resources, technology, Cities
Top 9 Mobile Entertainment Apps for Life in the City
30 Sept 2025
With a phone in your hand and a connection to the internet, anything becomes possible. Those living in the city are often looking for new ways to entertain themselves, whether that’s recommendations from other locals or looking for online activities to enjoy in their apartments.
Below are nine must-download apps for those living in any city in the world. These apps provide in-person and online entertainment, allowing you to stave off boredom and feel like a tourist at home. The best part is that you can also take many of these apps with you when you travel, enhancing any experience in the biggest cities in the world.
1. Foursquare Swarm
The Foursquare City Guide app disappeared slowly from our lives at the end of 2024, but many of the features were incorporated into Foursquare Swarm. This app will get you out of the house and turn socializing into a game. It is a location-based social networking app where you can check into places and earn badges. It allows you to instantly share your location with friends, and acts as a kind of log of all your local adventures. It also allows you to see where your friends have checked in. You can view everywhere you’ve checked in on a map, complete with a photo or note about your experience.
If you’ve checked into a spot more than your friends, you earn the title of “mayor”. You also earn rewards by checking into the same spots on consecutive days.
2. Spotted by Locals
This is a great source of entertainment if you’re bored at home or exploring a new city. The app recommends new spots based on where you’re located. It provides travel guides created by other locals, allowing you to skip the tourist spots and live more authentically. Tips are handpicked by “Spotters”, who are the locals who live in the city.
You can find new restaurants, entertainment venues, local cuisine, and sightseeing destinations that you may never have come across with a quick Google search.
3. Mobile Casino Apps
Mobile casino apps are ideal for those who enjoy the casino experience but don’t feel like getting a taxi. These apps and online platforms allow you to play casino games at home, offering security and a wide variety of games and payment options. Several select sites accept Cash App, making withdrawals and deposits easier than if you have to connect your casino account to your bank account.
These apps are the perfect source of entertainment if you don’t want to change out of your pajamas, and you potentially stand to win extra funds for your next outing, too.
4. Wi-Fi Finder
Wi-Fi Finder is an incredible, free app that is key to being entertained. It helps you find the closest public Wi-Fi spot in most major cities in the world. Without an internet connection, your smartphone becomes just another thing to carry around, which is why this app is so crucial.
The Wi-Fi map shows thousands of hotspots across the world, and they’re all verified and speed-tested. It allows you to filter by venue, whether you’re near a hotel or a bar. Once you’re connected, you can use the Wi-Fi for anything, from Googling which movie is playing at the cinema to playing online games.
5. VoiceMap
VoiceMap is the perfect app for those who are curious about the world around them. This app acts as an audio tour guide, giving you facts about landmarks and the history of the city you’re in. You can explore while at home, or walk around and discover hidden secrets. The app is linked to your location and offers you a self-guided tour where you can walk, cycle, or even take a boat while getting information through the app.
It currently works in 77 countries at over 65,000 locations, and you can download tours when you have Wi-Fi to use the app offline.
6. GPSmyCity
GPSmyCity is similar to VoiceMap and provides you with entertainment as soon as you step outside your door. It offers offline maps for over 1,500 cities, along with local tours and travel articles.
The app also offers navigation, making it easy to find your way around the city. You will discover new corners of the city you’ve lived in all your life. As a bonus, many of the tours have been compiled by other locals, so you might make some new friends as you explore.
7. Songkick Concerts
Songkick Concerts combines Spotify with Ticketmaster; it notifies you when the artists you listen to are performing in your city. The app scans the music on your devices and is able to see who your favorite artists are. Then, if any of them are playing nearby, you will receive an alert, and you can purchase tickets to their event right on the app. You can also add several cities to Songkick so that you can stay up to date with performances when you’re traveling.
8. Netflix
No list of entertainment apps is complete without Netflix. This is the perfect app if you want a cozy night at home to block out the city noises for a few hours. Netflix is a TV and movie streaming service where you can find thousands of hours of shows, documentaries, and films. The Netflix app also has mobile games to play for free.
Netflix can also be enjoyed while commuting or having a coffee; just make sure to use earphones so you don’t annoy those around you.
9. Google Arts & Culture
Not many people realize just how entertaining the Google Arts & Culture app is. This free application allows you to explore art, history, and cultural artifacts from over 2,000 museums spread across 80 countries. You can enjoy virtual tours through the Street View feature, zoom in to see the brush strokes on paintings, and enjoy the many interactive features of the app.
The most entertaining feature is the Art Selfie. You can take a selfie or a photo of your pet through the app, and it will match you with an existing portrait with information about the artist and museum.
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