Conceptly — Know things worth knowing.

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A definition tells you what. Conceptly tells you why.

Every idea opens into a short explanation, a concrete example, and the ideas it connects to, with a note on how each one relates. And every idea cites its sources.

Economics

Veblen Good

Definition

A good whose higher price can increase demand by signalling status.

Explanation

Imagine a watch shop quietly doubling its prices. For most products, that would empty the shop. For a status purchase, it might make the window more fascinating: the price itself tells other people something about the buyer.

Example

The watch gets dearer, and more desirable.

Connections

Giffen GoodContrastHigher prices can raise demand in both, through different mechanisms.
Positional GoodRelatedStatus consumption often has positional value.

Source

Thorstein Veblen, The Theory of the Leisure Class (1899)

The collection

More than 1000 carefully selected concepts.

From philosophy to the natural world, from history to the arts. We add new concepts and categories all the time, giving you more to explore and more connections to discover.

Pick the subjects you like. Your widget focuses on your favourites, with occasional ideas from other topics to spark your curiosity.

Philosophy

Ship of Theseus

If every part is replaced, is it still the same thing?

What if the old planks make a second ship?

Economics

Jevons Paradox

Greater efficiency can increase total use of a resource.

Cheaper steam power found more jobs to do.

History

Pyrrhic Victory

A victory so costly that it undermines the winner's position.

You win the battle, and cannot afford another.

Natural World

Exaptation

A trait evolves for one role and is later used for another.

Feathers existed before powered bird flight.

Numbers & Patterns

Birthday Paradox

Shared birthdays become likely in surprisingly small groups.

Just 23 people give a birthday match better than even odds.

Arts & Literature

Chekhov's Gun

A conspicuous story detail creates an expectation that it will matter later.

If a gun hangs on the wall in act one, expect it to be fired.

Challenges

See what stuck.

Quick challenges test what you've read, and explain the difference when you mix two ideas up. Try three questions from the app.

Which concept is this?

If the universe could host many civilisations, where are they?

How it fits your day

A minute here and there. Go deeper when you want to.

Add the widget
Put Conceptly on your Lock Screen or Home Screen. The app walks you through it.
Tap what catches your eye
Read the explanation, follow a connection, or search for something you've half heard of.
Keep what stays with you
Save ideas to come back to, and test yourself with a quick challenge when you like.

Choose your pace

A new idea every 2 hours.

What readers say

5.0 out of 5 on the UK App Store

“Didn’t realise how often I was checking my phone and actually looking at the definitions.”

“The choice of topics is what sets it apart: things genuinely worth knowing, rather than trivia.”

Excerpts from UK App Store reviews, October 2026.

Start free

Try it free.

Start with a free trial if eligible. UK: £19.99 a year after the trial, renewing automatically. Your App Store price may vary; Apple shows your local price and trial duration before you subscribe. Cancel in your Apple Account settings.

The whole libraryEvery idea, with sources, examples and connections. New ones arrive as the library grows.
Works offlineEverything is on your iPhone. No account to create.
We don't track youNo tracking across apps or websites, and we never ask for your name or email. Usage analytics are optional and pseudonymised.

Help

Questions.

Anything else: support@getconceptly.app

What does the subscription include?

The whole library of more than 1000 carefully selected concepts, with explanations, examples, connections and sources. You also get widgets, saved concepts and challenges, plus new concepts as the library grows.

What happens after the free trial?

If you are eligible, Apple shows the free-trial duration before you subscribe. When it ends, your annual subscription starts automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours beforehand. The UK price is £19.99 a year; your App Store price may vary. Apple shows the price before you confirm.

Why a subscription?

Conceptly is a growing collection, rather than a one-off set of definitions. Your subscription includes the full library and new concepts as they are added, with explanations, examples, sources and connections.

Won’t I eventually see them all?

Conceptly is designed around active recall—not just reading something once. Quizzes, challenges and connections between ideas give you different ways to deepen your understanding and make concepts stick, with more ways to learn coming soon. We add new concepts and categories all the time, all included in your subscription.

Can a quick glance help me learn?

A glance is the starting point. Tap for the explanation and example, follow a connection, or try a challenge to test what you remember. You choose when to go deeper.

How do I add the widget?

Open Conceptly once. Then touch and hold your Lock Screen, tap Customise, tap the widget area below the clock and choose Conceptly. The app includes a setup guide. You can also add a widget to your Home Screen.

Can I choose the subjects?

Yes. Pick at least three subjects, and the widget only shows those. Search still covers everything.

How do I cancel?

Open your iPhone’s Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions and Conceptly. Cancel at least 24 hours before the end of your trial or subscription period to avoid the next charge. Apple shows your renewal or expiry date there.

Know things worth knowing.