Considering technology that supports and celebrates women
As a nod to International Women’s day, we asked our Apadmi experts to consider which digital products play a key role in their everyday life.
So, in response to the simple question of: Which apps make you feel empowered, here are their answers.
Training
Fitness apps boomed during the first lockdown, but many focus purely on the aesthetic side of working out. Here are the ones that have earned a place in our hearts:
The Underbelly Yoga: The Underbelly is a yoga app run by Jessamyn Stanley, who is a driving force in changing yoga for the better. Championing diversity, different body types and the focus on wellness over fitness.
FitOn: FitOn lets you choose when and where you want to work out. Signing up is easy and it offers a completely customisable experience.
“It’s a fitness app with a mix of male and female trainers. I used it a lot during the lockdown., The presentation styles are really empowering and very motivational, n. Not patronising in any way! The splash screens also contain empowering positive messages, so I see a new one every time I open the app.” - Kiran Kaur Seahra, Digital Designer
Tracking
You didn’t really think we’d be able to write this blog without talking about period trackers, did you? Overall, these apps are built to help women understand and predict their cycles better. By collecting and analysing historical data, it gives you more insight into your specific patterns.
Some apps are made specifically for this sole purpose.
Clue: specialises in period and PMS predictions, letting users log their data and get in-depth information and education on how their cycle affects your sleep, appetite and mood.
“I use Clue to track my cycles. I like it because it tells me when PMS is coming up so I can understand my mood better. It also predicts your periods for 3 months on the free version which I use all the time when planning holidays. It’s a female-led team too, which I like.” -Jen Jones, Software Developer
Fitness and activity tech has also started offering these features in recent years. In true Apadmi fashion, some of the women in the company have taken it upon themselves to test the apps for accuracy and predictability.
Garmin: works as an overall fitness tracker, whether you are counting steps or training for a marathon. In 2019, they also added a cycle tracker, allowing users to enter daily data.
“Garmin Connect also has an ovulation tracker. I use both the one on Fitbit and Garmin because I like to see which one manages to predict better” - Clara Gaya Saura, Software Engineer
Fitbit: was the first fitness tracker to add this feature in 2018, and in addition to being one of the favourites mentioned for this, the app has several favoured features.
“From a female perspective the app allows you to track ovulation and cycles, but also the app's mindfulness exercises are a great way to get me off my phone and use a spare 20 mins to look after my mind and switch off too.” - Laura Lightfoot, Campaigns Marketing Executive
Thriving
According to UK investment statistics, just 10% of women have a stocks and shares ISA, compared to 17% of men. Tech is emerging which focuses on financial education and enables women to really understand the concept of investment or visualise the benefits of budgeting.
Financielle: This app aims to close the financial and investment gender gap. Studies largely show that women tend to be less confident when investing or making financial decisions. There are often higher barriers for them to control their finances, for example, lower wages as a result of the gender pay gap.
“Financielle is based in our hometown Manchester, and has just launched its new app to empower financial freedom for females. This allows users to take full control of their current and future finances.” - Laura Herbert, Head of People
Clim8invest: This app allows users to select impactful portfolios which focus on climate solutions. It is also a perfect starting point for beginners as it explains and breaks down different choices and explains the concept of risk in a simple, visual way.
“I’m keen to invest and it’s on my radar to do a bit of research. No idea what to invest in terms of funds/stocks/shares or where to start really. But when doing a bit of research, I came across Clim8Invest and thought this concept was great. I quite like apps that explain and describe the concept in a clear way.” - Kiran Kaur Seahra, Digital Designer
Vibin’
This category ranges from providing day-to-day support to simply having too much fun to imagine a world without them.
My First Five Years: There’s some bias with this one, but we couldn’t let Apadmi client My First Five Years go without a mention.. Although the app is aimed at parents - not just women - it also has features specifically for expecting mothers to provide support through their pregnancy. The app launched at the end of January, and we can’t wait to see it go from strength to strength.
Audible: Audible is a fantastic source of content which can make you feel empowered, anytime and anywhere.
“I love Audible. Everything I listen to is about empowering me to step into the person I want to be and show up for myself, create the right habits, claim my power and help me let go of what's holding me back.” - Cathi Watt, Senior Designer
Otter.ai: Automated meeting notes for Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and more. Transcribing has never been so easy.
“This has been a saving grace when you’re in a meeting that has a lot of information thrown around. It’s got a great user interface, and I love that it’s linked to my Gmail account." - Sadie Draycott Dodgson