Useful Time-Killer Apps That Actually Do Something

If you’re tired of mindlessly scrolling and want to spend your free time doing something more interesting, or even a little useful, there are apps that can help. Perhaps you would like the apps that let you explore what’s around you, organize a task, or sharpen your brain.

Let’s say you’ve got a jar of old coins you’ve been meaning to sort. There’s an app that will tell you which ones are valuable. See a plant you don’t recognize? Another app will identify it and give you care instructions. Want to keep track of where your family is without sending constant messages? That’s covered too. And if you’re just bored and want a challenge, there’s an app with short math-based puzzles that make you think without stressing you out. So, if you have some free time and want to try something new, you can check this out. 

Coin ID Scanner – Find Out If That Old Change Is Worth Something

Coin ID Scanner is a tool for numismatics, it helps you instantly identify and evaluate coins using your phone camera. You can go through an old jar, sort a collection, or check out a flea market find. The coin identifier uses photo recognition and AI to detect the coin’s origin, year, type, and estimated value. 

This app it’s for anyone who’s stumbled across an old coin or inherited a collection they don’t know much about. It supports coins from the U.S. and many international currencies, including rare issues, commemorative designs, and error coins. One of its most practical features is the built-in catalog and pricing estimates, which let you compare similar coins and track historical values. It can help you identify low-mintage years or rare mint marks without needing a guidebook.

Coin ID Scanner is one of the easiest ways to start turning spare change into something interesting, or even profitable.

Plant Identifier – Snap a Photo, Learn the Name, Get Care Tips

Plant Identifier is an app that uses image recognition to identify flowers, trees, succulents, weeds, and houseplants just from a photo. You take a picture, the app scans it against a large database, and within seconds it gives you the name of “that thing” in your garden. Plant identification by photo can also give you its growing conditions, care instructions, and facts about where it comes from.

It’s surprisingly useful for gardeners, plant lovers, and even students. The app is great when walking in a park and spotting something new, or trying to figure out why your fern is turning yellow, it always gives you practical answers. Plant identifier includes advice on water needs, ideal lighting, soil type, and even pruning tips for specific species.

The app also helps you keep track of what you’ve identified. You can save your plants to a personal garden list, set reminders for watering or fertilizing, and create a virtual plant journal.

Number Tracker – Know Where People Are Without Asking

Number Tracker is a location-sharing app for people who want to stay connected and informed. How does it work? With it you can see the live location of someone through their phone number. Once connected, you can track cell phone location real-time position on a map, check where they’ve been recently, and even get notified when they arrive or leave specific locations.

What do you do? You add a number, get permission, and start tracking. It’s cool to have on your phone if you’re a parent who wants to see when kids leave school or get home safely. You can also create “Circles” to share location access with a group, so it’s easier to coordinate meetups or check in during travel.

The app also keeps a log of movement history. You can review stops and routes to understand where someone has been throughout the day. 

Mind Elevate – Small Math Challenges That Keep Your Brain Active

Mind Elevate is a math game app made up of short math-based games. It’s great for logic, memory, and basic calculations. The games are simple to learn but increase in difficulty as you go.

You might be rearranging numbers to make a correct equation, ranking math expressions from highest to lowest, or solving puzzles where parts of the problem are hidden. Each game is a way to feel productive, but not stressful.

What games you may find there:

• Cosmos Door: solve math problems to unlock each level

• Star Trek: remember and complete hidden-number equations

• Moon Lift: rearrange digits into valid formulas

• Rocket Order: rank math expressions by size

• Crystal Bonds: match problems to answers in pairs

• Space Order: organize values by size in descending order

Why It Works:

• Quick sessions—good for a 5–10 minute break

• Starts easy, gets tougher as you improve

• Progress is saved and tracked over time

• Kids and adults can both use it

It’s a good alternative to passive screen time. 

When You’ve Got Time to Kill, These Actually Help

With these apps you can focus on something small but useful: figure out what that coin is worth, name a plant, see if your kid got home, or push your brain with a quick puzzle.

They’re affordable, work without setup headaches, and do what they promise. Keep them around for those quiet minutes between tasks, when you're waiting for someone, or just want to do something that feels like progress.