The best social media apps offer a range of solutions that can help you easily organize multiple accounts and share information across several social networks without ever needing to post anything separately to your accounts directly from the web.
Need help managing all your social accounts? Look at powerful social media apps (i.e. SocialOomph) that help you manage all your. You can organize everything you need in separate columns so you can see all of it on one screen.
Here are a few of the most popular social media management tools available today. Use them for personal reasons, for your blog, for your small business or for your large brand.
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Hootsuite
What We Like
- Analytic tools for social media marketing.
- Reliably identifies influencers.
What We Don't Like
- Some features come at a cost.
- Cumbersome to curate content across platforms.
Hootsuite is arguably the most popular social media management app out there. It's very well known for supporting lots of different platforms while offering a wide range of settings and dynamic features.
You can monitor and post to several popular networks including both Facebook personal profiles and business pages, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others. And with its built-in custom analytics system, the ability to monitor selected keywords plus the option to conveniently schedule posts whenever you want (and do this all for free), HootSuite sets the bar high for competing social media management tools. Pro and enterprise plans are also available.
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Buffer
What We Like
- Flexible pricing plans.
- Integrates with news aggregator tools like Feedly.
What We Don't Like
- Free version doesn't connect to Pinterest or LinkedIn.
- Content feed lacks a search feature.
Buffer helps you plan out a schedule to optimize your social updates by scheduling them and spreading them out to publish throughout the day. You can use it with Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
The dashboard is super simple to use, giving you full customization of your posting schedule and the ability to view your analytics. Using the Buffer mobile app and the web browser extension makes it easier than ever to quickly add web page links (including title and images) to your Buffer schedule. You can upgrade for more posting privileges and social accounts to manage.
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TweetDeck
What We Like
- Twitter users don't need to create a separate account.
- Surprisingly powerful for a free tool.
What We Don't Like
- Limited customization, no option to create user groups.
- Takes time and patience to set up.
TweetDeck is another popular web app used for managing Twitter. This popular platform used to support other social networks as well, but once it was acquired by Twitter, it stripped all that away and made it specifically for managing Twitter accounts.
TweetDeck is totally free and perfect for those who need to manage multiple accounts, follow specific hashtags, reply to lots of other users and see exactly what's being tweeted in real time. You can organize everything you need in separate columns so you can see all of it on one screen. Keep in mind that TweetDeck is meant for the desktop web only.
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SocialOomph
What We Like
- Queue content to re-post automatically on a recurring basis.
- Extensive help documentation.
What We Don't Like
- No mobile application.
- Clunky interface.
SocialOomph can help you manage your Twitter accounts for free — plus Pinterest, LinkedIn, Tumblr, RSS feeds and more if you upgrade. Schedule your tweets, track keywords, promote your profiles, shorten URLs, purge your direct message inbox, and create an unlimited number of profile accounts completely free of charge.
A free account gets lots of great features that aren't terribly limited, but a premium account will get you more — including follow-backs, automated DMs, quality users worth following and more. Premium members are billed every two weeks rather than monthly.
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IFTTT
What We Like
- Easy to use mobile app for iOS and Android.
- Integrates with many apps, services, and smart devices.
What We Don't Like
- Better for personal use rather than professional use.
- Automatically adds hashtags to all posts.
IFTTT stands for If This Then That. This tool lets you build your very own automated actions, called applets or 'recipes,' so that you don't have to perform them manually.
For example, if you want all of your Instagram photos automatically saved to a public folder of your Dropbox account, you can create a recipe with IFTTT. You can choose from existing applets, as well.
There's no limit to the number of recipes you can build, and it works with almost any popular social website. You can find out how start making your own IFTTT recipe with this tutorial.
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SpredFast
What We Like
- Excellent customer service.
- Ideal for groups of people working on social media campaigns.
What We Don't Like
- No way to save customized settings preferences.
- Twitter content is often delayed by a few minutes.
For the social media strategist who's crazy about measuring analytics, SpredFast is the tool that excels at data feature integration. Manage and measure data gathered from all sorts of social platforms to see how many people you are reaching and whether or not your target audience is appropriately engaging with your content. The data is presented in formatted graphs, which you can use to compare and benchmark campaigns against other strategies.
As you might've guessed, SpredFast is for more than just the average blogger or small business dabbling in some light social media promotion. You have to request a demo before you can start using it.
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SocialFlow
What We Like
- Displays most popular posts in real time.
- Predictive scoring shows how content might perform.
What We Don't Like
- Automation features could be better.
- Toggling between accounts is more difficult than it should be.
Like SpredFast, SocialFlow takes a feature, schedule posts, monitor hashtags, manage your audience, manage user-generated content and also get access to analytics and reporting. There are plans for everyone from bloggers and small businesses to agencies and enterprises.
PRODUCT DISCLOSURE $
The main reason to buy an Xbox One is to play games, but if that's all you use your console for, you're leaving a lot of meat on the bone. Xbox One apps provide access to a ton of video content, including your favorite movies and TV shows, but it doesn't end there.
Here's a list of the best Xbox One apps for movies, music, sports, and more. There are standouts in each category and apps that have great native controls, without resorting to a virtual mouse.
If you see any apps you want to grab for your own Xbox One, click the corresponding link to the Microsoft Store, log in to the same Microsoft account you use for your Xbox, and look for a button that says Get the app or Install/play.
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Blu-ray Player
What We Don't Like
- Unreliable performance.
- Unintuitive controls.
Why It Made the Cut: It adds essential functionality the system should have had when it shipped.
Why You Need the Xbox One Blue-ray Player App
Microsoft bet on HD DVD in the high-def disc war and lost, but the Xbox One has a Blu-ray drive built right in. The problem is that it doesn't play Blu-ray movies out of the box. This app fixes that, as it allows you to watch your Blu-ray Discs and DVDs without buying and hooking up a separate Blu-ray or DVD player.
Microsoft bet on HD DVD in the high-def disc war and lost, but the Xbox One has a Blu-ray drive built right in. The problem is that it doesn't play Blu-ray movies out of the box. This app fixes that, as it allows you to watch your Blu-ray Discs and DVDs without buying and hooking up a separate Blu-ray or DVD player.
For anyone wondering why this app is even necessary, it's a money thing. Microsoft has to pay a royalty to the Blu-ray Disc Association for every Xbox One that uses a Blu-ray player. So, if some people choose not to install the app, Microsoft saves a little money.
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Tubi TV
What We Like
- New and classic movies.
- 'Not on Netflix' section.
What We Don't Like
- Region-restricted content.
- Ads can't be disabled.
Why It Made the Cut: It provides free ad-supported TV and movies.
Why You Need the Xbox One Tubi TV App
If you don't have a subscription to cable or any streaming services, then Tubi TV is the Xbox One app for you. The app provides access to a ton of free television shows and movies that you can watch.
If you don't have a subscription to cable or any streaming services, then Tubi TV is the Xbox One app for you. The app provides access to a ton of free television shows and movies that you can watch.
You don't even need to sign up for an account to watch content on Tubi TV. Just download the app to your Xbox One, open it up, proceed as a guest, and you're good to go.
The catch is that Tubi TV is supported by ads that run before and during videos. So if you prefer to fork over some cash up front to avoid watching a lot of ads, you'll want something like Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime Video.
The good news is that those services all have Xbox One apps, so make sure to grab them if you're already a subscriber.
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VRV
What We Like
- Reasonable premium plan.
- Lots of Japanese shows with English subtitles.
What We Don't Like
- Occasional audio/subtitle syncing issues.
- Frequent ads.
Why It Made the Cut: It's all about free anime and other fun shows.
Why You Need the Xbox One VRV App
VRV is a one-stop shop for fans of anime, western animation, gaming, comedy, and other genre video content. The app includes shows from Crunchyroll, Funimation, Rooster Teeth, Cartoon Hangover, and more.
VRV is a one-stop shop for fans of anime, western animation, gaming, comedy, and other genre video content. The app includes shows from Crunchyroll, Funimation, Rooster Teeth, Cartoon Hangover, and more.
While there are separate Xbox One apps for services like Crunchyroll and Funimation, VRV makes it easier by providing everything in a single interface.
VRV is also free to use, but you can pay for a subscription if you prefer ad-free content.
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YouTube
What We Like
- Sign in with your Google account.
- Upload gameplay videos straight from your console.
What We Don't Like
- No resume playback feature.
- No 4K support.
Why It Made the Cut: It accesses a vast collection of free user-generated videos and music.
Why You Need the Xbox One YouTube App
YouTube is the king of user-generated content on the internet, and the official Xbox One app shifts it all from your computer to your television.
YouTube is the king of user-generated content on the internet, and the official Xbox One app shifts it all from your computer to your television.
Unofficial apps also provide access to YouTube content, but there's no pressing need to download them anymore. The official YouTube app is easy to use and gets the job done.
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Netflix
What We Don't Like
- Limited selection of new Hollywood releases.
- No live TV.
Why It Made the Cut: Just about everyone appreciates its massive library and great interface.
Why You Need the Xbox One Netflix App
If you have a Netflix subscription, then you must download the Xbox One app. It's surprisingly easy to navigate with a controller, and it's a great way to watch movies, TV shows, and Netflix Originals like Orange is the New Black and Stranger Things on your television.
If you have a Netflix subscription, then you must download the Xbox One app. It's surprisingly easy to navigate with a controller, and it's a great way to watch movies, TV shows, and Netflix Originals like Orange is the New Black and Stranger Things on your television.
The Netflix app edges out competitors like Hulu and Amazon Prime in terms of usability and content, but if you have a subscription to those services they also have apps available on Xbox One.
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Live Sports and TV
What We Like
- International sports news.
- Inexpensive premium plan.
What We Don't Like
- Unreliable live streaming.
- Limited coverage of American football.
Why It Made the Cut: It's the only free live sports and news app available on Xbox One.
Why You Need the Xbox One Live Sports and TV App
There are a lot of sports apps on Xbox One, but they all require a subscription. If you haven't cut the cord yet, you can use your cable provider login information to watch live sports on the Fox Sports Go or ESPN apps.
There are a lot of sports apps on Xbox One, but they all require a subscription. If you haven't cut the cord yet, you can use your cable provider login information to watch live sports on the Fox Sports Go or ESPN apps.
If you don't have cable, your options are more limited. In fact, the Live Sports and TV app is the only game in town. It's spotty in terms of content and quality, and it's supported by banner ads unless you pay for a premium version, but it's the only way to watch free sports on your Xbox One.
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Plex
What We Like
- Share media across devices over a network.
- DVR support.
What We Don't Like
- Occasional buffering and crashes.
- No auto-play feature.
Why It Made the Cut: It's the best way to stream your own video and music content.
Why You Need the Xbox One Plex App
If you have a ton of digital media on your hard drive or a network-connected drive, then Plex should be at the top of your list of Xbox One apps to download.
If you have a ton of digital media on your hard drive or a network-connected drive, then Plex should be at the top of your list of Xbox One apps to download.
You sign up for an account, download the Plex server program on your computer, and it streams all the movies, TV shows, and music that you have on your computer or a networked hard drive.
Plex is the best way to stream media from your PC to your Xbox One.
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Spotify Music
What We Like
- Listen to albums before they're officially released.
- Social media integration.
What We Don't Like
- No option to download songs via Xbox One.
- No live radio streaming.
Why It Made the Cut: It's all about free music that continues to play when you leave the app.
Why You Need the Xbox One Spotify App
The official Spotify app gives you access to a ton of music, and it's easy to navigate and use with a controller. It's also free to use, although Spotify offers a monthly subscription option.
The official Spotify app gives you access to a ton of music, and it's easy to navigate and use with a controller. It's also free to use, although Spotify offers a monthly subscription option.
If you loved Groove Music Pass on your Xbox One in the past, then you should love Spotify just as much. You can even move your playlists and collections straight from Groove to Spotify.
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Twitch
What We Like
- Preview games before you purchase them.
- Stream your own 'let's play' videos.
What We Don't Like
- Hard to avoid adult content.
- The aspect ratio shifts slightly while broadcasting.
Why It Made the Cut: Twitch is the biggest live-streaming site available right on your console.
Why You Need the Xbox One Twitch App
Xbox One has built-in live streaming, but Twitch is the biggest game in town. If you want to watch your favorite streamers or discover new ones without leaving your couch, you need this app.
Xbox One has built-in live streaming, but Twitch is the biggest game in town. If you want to watch your favorite streamers or discover new ones without leaving your couch, you need this app.
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TMX - Theme My Xbox
What We Like
- Personalize your Xbox One interface.
- Add your own themes for others to download.
What We Don't Like
- No animated themes.
- Content is rotated, so some themes aren't available for long.
Why It Made the Cut: TMX provides greater control over the aesthetic look of your Xbox One dashboard.
Why You Need the Xbox One Theme My Xbox App
If you want to make your mark on your Xbox One, then you need this app. The built-in customization options are limited, but Theme My Xbox pulls together a ton of user-created themes that you can download, customize, and use on your console.
If you want to make your mark on your Xbox One, then you need this app. The built-in customization options are limited, but Theme My Xbox pulls together a ton of user-created themes that you can download, customize, and use on your console.
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Home Remote
What We Like
- Control all your smart devices from your Xbox One.
- Simple interface.
What We Don't Like
- No support for devices with two-factor authentication enabled.
- No compatibility with virtual assistants.
Why It Made the Cut: Lets you interact with your home automation gadgets.
Why You Need the Xbox One Home Remote App
The Home Remote app is a universal windows platform (UWP) app that runs on your phone, tablet, PC, and Xbox One. It allows you to interface with all your cool home automation gadgets from these devices.
The Home Remote app is a universal windows platform (UWP) app that runs on your phone, tablet, PC, and Xbox One. It allows you to interface with all your cool home automation gadgets from these devices.
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Community Calendar
What We Like
- Keep up with new DLC releases.
- Preview trending live streams.
What We Don't Like
- Limited functionality.
- No information about beta releases.
Why It Made the Cut: It helps you dig into the Xbox One community.
Why You Need the Xbox One Community Calendar App
If you want to turn your time with the Xbox One into a social experience, then you need this app. It provides information about upcoming community events, special in-game events, and more.
If you want to turn your time with the Xbox One into a social experience, then you need this app. It provides information about upcoming community events, special in-game events, and more.
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Xbox Insider Hub
What We Like
- Test new software from Microsoft.
- Rewards frequent use.
What We Don't Like
- Requires a lot of setup.
- Age-restricted content.
Why It Made the Cut: You gain access to new features before anyone else.
Why You Need the Xbox One Insider App
The Xbox Insider app is the only way to get access to hot new features, such as game gifting, before the general public. When you join, you get early access to new Xbox One firmware updates.
The Xbox Insider app is the only way to get access to hot new features, such as game gifting, before the general public. When you join, you get early access to new Xbox One firmware updates.
You can also participate in questionnaires and perform other tasks to level up. The higher your level, the earlier you can get your hands on new features.
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Khan Academy
What We Like
- Professionally produced videos.
- Well structured curricula.
What We Don't Like
- Cumbersome controls.
- No interactive content.
Why It Made the Cut: This is the best educational app on the platform.
Why You Need the Xbox One Khan Academy App
Sometimes you want to take a break from all that high-octane gaming, and the latest anime episode or Twitch stream isn't enough of a palate cleanser.
Sometimes you want to take a break from all that high-octane gaming, and the latest anime episode or Twitch stream isn't enough of a palate cleanser.
The Khan Academy app is a great opportunity to learn new things using your Xbox One, and its lessons are usually fun and easy to follow.
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MSN Weather
What We Like
- Easy-to-read interface.
- View forecasts for the entire globe.
What We Don't Like
- Aesthetically boring radar map.
- Only as reliable as MSN's meteorologists.
Why It Made the Cut: It works great with a controller.
Why You Need the Xbox One MSN Weather App
If you want to check the weather without getting off the couch, Microsoft's official MSN Weather app does a surprisingly good job. It works great with your controller, so you don't waste a bunch of time getting at the information you need.
If you want to check the weather without getting off the couch, Microsoft's official MSN Weather app does a surprisingly good job. It works great with your controller, so you don't waste a bunch of time getting at the information you need.
AccuWeather also has an Xbox One app that provides great hour-by-hour forecast information, but it loses points because it uses a virtual mouse controlled by an analog stick instead of native Xbox One controls.
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My Fitness
What We Like
- Suggests workouts for achieving your fitness goals.
- Impressive technical support.
What We Don't Like
- Only tracks one person's information at a time.
- Steep learning curve.
Why It Made the Cut: Get fit with plans and tracking right on your console.
Why You Need the Xbox One My Fitness App
Xbox Fitness is gone, and there's no real replacement for it. My Fitness is an app that allows you to set up and track your fitness goals and workouts, which is a step in the right direction.
Xbox Fitness is gone, and there's no real replacement for it. My Fitness is an app that allows you to set up and track your fitness goals and workouts, which is a step in the right direction.
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Fitbit
What We Like
- Personalized exercise routines.
- See your heart rate in real time on your TV.
What We Don't Like
- Requires extra hardware.
- Fitbit Coach premium account required to access all content.
Why It Made the Cut: It interfaces directly with best-in-class activity trackers.
Why You Need the Xbox One Fitbit App
If you have a Fitbit, then this app is a great way to keep track of your progress. It's the same app you get on your phone or PC, but why get up off the couch to check up on your sleep habits or how many calories you failed to burn during that last marathon gaming session?
If you have a Fitbit, then this app is a great way to keep track of your progress. It's the same app you get on your phone or PC, but why get up off the couch to check up on your sleep habits or how many calories you failed to burn during that last marathon gaming session?