Business-savvy celebrities know where the money's at. While commercials and product endorsements are grand, now the trend is apps. From Demi Lovato to Will.i.am to the Kardashian clan, everyone has an app (or three) these days. But not all apps are created equal. Some celebs have attached their names to fun, addictive games, while others have just turned their personal website into something you can pay for in the App Store. Regardless, having an animated adventure with a celebrity never gets old.
We've checked out 15 of the best celebrity-endorsed apps and ranked them for your viewing pleasure. Disagree with our thoughts? Share your own in the comments.
15. Tidal
(Free on iOS and Android)
Tidal is co-owned by: Jay Z, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Daft Punk, Jack White, Madonna, Arcade Fire, Alicia Keys, Usher, Chris Martin, Calvin Harris, deadmau5, Jason Aldean, and J. Cole. It's a pricier music streaming service than Spotify, Pandora, and other apps, but hosts exclusive albums and tracks from the aforementioned artists. Considering it mostly benefits those big name artists rather than up-and-comers who actually need some extra dough, we'll stick with our current music subscription.
14. Knock Knock
(Free on iOS and Android)
Funded by celebrity investors Will.i.am and Sir Richard Branson, Knock Knock is a lot like the old app Bump, but with chatting mixed in. Knock your phone twice to connect to people around you and start chatting. It scores a low ranking on our list because it can be a battery hog, and thus far, it suffers from a lack of users. Perhaps its saddest review: "There's no one around and I'm at Disney World."
13. Hanx Writer
(Free on iOS)
Did you know that Tom Hanks has his own app? For those that yearn for the days of smoke-filled bars, fringe-covered dresses, and long-awaited telegrams, you can use Hanx Writer, a word processor that mimics a typewriter.
12. Kylie Jenner Official App
($3/month subscription, iOS and Android)
Kylie's personal app is great in theory, but lacking lately. When it first launched late last year, the app was filled with behind-the-scenes photos, exclusive videos, and numerous ways to cop Kylie's looks on the cheap. The app is updated far less often now — depending on your level of fandom, you may or may not find the $3 a month subscription fee worth the price. A number of fans who downloaded the app and then decided to abort once they realized it cost money reported their iTunes had been charged for the purchase anyway; another found a site the app linked to for a red hoodie was actually a money-stealing scam.
Note: All of the Kardashians have their own official apps, but we won't run through all of them.
11. Kristin Cavallari Official App
(Free on iOS)
Kristin Cavallari's official app is far more than just selfies and re-grams from her Instagram account. It's got personal updates, about her family and her body, as well as fashion, nutrition, and fitness articles. While some of her opinions are scientifically unsound (to put it lightly), fans love her app — and it's free.
10. Kim Kardashian West Official App
($3/month subscription on iOS and Android)
While not as popular as her sister Kylie's at the outset, Kim K's app earns its monthly subscription fee with daily updates. The app features makeup tutorials for her glam looks, links on where to buy accessories to copy her looks, and cute photos of she and North. However, a number of fans aren't down with the $3 monthly subscription fee.
9. Shots
(Free on iOS and Android)
When Justin Bieber first endorsed Shots, it was an app for sharing selfies. A year later, the app has pivoted and is now a destination for sharing funny posts. The app has really good ratings, and overall, seems like an incredibly positive, supportive environment for sharing links to funny photos and videos, or your own selfies.
8. Shakira: Love Rocks
(Free on iOS and Android)
Shakira, Shakira. While some celeb-endorsed games are all about the celeb themselves, Shakira's is slightly more focused on the gameplay itself. Her game Shakira: Love Rocks is a jewel-centric cross between Tetris and Bejeweled — and it's got Candy Crush-levels of addiction going on.
7. Demi Lovato: Path To Fame
(Free on iOS and Android)
Demi Lovato's game is definitely addictive. The goal is to guide your customizable aspiring starlet into a path to stardom (and an onstage spot with Lovato's character herself). The game is peppered with her music, as well as personal trivia and anecdotes. Path To Fame doesn't have quite as much personalization as some of the other celebrity adventure games on our list, and if you are truly dedicated, you may play through the game too quickly for new updates to catch up to where you are.
6. Kim Kardashian: Hollywood
(Free on iOS and Android)
In Kim Kardashian: Hollywood, you join the titular character on red carpet adventures in Los Angeles. After creating your own star, you can date and dump other stars, go on various gigs, and make in-app purchases to extend your wardrobe (and general fabulousness). It's the next best thing to being a Kardashian yourself, but it can get pricey if you start buying a lot of accessories in-app, and when your character's energy is running low, it takes a long time to build back up.
5. Chelsea Handler: Gotta Go!
(Free on iOS)
Chelsea Handler's app is perfect for getting you out of sticky situations. Called Gotta Go!, it's basically an excuse generator. Say you're on an awful Tinder date. Rather than bug your busy BFF to bail you out, head to the app and tap an excuse (one of the big emoji-filled squares). The app will then text or call you after a specified amount of time, giving you a solid excuse to peace out before it would otherwise be acceptable. This app is useful whether you're a single girl or you just find yourself in less-than-fun social situations.
4. Heads Up!
($1 on iOS and Android)
Ellen Degeneres is the mastermind behind this fun party game. Pick a category, such as Blockbuster Movies, and one player puts their phone screen-side out against their forehead. A movie title will pop up, which other players have to help the phone-holding player accurately guess. You then tilt the phone downwards or upwards to keep score of how many right and wrong guesses you get. This app is great because it's basically a card-based guessing game, minus the physical cards, but unfortunately, you can't really play it by yourself.
3. Reserve
(Free on iOS and Android)
While you won't see their faces anywhere in the app, Will.i.am and Jared Leto are two of the investors behind Reserve, the Uber for restaurant reservations. Like Uber, you pay for the meal in-app, which is super convenient if you need to make a quick exit to head to a movie or show. It encompasses a range of excellent restaurants in New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C.
2. Kimoji
($2 on iOS and Android)
No Kardashi-fan could feel complete without the Kimoji app on their phone. Filled with Kim-themed emojis and GIFs, from her sunglasses-wearing face to a stripper pole, these icons are appropriate for pretty much any conversation with your BFF (and anyone else you chat with). Kimoji's combination of hilarity, utility, and creativity earns it a high-ranking spot on our list.
1. Kendall & Kylie
(Free on iOS and Android)
Best game ever? How about YES. In the game, you build your own character and then adventure with the youngest of the Kardashian clan through Hollywood in an attempt to gain followers and social media stardom. It's basically all we've ever dreamed of.
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