As a result of the extended assortment of sports applications that provide up-to-date information, choosing the most practical app can be difficult, overwhelming and time-consuming.

Although paid apps have more content and no advertisements, free apps also provide all the information needed for staying updated on the latest sports news for favorite teams and leagues locally, around the nation and the world.

ESPN’s ScoreCenter is arguably the most popular sports app not only because it is free, but also because users can customize which sports and teams they want to follow. Unlike most other apps, ScoreCenter shows play-by-play game updates for free, allowing users to follow teams on their phones if they cannot access TVs.

Another helpful aspect of ScoreCenter is its easy navigation; when users add their favorite teams, the app’s home screen will conveniently show all of their favorite teams’ recent and future games.

A similar app, Bleacher Report, has many of the same features, but a layout that is easier to navigate. The home screen of the app shows all the users favorite teams and updates, not only about scores, but with important news for all of them.

An alternative to the ScoreCenter app is the WatchESPN app. With a subscription to any major television provider, this app enables users to watch the various ESPN channels live on their phone. One downside to this app is that it only shows ESPN networks, so if a game is broadcasted on a local network or a different national provider, this app won’t help users follow their teams.

Thuuz tracks all games from requested leagues and sends updates when there is an exciting game. Each game gets a rating from one to 100 based on how interesting it is at a specific moment, allowing the rating to fluctuate throughout the game.

When a game is ranked 95 or higher, it will notify users so they will never miss a big game again. Thuuz also predicts how interesting a game will be, so users can plan ahead and watch it later.

Another option for sports apps are the apps of the four major sports leagues. Each league has its own free app — MLB.com At Bat, NBA Game Time, NFL ‘13 and NHL Game Center — that is easy to use and updates users on events around the respective league.

These apps are helpful for those looking for something pertaining to a particular sport, like playoff information or standings. However, if searching for updates from favorite teams from all sports, it can be a hassle to open and close five different apps when a single app can easily provide all information

An app that is especially handy is the StubHub app. For big games, tickets can be expensive until sellers get worried, dropping prices at the last second. The StubHub app allows users to buy tickets on their phone at the last second so they receive the best seat available for as little cost as possible.

One more app that is specific to MLB is AtTheBallpark. This app provides basic blueprints to each MLB ballpark, so users can check their seats. If users do not want to leave the game in order to grab food, this app can locate places to eat at inside the park. The app also allows users to buy tickets on their phones, which can be scanned straight from their phones upon arrival at the ballpark.