Explore the depths of Reddit with Narwhal [50 Essential iOS Apps #19]

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Narwhal FrontPage of Reddit
Diving into Reddit is intuitive and fun with Narwhal.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

50 Essential iOS Apps: Narwhal reddit appReddit isn’t something that is typically associated with the modern features and design of iOS. While much of the platform calls back to the days of user forums, it is indispensable as a source of news, conversation and entertainment for many. With Narwhal, you can make the most of your Reddit experience on iOS — and find the latest trends or the dankest memes.

What is Narwhal?

Narwhal is a third-party Reddit client designed around gestures. For quite a while, there was no official iOS app for accessing the social platform, so third-party Reddit apps were imperative. Since outside developers got to it it first, their apps tend to be more cleverly designed or include nice bonus features when compared to the official Reddit app.

Why the Narwhal Reddit app is great

Unlike the official Reddit app, which feels like a social network, Narwhal works to maximize what you see on-screen. To accomplish this, it uses a more compact display, and several invisible, gesture-based actions.

Using Narwhal involves left and right swipes on iOS to replace visible buttons for voting, saving links or hiding posts. By doing this, you can typically see an additional one or two posts on-screen at any given time (compared to the official Reddit app).

Narwhal dark mode and gestures
Narwhal’s dark mode makes it easy to see and gestures make it easy to use.
Screenshots: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

The Narwhal Reddit app is also great for avoiding those annoying “promoted” posts. Because of how third-party apps access the service, ads displayed in the official app aren’t displayed in the third-party client.

Another nice touch in the Narwhal app is the use of a light and dark modes. Even more useful is the ease of switching between the two modes. By tapping the logo in the top left corner, you can quickly swap between light and dark, with dark mode featuring iPhone X true black for optimal viewing.

Who the Narwal app is for

Narwhal is great for any serious Redditor (Reddit user). Whether you’re a reader, commenter, page moderator or grammar cop, it is the best Reddit client on iOS.

Bottom line: Narwhal is the Reddit app

Narwhal provides a great Reddit-consuming experience and is easy to use, even for new Redditors. If you enjoy Reddit and want fast access and a fun experience on your iPhone or iPad, you need Narwhal.

Price: Free (unlock the Pro version for $3.99)

Download from: App Store

See more of our 50 Essential iOS Apps

Want more essential iOS app reviews? Check out our ongoing series, 50 Essential iOS Apps.

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