The best history apps for iPhone and iPad (2026)
Short answer
The best history app for iPhone is Aurelius: Learn History (our app, 9.2/10): 127 lessons across 13 eras in chronological order with a quiz after each, on iPhone and iPad with iOS 15.1 or later, a 46 MB download, rated 9+ on the App Store, and $9.99 a month after a 3-day free trial. It also runs on the oldest iOS versions of any paid history app here. Next on iPhone: Historo (6.4, iOS 15.6), Histopia (6.3, iOS 15.1, lessons free) and Learn History: Timeline Quiz (6.0, iOS 18.6). Check the minimum iOS before you pick: HistoryDays needs iOS 26 and Histia iOS 18, so they won't install on older iPhones. The most-rated history-only iPhone app is Paladin (4.6 from 23,623 ratings, iOS 16.4).
All 12 apps we cover are on the App Store, and all of them also run on iPad. This page adds what matters only on iPhone: which iOS version you need, how much space the app takes, and its App Store age rating. For the overall ranking across platforms, see the 12 best history apps.
The best history apps for iPhone, ranked
- 1
Aurelius Our appLearning world history in order, as connected stories, in 5 minutes a day9.2/10 - 2
HistoroAI-generated lessons on any history topic you ask for6.4/10 - 3
HistopiaFree lessons with history minigames and collectible cards6.3/10 - 4
Learn History: Timeline QuizFree timelines and quizzes on 27 topics, no subscription6.0/10 - 5
Khan AcademySchool-style world and US history courses, completely free5.6/10 - 6
PaladinAnimated 5-minute stories about famous people4.6/10 - 7
HistoryDaysA daily "on this day" history habit4.6/10 - 8
ClioFinding historic sites and museums near you in the US4.5/10 - 9
World History EncyclopediaReading reliable history articles, reviewed by historians4.5/10 - 10
HistiaDaily world history stories and facts on iPhone4.3/10 - 11
NibbleGeneral knowledge in 10-minute lessons, with history as one topic4.1/10 - 12
History MasterRevising for history tests with timelines, mind maps and flashcards4.1/10
iPhone facts for every app
| App | Needs iOS | Size | App Store age | App Store rating | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurelius (our app) | 15.1+ | 46 MB | 9+ | No ratings yet (new) | $9.99/month after 3-day trial |
| Historo | 15.6+ | 162 MB | 12+ | 4.5 (4) | $8.99–$9.99/month |
| Histopia | 15.1+ | 74 MB | 12+ | 5.0 (2) | Lessons free |
| Learn History: Timeline Quiz | 18.6+ | 34 MB | 4+ | 4.5 (31) | 27 topics free; $6.99 once |
| Khan Academy | 15.0+ | 54 MB | 13+ | 4.6 (112,470) | Free |
| Paladin | 16.4+ | 174 MB | 13+ | 4.6 (23,623) | $12.99/month |
| HistoryDays | 26.0+ | 93 MB | 16+ | 4.4 (122) | From $4.99/week |
| Clio | 13.0+ | 133 MB | 4+ | 4.9 (101) | Free |
| World History Encyclopedia | 15.6+ | 127 MB | 9+ | 4.8 (32) | Free |
| Histia | 18.0+ | 162 MB | 13+ | No ratings yet | $3.99/week, $7.99/month |
| Nibble | 17.0+ | 137 MB | 13+ | 4.3 (46,870) | $19.99/month |
| History Master | 15.5+ | 122 MB | 4+ | 4.4 (57) | From $3.99/month |
US App Store, read October 20, 2026. Size is the download size Apple reports and can change with updates.
What to check on iPhone
Your iOS version
Settings → General → About shows it. If your iPhone can't update past iOS 17, HistoryDays (iOS 26), Histia (iOS 18) and Learn History: Timeline Quiz (iOS 18.6) won't install. Aurelius, Histopia, Khan Academy and Clio run on iOS 15 or earlier.
Storage
The apps range from 34 MB to 174 MB. Aurelius is the second smallest at 46 MB.
Age rating for a teen's iPhone
Learn History: Timeline Quiz, Clio and History Master are rated 4+; Aurelius and World History Encyclopedia 9+; most others 12+ or 13+; HistoryDays 16+.
Subscriptions
Every paid app here bills through your Apple ID. Cancel from Settings → your name → Subscriptions (Apple's guide); deleting the app does not cancel it.
iPhone-only apps
HistoryDays and Histia are only on iPhone and iPad: we did not find them on Google Play. If you switch between iPhone and Android, pick one of the other ten (history apps for Android).
Frequently asked questions
What is the best history app for iPhone?
Aurelius: Learn History, our app (9.2/10). It runs on iPhone and iPad with iOS 15.1 or later and is a 46 MB download.
What is the best free history app for iPhone?
Histopia (lessons free, iOS 15.1+) and Khan Academy (completely free, iOS 15.0+). See the best free history apps.
Which history apps work on older iPhones?
Clio needs iOS 13; Khan Academy iOS 15.0; Aurelius and Histopia iOS 15.1. HistoryDays needs iOS 26.
Do these history apps work on iPad?
Yes: all 12 list iPad support on the App Store.
Which history app is best for kids on iPhone?
Look at the age rating: Learn History: Timeline Quiz, Clio and History Master are rated 4+, Aurelius and World History Encyclopedia 9+.
The bottom line
On iPhone, pick by order and recall first, then check your iOS version and storage. Aurelius runs on iOS 15.1 and later, takes 46 MB and teaches 13 eras in order: try it free for 3 days.
Sources
- US App Store listings of the 12 apps (iTunes lookup API: minimum iOS, size, supported devices; listing pages: age rating, ratings, in-app purchases), read October 20, 2026.