How To: Search the iOS App Store More Efficiently with uQuery

If you have an iOS device, chances are you've spent a decent amount of time in the App Store—without at least a few apps, smartphones are pretty boring. There's an app to do just about anything you could ask for, but the problem is finding them. Searching the App Store sucks.

The organization can be confusing, there aren't enough search options, and you more or less have to be using iTunes or an Apple device to search. Luckily, there's a better way to find what you're looking for.

uQuery is a third-party site that calls itself "an awesome App Store search engine," and for good reason. It's got way more search options than iTunes, and makes finding specific apps—and discovering new ones—a whole lot easier.

The homepage lets you search for a specific app or type of app, and the Browse function helps you discover apps based on a certain set of criteria. It gives you several options that the App Store's built-in search function doesn't, like filtering based off of rating, popularity, and price (free or paid).

The results are displayed in a easy-to-read grid format, with the option to switch to a list or badges, which are thumbnails that only show the app's icon, price and rating.

Each app's page contains the full text of the description on the App Store, plus screenshots for the iPhone and iPad (if there's an app for both). At the bottom are links to the app's support website and its entry in the App Store where you can download it.

One thing that it's missing is the comments from the App Store, which can be useful in determining whether or not to download an app. Overall, though, uQuery is a much more efficient way to search for iOS apps, especially if you don't have iTunes installed on the device you're using.

Do you have a favorite App Store search engine? Let us know in the comments below.