7 best apps for grown-ups

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With more than 2 million apps available—from games to fitness trackers—it's hard to know which are actually worth downloading and taking up precious space on your smartphone. We tracked down seven apps that could actually make your life healthier, happier, and easier.

Prosper Daily (free; Android, iOS)
This app alerts users if they've shopped at a business that has experienced a data breach. Prosper Daily also allows you to view all of your accounts in one spot, to track your credit score (for free), to optimize your credit card usage, and to manage your budget.

Fit Brains Trainer (free, prices vary for a premium subscription; Android, iOS)
Research has shown that cognitive training can help maintain thinking, learning, and reasoning in older adults. But you don't have to wait until the years add up. Designed by neuroscientists and game and education experts, Fit Brains offers 60-plus games and 500-plus workout sessions designed to build memory, focus, language skills, logic, and other cognitive skills, as well as emotional intelligence.

Big Keyboard (free; iOS)
If your texts look like gobbledygook, you'll give this app a thumbs-up. Its easy-to-read custom keyboard has letters that are 40 percent larger and with 100 percent more contrast than the standard version—so the letters are easier to see and type. Plus, all of the symbols are on the same home screen, making toggling a thing of the past.

GoodReads (free; Android, iOS)
Calling itself the "world's largest site for readers and book recommendations," this app allows you to see what books your friends are reading, to tag titles you'd like to read next, and perhaps most important, to keep track of what you have already read. Bonus: A bar code scanner makes it super easy to find and add a book to your list.

Pillboxie (free, $1.99; iOS)
A registered nurse created this intuitive app, which reminds you to take your meds on time, every day—or to keep track of another's meds if you're a caregiver. It doesn't require a network connection, and it will wake a sleeping device to alert you when a dose is due. Adding a reminder is as simple as dragging and dropping a picture of a pill into a pillbox. (Android users, try My PillBox for a similar experience.)  

Happify (free, subscriptions from $4.99/month; Android, iOS)
After tallying your responses to a quick survey, this happiness-boosting app offers you a choice of tracks, such as "Beat Burnout & Build Resilience" or "Build a Stronger Marriage." Tasks for each track are created by an expert, such as an author or a Ph.D., to help you move closer to your particular goals. For a quicker fix, use the meditation option under Free Play to unwind during a work break or in the waiting room.

iWish (free; Android, iOS)
Don't have a bucket list? This app provides inspiration with 700 ideas that center on wellness, travel, sports, relationships, career, wealth, and personal development. Add to the experience by creating a vision board or perusing the 600-plus motivational quotes. When you're ready, set up a to-do list, find tips to reach your goals, and check off your successes on your iDid list.