If you want to understand today, you have to look into yesterday. While this may sound interesting, history is generally considered boring. But what if we told you that there are ways to make it interesting and dig into the past in a fun way? These history apps for iPhone and iPad do exactly that.
Read on, take your pick, and get digging into the past!
1. Wikipedia – Editor’s choice
Wikipedia is one of the world’s most informative websites, and we have all referred to it at least once in our lives, whether out of curiosity or for projects. Although the website focuses heavily on text and is boring, if you want all the information from start to finish, this is the website for you.
The thing I love most about Wikipedia is that it also links all the relevant information to hundreds of its other pages throughout the article. So, you can get all the details in one place!
The app and website cover all the topics you can possibly read about, and all the articles are specially curated and written by experts. The app has been very well made, and there are new voice search features, an inbuilt dictionary, and an ever-growing library of articles.
Furthermore, I like that the app offers dark mode, an option to adjust the font size, lets you save articles, and supports over 300 languages. Above everything, it is completely ad-free! Besides history, you can also read about other fields like science and literature on this app.
Pros
- Vast library of knowledge
- Trusted authors and sources
- Covers all genres
- Ad-free experience
- 300+ Supported languages
- Supports dark mode and text adjustment
Cons
- Can get boring due to a lack of media
- Sometimes proved unreliable as anyone can edit the content
Price: Free
2. HISTORY – TV Shows on demand: Most shows
The HISTORY TV Channel is here with its mobile application, housing all its shows! This app is perfect for learning history by watching shows rather than reading a boring paragraph.
This app features shows about world history, including the US, science, and beyond, while also covering the early civilizations around the globe. Shows like The UnXplained and Ancient Aliens are my personal favorites and are streaming on this app too!
However, the app is buggy and glitchy, and its content is only available in the United States as of now.
Pros
- Many shows
- Great production quality and knowledge
- Covers all topics in a fun way
Cons
- Has many bugs
- Only available in the US
Price: Free
3. BBC History Magazine: Less-known topics
The BBC History Magazine app gives you access to an e-copy of the monthly magazine published by BBC. This magazine is created by historical professionals and experts and talks about every topic in history. From world history to American and British history, this app has it all.
The magazine is a mixture of text and images, making it more comprehensive for the reader. Further, it focuses on less-known topics from ancient civilizations and both world wars to digging historical news and historical background behind current events.
Besides, you also get features like text adjustment and bookmarking certain sections of the magazine that you would like to visit again later on.
However, since it is a digital magazine in the format of an app, you need a paid subscription to access its information. Considering its high-quality content, it’s worth it.
Pros
- Expert authors
- Comprehensive magazine
- Adjust the font size
- Bookmark content
Cons
- New editions are published once a month
- Needs subscription
Price: Free (Subscription starts at $4.99)
4. Today in History: Easy to understand
Today in History is a unique app that tells you what happened in history on a specific date. The app has Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays, and more brought right in front of you in a manner that is easy to understand. The app also has a history trivia section to challenge friends and family to some historical questions.
The best part about the app is that it is extremely easy to understand and remember. You can also filter details through relevant tags to find only what you are interested in! The app gives plenty of information and barely takes 10 minutes of your day.
Pros
- Easy to understand details
- Beginner-friendly content and UI
- Updated daily
- Great use of tags in articles
Cons
- Lacks information when compared to other apps
Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $1.99)
5. History Events Today: Date wise knowledge
This app is similar to Today in History as it shows what important event, birth, or death happened on a specific date in history. What makes this app special, though, is that it has data of over 100,000 incidents, and you can learn history date-wise.
The app conveniently also provides lots of links to websites like Wikipedia so that you can sharpen your knowledge even further!
This app promises to send you regular notifications about important incidents, and you can share something interesting via any social media app easily too. The app’s user interface is simple, so even new users will find it very easy to read!
Pros
- Easy to understand
- Appropriate notifications to keep you updated
- Easy to share to social media
Cons
- The UI is not as appealing
Price: Free
6. Encyclopedia by Farlex: Most detailed
Encyclopedia by Farlex can become your one-stop solution for not only articles about history but also fields like science and technology. This app has over 330,000 articles that you can browse for completely free.
The best part is that this app’s articles have been sourced from some of the most trusted names like McGraw-Hill, Harper-Collins, Columbia University Press, Cambridge University Press, and more.
Apart from history, the app also offers you interesting information on art, science, business, music, culture, animals, technology, and others.
If you like to do in-depth into topics of history, this is the app for you! It has a nearly ad-free experience, and a premium subscription can eradicate those too.
Pros
- Massive library
- Trusted and reliable sources of information
- Comprehensive knowledge
Cons
- Lots of ads
- Outdated look
Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $0.99)
7. World History Trivia Quiz: Best for questions
Unlike the other apps on this list that teach you history, World History Trivia Quiz tests your knowledge about the subject. This app features over 150 questions on American History, French Revolution, World War 2, etc. You can use the app in 16 different languages like Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, English, etc.
The questions in the app range from multiple choices to true and false. You can also use hints, skip a question or ask a friend too! The best part is that you get a certificate once you have answered all questions!
So if you are up for the challenge and think you have what it takes, give this trivia quiz app a go! Besides, it makes for a fun game with friends and family.
Pros
- Questions in all categories
- Multiple features to help you out
- Supports multiple languages
Cons
- Paid subscription to remove ads
Price: Free (In-app purchases start from $0.99)
That’s it!
These are some of the best history apps for iPhone and iPad that you can find on the App Store. We hope these apps can reignite your love for history and give you just the information you need! If you have any doubts or queries, feel free to leave them in the comments section below!
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