App Store Hidden Gems Prove There Is Still Room for Great Software in the AI Era

Apps are back, or perhaps they never left in the first place. While some individuals debate whether people will transition away from applications as AI agents make accessing online services more efficient, we have discovered that the App Store remains active and healthy, featuring a recent explosion of fun, creative, and innovative tools, experiences, and indie efforts.

Several recent launches can be attributed to the rise of AI coding, which has enabled people to ship software more rapidly and allowed novices to participate in the app ecosystem. According to a report, new app launches soared in 2026, with worldwide new app releases up 60% year-over-year as of the first quarter across both the Apple App Store and Google Play. On Apple's iOS store alone, that figure reached an even higher 80%.

Below is our latest collection of App Store hidden gems that we have added to our Home Screen. You can also visit TechCrunch's prior app round-ups, such as our looks at next-generation social apps, Apple Watch, and iPad productivity tools, and apps for digitally decluttering your life.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

Albo (previously Sortd, but not that Sortd) is an excellent utility for anyone who regularly bookmarks content from social media and then promptly forgets about it. With Albo, the core concept is sharing the link to a TikTok, Instagram Reel, YouTube video, or website directly into the app. Albo will automatically extract details from the post, categorize it, and save the idea for you. That post and its notes will remain accessible in Albo even if the original content creator deletes their publication later on.

The app supports a variety of social platforms, including Pinterest, X, LinkedIn, Threads, Reddit, and Facebook, alongside browsers like Chrome and Safari. You can also incorporate screenshots into Albo. This simplifies saving online inspiration, whether for travel ideas, local spots, movies, shows, books, recipes, or workouts, and collections can be shared with friends. Albo originates from the London-based app studio The Feel Good Project.

Meanwhile, Coop offers an alternative neighborhood marketplace where users can purchase real handmade and homegrown items from nearby sellers, such as fresh eggs from a farmhouse down the road or bartering with neighbors. The idea is to keep commerce local while helping people turn their gardens, fields, or crafts into secondary income streams utilizing the app's Stripe integration.

PI.FYI, a colorful and somewhat chaotic app, promises to revive the "old internet" where recommendations came from a network of friends rather than algorithms. Emerging from a cult newsletter, the app feels fresh and modern. Similarly, Lettre brings the charm of pen pals and snail mail into a digital format, letting users forge friendships globally, with future postal mail options under consideration in their FAQ.

While not brand new, Sofa Time picks up where the shuttered TV Time app left off, offering an uncluttered interface to track movies and TV shows, organize watchlists, and discover new releases for a one-time $4.99 fee after a couple of free trials.

We love well-built single-purpose apps, and Moods Faster by Nick Leith is a prime example, logging moods into Apple Health in just two taps for $1.95 per month. Additionally, Activate Fitness has expanded its screen-time-earning app to encompass the whole family, helping adults achieve goals like withholding doomscrolling until daily steps are completed.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

Source: TechCrunch