Best apps for the iPad in 2024

Apple's tablet has been stuck in a strange middle ground ever since it triumphantly declared that the iPad Pro was a computer replacement way back in 2015. That territory has become even stranger since Apple brought its impressive Apple Silicon systems-on-a-chip to the iPad in 2021. But there's no doubt that the Apple iPad is the most powerful tablet on the market today and is one of the best tablets in 2023. Even the iPad stuck right in the middle of Apple's lineup, the iPad Air, has a desktop-class chip. These things are all true, but even as Apple brings improvements with the new iPadOS 17, the tablet is held back at times by its touch-first software.

However, with the emergence of Apple Silicon and due to Apple's dominance in the tablet category, there are a ton of exclusive apps that are available on the iPad. We've rounded up the best of these apps below, both to help you get the most out of your iPad or help with your purchase decision when looking for a tablet. To set some ground rules for this list, we're considering an app to be exclusive to the iPad if no other tablet can run that application. Though, some of the apps on this list run on iOS or macOS, and this will be noted below when applicable. With that being said, let's jump right into the best exclusive iPad apps in 2023.

Final Cut Pro

A great video editor, albeit one much different from its macOS counterpart

After years of waiting, Apple finally brought its flagship video editor to the iPad, and it immediately takes the top spot on this list of the best exclusive apps on the platform. Apple's Final Cut Pro is one of the best video editors available on any platform and is right up there with Adobe's Premier Pro in the running for the best video editor overall. XDA reviewed this ported version of Final Cut Pro, and while it isn't as good as the macOS version, the touchscreen interface and Apple Pencil support are key benefits of this app. It does look a bit cramped on iPadOS, but people who have been yearning for a touchscreen Mac will appreciate how Final Cut runs on iPad.

Final Cut Pro isn't at its best on iPadOS, and it might not even be the best video editor on the platform. LumaFusion was designed for iPadOS, and there are benefits to using the video editor because of that fact. But Final Cut Pro's mere existence on the iPad shows how far the iPad has come, and no other tablet can claim to run a desktop-class video editor natively. It is disappointing that the Final Cut Pro app for iPad is subscription based, coming with a fee of $4.99 per month. However, Final Cut Pro makes the most out of the iPad's processing power as no other app can, and that's why it sits at the top of this list.

Final Cut Pro on the App Store

Logic Pro

Like Apple's own GarageBand on steroids

The appeal of Logic Pro on the iPad is similar to that of Final Cut Pro, but Logic Pro has its own distinct advantages. For one, Logic Pro doesn't suffer from some of the shortcomings of Final Cut Pro because it is only concerned with audio. Instead of having to show audio and video in real-time like Final Cut, Logic Pro just has to show an audio timeline. This saves a lot of space, and Logic Pro doesn't feel as cramped as Final Cut Pro as a result. Logic Pro also has all the benefits of touch — which especially help when completing tasks like mixing tracks and adjusting audio levels.

Essentially, Logic Pro is the professional version of GarageBand. Some of the biggest artists and producers in the world use Logic Pro, which is a testament to the app's usefulness. You can record new audio tracks, edit existing ones, and there are a ton of professional features found within the app. Plus, people who have tried the app have said it is similar to the macOS version, according to App Store reviews from users who have downloaded it for themselves. Like Final Cut Pro, it does come with a monthly subscription of $4.99 per month.

Logic Pro on the App Store

Notability

The best note-taking app on iPad

Notability is the best note-taking app for Apple platforms that we've found, but the app is its best on iPad. There's an iPadOS app, as well as another version for iOS and macOS. However, thanks to Apple Silicon making its way to the Mac, they're actually all essentially the same app. The different versions are just scaled and optimized for each screen size, which means you'll know exactly how to use them on any Apple platform you'd like to use.

This app works great with both generations of the Apple Pencil, and it features palm rejection and handwriting recognition. Plus, when you draw shapes or lines, they can automatically snap into place perfectly. As such, this is the best companion to the Apple Pencil available on iPad. If you have to take notes or annotate documents, Notability is a must. You can create new documents from scratch, edit existing ones, create new PDFs by scanning physical documents, or use hundreds of community-built templates.

The best feature offered by Notability is synced recordings, though. With this feature, you can record a lecture or meeting while you type or write notes by hand. Afterward, tapping on a specific word or drawing will play the audio that was recorded at the exact moment you wrote the note. If you frequently take notes during meetings or lectures, this feature is unmatched. Notability now has a free tier and switched to a subscription-based model. To get access to all the features, you'll need to pay $3 per month or $15 per year.

Notability on the App Store

Procreate

Best photo editor for iPad

At this point, you might be noticing a pattern. The iPad is a great tool for creatives of all skill levels, from students and amateurs to professionals. For photo editors, digital artists, and graphic designers, there is no better app to use than Procreate. It offers support for multiple layers of drawing and text, which is great for complex designs and artwork. You can also use canvases with exorbitant resolutions, including the largest canvas that features a 16k by 8k resolution. There's also 64-bit color, so you can ensure your designs and artwork are accurate.

Like you'd expect from a digital creation app on an iPad, there is great support for the Apple Pencil. Aside from the common features like palm rejection and handwriting recognition in text fields, you also get pressure sensitivity. Then, when it's time to export, you can save your work as an Adobe Photoshop file for unmatched compatibility. Most appealing might be the price, which is a one-time purchase of $12.99. If you do any kind of photo editing, digital art, or graphic design on your iPad, Procreate is worth trying out.

Procreate on the App Store

Apple Notes

The note-taking app for the Apple ecosystem

While Notability is considered to be the best exclusive note-taking app overall, we have to mention Apple Notes due to its integration with the entire Apple ecosystem. Not only that, Apple Notes is built right into the iPad's operating system, which has its own benefits. You can start a Quick Note by swiping up from the bottom right-hand corner of the display with your finger or an Apple Pencil, which is one of the quickest ways to jot down notes. Otherwise, if you tap the Apple Pencil on a locked iPad, it'll also open a Quick Note. This can be great in a pinch, and this integration at the OS-level can't be matched by any other app.

Plus, Apple Notes is a solid word processor and text editor, which can be useful. Notes sync through iCloud and are available on all of Apple's platforms, so you can start a note on your iPad and finish it on your iPhone. These can be locked with a password or shared with others — the choice is yours. Apple Notes adds flexibility, continuity, and integration to the note-taking experience on iPad, and these perks alone make it one of the best exclusive apps on iPad.

Apple Notes on the App Store

Timepage

A great planner app for iPad

Timepage is a sleek and modern planning app by Moleskin — yes, the same company that makes the physical notebooks — and it's exclusive to iPad. The app is also available on iOS, but the experience is much different on iPad due to the extra screen real estate available. You can completely customize the way your Timepage app looks with colors and themes, almost like a physical planner. Since the iPad has a form factor similar to a notebook or letter-sized piece of paper, the app looks great at this size and makes you feel like you're using a physical planner. Timepage's extensive customization options also include the app icon, so you can change the way the Timepage app appears on your home screen.

It's more than just looks, too. Timepage has integration with virtual meeting apps, so you can join Zoom or Google Meet meetings with just a tap of an event in your calendar. It also features integration with Apple Maps, which allows Timepage to show you expected travel times for in-person events in your calendar. Since Timepage syncs with your iPadOS calendar, any processes that automatically import events to your calendar will work with this app. Timepage is free to download, but there is a monthly subscription of $2.50 or a yearly subscription of $15.

Timepage on the App Store

Apple Weather

The best weather app available on iPad

Apple Weather is unique because the app as we know it today largely stems from Apple's acquisition of Dark Sky in March 2020. Dark Sky was one of the most popular weather apps across iOS and Android while it remained independent. However, when Apple purchased it, the company announced plans to shutter both the iOS and Android apps over time. Now, many of the Apple Weather app's best features come from the ill-fated Dark Sky. But, the Apple Weather app is at its best on iPad because it takes full advantage of the screen space available.

You don't get more information out of the Apple Weather app for iPad than on other platforms, you just see it differently. For example, you have access to precipitation maps that dynamically show the movement of rain and storms over time on both iPhone and iPad. But this is full screen on the iPhone, while it is just one of many data points you can visualize on the iPad simultaneously. This is great for planning days and trips since you can see the holistic view of the upcoming weather forecast all at one time. Now that the weather app is loaded with information, it is best presented on the iPad.

With Apple Weather, you can see live intensity levels of rain over the next hour in your area and can even be notified of when rain is coming ahead of time. Aside from temperature and precipitation, Apple Weather also offers air quality index readings, wind speed and directional metrics, and more. It's more information than most of us could ever need, all in a built-in app found on all iPads. Since this app was just added last year, you'll need to be running iPadOS 16 or later to use it.

Apple Weather on the App Store

Civilization VI

An iconic game available on the iPad

Apple isn't known for gaming, but the iPad might be the best product for playing games from the company. A well-known game and iPad exclusive is Civilization VI, which is great for people who love strategy games. Gamers will recognize that Civilization VI is available on PC and Mac, but the iPad is the only tablet that offers this title. In it, you try to build a civilization through different time periods, starting with the Stone Age.

This game starts out free to play, but after completing 60 turns, you'll need to pay $9.99 for the full game. Luckily, if you own Civilization VI on another platform, you can sync your progress on all your devices. As such, this game is great for people who like Civilization VI and want to keep playing during their free time on the go. It's a rare iPad-exclusive game and an even-rarer port of a PC game available on iPadOS. For more iPad games, check out our top picks for the best iPad games in 2023.

Civilization VI on the App Store

The final say

Apple offers the best tablet in the world with the iPad, so it doesn't need a slew of exclusives to make it a great purchase. With that being said, there are a few great apps that are exclusive to the iPad. Since the iPad has desktop-class performance in a tablet's form factor, it can offer desktop apps that no other tablet manufacturers can. This is where exclusive apps on the iPad shine, in examples like Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Procreate. You can't go wrong with any of the above app choices on your iPad, and these will help you out in your efforts to be creative, productive, or have a little fun with your Apple tablet.