Applications are what make our devices all the more exciting to use. Imagine an iPhone with no apps, the horror! If you are in transit, there’s a time you would want to stream your favorite music, navigate a strange locality, or do other fun stuff. For this, you need apps that support Apple CarPlay.
Check out the 25 best Apple CarPlay apps you should definitely get in 2023 to enjoy your time on the road.
Best Apple CarPlay Apps
1. Spotify
This is a well-known music streaming platform with more than 456 million active users across the globe. If you are not already using Apple Music then consider listening to trendy and old-school music on this app.
It has an extensive library of music from all kinds of genres. You can create your own playlist, play from a shared playlist, and download songs to play offline. Spotify has a free plan with ads and three premium subscriptions – basic, student, and family plans.
Key features
- Playback
- Lyrics for current playing music
- Curated content
- Shared playlist
- CrossFade feature
2. Audiobooks.com
If you are one of the few that would rather listen to a book than read it then Audiobooks is the perfect CarPlay app to download. It is also perfect if you don’t have the time from your busy schedule to binge on books you love. You can listen to them while driving.
Audiobooks has a great collection of books and over 700,000 podcasts. Your first premium audiobook is free, then you can choose one for $15 after that. There’s also an option to either stream audiobooks directly from the app or download them to your device.
Key features
- Easy location of books
- Easy to use and navigate
- VIP selection
- Podcasts
3. iHeartRadio
This is a radio app that allows you to listen to AM and FM stations all around the world. You can even share songs or channels with your loved ones. iHeartRadio creates a tailored station for you based on your recent activity and favorite stations.
With the premium version, you can replay songs, skip, create as many playlists as you want and save songs that catch your interest.
Key features
- 30-day free trial
- Unlimited personalized playlists
- Live-streaming of shows and podcasts
- Offline listening after download
4. Waze
If you need the best navigation app to assist you in making it to your destination through the fastest route, Waze is the go-to app for you. With Waze, you can see real-time traffic, gas station locations, and incidents around the locality and also listen to podcasts and music in the app.
Your friends and family can now track your movement as Waze allows you to share your driving location with anyone.
Key Features
- Voiced turn-by-turn navigation
- Real-time traffic
- Location alerts
- Real-time gas prices
- Spoken street names
5. TuneIn
Listen to sports highlights, thousands of radio stations across the globe, all genres of music, and podcasts on TuneIn. It has over 75 million active users and an extensive library that you can choose from. TuneIn allows you to listen to live play-by-play games and popular sports like Premier League.
Key features
- Large stations library
- Access to the latest news from popular TVs
- Supports more than 200 devices simultaneously
- Local and international sports broadcast
6. TomTom Go Navigation
This is another handy navigation app you should go for if you need an alternative to Waze. TomTom Go gives you the option to save maps, and you also get to see easy and closer routes to take in the case of a blockade or traffic on your way.
You receive alerts and warnings, view popular stops and facilities around the area, and can share your location with friends.
Key features
- My Places feature
- Downloadable map
- Petrol and charging stations
- Alternative routes
- Moving lane guidance
7. Dash Radio
This is an exciting and free radio with zero commercials to spice up your journey. It has about 80+ channels with content from DJs, musicians, and radio personalities.
You can stream live 24/7 without interruption.
Key features
- No Ads
- Constant streaming
- Curated live by real people
8. Audible
This is an online book collection owned by Amazon for your listening pleasure. There’s an option to download single chapters and share them with others.
There’s support for voice-over with the option to add titles to your library using credits. If you are not an Amazon prime member, you can pay $15 to get access to one audiobook and two Audible originals monthly.
Key features
- Voice over support
- Huge library of books
- Credits
9. MLB At Bat
For baseball fanatics, this will be a great app to have on your Apple CarPlay. By listening to this app, you get updates and the latest information about baseball at your disposal.
It has radio support that you can listen to since it would be utterly impossible to watch the game live while driving. You can either subscribe monthly or yearly to this app at the rate of $3 and $20 respectively.
There’s full control over your streaming, so you can rewind, pause, watch with delay or scrub to past action. It’s a feature-loaded app.
Key features
- Easy to navigate
- Full control over speed and streaming preference.
- Park Audio option
- Radio feature
10. Pandora
Also among the best Apple CarPlay apps is Pandora, a music app that plays music based on your listening pattern over time. It has tailor-made playlists just for you and you can create playlists at will.
With Pandora, you can turn it on and forget about changing songs or channels, it keeps playing your favorite music till you arrive at your destination. The free version of Pandora is frequently interrupted by intrusive ads while the premium ad-free version goes for $13 per month.
Key features
- Customized playlist
- Playback
- Exclusive SiriusXM shows
- Unlimited offline listening
- Create and share playlists
11. NPR One
Listen to the happenings around the world with NPR One. It brings you the latest news and information across borders. If you missed any News, the Catch-up section of the app saves it for you.
News is not the only thing this app has to offer as you can also listen to podcasts, all trendy and informative. It has a friendly user interface and VoiceOver support.
Key features
- Voice over support
- Podcasts and News
- Catch-up section
- Hand-picked stories by NPR editors
12. Overcast
This is a podcast app with a series of features that users find truly fulfilling. It has a collection of all kinds of podcasts, from motivational to meditational. Though the app’s free version is clogged with ads, you can evade these ads by subscribing to a premium version for just $10 a year.
You can personalize Overcast as you wish. You can speed up conversations, download, sort, delete, search, sync, and share clips.
Key features
- A wide library of podcasts
- Search and sync
- Push notifications
- Voice boost
- Speech speed-up features
13. Free Audiobooks
Just like the name suggests, Free Audiobooks offers a wide variety of fictional and non-fictional books that you can please yourself with while driving. You can search by author’s name, title, or narrator. Most of the books are professionally narrated to make you part of the story.
You may either download onto your device directly or stream it straight from the app, the choice is yours.
Key features
- Advanced Narrator
- All genres
- Download feature
- Easy to use
14. Libby
Libby is another simple and aesthetic audiobook with plenty of appealing features, including linking you to a public library. If you are a member of any library in your region then Libby is the best app to take advantage of your library card.
It will allow you to check out, loan, and return ebooks and audiobooks at your convenience. So while zooming across cities, your favorite audiobook can keep you entertained.
Key features
- Connection to a public library
- Downloadable books and magazines
- Playback
- Adjustable reading settings
15. SiriusXM
This is an interactive satellite radio app with Apple CarPlay support. It has rich content and channels for users to pass their commute time with.
You can also listen to podcasts, Ted talks, shows, live performances, and world-class news. If you experience terrible weather conditions, SiriusXM can fine-tune itself to receive a better network.
Key features
- Podcasts and on-demand shows
- Personalized Pandora stations
- Live sports, News, and Original talk
- Tailored recommendations
16. VOX
Vox is a good substitute if you want to store all your music playlists on your device. If you want to listen to music when you are not connected to Wifi, simply allow permission for your music collection from iTunes then play through VOX.
Ensure to enable CarPlay on Vox to allow you to play FLAC files conveniently. It plays directly from your car, so you don’t have to stay on the phone to navigate it. This prevents possible accidents.
The app also gives you the chance to download and stream your favorite podcasts and music channels.
Key features
- Hands-free
- Current music across the globe
- Downloadable music
17. WhatsApp
This messaging app supports Apple CarPlay. If you are stuck in traffic and need to send a quick message across to your friends and colleagues then WhatsApp is the app for you.
It has an option for voice recording, so you don’t have to type out words. Siri can also access your messages and read them out loud for you. Or, you can as well tell whoever is messaging you to send you a voice note instead.
Key features
- Voice recording
- Voice calls
- Video call
- Supports Siri
18. Apple Music
This is a built-in music streaming app for iPhone users and it definitely supports Apple CarPlay. It has an extensive library of over 100 million songs from all over the world.
Its audio quality is superb and you can create your own playlist with your favorite songs fixed in there. You can also listen to existing playlists.
Key features
- Spatial audio with Dolby Atmos
- Personalized algorithmic playlists
- User-created playlists
- Lossless audio
- Mood-based playlists
19. Phone
Do you need to call someone real quick while you are driving? Your iPhone phone app totally syncs with Apple CarPlay. It has an intuitive user interface where you can place your call or answer incoming calls, turn on the speaker and go on with your conversation hands-free.
Key features
- Quick call
- Easy navigation
- Speaker feature
- Supports Siri
20. Messages
This is a built-in messaging app that lets you send and receive messages while driving. It infuses Siri, so you can call on the AI to either read out messages for you or send a message.
It has notifications that pop up on the home screen of your screen, so you can quickly preview the content of the message and its sender.
Key features
- Interactive user interface
- Integrates Siri
- Easy to use
- Push notifications
21. Apple Map
This comes with your iPhone and can work on Apple CarPlay. It helps you navigate your area smoothly. It shows you real-time traffic, your current speed limit, and nearby speed cameras.
Apple Map is well-detailed as it shows cities, streets, and pedestrian paths in 3D form. You can plan your routes on your Mac and transfer them to your iPhone when you are done. This map is one of the best for Apple users.
Key features
- Multi-stop routing
- Transit cards
- Photo use permissions
- Weather warnings
- Augmented reality walking options
22. Tidal
This is a subscription-based music, video, and podcast streaming platform that was launched in 2014. Tidal has a professionally curated playlist and a massive collection of podcasts and music.
In Tidal, you can listen to audio in all kinds of formats, from HiFi to MQA and the likes of Dolby Atmos. It also has a lossless audio experience. This means that the sounds it will produce will be standard.
Key features
- Lossless audio
- Free and paid plan
- Podcasts
- 30-day free trial
23. Spot Hero
This is a digital parking marketplace that connects drivers to parking lots and spaces around the city. So if you are looking to reserve a spot to park your vehicle before you arrive, then you must have Spot Hero on your device.
Spot Hero supports Apple Carplay. It equally shows you places you can charge your car conveniently in any region you find yourself.
Key features
- Location tracking
- Booking
- Setting arrival and departure time
- Manage parking history
- Search option
24. Zoom Cloud Meetings
Don’t miss out on meetings and video conferences just because you are behind the wheel. This app will allow you to join in on Job interviews, Virtual summits, etc. You can also indulge Siri to schedule meetings, and start and listen to every conversation while you are focused on driving.
Key features
- Virtual meetings
- Team chat
- Email and Calendar
- Conversational intelligence
25. PlugShare
This is another vehicle charging app with access to over 250,000 charging stations in the USA and Canada. You even get to enjoy the built-in navigation that leads you to the station of your choice.
The PlugScores feature on the app displays the highest-rated charging stations. You can check reviews and tips from other customers using the Check-ins feature.
Key features
- Photos and details of stations
- Trip planner
- PlugScores
- Messaging
Final Input
These 25 Apple CarPlay apps for 2023 will come in handy when you are stuck in traffic, need to attend a meeting, or explore your locality. Some fall under the same category like Spotify and Apple Music falls under the music group, so you will have to pick the one that meets your needs.
