Twitter: The 4 best iOS apps

The official Twitter app for iOS does a lot of things right, but numerous functions are missing. We are therefore presenting the 4 best alternative apps for iPhone and iPad.

Tweetbot 3: Alternative Twitter client for iOS

The iPhone app Tweetbot 3 tries to cut out the official Twitter tool with numerous functions:

• Handling: The iOS app scores with its simple design and smooth operation. Thanks to the background update, you will see the latest tweets right at the start. Depending on your needs, you can mute individual Twitter users here to keep an overview.
• Scope: In addition to the timeline, you can also display your Twitter messages. In addition, the push notifications for predefined users always keep you up to date on what's going on. You can, of course, retweet, favor, or save individual posts in services such as Pocket or Instapaper.
• Price: "Tweetbot 3" for iPhone currently costs 9.99 euros.
• Conclusion: The alternative Twitter client leaves nothing to be desired. No matter whether you tweet yourself or just want to read along - "Tweetbot" cuts a fine figure in any case. However, the price of around 10 euros is relatively steep.

Echofon: iPhone app with many free features

You can download Echofon for free, just like the official Twitter app. You can then unlock all functions by in-app purchase. The free features may be enough for most users:

• Handling: The iOS app updates itself regularly in the background and always shows you the latest tweets. The navigation itself works without delays.
• Scope: In the free version you can view your timeline, write tweets and be informed about posts from your favorite users via push notifications. You can use more than 140 characters for your tweets and even add photos and videos. With an in-app purchase, you can expand the app with features such as a mute function for annoying contacts and support for offline apps such as pocket or readability.
• Price: You can download the app itself for free. The Pro version is currently available for € 4.99 per in-app purchase.
• Conclusion: Since the push notifications also work in the free version, the lite version of the iPhone app should already meet the needs of most users. The purchase version, on the other hand, is only worthwhile if you want to save or export individual tweets offline.

Twitterrific 5 for Twitter: Free iPhone app for Twitter fans

The Lite version of Twitterrific is also available for free download. If you want to use all functions, you cannot avoid in-app purchases.

• Handling: The iPhone app loads your Twitter timeline within a few seconds and packs it in a chic design. Thanks to various swiping gestures, you can navigate quickly through the individual tweets. Visually, you can also extensively customize the app: For example, you can change the font and size or switch to an eye-friendly night mode.
• Scope: "Twitterrific 5" shines with additional features such as push notifications, voice-over support and automatic synchronization of multiple devices. This means that tweets that have already been read no longer appear as new posts on your other devices.
• Price: Since version 5.7 you can download Twitterrific free of charge. With an in-app purchase for currently EUR 3.99, you remove the advertising banners and activate all the functions mentioned. Alternatively, you can purchase each feature individually and thus put together your personal Twitter client.
• Conclusion: Although the many in-app purchases seem confusing at first, they are well thought out: you can activate each function individually and create your own Twitter app. Together with the good handling, this ensures a great overall picture.

Falcon - minimalist alternative

The free Twitter app Falcon is extremely slimmed down, has only a few features, but is still preferred by many users.

• Handling: Immediately after starting the app, you come to a live timeline of tweets that you have defined. Trends can be called up and followed live with just a few clicks. The handling of the app is very simple.
• Scope: Falcon is a stripped down Twitter client. But that's a good thing - after all, the app wants to be used for reading tweets. There is a live stream of your timeline or trends without having to manually load tweets.
• Price: The full app is available for download free of charge.
• Conclusion: Falcon wants to be a simple app for tracking and reading tweets and relieving the user of manually reloading the timeline. This is exactly what the app does - and it does it pretty well, in a clear and uncomplicated guise.