Updated March 11, 2026

Best Art Apps for iPhone 2026

Which app is best depends on what you’re trying to do.

Some apps are for planning what to see tonight. Others are better for collecting, research, or in-museum guidance. This breakdown helps you pick the right tool for the job.

If Your Goal Is Finding Shows Nearby

Arting

Best for: Finding art exhibitions in San Francisco and Los Angeles

Arting is built specifically for discovering local exhibitions. It shows you what’s currently showing at galleries, museums, and alternative spaces in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Arting
Focus Local exhibitions (SF & LA)
Coverage Galleries, museums, public art
Features Map view, favorites, venue filtering
Price Free
Privacy No account required; minimal analytics

Pros:

  • Comprehensive coverage of SF and LA
  • Clean, focused interface
  • iCloud sync for favorites
  • No account required

Cons:

  • Currently SF & LA only (more cities coming soon)

Best for: SF and LA residents and visitors who want to know what’s on right now.

If Your Goal Is Buying and Tracking Artists

Artsy

Best for: Buying art and following the art market

Artsy is the leading platform for buying and selling art online. It’s also useful for discovering galleries and artists.

Artsy
Focus Art market, collecting
Coverage International galleries and auctions
Features Buy art, follow artists, auction results
Price Free (to browse)

Pros:

  • Huge inventory of art for sale
  • Follow galleries and artists
  • Auction results and price data

Cons:

  • Commerce-focused (lots of “for sale” prompts)
  • Requires account
  • Can feel overwhelming

Best for: Collectors and those interested in the art market.

If Your Goal Is Museum Content

Google Arts & Culture

Best for: Exploring museum collections worldwide

Google’s art app lets you explore digitized collections from museums around the world. Great for armchair exploration.

Google Arts & Culture
Focus Museum collections, virtual tours
Coverage 2,000+ museums worldwide
Features High-res images, AR features, virtual tours
Price Free

Pros:

  • Incredible depth of content
  • Virtual museum tours
  • Art Selfie and other fun features

Cons:

  • Not great for finding local, current exhibitions
  • Can feel like information overload
  • More about browsing online than getting out to see art

Best for: Art education and virtual exploration.

Bloomberg Connects

Best for: Museum audio guides

Bloomberg Connects provides free audio guides for partner museums and cultural institutions.

Bloomberg Connects
Focus Museum audio guides
Coverage Partner museums only
Features Audio tours, exhibition info
Price Free

Pros:

  • High-quality audio content
  • Free alternative to museum audio guides

Cons:

  • Limited to partner institutions
  • Need to be at the museum to use

Best for: Enhancing museum visits.

At-a-Glance Comparison

App Focus Best For Price
Arting Local exhibitions Finding what’s showing in SF & LA Free
Artsy Art market Collectors, buying art Free
Google Arts & Culture Museum collections Virtual exploration Free
Bloomberg Connects Audio guides Museum visits Free

Pick by Use Case

For local exhibition planning

Use Arting. It’s the fastest way to see current exhibitions in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

For collecting and market tracking

Use Artsy. It has the largest online art marketplace.

For virtual exploration

Use Google Arts & Culture. It’s the best for virtual museum exploration.

For in-museum support

Check Bloomberg Connects for free audio guides.

Most People Use More Than One

Most art lovers use several apps:

  • Arting — What’s showing nearby?
  • Artsy — Following the market
  • Google Arts — Exploring collections

There’s no single app that does everything. Use the right tool for the job.

Why Arting Exists

We built Arting because we wanted one simple answer: What exhibitions are on right now?

Other apps are great for buying art or exploring museum collections, but none focused on the simple question of “what should I go see this weekend?”

Arting fills that gap. It’s local, it’s current, and it’s free.

Want a fast answer to “what should I see this weekend?” Start with Arting.