10 Free Apps Every City Dweller Needs to Clear Some Storage For

It’s always 5 o’clock when you’ve got Drizly, an on-demand alcohol delivery app, on your phone. Promising beer, wine, and spirits to your door within an hour of ordering, Drizly offers everything from a bottle of Grey Goose to a Lagunitas IPA and all the Champagne, tequila, beer, brandy, and more in between. Whether you want a drink without having to venture onto the busy streets, are in need of last-minute party supplies, or just don’t feel like carrying bottles back from a shopping trip, Drizly is your all-in-one solution. The app is currently serving most major US cities, including Chicago, NYC, LA, Boston, Dallas, St. Louis, and more (40 cities in total).

Available for iOS and Android

Let’s face the facts: living in a city is expensive. Like, really expensive. Unless you’re a professional accountant or somehow still have your parents paying your bills, you might need some help keeping up with your budget, credit card, and bills. Mint is a user-friendly system for tracking bills, income, and a balance of both — without wanting to pull your hair out or move to Nebraska.

Available for iOS and Android

One of the most difficult things to do in a city — especially one where most residents rely on public transportation — is go grocery shopping. The weight, the juggling of bags, the potential spillage onto the street when bags break . . . sometimes it feels more impossible than inconvenient. That’s where Instacart comes in. An app that delivers groceries within an hour, Instacart ensures that you’ll no longer be eating questionably fresh products from the back of your cabinets just to avoid going shopping. It offers a free delivery deal for first-time customers spending over $35, and those who participate in the Instacart Express membership get this deal for each two-hour-delivery order.

Available for iOS and Android

It seems that no matter how long (or short) you’ve lived in your city, public transportation never fully stops being a challenge. But you don’t have to tackle taking a new route, dealing with schedule changes, exploring an unfamiliar city, or simply finding the quickest and easiest way alone — you can tackle it with Moovit, the local transit app of your dreams. The app, live in 800 cities and 60 countries, offers live arrival and departure times, community service alerts and advisories, and a personal transit assistant to guide you step by step.

Available for iOS and Android

Is it just us, or does it seem like rental markets in major cities are somehow getting worse? Thankfully, Apartments.com seemed to catch on that some of us were floundering when it comes to finding an affordable and livable place and launched this apartment rental search app. It offer users tools to simplify the rental process, including filtered searches, custom search areas, and floor plan maps. Its large selection of homes and range of features has made this one of the most beloved real estate apps — among stiff competition.

Available for iOS and Android

For those who prefer a visual experience vs. Audible’s auditory, Kindle is a portable tech take for an on-the-go way to pass the time — especially for those of us who live in a big city. Think: hours stuck on public transportation or afternoons spent lounging at a public park. Since both Kindle and Audible are Amazon companies, they also sync seamlessly for books that offer both versions — readers can swap between the ebook and audiobook. The Kindle app itself offers a spread of reading and annotating tools, including highlighting, word definitions, and bookmarking.

Available for iOS and Android

The premiere audiobook app, Amazon’s Audible, is the perfect accompaniment to traveling via public transportation, walking through the streets, or sitting in traffic. Audible offers a monthly membership plan, with one book per month. Bonus: the first book selection is complimentary. The library is full of classics, current hits, and memoirs — the latter of which are often read by the authors themselves. Pop in your earbuds for a chance to not only stay entertained, but to expand your mind.

Available for iOS and Android

If there’s one tech trend that has perhaps most transformed our lives over the past couple of years, it’s ride sharing. Leading the charge are Uber and Lyft, two apps that let you request a car, take a ride, and pay all from the comfort of your smartphone. Each app offers a range of services, including pool (Uber) or line (Lyft), which cuts the price by creating geographically sensical carpools with cars that can accommodate larger groups. If you don’t have a car in your city, need a ride at odd hours when public transit’s schedule is off, or are going out somewhere that isn’t walking distance, these apps will be a godsend.

Available for iOS and Android

Sometimes, you just don’t have food in the house, don’t want to go grocery shopping, or are just too lazy to boil a pot of water for pasta. Enter, Seamless and Grubhub — two services that ensure you can get your favorite foods delivered to your bed . . . or, at least, to your door. We’ve found that Seamless tends to be more popular on the East Coast and GrubHub on the West Coast, but you can’t go wrong either way. Choose a local restaurant, add items to your cart, check out, and get your meal delivered to your door. No changing out of your pajamas necessary.

Available for iOS and Android

Have roommates? Go to a lot of dinners with friends? Don’t carry cash? Venmo will change your life and that’s not an exaggeration. Users can easily send money to and request money from friends for rent, bills, food, drinks, rides, or anything else. The secure and safe app protects your information while seamlessly connecting to your credit card or bank account. Users can customize privacy settings, add comments, and even "like" and comment to interact with each other’s payments. It’s like a social network and wallet all wrapped into one.

Available for iOS and Android