Best Bucket List Apps for iPhone in 2026
If you've been meaning to create a bucket list on your iPhone, you're not short of options - but the quality varies wildly. Some bucket list apps for iOS haven't been updated in years, while others are beautifully designed but charge a premium for basic features. We tested the most popular bucket list apps on the App Store in 2026 to help you find the right one.
Quick Pick: The Best Bucket List App for iPhone
If you only have 30 seconds, here's the short version: Söka is the best overall bucket list app for iPhone in 2026. It's free, built natively for iOS, and is the only app on this list that combines AI-powered goal suggestions, a scratch map for visited countries, multiple lists, and a home screen widget. Read on for the full comparison if you want to weigh up alternatives by feature, pricing, or use case.
Bucket List Apps Compared at a Glance
| App | Price | AI Suggestions | Scratch Map | Multiple Lists | Widget | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Söka | Free (in-app purchases) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Overall pick - AI + map |
| Bucket List: The Bucket App | Free (in-app purchases) | No | No | Yes | No | Social sharing |
| The Bucket List App (Bucket List Love) | Free (in-app purchases) | No | Passport stamps | Yes | No | Community content |
| iBucket | Free (subscription) | No | Map of visited places | Yes | No | Trip planning |
| Bucket List Maker: Check Marks | Free (in-app purchases) | No | No | Curated lists | No | Pre-made challenges |
The table covers the essentials, but pricing tiers, AI quality, and how each app handles travel are the details that actually decide which one feels right. The reviews below break each app down properly.
How We Tested
We installed every app on this list on a current-generation iPhone running iOS 18 and used each one for at least a week of regular bucket list activity - creating new goals, adding photos, marking items complete, and exploring any AI, map, or sharing features. Where an app offered a paid tier, we tried it long enough to judge whether it was worth the upgrade. We weighted four factors equally:
- Native iOS feel. Does the app look and behave like it belongs on iPhone, or is it a port?
- Goal capture speed. How quickly can you go from "I want to do this" to a saved, organised goal?
- Tracking and progress. Does the app actually help you complete bucket list items, or just collect them?
- Pricing fairness. Does the free tier do enough to be useful, and is the paid tier honest about what it unlocks?
Apps that haven't been updated in over 18 months were excluded - bucket list apps that look abandoned tend to break with each iOS release.
Söka - Best Overall Bucket List App for iPhone
Söka is a free bucket list app built specifically for iPhone and iPad. What sets it apart is its AI-powered goal generation - describe a destination or interest and Söka creates a personalised bucket list in seconds. The scratch map feature lets you mark countries you've visited, giving you a visual record of your travels directly inside the app. You can organise goals across multiple lists, track progress, browse curated bucket list recommendations from the Söka editorial team, and pin your next goal to your home screen with a widget. A Söka+ subscription unlocks additional features for power users, but the free tier is generous enough to be the daily driver for most people.
Pros
- Genuinely useful AI goal generator - it surfaces ideas beyond the obvious tourist hits
- Scratch map of visited countries is the prettiest implementation of this we've seen on iOS
- Multiple lists, tags, and a home screen widget all on the free tier
- Native SwiftUI design that feels at home on modern iPhones
Cons
- iOS only - there's no Android, web, or watchOS version
- The social/sharing layer is intentionally light, which is a downside if accountability through community is what motivates you
Verdict. Söka is the bucket list app for iPhone that we'd put on our own home screen - and the only one in this comparison that meaningfully uses AI to help you discover new goals. If you're looking for a free bucket list app for iPhone with modern design and a built-in travel tracker, this is the one to start with.
Bucket List: The Bucket App - Best for Social Sharing
The Bucket App consistently ranks among the most popular bucket list apps on the App Store, and its core strength is social. You can share your bucket list with friends, see what they're working on, and browse popular goals trending across the community. The interface is straightforward - add items, check them off, browse trending ideas - with an emphasis on photos and storytelling for completed goals.
Pros
- Strong social features - friends, shared lists, and discoverable community goals
- Large existing user base, so finding friends already on the app is easy
- Reliable cross-platform: iOS, Android, and web all stay in sync
Cons
- No AI suggestions - building a list from a blank page is on you
- No map view or scratch map for travel goals
- Free tier is more limited than Söka's; some core features push you toward a subscription
Verdict. Pick this one if your primary motivation for keeping a bucket list is sharing it with friends and being held accountable in public. As a private, deeply personal bucket list tracker for iOS, it's a step behind Söka.
The Bucket List App (by Bucket List Love) - Best for Community Content
This app leans heavily into community-driven content, with a large existing user base sharing bucket list ideas across categories like travel, food, and adventure. You can create passport-style stamps for trips and share lists with friends and family. The app has a polished feel and strong social features.
Pros
- Huge library of community-generated bucket list ideas to draw from
- Passport stamps add a fun, gamified element for travel goals
- Mature app with frequent updates and a polished iOS interface
Cons
- Browsing other people's content can crowd out your own list
- No AI - you're searching and copying rather than generating
- Some features behind a subscription paywall
Verdict. A strong pick if you're more interested in browsing what other people have done than building a deeply personal, trackable bucket list of your own. For original goal generation, Söka is the better tool.
iBucket - Best for Trip Planning Integration
iBucket combines bucket list tracking with trip planning features, letting you mark visited places and plan future destinations on a map. The interface is clean and the app integrates goal setting with location-based features nicely.
Pros
- Map-first interface is great for travel-heavy bucket lists
- Plan future trips directly from your bucket list goals
- Sync across iOS and family members on the same iCloud
Cons
- Less useful for non-travel goals (skills, food, relationships)
- No AI suggestions
- Subscription pricing for full feature unlock
Verdict. A solid fit if your bucket list is heavily travel-focused and you don't want a separate trip-planning app. For a more balanced bucket list maker app for iPhone, Söka covers travel and non-travel goals equally well.
Bucket List Maker: Check Marks - Best for Pre-Made Challenges
Check Marks takes a different approach by offering ready-made challenges and bucket lists that you adopt and work through. If you're not sure what to put on your bucket list, having curated challenges - like "100 things to do before you turn 30" or "50 foods everyone should try" - can be a great starting point.
Pros
- Lots of pre-built challenges to start from
- Gamified format keeps things motivating
- Simple, distraction-free interface
Cons
- Less flexible for building a fully custom list
- No AI, no scratch map, no widget
- The visual design hasn't kept up with newer iOS conventions
Verdict. Best for users who want a starting framework rather than a blank canvas. If you have your own goals in mind already, you'll outgrow Check Marks fast.
How to Choose the Right Bucket List App for iPhone
The best bucket list app for iPhone depends on what you're looking for:
- For AI-powered goal discovery and a scratch map: Söka is the clear winner - it's the only app that generates personalised bucket list ideas using AI and includes a built-in world map tracker.
- For social sharing and community: The Bucket App or The Bucket List App are strong picks if you want to share with friends or browse what others are doing.
- For travel-focused planning: iBucket pairs bucket list tracking with trip planning nicely.
- For guided challenges: Check Marks is ideal if you want pre-built lists to work through.
All of these apps are free to download, so it's worth trying a couple to see which one clicks with how you think about your goals. Once you've picked an app, check out our guide on how to make a bucket list on iPhone for practical tips on building a list you'll actually stick to, or browse our 100 bucket list ideas for 2026 if you need a starting point.
Bucket List App FAQ
Is there a free bucket list app for iPhone?
Yes - every app in this comparison is free to download from the App Store. Söka is the most generous on the free tier, including AI goal generation, a scratch map, multiple lists, and a home screen widget without a subscription. Most other bucket list apps for iPhone reserve at least one core feature behind a paid plan.
What is the best bucket list tracker for iOS?
For pure tracking - checking off goals, viewing progress over time, and visualising completed travel - Söka is the strongest bucket list tracker for iOS. It combines goal-level tracking, list-level progress, and a scratch map of visited countries in a single iPhone app. The Bucket App is a reasonable second pick if social progress sharing is what motivates you.
Can I make a bucket list on iPhone without an app?
You can - the iOS Notes app or Reminders will technically hold a list of goals. The trade-off is that you lose categories, progress visualisation, AI suggestions, and any travel-specific features like a scratch map or map view. For anything more than five or ten goals, a dedicated bucket list maker app for iPhone is worth the install.
Do these bucket list apps work on iPad?
Söka, The Bucket App, and The Bucket List App all support iPad with universal builds. iBucket and Check Marks run on iPad in iPhone-compatibility mode, which works but doesn't take advantage of the larger screen.
Which bucket list app has AI?
Söka is currently the only iPhone bucket list app with built-in AI goal generation. You describe an interest, destination, or theme and Söka generates a tailored set of bucket list ideas. The other apps in this comparison rely on community content or pre-built challenge templates instead.
Are bucket list apps better than a paper journal?
Different tools, different strengths. A paper journal feels meaningful for big-picture reflection. A bucket list app for iPhone wins on capturing ideas in the moment, organising goals across categories, and surfacing what's still on your list when you're somewhere new. Most people who have tried both end up using a paper journal for occasional reflection and an app like Söka for day-to-day tracking.
Start Your Bucket List Today
Ready to stop thinking about your bucket list and start building it? Söka is free on the App Store for iPhone and iPad. With AI-powered suggestions, a scratch map, and a clean interface designed for iOS, it's the fastest way to go from "someday" to "done." Download it today and start checking things off.