Another year has passed us by and 2013 was yet another successful time for a great deal of app developers. The respective smartphone and tablet markets continue to grow exponentially, with users downloading more apps than ever before. Thanks to greater device sales and increasing demand for content, both Apple’s App Store and Android’s Google Play enjoyed record success.

Even though the sheer number of titles can be a little overwhelming, there are plenty of high quality apps that can improve productivity, keep us entertained and generally improve daily life. So here are some of the best apps of 2013 for iOS and Android.

Vine (iOS and Android)

Another social network burst on to the scene in 2013, this time giving users the opportunity to create and share six-second looping videos of whatever they like. Mainly used for comedic purposes, Vine has also been a valuable platform for big businesses and budding filmmakers. Despite Instagram launching a similar video making service to its photo-sharing app, Vine continues to attract interest and entertain users.

Duolingo (iOS and Android)

Having gained notoriety as a website to learn a new language completely free of charge, Duolingo continues to impress with this sleek and polished app. Selected by Apple as its top iPhone app of the year, Duolingo features verbal and visual assistance in order to learn one of five available languages – Spanish, German, French, Portuguese and Italian.

QuizUp (iOS only)

Fans of trivia will love this all-in-one quiz app, which provides users with a library of over 200,000 questions. After picking your chosen subject, you’ll be paired against another player from somewhere in the world. In addition to a slick interface, QuizUp boasts a thoroughly enjoyable multiplayer mode and a long list of attainable achievements.

Agent (Android only)

After downloading Agent, you’ll never know how you managed without it. Performing several tasks to improve everyday life, this particular app makes any Android smartphone even more intelligent. Running in the background, Agent can automatically save battery life, silence your phone during meetings, only allow important messages and calls while sleeping, remember where you’ve parked and auto-respond while driving.

Seene (iOS only)

One of last year’s most stunning photography tools has to quite literally be Seene to be believed. Simply point your iPhone at a subject, take four photos from different angles and Seene will stitch each one together to create a 3D image, which magically moves as you rotate the device. It seems like the capabilities and possibilities of a simple smartphone camera are somewhat endless.

Candy Crush Saga (iOS and Android)

It is difficult to ignore the most popular free app for the iPhone in 2013. With over 500 million downloads, Candy Crush Saga’s simple gameplay of mixing and matching sweets has satisfied numerous smartphone users’ gaming needs. With the ability to seamlessly continue playing on Facebook or mobile, there is no reason why it can’t build on developer King’s announcement that Candy Crush Saga has been played over 150 billion times.

Sunrise (iOS only)

Following the launch of iOS 7, many users complained about changes to Apple’s native Calendar app. Even though it looks like these alterations will remain, several alternatives are available including Sunrise. Made with Google Calendar and iCloud users in mind, this clean and clever app features reminders, time zone support, weather forecasts as well as Facebook and LinkedIn integration.

Cover (Android only)

Yet another Android app that improves the functionality of an already accomplished operating system, Cover replaces the factory lock screen with a faster and more efficient way of accessing apps. From learning which apps you use the most and making them easily accessible to opening productivity suites when you arrive at the office or music streaming services in the car, Cover is a truly intelligent companion.

Mailbox (iOS only)

When Mailbox was released, a download limit had to be put in place due to the sheer number of people wanting to use this efficient email app. Prioritising important messages and discarding spam emails, Mailbox makes electronic communication a fast and fun experience.