Apple Announces 2023 App Store Award Winners - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Announces 2023 App Store Award Winners

by

Apple today chose its 2023 App Store Award winners, highlighting the best apps and games on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and more. Apple is recognizing 14 apps and games in total, with the winners picked by the global App Store Editorial team.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.

According to Apple, the 2023 App Store Award Winners provided users "with meaningful experiences" and inspired cultural change. The picks "empowered users to unleash their creativity, discover a world of new adventures, and have fun with family and friends."

"It's inspiring to see the ways developers continue to build incredible apps and games that are redefining the world around us," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "This year's winners represent the limitless potential of developers to bring their visions to life, creating apps and games with remarkable ingenuity, exceptional quality, and purpose-driven missions."

Apple selected App of the Year winners for each of its products, and Game of the Year winners for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Apps

  • iPhone App of the Year: AllTrails, from AllTrails, Inc.
  • iPad App of the Year: Prêt-à-Makeup, from Prêt-à-Template.
  • Mac App of the Year: Photomator, from UAB Pixelmator Team.
  • Apple TV App of the Year: MUBI, from MUBI, Inc.
  • Apple Watch App of the Year: SmartGym, from Mateus Abras.

Games

Apple selected five Cultural Impact Winners that were "recognized for their ability to drive positive change through apps and games."

According to Apple, the Trend of the Year was generative AI, with apps integrating AI throughout the year in multiple ways.

All App of the Year and Game of the Year winners will receive a physical App Store award modeled after the App Store logo.

Tag: App Store

Popular Stories

Liquid Glass App Store Feature

Apple Pulled Cal AI for Deceptive Billing Design, Not External Payments

Tuesday April 21, 2026 12:54 pm PDT by
Apple recently cracked down on Cal AI, an app owned by MyFitnessPal that tried to skirt Apple's in-app purchase rules. Apple told TechCrunch that it briefly pulled the calorie-counting app last week for violating purchasing guidelines and using a deceptive billing design. When the app was pulled last week, there was speculation that it was removed for implementing web-based payments,...
Read Full Article • 12 comments
app store monthly sub commitment

Apple Introduces App Store Monthly Subscriptions With 12-Month Commitment

Monday April 27, 2026 12:52 pm PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of a new subscription option for App Store developers: monthly subscriptions with a 12-month commitment. The new option allows developers to offer subscribers discounted pricing typically associated with an annual subscription but paid on a monthly basis to keep payments more affordable. This new payment option allows you to offer subscribers more affordable...
Read Full Article • 146 comments
app store blue banner epic 1

Epic Games Wins Reversal of Stay in App Store Fee Legal Battle

Wednesday April 29, 2026 5:05 am PDT by
Apple will not be able to delay a district court battle over fee calculations while it waits to hear whether the U.S. Supreme Court will weigh in on the latest developments in its long-running dispute with Epic Games. On Tuesday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed an earlier decision letting Apple keep its current zero-fee link-out commission structure in place while it appeals to...
Read Full Article • 85 comments

Top Rated Comments

S
Silver78
32 months ago
The app store is simply destroyed by in app purchase and subscriptions ..
just the 5 apps alone will set you back 367$ YEARLY!! in my country.. its total greed and a disgrace in my eyes.
I gave up looking in the app store years ago.
And even worse I can’t find a way to filter them away in the app store.

That exercise app look exactly same as a free and one time purchase one from many many years ago..
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
S
singularity0993
32 months ago
The yearly $99 developer program fee is a huge barrier preventing many great open-source free apps from entering the App Store. That's part of the reason why App Store is currently filled with low-quality subscription apps. There is no competition from free alternatives.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Steve-Jobz Avatar
Steve-Jobz
32 months ago
Tim: Thanks to these apps for paying the most Apple taxes.

Endless price increases, overpricing and subscriptions.

One-off buyouts have become a rarity. Bad money drives out good money.

Example: Agenda's buying model strikes a good balance between customer interests and developer profits.

Unfortunately, there is no limit to human desire. Even this modest business model is hard for other software developers to accept.

I've even seen basic iPad calculators for $5/mo. That's funny. Welcome to ApplePunk 2077.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jethr_o Avatar
Jethr_o
32 months ago
Also known as: the most profitable apps and games (from Apple's point of view) for the year?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Steve-Jobz Avatar
Steve-Jobz
32 months ago

The app store is simply destroyed by in app purchase and subscriptions ..
just the 5 apps alone will set you back 367$ YEARLY!! in my country.. its total greed and a disgrace in my eyes.
I gave up looking in the app store years ago.
And even worse I can’t find a way to filter them away in the app store.

That exercise app look exactly same as a free and one time purchase one from many many years ago..
Agree.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
D
DesignTime
32 months ago
Seems a little early. It's not even December yet.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments