You did it! You got your first smartphone. Now you’re ready to begin the magic that everyone has been telling you about - downloading mobile apps. It can be a stressful thing deciding between different apps because you never truly know if you’re making the right call or not.

Don’t you worry, because that is why we are here. We will explain below the best apps to download in some critical categories of every day smartphone usage, regardless of having iOS or Android operating systems.

Social Butterfly

Facebook

Don’t lie, you only got your smartphone so you could check your Facebook page on the go. Have no fear, you’re not the only one. Facebook is one of the first apps downloaded by all smartphone users and rightfully so. It is a great app to stay in contact with your friends and family just as if you were in front of the computer.

Instagram

Perfect for photography lovers that are not good at photography (and even for those that are)! The beautiful interface allows you to connect and follow friends, family, brands, celebrities, you name it. The awesome filters allow for a normal picture to become an award winner in a click of a button. You know it has to be good since they were purchased for $1 billion by Mr. Zuckerberg.

Are You Lost?

Google Maps

You need navigation tools on your new smartphone. Compatible with Android and the iPhone, Google Maps is a must have. Apple maps is disappointing to say the least, so if you want to stay away from dark alleys at midnight, make sure this app is handy.

HopStop

This app is great for users wanting to be spoon feed their transit itinerary. This is a great tool to get you from point A to point B in one piece. This is especially great for mass transit to ensure you know where to make your connections and where to get off to then walk or drive to your destination.

“Hello, Newman” (Seinfeld, anyone?)

Snapchat

Text messages are still used these days, but it has gotten far more advanced (not more difficult) and fun to interact with friends, enemies, and frenemies. You might have heard they declined Facebook’s $3 billion dollar offer to buy them. Yes, billion with a “b”. This app has blown up in the last several months with millions of users sending pictures, videos, and texts that disappear after being viewed. It’s a more fun way to send this kind of media in the shortening attention span world we live in today.

GroupMe

This is not your average group chat within your text message application. GroupMe is compatible with every device, so even if your friends are a party of Android Phones, iPhones, and Windows phones, everyone will have the same great experience. Unique features include being able to “like” texts without having to do the heaving lifting of actually responding with words. You’re able to share location as well. Perhaps best of all, you can mute notifications for those few people in the group who apparently don’t work and are determined to text every 10 seconds of the day. No sense for your phone to be going off in your meetings, unless of course you want to be out of work like those friends of yours.

These six apps should get you going. Get your feet wet with the essentials before you dive in head first then wish you were back to square one with your Nokia phone with Snake.