4 best user experience apps in 2024

Did you know that mobile apps have a 150% higher conversion rate compared to mobile websites? This is because apps offer a complete experience. They can hold everything from flight information to order statuses – all you might need is just one little click away. Apps offer an ease that mobile websites can’t compete with. This is why creating a great user experience (or UX) for your apps is integral.

In this article, we will dive into some apps with great UX from different industries and discuss:

1. What makes their user experience so good
2. How you can achieve the same UX as them

But first, let’s take a little detour into the basics.

(Pssst! Feel free to use the menu below to dive straight into the examples. We won’t judge you.)

This article will cover:

• Why is user experience in-app important?
• 4 apps with a great user experience
• Uber
• Airbnb
• IKEA Place
• Spotify
• How do you create an app with a good UX?
• Are you looking to boost your app UX with feedback?

Why is user experience in-app important?

A good UX can make or break an app. That’s why it’s important to map out what the benefits for the users are before development starts. As already mentioned, apps tend to have a much higher conversion rate than mobile websites, but why is that?

Well, generally, apps offer features that websites don’t. It’s the user-friendliness that makes them so inviting. Think about it, would you rather have your concert tickets readily available in an app, or would you prefer to:

1. Go to a website
2. Log in
3. Check your tickets
4. Download them or screenshot them

There are a few extra steps here, right?

And concert tickets are just one example. The same goes for order statuses, making returns, flight tickets, internet banking, etc.

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Some benefits that apps provide include:

• User-friendliness
• App-exclusive features
• Higher personalisation options
• Notification possibilities

And in turn, all of these things drive:

• Higher conversion rates
• Customer loyalty
• Increased marketing possibilities (like A/B testing)

Win-win situation, right? With that out of the way, let’s have a look at some apps that have really nailed their user experience. And how you can achieve this same success for your business.

Are you curious to know what your users think about your app? Read everything you need to know about mobile feedback here.

4 apps with a great user experience

Uber

All the apps on this list are pretty well-known, but Uber probably takes the cake.

This popular ridesharing app has been around since 2009 and grew famous due to Uber’s disruptive business model. This quickly earned them the title “the world’s most valuable startup”.

But aside from disrupting the market, Uber is also known for their great user experience! The app has a clean, black and white design that is simple to navigate. Once you have entered your destination, you are taken to the map view where you can easily see which cars are in your neighbourhood and how far away they are.

Their service overview is also adjusted according to the popular UX law, Hick’s Law. This refers to the time it takes to make a decision and how it increases with the number of choices the user is offered.



So how does Uber combat this? They make the decision-making stage of the customer journey easier by clearly displaying extra information that may affect the user’s choice – Like the cheapest option and how far away the car is. This reduces the complexity of the choice.

Another handy Uber feature is being able to split fares. This shows that Uber knows their customers. Their services are often shared within a group, so why not make the experience of “splitting an Uber” a bit easier?

Airbnb

Airbnb is another giant that came from humble beginnings. This online marketplace for short- and long-term homestays was launched in 2007. However, it looked very different from the Airbnb we know and love today. Believe it or not, the company started with the two founders turning their living room into a bed and breakfast by putting an air mattress in it.

It’s safe to say that the company has since evolved… a lot. And a big reason why Airbnb’s app delivers such a great user experience is because the company has evolved over time. They jumped on the mobile-first trend early and released the first version of their app already in 2012.

Naturally, the app itself has also evolved since then. But implementing it into the business model early is without a doubt a contributing factor to why this app ends up on several lists of top UX examples.

So what are some Airbnb app features that improve the UX? Let’s have a look:

• The search function: It’s one of (if not the) most important features of the app. You start off by filling in when and where you are looking for accommodation and who is coming on your trip.
  
  Airbnb applies the Law of Proximity to the search function, meaning that elements placed close together are perceived as related. Grouping these questions together helps the customer access relevant details faster. It’s quick, easy and ensures that you receive search results that fit your wishes.
• The search results: The results are displayed together with the price both on a map view and in a list. The map allows you to make quicker decisions based on additional information, like proximity to public transport, landmarks, the city center, you name it.
  
  When clicking one of the options on the map, you can browse some photos without having to leave the map view. From here, you can also see the rating and add the accommodation to a list of favourites. This makes it easy for the user to decide if they are interested in a listing or not. And if they aren’t, they can keep browsing without any hassle.
• The favourites list: The option to add a room or apartment to a list of favourites makes it easier for the user to compare different options. You can also share this list with other users and add notes, making it even easier to come to an agreement with potential travelling partners.

As you can hear, it’s not just about what features you have. It’s also about how they are designed and what function they serve.

IKEA Place

This app is the odd one out on this list as it’s created for one purpose rather than including the entire customer journey. But it’s a great example of how fulfilling a need can improve your user experience.

IKEA Place is an app that allows the user to see what furniture will look like in their living space with the help of AR. By using the app, customers no longer need to go to an Ikea store to see the items in person. They also don’t need to measure their homes to get an idea of if the furniture will fit or not.

You simply scan the floor in your place, browse the list of products in the app and select the one you are interested in. Now you can move and place the product in your home to see how you like it. Handy, right?



This illustrates how IKEA started the development of the app with a problem in mind: The online shopping experience for furniture is difficult because it’s hard to visualise the end result based on a picture.

Spotify

Let’s take a sidestep into the world of streaming services. Spotify is one of the largest music streaming service providers in the world and it launched in 2008. Another example of a disruptive business idea that really conquered the market.

There are a number of things that make the user experience of this app interesting. What stands out the most, however, is the personalisation features. Let’s have a look:

• Customised playlists: Perhaps an obvious feature, but one that heightens the user experience nonetheless.
  
  Users can create their own playlists and share them with the wider world. They also have the option to download entire playlists. This makes times when you might not have the best internet connection, like flights, car rides and train rides, a whole lot more enjoyable. Because when do you listen to music and podcasts more than while travelling?
• Explore your genres: Spotify collects data on which genres you listen to and allows you to browse them if you go to the search function of the app.
  
  It’s a great way of finding music you might not otherwise come across. However, the names of the genres are sometimes questionable. My most prominent one seems to be “Angry”… I wonder if that says something about me or if Spotify is just biased against alternative rock music.
• Popular with listeners: On the hunt for a new podcast? I know I’m always open to finding something new to listen to! This section on your home screen shows you podcasts that are popular among users who also listen to a podcast you already know and enjoy.
  
  For example, say that you are listening to a UX podcast. Spotify can see that you are enjoying it and suggest other podcasts with the same audience.
• Made for you: Autogenerated playlists for you, based on your music taste. It’s another way of finding new music or putting on something in the background you know you’ll enjoy if you feel tired of all the other playlists in your library. Which ultimately leads me to:
• Discover weekly: This is a Spotify-generated playlist that changes every week, full of new music curated just for you based on your music taste.

As you can see, Spotify is full of personalisation options that create a better user experience.

How do you create an app with a good UX?

After reading about all these fantastic apps, we bet that you are full of ideas and itching to get started. But let’s take just two minutes to walk through some tips on how to create an app with a good user experience. Trust us: they will be helpful when you start developing your very own mobile app.

• Make sure that you understand your users
  In order to create an app that is useful you have to understand your customers’ needs. Why would they want to use an app? Aside from accessibility, what needs can you fulfill with an app that you can’t on a website?
  
  In Uber’s example, however, accessibility is the biggest reason for creating an app. You need to be able to order a car while you’re on the go. But other features, like the option to split fares, create an all-around great UX.
  
  Take the time to map out who your users are and what features they might need.
• Create something user-friendly
  If you create an app that is hard to use, you can bet that it’s going to die a quick death. Let’s just hope it will be pain-free!
  For your app to be successful you have to make it user-centric and that includes easy navigation, easy features, quick loading times. I can go on, but I think you get the gist.
• Use UX Laws when designing
  Best practices aren’t called best practices for nothing. UX laws help you design a successful user experience based on psychology. If you want to create something that is user-centric, then it’s highly recommended to take these laws into consideration.
  
  Read more about the different UX Laws and how they work here.

• Keep it consistent
  Consistency is one of the main pillars of great UX design. It is important that the look and feel of your app is coherent. Keep in mind that it also needs to be coherent with your overarching brand. Is your main business on a website? Then your app and website should look alike.
  
  Inconsistent design can lead to confusion and reduced trust, which will, in the end, hurt your brand.
• Leverage feedback
  Last but not least! User feedback is another pillar in creating a good UX. Who better to tell you what they want and need than your actual users
  
  By continuously collecting user feedback, you can keep track of your general user satisfaction. It is also the perfect place to deploy forms that measure metrics like Goal Completion Rate – Are your users managing to do what they came to the app to do? Or Customer Effort Scores – How easy was it to do what they wanted to do in the app?
  
  By collecting user insights and taking action based on your learnings, you make sure that you have an app that is always improving.
  
  Find out how to create the ultimate mobile experience with user feedback here.

That was it! Time to get your app developed. But before you go…

Are you looking to boost your app UX with feedback?

Mopinion is the #1 feedback software for web, app and email. This platform comes with sophisticated triggers that allow you to collect feedback from critical areas in the user journey. Leverage your own users to make sure that you give them the best experience possible. After all – they know what they need and want better than anyone. And they can even help you with everything from content to bugs and features.