What is one app every creator should have on their phone?
Here are the best apps for creators, according to creators.
Credit: John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images; John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images; Rob Kim/Getty Images The Webby Awards
What’s the one app no creator should live without? At the 2025 Webby Awards, Mashable posed that deceptively simple question to a dozen digital trailblazers walking the red carpet, and while the answers varied, a few clear themes emerged.
First and foremost: If you’re not editing on the go, are you even creating? From CapCut and Snapseed to Lightroom and Canva, creators are in agreement that your content is only as good as your edits. Raw footage? That’s cute. But polished, scroll-stopping posts? That’s the standard.
Creators also emphasized the need to stay inspired and organized. Pinterest was a go-to for visual brainstorming, while Notes — yes, that simple little default app on your iPhone — got a shoutout for being the unsung hero of idea dumps and to-do lists. “You need to write your thoughts down and make sure you have your to-do list,” said Caleb Simpson, known for asking New Yorkers what they pay in rent.
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Then, there’s the matter of mental space. Whether it’s zoning out with Block Puzzle or centering yourself with Calm, even the busiest creators need a digital breather.
But let’s be real: this wouldn’t be a conversation about creators without at least a few of them saying TikTok is the one app you absolutely need. Three out of the 12, in fact. Because where else are you going to watch, trend, and go viral all in a day’s work?
Here’s what each creator said they can’t live without:
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The Rizzler (@itztherizzler): TikTok
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Jake Shane (@octopusslover8): Calm
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Jools Lebron (@joolieannie): CapCut
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Achieng Agutu (@noordinarynoire): Lightroom
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Logan (@logagm): TikTok
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Michelladonna (@michelladonna): CapCut
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Lana Rae (@lanaslifeee): Pinterest
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Caleb Simpson (@calebwsimpson): Notes
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Kamie Crawford (@kamiecrawford): Canva
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Miss PepperMint (@peppermint247): Snapseed
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Cliff Tan (@dearmodern): TikTok
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Chris Klemen (@chrisklemens): Block Puzzle
Whatever your creative process looks like, there’s an app for that. And odds are, it’s already in your favorite creator’s pocket.
Christianna Silva is a senior culture reporter covering social platforms and the creator economy, with a focus on the intersection of social media, politics, and the economic systems that govern us. Since joining Mashable in 2021, they have reported extensively on meme creators, content moderation, and the nature of online creation under capitalism.
Before joining Mashable, they worked as an editor at NPR and MTV News, a reporter at Teen Vogue and VICE News, and as a stablehand at a mini-horse farm. You can follow her on Bluesky @christiannaj.bsky.social and Instagram @christianna_j.
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