With the advent of watchOS 2, Apple unveiled several developer-friendly features for the Apple Watch. Among these, third-party complications stand out prominently. These compact data snippets, integrated by app developers, offer instant access to essential information directly on Apple-designed watch faces. Notably, while Apple has yet to permit third-party watch faces, the incorporation of complications serves as a practical alternative. Their utility cannot be overstated, rendering them invaluable additions.
However, finding apps offering complications for the Apple Watch isn’t easy. The iTunes App Store has a section for apps running natively on the watch, but it doesn’t indicate which ones offer complications. With millions of apps on the store, manual discovery is impractical. Thus, we embarked on a hunt for the best third-party complications for Apple Watch. Here are our top picks.
Before we proceed, note that not all complications suit every watch face, nor do all watch faces support complications. Generally, there are three watch faces to discuss: Utility, Modular, and Simple. We’ll explore which watch face provides the most useful complication for any given app. If a complication is compatible with the Simple watch face, it’s compatible with all others supporting complications, as their layout is identical.
Top Third-Party Complications for Apple Watch
Weather Channel
‘The Weather Channel’ needs little introduction. Free on the iTunes App Store, this reliable weather app displays forecasts, current conditions, winds, weekend forecasts, sunrise, sunsets, and more. The Apple Watch complication offers limited customization, primarily showing precipitation percentage on the watch face, along with current temperature. While adequate for most users, it lacks the customization of some competitors.
Developer: The Weather Channel Interactive
Suitable Watch Face(s): Any
Availability: The Weather Channel on iTunes App Store (free)
iTranslate
iTranslate, a compact travel companion, offers live translation of phrases/texts across languages. With a diverse range of language options, it enhances its utility. The iTranslate complication for Apple Watch delivers common-phrase translations directly to your wrist, adapting to your preferences. Notably, it suggests new phrases, tailored to the time of day; for instance, at 8:41 p.m., it bids you good night.
Developer: Sonico GmbH
Suitable Watch Face(s): Modular only
Availability: Cycles Period Tracker on iTunes App Store (free)
Cycles Period Tracker
Whether you’re a woman or in a relationship, you’d appreciate this app for tracking periods, whether your own or your partner’s. The watch complication offers various information sets across different faces, primarily on Modular, showing days until the period and fertility status. Other faces provide smaller details such as the current day of the period. Cycles offers extensive configuration options.
Developer: Perigee
Suitable Watch Face(s): Modular, Utility, Simple
Smart Monitoring with Watch Smart
Watch Smart, a distinctive app, seamlessly links your iPhone to your Apple Watch, functioning as a sound monitor. Your iPhone detects noise levels, triggering an alert on your watch when they surpass your preset threshold. This innovative functionality renders it ideal for applications such as a baby monitor.
The app’s complication is minimal, merely flashing to indicate an incoming alert. Yet, this simplicity aligns perfectly with its primary purpose, enhancing its practicality.
Developer: Tobias Donder
Suitable Watch Face(s): Utility
Availability: Watch Smart on iTunes App Store (free)
ETA
ETA is an excellent app designed solely to provide driving times and directions to your destination. With Apple Watch complications support, you receive critical information on your wrist. ETA also offers public transit duration notifications in select cities worldwide and continually expands its database. This complication is compatible only with the Modular watch face for obvious reasons.
Developer: Eastwood
Suitable Watch Face(s): Modular only
Availability: ETA on iTunes App Store ($2.99)
Lifesum
Lifesum, a distinctive health and fitness app, aids in monitoring food intake, exercise, weight loss, and overall body energy levels. The Lifesum Apple Watch complication displays current energy levels based on user input, allowing direct input on the watch for seamless tracking without the need to access your phone.
Developer: ShapeUp Club AB
Suitable Watch Face(s): Utility and Modular
Availability: Lifesum on iTunes App Store (free)
Event Countdown
Imagine ETA for every aspect of your life. Event Countdown allows configuring any event, whether it’s your partner’s birthday or the next deadline from your boss, and monitoring it from your Apple Watch.
Due to how reminders are displayed, I recommend using this complication only with the Modular watch face.
Developer: Liem Ta
Suitable Watch Face(s): Utility and Modular
Availability: Event Countdown on iTunes App Store ($1.99)
Hourly Wages
If you work on an hourly rate or freelance, this app is for you. The free app tracks your earnings based on the hourly rate you set. The hourly wages complication shows your earnings on the clock face. It supports watchOS 2’s Time Travel feature, allowing you to see future earnings. Pretty neat, eh?
Developer: Liem Ta
Suitable Watch Face(s): Utility and Modular only
Availability: Hourly Wages on iTunes App Store (free)
Monogram Plus
Looking to personalize your Apple Watch despite Apple’s restrictions? Check out Monogram Plus. This app allows you to use a complication space on compatible watch faces to add a monogram of your choice, whether it’s an 8-bit pixel icon or your initials or full name. Choose from a variety of pre-made monograms or create your own to customize your Apple Watch.
Developer: Joseph Goldstein
Suitable Watch Face(s): Any
Availability: Monogram Plus on iTunes App Store ($0.99)
BeWeather 2
A second weather app on this list might sound unfair, but trust me, BeWeather is nothing like the Weather Channel app. This is the most customizable app on the iTunes App Store, not just for iPhone but for Apple Watch as well, including supported complications. BeWeather’s complications offer more detail than the stock weather app, with icon customizations and additional information on your watch face.
In the same breath, an honorable mention goes to Carrot Weather – an equally priced app that offers unique notifications and forecasts.
Developer: Bellshare Inc.
Suitable Watch Face(s): Modular preferred
Availability: BeWeather 2 on iTunes App Store ($3.99)
Spentable
Spentable, an expense tracker designed for your Apple Watch, allows you to monitor expenses conveniently from your wrist. While it also offers a functional iPhone app, Spentable prioritizes effortless expense recording, making your watch the ideal tool for the task. The app’s complication displays varying data based on the watch face used. For example, on the Modular face, it presents month-to-date and today’s expenses, whereas on Utility, it only shows expenses for the current day. Tapping either complication directly accesses the expense entry interface. Simple and efficient.
Developer: Oursky Ltd.
Suitable Watch Face(s): Modular & Utility only
Availability: Available on iTunes App Store (free)
Cord
Cord, a voice messenger for iPhone, sends short, 12-second messages to recipients, resembling an audio-based Snapchat. The Apple Watch app and its accompanying complication aim to expedite message delivery. The complication on your Apple Watch enables quick recording and sending of messages to selected contacts.
Though Cord’s complication doesn’t display information on your watch face, its practicality merits inclusion. Sending short messages without launching the app on your watch couldn’t be simpler.
Developer: Cord Project
Watch Face Compatibility: Any
Availability: Available on iTunes App Store (free)
SilentLog
SilentLog silently records various metrics including steps taken, distance traveled, and time spent in one location. Additionally, users can attach pictures to capture moments. The Apple Watch complication displays step count, sometimes accompanied by duration of stationary periods. The Modular complication further indicates the specific location where the user remained.
Developer: Rei-Fronteier Inc.
Watch Face Compatibility: Utility, Modular, Simple
Availability: SilentLog on iTunes App Store (free)
Sleep++
This free sleep tracker is a top choice for Apple Watch users. Sleep tracks and logs your sleep duration and quality using your watch. The complication feature makes it easy to record when you start and wake up, simplifying log entries. Additionally, on the Modular watch face, it displays last night’s sleep duration.
Developer: Cross Forwarding Consulting LLC
Suitable Watch Face(s): Utility, Modular, Simple
Availability: Sleep++ on iTunes App Store (free)
OmniFocus 2
No Apple Watch apps list is complete without OmniFocus. It’s the most comprehensive task management solution for iOS, available on all iDevices. The complications for Apple Watch display relevant information, such as details of a single task or an overview list of tasks, keeping you informed of what needs your attention most.
Just so you know, OmniFocus 2 costs $39.99 in the App Store, making it one of the most expensive apps available.
Developer: The Omni Group
Suitable Watch Face(s): Preferably Modular
Availability: OmniFocus 2 on iTunes App Store ($39.99)
That’s all for now. We’ll update this list periodically, so check back for more. Feel free to drop us suggestions in the comments.
Pritam Chopra is a seasoned IT professional and a passionate blogger hailing from the dynamic realm of technology. With an insatiable curiosity for all things tech-related, Pritam has dedicated himself to exploring and unraveling the intricacies of the digital world.
