Everyone’s hanging out, someone suggests karaoke, you give that sceptical look you’ve been holding in reserve, but it does no good, your friends are ready to sing. Arguing is futile, and there’s not even a need to venture out in pursuit of a last-minute booking.

There’s only one thing for it then – grab your iPhone or iPad, shut your eyes, pretend you’ve got a hairbrush microphone if you must, and sing. Sing loud, sing proud, sing in tune if you can. This is the only plan you need for an awesome night that brings the karaoke bar to you.

There are loads of great karaoke apps to choose from, but we like to start with Smule. We back this up with StarMaker before finally ending the night on Karaoke. All three make it easy to jump in and belt out a tune. Even better, they help you up your game by listening to other singers and find inspiration and your perfect new song by watching share-worthy performances.

Since you’re with friends, we’ll skip singing by yourself (for now, you’re still due your solo) and jump right to duets. If you’re sharing one iPhone or iPad, we suggest Karaoke’s Duets category, which clearly marks each person’s lines so it’s easy to tag-team on the same screen. If you have multiple devices and accounts, Smule and StarMaker let you pair your separately recorded performances to create an instant duet. And because Smule features clips from popular artists like James Blunt, DuaLipa, and Ed Sheeran, you can pair your performances with those and see what it’s like to sing with a celebrity. Too cool.

If folks are feeling competitive, and you’ve watched Pitch Perfect a few too many times, you can compare how the various apps rate your individual performances. StarMaker scores each verse and your whole performance, so you can use some or all of that info to stage a sing-off. Create your own rules and rewards – winner picks the next song?

Another neat thing to play with are the various audio and video effects you can give to your performances. Try putting your voices through an auto-tune or grunge filter, or see how you look through snow, static, or a purple haze. If you sing with video, Karaoke lets you add intros afterward – a great chance to channel your inner diva. If it’s good enough for Britney and Mariah, it’s good enough for you, right?

Whatever you do, you’re bound to have fun. So get creative, and remember to post your performances so the rest of us can enjoy them too!