Beautiful examples of custom app design
“A feast for the eyes,” “eyes like saucers,” “eye candy...” I’m starting to see a theme here. Or maybe I’m just hungry. Either way, it’s always a good idea to spoil those peepers with something delicious; or at least with something deliciously-designed.
With that in mind, we’ve put together a smorgasbord of tasty app designs especially for you. Bon appétit!
Backmarket app
App design by Koto
We humans produce a huge amount of e-waste (electronic waste). We’re obsessed with new technology, and corporations take advantage of that by building planned obsolescence into their products. This means that many of our phones, computers, and other devices are designed with an artificially limited lifespan, meaning they become out-of-date or unusable within a planned period of time. This is BS, and Backmarket knows it. They’re on a mission to change our tech purchasing habits by providing a range of professionally refurbished devices, all in one single marketplace.
Their aim is to restore confidence in, and ignite desire for refurbished devices. They believe that “new” does not necessarily mean “better”. This concept is highlighted by one of their cheeky slogans: “Screw new”. We love it! 😍
App design by Koto
Why we love the Backmarket app:
Behind the beautiful design, lies an important mission - one that’s not only good for the environment and society at large, but great for your wallet too; Backmarket’s refurbished products are considerably cheaper than their new counterparts.
We love the cheeky copy! Check out this example: “Like Jon Snow, this phone has come back to life and means business.” Or what about: “Look at Donald. The current model isn’t always the best.” Couldn’t have said it better myself!
Oooh, the pretty colour palette 🤤. We love how they’ve combined black with a range of bold colours.
The distinctive iconography, and the fact that they’re making stickers cool again!
Check out the Backmarket app here, and change the way you buy your tech.
Headspace app
You’ve probably heard of Headspace. It’s an amazing app that has changed the life of many of its users, me included. It allows you to enjoy the benefits of meditation anytime, anywhere, and it’s all backed by science! It helps to reduce stress, and even helps those who struggle to sleep (that’s what I use it for most). The app has a collection of audio, animations, videos, and articles, all centred around mental health, and mindfulness.
App design by Headspace
Why we love the Headspace app:
Headspace has been around for a while, but their app design still feels so fresh.
Unique illustrations give the app its own distinctive “Headspace feel”.
Everything from the colour palette and illustrations, to the style of the copy, leaves you in a good mood. It’s just so friendly and welcoming.
We love how seamlessly they’ve combined graphics and photography.
The app even has customisable accessibility settings for users who experience auditory, visual, or motor skill issues.
Headspace offers a 2 week free trial.
Take a look at the Headspace app here, and while you’re at it, why not try out their free trial? 🧘🏽
Self motivation app design
Ok, I confess - this app isn’t real, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worthy of praise. I mean, just look at it; it’s gorgeous!
The app is designed to encourage mindfulness by asking users to reflect on their day, and to track their moods. It also provides mechanisms to help users develop better stress-management skills.
App design by Quan and illustration by Anna Isabella Schmidt
Why we love this self motivation concept app:
In a world abounding with brightly coloured apps, this monochromatic design is a breath of fresh air.
We love the dreamy, moody style of the illustration.
The font combination is just perfect. 👌
We like the app’s focus on mental health and well-being.
Check out the self motivation concept app design here.
Farewill’s custom app design
Farewill’s goal is to take the complexity and stress out of everything related to death. Their app merges smart technology with spot-on customer service, making everything to do with the passing of a loved one easier, faster, and fairer. The type of services the app assists with includes writing wills, and arranging cremations; not fun activities at the best of times.
App design by Koto
Why we love the Farewill app:
Farewill makes the difficult task of dealing with death easy for their users.
They have a Trustpilot rating of 4.9 from just under 7000 reviews. They’re obviously doing something very right!
We love how Farewill has used a single spot colour to tie the various design elements together.
The use of yellow, combined with a friendly illustration style and playful logo design, gives the app a warm personality. This is in stark contrast to the cold approach many others in the same industry take.
Their font combination adds to the app’s welcoming feel.
The app is simple to use, with steps that guide users through their processes simply, and painlessly. (We’ve mentioned before about how important it is that an app be both beautiful, and user-friendly. Get the scoop in this post.)
Take a look at the Farewill app here.
Starbucks app
I never used to be a coffee snob until I spent a year and a half in a small town in Panama. The coffee there is AMAZING! The kind of “amazing” that, no matter how much you’d love to sleep in, the thought of your delicious cup of morning coffee gets you out from under those covers in no time! ☕
So for me, Starbucks coffee kind of pales in comparison. But that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate their app design.
App design by Starbucks
Why we love the Starbucks app:
Everyone recognises the Starbucks logo and its distinctive green. We like how they’ve expanded their palette to give the app a unique, almost “earthy” feel.
The app makes it simple to see the nutritional information, ingredients, and allergens of every Starbucks product.
There are tons of gift cards available, all decorated with a beautiful custom illustration. You’re bound to find the card that’s perfect for your friend, family member, or for yourself!
As if the Starbucks logo weren’t recognisable enough, they’ve developed an identifiable illustration style to make them stand out even more!
We like the combination of their deep-etched product shots, with bold, illustrative backgrounds.
The “find a store” feature makes it easy to pinpoint the location of your next Starbucks indulgence. 🍰
Take a look at the Starbucks app here.
Collection of custom app designs complete!
There are so many beautiful, user-friendly, unique app designs out there, that choosing a mere handful to highlight was no easy task. We hope you enjoyed our picks, and are feeling inspired to create a beautiful app of your own!
Now’s the time to start putting that creative energy to good use. Check out our post: App design for newbies: A complete guide to building your first app (with pictures), and get the ball rolling on your new app!