and can grow your revenue — you also get an opportunity to establish yourself as a trusted developer and strengthen your tech environment. However, when it comes to launching an app, you may get stuck at finding suitable app ideas.

For all those who are excited to launch apps but aren’t sure how to proceed, in this article, we list some of the best app ideas worth considering. Besides, we also share some quick tips to come up with exciting ideas for your very own app.

Ideas To Make An App

Creating and launching an app is quite an exciting experience. Nonetheless, with the growing number of mobile apps flooding the markets on a daily basis, you must make sure that your product succeeds in gaining traction.

quick ideas to make an app

If you are perplexed by choosing the niche for your future app, here we list some interesting mobile app ideas. You can either develop a unique app for any of these markets, or you may come up with an application for a specific niche.

1. Education App Ideas

While we see educational establishments adapting innovative technology during classroom sessions, the online aspect of this niche hasn’t grown much besides separate online education platforms which are not connected to educational establishments.

For app developers, this sector harbors plenty of useful app ideas to implement. For instance, you may create an app that collectively works as an editor and proofreader as it highlights grammatical mistakes and suggest stylistic choices in the process of analyzing the content the user submits. (Imagine an app combining the strengths of Grammarly and Endnote.) Likewise, a mobile app providing the students with the access to old books which are otherwise not available online is also a worthy idea. This may be a tougher task to do, but with the right approach in business strategy and marketing, everything should work.

education app ideas

Similarly, you can consider developing an app that allows potential employers find young talents resumes among the recently graduated students. An app where senior students could share their notes on subjects and educational tips with junior students is also a great concept.

2. Travel App Ideas

The travel industry is one of the most innovative and fastest-growing markets in the world. Despite being around for years, this app niche has tremendous potential when it comes to adapting new tech. In other words, this sector gives you the freedom to come up with innovative app ideas.

travel app ideas

How? Take a look at raid-hailing, on-demand services apps like Uber and Careem, but cater to a specific user group. For example, your app can help wealthy users looking for specific travel-related services, or those who often need a specific type of vehicle. This can be an app that provides trailer trucks rent or even private jets.

Besides, if you have ambitious plans and want to reach a wider audience, think what Trip Advisor and Booking.com would do if they were launching today. These platforms deliver on their promise in full and are comfortable to use, but they are not exactly current-day — there is ample space for innovation.

3. Augmented Reality App Ideas

The rise of augmented reality and the growing interest of enthusiasts in this technology makes it a solid option to consider investing into. If you are a tech enthusiast and want to amuse the users with technology, you can certainly launch a simple app revolving with AR — or add a user-friendly feature to an existing application.

Augmented reality app ideas

Leveraging the concept of overlaying digital objects on real-life places, you can certainly come up with exciting app ideas.

Some of the existing AR apps include Sephora Virtual Artist – a virtual make-up app; ‘Dulux Visualiser, which deals with wall paint; and IKEA Place, an app that facilitates the process of placing objects (like IKEA furniture) in a virtual environment. You can also create apps using AR to visualize gardens and landscapes, choose the colors of your next car paint, or even use this technology in apparel design.

4. College App Ideas

Although technological innovations have helped colleges and universities improve different facets of the college experience, there’s still enough space left for creative ideas. This is particularly true of revolutionizing the procedures colleges use interact with their students and staff, and the way they manage their academic chores.

college app ideas

Some of the best app ideas for colleges include apps dealing with college curriculum, managing student assignments, or sharing course outlines. Similarly, you can create a general app that guides students through the process of college admissions, provides schedule, and hold basic important information.

5. App Ideas For College Students

While one may see numerous education and teaching apps in the market, finding apps that address specific educational needs of college students is rather difficult. Therefore, pondering a bit over the dynamic lifestyle of these students will enable you to come up with the best mobile app ideas for them.

app ideas for college students

For instance, you can create a time-management app specifically aimed at helping college students, which can include a feature that allows for attaching homework to class reminders. Or, you can launch an app offering financial assistance and advice to students. Likewise, your app can help college students in finding part-time jobs by connecting them with potential employers.

6. Medical App Ideas

Technology has greatly helped medical science in the diagnosis and treatment of different diseases. However, despite such developments, this area still lags behind when it comes to adopting impactful mobile apps. The status quo gives you the freedom to choose anything from the plethora of interesting app ideas for this app niche.

Some innovative developers have already created apps that facilitate medical procedure, or at least bring in more comfort (for example, a medical that allows doctors to store test results and other information in one place in the app, as well as chat with them). Some apps also use the power of AR to visualize human organs, thus providing an all-around and visually rich way to explore them in greater detail.

You can also create apps addressing different medical needs, like connecting the hospitals to the services providing surgery tools, helping doctors in managing online appointments, or helping doctors across the world communicate quickly and comfortable in one place.

7. Fitness App Ideas

Today, people take fitness and sports very seriously, pushing their own physical limits daily. This is one of the key reasons why app stores look flooded with various fitness apps. While the niche is highly competitive, you can still find room to apply your creativity here.

fitness app ideas

Some of the amazing app ideas for fitness can be taken from the already existing apps like MyFitnessPal, Strava, and PumpUp. Just review these apps and see what they lack: what would you improve, add, or transform? You can incorporate those features into your own fitness app. You can even create an app related to fitness tracking, exercises, or diet plans common to a specific set of fitness exercises, region, or population/country.

8. Music App Ideas

Music is one of those niches that continues to harbor top app ideas. The incessant love of music, the diversity of genres, the thousands and thousands of performers drive the application in this market. The success of apps like Soundcloud, Saavn, Shazam, Spotify, and YouTube prove how different and unique music-related apps can be.

If you want an app to cater to a huge user base, try coming up with a new, unique way to creating playlists, or an app that uses top charts across the world as the starting point.

9. Social Networking App Ideas

Social networking is another interesting area invites many cool app ideas. Despite the presence and enduring popularity of top social networks, the netizens like their online time to be diverse on communicate on other platforms, including Reddit, Pinterest, Flickr, and other.

social networking apps

Certainly, the human instinct for building social connections greatly benefits app developers. The success of apps like Instagram and Snapchat, which are simple at their core, shows that one can profit from a simple premise, simply building upon in while also continuously listening to user feedback.

10. Sports App Ideas

Sports enthusiasts are always on the hunt for sources that keep them updated about the latest events. Hence, you can consider this niche to launch your own app by experimenting with some common app ideas for sports.

more app ideas

While there already are various gaming apps aimed at different sports, you can come up with something that is both informative and engaging at the same time. For example, an app focusing on soccer may include the sport’s brief history, important events happening soon, a constantly updating list of top players, biographies of star players, and so on. Then, wrap it into an alluring design, keep your users engaged, and monetize certain features. Although you should put more time into thinking over features (and maybe add a few unique ones), but this is a good starting point nonetheless.

11. Drawing Ideas App

Today, when children frequently use smartphones and tablets, launching a drawing app for them may be a bankable idea. You can launch apps aimed at improving the drawing skills of children of different age groups. For instance, your app can teach small children to create big visuals by connecting points, or educate them on various colors. You can also create an application provides drawing exercises for different skill levels, from beginner to advanced.

drawing app ideas visualization

Besides, some drawing apps may also offer integrated image editing features. Think of an app that offers benefits of Adobe Photoshop, Canva, and similar Photo Editing tools. Such apps can also generate profit if you monetize pro features, for example.

12. Game App Ideas

Ever since the legendary ‘Snake’ made its debut on the classic Nokia phones, developers and investors have been investing more and more resources into gaming apps. After smartphones became common, games like Temple Run, Subway Surfer, Bubble Shooter, and Candy Crush Saga gained popularity among thousands and thousands of users, cementing mobile as a new gaming platform alongside home and hand-held consoles. Although the number of available games in mobile app stores seems infinitive, many genres and possibilities remain untapped as the number of users who pay for in-game content continues to grow.

game app ideas

For example you can create theme-based gaming apps for a specific audience. This could be a runner game set in a original fairytale world for teenage girls. Or, a comprehensive game app in style of Scrabble, Ludo, Checkers, and even the simplest yet popular Tic-Tac-Toe. You can also create a simulator in style of FarmVille or CityVille — the genre is still popular with hundreds of users. 

13. Virtual Reality App Ideas

Virtual Reality has proven to be very useful for educational purposes. Yet, the true potential of this technology is not fully explored yet.

Virtual Reality App Ideas

So, can operate in non-saturated markets or pioneer new use case of VR in existing industries. For example, a meditation app providing a 360-degree view of green landscapes accompanied by soothing music may be a good idea for your VR app.

Likewise, VR apps can provide a fresh perspective on your product for both new and existing customers. For example, realtors can use VR apps to let potential buyers take a high-quality virtual tour of a house they want to buy without actually going to the location. This will not only save potential buyers’ time on travelling to the destination but help sellers and real estate agents to finalize deals quickly.  

14. Fashion App Ideas

From ecommerce apps to dedicated fashion guides, numerous retail applications are available in app stores. Nonetheless, the market is far from peaking, and there are niches to fill. 

Fashion App Ideas

For example, an app providing suggestions for dresses while accounting for a user’s physique, or an app informing about discount offers in various stores can attract the attention of ladies and gents alike. 

Similarly, you can also develop a fashion app that allows users to keep track of their wardrobe. This will save them from buying clothes similar to what they already have.

More College App Ideas

Apart from applications focused on college activities, a college app can also benefit students by informing them about the beginning of the admission process in various colleges in a specific locale.

Also, you can develop an application where alumni and new students can communicate regarding their studies, best coffee shops to go, discuss college policies, and so on. Colleges can also use such platforms for gathering their alumni in one place, as well as collect and record different data on all current students.

more college app ideas

Another idea is to create apps that help college staff in different activities. For example, an app helping teachers to mark students’ attendance, or, an app that helps the faculty compile study results throughout the semester.

More Sports App Ideas

Apart from creating sports applications, you can also create apps that aim at multiple sports at the same time or niche-specific apps.

More sports app ideas
NASIC Sports Fest 2016

For instance, creating an app that converges local users who cover popular sports in their free time on social media in a particular region/city may be one of the ways to go. You may then expand it to include other regions, and also monetize the app by offering different promotional packages and pro features to the opinion leaders, so they can compete and create better content. 

Likewise, sports lovers will also like using an app that provides a comprehensive schedule for all upcoming sports events. Such an app can eallow to do it across different types of sports (unlocking this feature may be monetized), or even include a small sports games — users like small and quick fun.

More Educational App Ideas — More Ideas

Although there exist numerous applications on Android and iOS that aim to provide education about different subjects, the market is not saturated. It is entirely likely that your particular application turns out to be more useful for the students than the existing ones. So, why not enter into this market?

educational app ideas

From language dictionaries to encyclopedias and applications focused on a single subject, your app ideas can lead to many interesting apps — simple, gamified, or complex.

More Healthcare App Ideas

While there are many fitness-tracking applications for both Android and iOS users, there are not that many solid full-fledged healthcare apps. So, if you are planning a mobile app venture, perhaps you may opt for healthcare as your niche.

healthcare app ideas

The healthcare industry has more than enough space for good app ideas that are worth tapping into. For instance, you can design your an app pairs with a gadget to monitor blood pressure, blood sugar level, and pulse rate — which will certainly benefit people with cardiac problems or diabetes. You can also develop informative apps providing guidance about diseases, and how to prevent them. Or, you may launch an app suggesting natural remedies for common disorders in your country.

More Social App Ideas

“Social media” is a huge category ripe with possibilities, so your best mobile app ideas might sprout if you consider thinking over what can be done in it.

social apps

When it comes to social media apps, you can either consider simple networking apps such as those resembling Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter. Or, you can consider experimenting with other social aspects, like dating, charity events, neighborhood networking. You can also come up with different witty and fun app ideas that gamify social networking or make the process of getting to know each other in a setting simple and exciting.

A Few Good App Ideas For Startups

A mobile app can turn out to be a full-time profitable business for you if you approach it dutifully. While many applications generate revenue from gaining new users, the ones aimed at resolving a particular need may also serve as a small business for you.

Startup Business App Ideas

Wondering how? Well, here we list some awesome app ideas we think you should consider:

  • Food donation app
  • GIF maker app
  • Live training app
  • Food delivery app
  • Travel booking app
  • Brand identifier app
  • Payment transfer app
  • Doctor appointment app
  • Document management app
  • Event planning tips and arrangement app

More Cool App Ideas That Aren’t Tapped Into Often

Apart from the usual apps that solve particular issues for a particular group of people, you can cut your creativity loose and experiment. A little brainstorming will let you come up with lots of exciting new app ideas. Here, be bold but not overly serious. Also, leave the one you like alone for some time, and then come back to it in a few days; chances are high new ways to improve it will come up to. More so, new ideas might emerge, and they can be even better.  

Here are some cool and funny app ideas. If you love adventures, you will surely like these ideas.

  • Adventure guide app about locations unknown to the majority of travelers.
  • An app for plant lovers which suggests different ways to cross and generate new plant species.
  • The app showing panoramic views of top scientific research setups in the world.
  • A dedicated app guiding users on how to cut down expenses
  • An app offering various online quizzes and competitions with real prizes for winners.

How To Find Ideas For An App

App developers just can’t create an app, release it, and just wait for it to gain traction. Instead, what’s critical here is to launch an app that not only attracts users but also generates profit. That is why many skilled and creative app developers face troubles findings ideas for creating engaging apps.  While a quick Google search may provide them with numerous interesting app ideas, it is not necessary that those ideas meet their initial requirements.

more app ideas

If you have decided to develop an app of your own, you can come up with a worthy idea by following these simple tips.

  • Look around and identify the problems that need a quick solution
  • Review the existing apps of your interest, pinpoint their weaknesses, and create a prototype
  • Come up with a free version of a popular paid app, and find a new way to monetize it
  • Review the recent mobile app trends
  • Do a comprehensive research to pinpoint how a mobile app can transform a popular service or chore
  • Write down your ideas for apps

Start Bringing Your Idea to Life

The mobile app industry continues growing at a fast pace and the market has become really competitive. Yet, it is never too late to leverage your creativity and launch your own app.

If you desire to establish yourself as a mobile app developer or an entrepreneur, the time is right. All you need is to proceed carefully with the development of your app. Considering the competition, your app must bear everything to surpass the existing apps.