Today’s latest smartphones are capable of a great many things right out of the box, but to reach their true potential, you’ll need to tap into the vast marketplace of third-party apps. Since the launch of the Android Market (now known as the Google Play Store) in 2008, apps have been steadily improving the Android experience. From the apps that help with daily tasks like balancing a checkbook or calculating a tip, to integrated apps with business communication platforms, there’s an app out there for every purpose.
With over 3 million apps listed on the Google Play Store the choices can be a bit overwhelming. We’ve done the work of putting together a list of the 100 best Android Apps across a number of categories to help you pick the best apps for your daily life.
Android essentials
Can 2 billion people be wrong? The biggest social network on the planet has a decent official app. Keep up with your friends and family, jump into instant chats, and stay informed with push notifications. Best of all, Facebook isn’t just a place to share content stolen from Reddit and Twitter, as the world’s biggest social media site has also been pushed out into sections for dating, shopping, and videos. Pair it with Messenger for the ultimate double-act.
Google Play
YouTube
Alright, you probably have YouTube already — but that doesn’t make it any less essential. YouTube’s mobile app is sleek and intuitive, bringing the entirety of the video-sharing site to the palm of your hand. For those subscribed to YouTube Premium, you’ll have access to all the premium content, as well as special features like audio playback while the screen is off.
Google Play
Sometimes unfairly viewed as the lesser version of Facebook, Twitter is the place where everything seems to happen instantly. Birthplace of the now now-ubiquitous internet facet, the hashtag, Twitter is the best place to be if you like to be on top of the latest breaking news as it happens. Follow your favorite content creators, actors, or crazes, and follow all the news, impressions, and opinions as they roll in.
Google Play
Google Home
If you’re spending more time at home than usual, you might finally have the time to get to that connected-home project you always swore you’d do. If you are the proud owner of a Google Home device, then you already know the ins and outs of a digital assistant. The Google Home app takes this one step further, allowing you to control a plethora of connected smart home devices. It also serves as a command central for any native Google-connected device and your Google-connected accounts, like maps, contacts, calendars, and more.
Google Play
Movies and videos
Netflix
Netflix isn’t just one of the best video-streaming services; it’s the video-streaming service. There’s a huge selection of Netflix movies and TV shows for subscribers and the performance is silky smooth. It’s not just restricted to old favorites either, as Netflix has produced a huge amount of excellent exclusive content — though if you’re anything like us, you’ll just put The Office on again. This is as entertained as you can get from just $9 a month, or $16 a month if you want access to 4K content.
Google Play
Disney+
Disney holds possibly the largest library of film and television properties in the world and they are all on Disney+. From Hamilton to The Mandalorian you’ll find something for every member of the family. As theatergoers are slow to return all around the globe, Disney has begun using Disney+ for major blockbusters like Mulan and Soul. You’ll also have access to original television shows like Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. There’s a seven-day free trial, and it’ll cost you $6.99 a month after that — though you can pay $70 for a year in advance to save $14. In March 2021 this increased to $7.99 a month or $80 yearly.
Google Play
Hulu
Though it only recently launched internationally, Hulu has long been one of the best streaming platforms around. Major network shows currently on air are typically available the next day on Hulu as well as thousands of hours of original content and a catalog of licensed television shows. Hulu offers various subscription models, including one that opens up the entire streaming library for $6 a month, and another that removes midstream ads for $12 a month. If you’re looking to cut the cord, Hulu also offers live TV with DVR starting at $65 a month, but be aware it costs $5 more if you want to fast-forward through commercials on recorded episodes.
Google Play
Amazon Prime Video
The content wars have been raging for well over a decade, and every platform brings something to the table. Amazon Prime offers some fantastic originals on its streaming platform, which also serves as a great home base for its extensive catalog. Prime Video also allows you to add all your favorite subscription channels to your feed. We’ve also found the best movies on Amazon Prime to start watching today if you’re interested.
Google Play
HBO Max
With the streaming wars hotter than ever before AT&T wasn’t about to let Warner Media go without a fight. HBO Max launched in the summer of 2020 and brings with it all the HBO content audiences are already familiar with, with the added benefit of original content produced exclusively for the streaming platform. In 2021 HBO Max announced that all Warner property films will launch in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously as studios clamor for return on investments in this new theater-less world, so you can catch blockbusters like Mortal Kombat from the comfort of your living room.
Google Play
Music and audio
Spotify
Spotify is probably the first name that springs to mind when you think about music apps and for good reason as it’s one of the best streaming services out there. There’s a massive selection of music on offer, from the latest huge releases to up-and-coming acts. Spotify also now offers video support for some of the best podcasts on their platform. There’s a free version if you want to try it out, but if you want ad-free listening, to download music, play any song, and have unlimited skips, then you’ll need to subscribe for $10 a month, though Spotify does offer a generous three-month free trial. Spotify also offers a family household plan for $15 a month, a student account at the reduced cost of $5 a month, and a “Duo” account covering 2 people in the same household for $13 a month.
Google Play
Soundcloud
If you’re looking for an all-you-can-eat buffet of sound with no ads and no subscription fees, you’ve found it. You can discover new music and stream it from the cloud, but this is no Spotify replacement — most of the music on Soundcloud is from relatively unknown artists, and if you’re not able to find it on Spotify, you can probably find it here. Listening is free, with the pro versions of SoundCloud mostly being for the artists themselves. It’s not just about music, though, as you’ll find a lot of podcasts on here too. A great complement to another music streaming service.
Google Play
iHeartRadio
Believe it or not, radio is still alive and kicking, and iHeartRadio puts thousands of FM and AM radio stations right into your pocket. Not a lot of major smartphones in the U.S. have FM tuners, so we rely on great apps like iHeartRadio to listen to our favorite talk shows and oldies stations at the office, the gym, or on the go. The app also features podcasts, sports channels, and playlist tools.
Google Play
Google Play Music
Google’s official streaming service is a worthy competitor to Spotify. Not only does the app provide a vast library of content, but it also allows users to upload up to 50,000 of their own songs for online storage. So if you’ve got a collection of MP3s from before the days when streaming was the normal way to consume music, upload them to Google Play Music and stream them from any of your mobile devices. Be warned though, it’s not long for this world.
Google Play
Shazam
It’s hard to believe that Shazam was first released 19 years ago, blowing our collective minds and putting the concept of apps and their reach squarely in the zeitgeist. Today, Shazam’s integration and services go far beyond the simple song identifier it started as. Shazam can be activated passively to catch songs when the app isn’t open. Once you’ve identified a tune, you’ll be offered live lyrics to follow along with, as well as the option to add to your Apple or Spotify playlists.
Google Play
News
The Wall Street Journal
During these harrowing financial times and in a volatile macroeconomic environment , you’d be well served to stay apprised to the goings-on of our economy, markets, and financial news. The Wall Street Journal app places all this information in your pocket as well as the multifaceted award winning journalism that’s been printed since 1889.
Google Play
BBC News
Whether you’re trying to follow international news, have friends or family in the United Kingdom, or are just trying to stay in touch with newsworthy events stateside, BBC News has you covered. The BBC, an English government-funded news agency, has a long history of fair and moderate news coverage and is worth a look if you’re tired of the glitz and glamour of American 24-hour news networks.
Google Play
NPR News
The official app of National Public Radio provides a steady stream of straightforward reporting in both print and audio. Users can not only listen to news reports but also various programs such as All Things Considered and Radiolab.
Google Play
AP News
The Associated Press has a long-standing reputation for being one of the least-editorialized news sources around, as well as being consistently on the cutting edge of breaking news. So, if you’re looking for your daily dose of news without the added fluff, then AP News on Android is the perfect accompaniment to your morning coffee. AP’s self-ascribed description says it best — it’s “where the news gets its news.”
Google Play
Google News
Though it may seem like a no-brainer, the Google News app is a worthwhile recommendation, thanks to its smart curation and diverse news feed. Google News puts together news from sources all over the world, which makes it likely that you’ll find your favorite news source from back home within its catalog.
Google Play
Feedly
Feedly is another powerful news aggregator that places all your favorite news sources in one place. The Feedly app is home to over 40 million unique feeds and offers integration with all major social media platforms. It serves as a one-stop shop for your favorite magazines, newspapers, YouTube channels, and more.
Google Play
Sports
BBC Sport
With an international audience and a sport-loving home demographic, BBC Sport covers a vast array of sports in both live games and related news. Users can stream some sports live and customize their feed to receive up-to-the-minute information from their favorite teams, leagues, and games. Of course, no U.K.-based sporting app would be complete without coverage on over 150 football teams, so you’ll never miss a piece of news or goal again.
Google Play
theScore
Whatever gets you excited, from NASCAR to the NFL, theScore will have you dancing in victory or crying in your beer. It brings you all the latest touchdowns, goals, and home runs as they happen.
Google Play
ESPN
Having the official ESPN app installed is a no-brainer for any die-hard sports fan, especially if you have ESPN+. You can quickly get the latest news on your favorite teams and leagues, including MLB, NFL, NCAA, MLS, NHL, and more.
Google Play
Barstool Sports
Barstool Sports has grown into an empire comprising podcasts, journalism, and content focused on pop culture, politics, and many other topics. It still keeps its roots in sports coverage and commentary. So if you’re looking to not only see pundits discuss your favorite team but also get a chuckle or read the latest political news, then you’ll enjoy the Barstool Sports app.
Google Play
Social media
TikTok
Essentially Vine for a new generation, TikTok is the home of short videos that are amusing, meme-laden, and just generally fit for easy consumption. What started as the app Musical.ly, geared at miming songs while dancing, has bloomed into one of the fastest-growing social media apps in the world. Its algorithm has become legendary as it curates content for you based on what you like and interact with, and there is now content on the app for all generations, hobbies, backgrounds, and interests.
Google Play
Instagram is ubiquitous in photography now, so you might as well have it on your phone. Owned by Facebook, the social network centered on photos offers great filters and connectivity with others. Instagram has also been angling for younger market share with its TikTok competitor called Reels.
Google Play
Snapchat
The social network made famous for its disappearing photos has blossomed in recent years to become a full-fledged social media platform. With over 250 million active users, Snapchat is here to stay. Users can share snaps, stories, and their location on a map with close friends, as well as peruse the quality content of Snapchats biggest creators. From family chats, funny filters, or flirty messages, Snapchat is a platform for everyone.
Google Play
Messaging
Signal
In today’s privacy-minded world, Signal provides an encrypted way to share messages and video calls. Whether you’re sharing sensitive work info or traveling abroad in a place with more prying eyes, Signal allows you to communicate privately and worry-free.
Google Play
Messenger & Messenger Kids
Facebook’s best feature is arguably its built-in messaging. Facebook now offers its messenger service as a stand-alone app, enabling you to chat with your Facebook friends and anyone in your contacts with the app installed — without having to be signed into Facebook or even have Facebook installed on your phone at all.
If you’re a parent, then Messenger Kids is a must-download on your child’s phone. Messenger Kids might seem like it’s built for kids, but it’s really built for parents. With the app, parents have control over their kids’ contact list, and messages can’t be deleted — meaning that parents can check in to take a look whenever they want. Of course, there are some pretty sweet features for kids, like kid-appropriate stickers, GIFs, emojis, and so on.
Messenger Messenger Kids
The Google Play Store has no shortage of messaging apps, but WhatsApp’s secure end-to-end encryption and feature-rich interface mark it as one of the best. This cross-platform app lets you send and receive messages, pictures, audio notes, and perform video calling for free. A must-have for messaging addicts, travelers, and anyone with loved ones abroad.
Google Play
Kik
Kik has been around since 2010, and while its users have spanned from millenials to Gen Z its target demographic remains the young folks, You know, the ones that know what’s “bussin” and are way too cool for us, no cap. Use Kik to stay in touch with friends, trade GIFs, and form chat groups.
Google Play
Discord
Hugely popular among PC gamers and office workers, Discord is a place for messaging, image sharing, voice, and video calls. It features an intuitive interface that makes it easy to communicate and share with friends and co-workers. Discord is also home to countless communities where members with shared interests can hang out digitally.
Google Play
Dating
Tinder
Tinder is the ultimate dating app for mobile users, thanks to its location-centric features. Regardless of what its reputation may be, it’s still a great way to meet people. Your next match could be a swipe right away.
Google Play
Coffee Meets Bagel
This app is geared toward those who are looking for a real relationship, rather than a quick hookup or short fling. Every day at noon, you get sent a prospective match based on a specific set of criteria. You can Like them or Pass on them. If you like them, you’ll be set up with icebreaker questions; if you pass, the app will learn your preferences and try again tomorrow.
Google Play
Hinge
Owned by dating mega-conglomerate Match Group, Inc., Hinge takes the common dating app experience and adds a whole new level of honest vulnerability and a throwback to pre-internet dating by incorporating your Facebook friends in your search for love. What Hinge offers is a far more limited dating pool with an average of only 10 suggestions per day, in the hopes that each suggestion will be of significantly higher quality than blindly swiping through some of the more crowded alternatives.
Google Play
Grindr
The dating app of choice for gay, lesbian, bi, trans, and queer people of all sorts, Grindr is one of the biggest dating apps around. Using it is simple — let the app know your location, and you’ll be matched with other nearby members so you can chat, swap pictures, and hopefully meet up in person.
Google Play
Reading
Kindle
Don’t worry if you don’t have a Kindle — you can still read your ebook directly on your smartphone. From best-sellers to the classics, it’s all here, with more than 900,000 titles in Amazon’s store.
Google Play
Google Play Books
If you’re not a fan of Amazon, then Google’s Play Books is an excellent alternative. Google has a massive database of books to choose from, including all the classics — and you can even buy and play audiobooks too.
Google Play
Audible
Audible is the premier place to consume audiobooks on your Android device. There are thousands of audiobooks on offer, from classics to the most recent hits, and you get your first audiobook for free. A $15-per-month subscription gets you a credit per month to spend on any audiobook, and options for playback speed and cross-device syncing make listening even easier. There’s even a car mode for listening on the go.
Google Play
Moon+ Reader
Moon+ is a versatile e-book reader supporting a number of different file formats, making it easy to upload and use files that might not come from major outlets. The app lets your browse smaller, independent e-book libraries, and sports a catalog of thousands of free titles. Moon+ offers a number of visual options and customizations, as well as support for 40 languages.
Google Play
Blogging
Weebly
Weebly is a powerful site and content creation app utilized by millions of users. This app lets you create and manage your online store straight from your Android device. Keep track of all the most important analytics for your e-commerce store from the Weebly app. Powered by Square, Weebly is a true workhorse in the mobile site development space.
Google Play
Tumblr
The Tumblr app makes it easy for you to share anything from anywhere. You can post any kind of content to multiple blogs, save drafts for later, schedule posts, and then join in the discussion.
Google Play
WordPress
This app mirrors the functionality of your WordPress blog and helps you create and edit posts. It’s a simplified version that’s easy to use, and it also displays reactions to your latest articles.
Google Play
Gaming
Steam
Steam is the biggest and most prolific community and storefront for PC gaming. Through the Android app, users can access the Steam community, browse the store, and purchase new games.
Google Play
Google Stadia
Google Stadia is Google’s platform to play games you own across multiple devices. Any games you own on Stadia can be played, paused, and continued seamlessly across Android devices and laptops. With the ability to stream games across devices, you won’t have to download the game onto each device, saving space and time.
Google Play
Xbox
Microsoft’s Xbox app not only brings your Xbox Live account and console interface to your phone, but it also opens up your gaming experience, with many games offering special, second-screen features, such as maps and bonus content.
Google Play
Twitch
While platforms like Facebook Gaming try their best to compete, Twitch remains the preeminent option for video game streaming and sports a growing roster of celebrity streamers. With the power of Amazon behind it, it’s unlikely Twitch will be dethroned anytime soon.
Google Play
Nutrition, cooking, and food
Grubhub
While the world of food delivery apps is vast, Grubhub is one of the best. Its seamless integration with local restaurant menus makes it one of the most user-friendly experiences in food delivery. If you’ve developed a recent taste for ordering in, then check out the options on Grubhub.
Play Store
MyFitnessPal Calorie Tracker
If you want to lose weight and get in shape, then you need to start counting those calories, and this app, from MyFitnessPal, is an easy, accessible, and completely free way to do it.
Google Play
Food Network Kitchen
Find thousands of recipes from your favorite food network chefs and personalities, including recipes featured on their TV shows and specials. How-to videos and shopping list features will equip you with everything you need to make a great meal.
Google Play
Calorie Counter by FatSecret
The calorie counter from FatSecret offers one of the most comprehensive nutrition and calorie-tracking apps supported on Android. The service has thousands of restaurant and grocery meals in its incredibly diverse array of existing foods with nutrition information attached. The apps lets you set goals, keep a food diary, and like most apps these days it includes a social angle allowing you to create a profile and share your progress with others on the platform.
Google Play
Fitness and health
Peloton
The fitness sensation of Peloton is certainly hard to ignore. While the price of its bike or treadmill may be out of reach for some folks, its app offers a thorough library of workout videos with great production value and neat organization by fitness subject. The Peloton network also offers live classes by lively instructors and allows close health tracking to help keep you motivated. Peloton currently offers a 30-day free trial, and a full membership for the app without the bike will run you $13 a month, though compared to a private trainer or gym membership, it’s a fitness app that seems well worth it.
Google Play
Zombies, Run!
If you’re trying to jump on the running bandwagon but need a little extra motivation, then try gamifying your workout experience. Zombies, Run! is exactly what it sounds like and precisely what it needs to be. This app runs you through (pun intended) an engrossing story plot as the world gives way to a zombie apocalypse. So, you better run!
Google Play
Adidas Running App by Runtastic
Runtastic is a smartphone staple, with a simple interface that doesn’t sacrifice advanced features. The no-frills app uses your smartphone’s sensors to track metrics, such as your distance and relative pace, as well as calories burned and your heart rate. A few extra features, such as 3D mapping and a workout diary, only complement the app’s wearable integration. Runtastic is now owned by Adidas, adding an extra element of branding to the app, but it still functions much the same way as before.
Google Play
Runkeeper
Runkeeper is a community based GPS run tracker and exercise companion. Used by over 50 million users, Runkeeper can help you set and achieve your fitness goals through monitoring, encouraging interaction, and a slew of features designed to help you track and share your progress.
Google Play
Sleep as Android
Sleep as Android is one of the biggest sleep tracking apps on Android, and there are a bunch of reasons it’s popular. You can track your sleep, movement, and snoring, you can play soothing noises to put you to sleep, and it syncs data with quite a few other apps and devices, including Google Fit and Philips HUE smart bulbs.
Google Play
Daily Yoga
Yoga is unbelievably powerful. It strengthens your core, increases flexibility and focus, and decreases stress. Plus, it can help you lose weight and stay healthy. This app will guide you through daily yoga routines of varying difficulty and length, and step-by-step, HD videos showing exactly how to do each pose.
Google Play
Self-improvement
Calm
Taking a moment of calm can be crucial for your mental health, and Calm is one of the leading meditation and sleep-promotion apps in the Play Store. It has guided meditations, breathing exercises to reduce anxiety, sleep stories, and more. There are guides for beginners and experts alike, and while you’ll need to pay to get access to most, there’s still a lot here for free users who aren’t sure if they’ll enjoy it.
Google Play
Udemy
Whether you’re looking to learn something new for work or just for yourself, Udemy probably has a course to help you. With over 130,000 video courses taught by expert instructors, you can use Udemy to pick up skills with coding languages, Photoshop, yoga, and even more. You can download individual lessons to learn on the go, and there’s an audio-only mode if you’d rather learn in places like the car. Most courses will cost you money, but there are deals and discounts available for many.
Google Play
Duolingo
Duolingo offers a free and approachable way to learn a new language. Through a mix of gamification, read and repeat, and a challenging but engaging skill system that the user has to climb through as they learn the new language of their choice. Duolingo offers a plethora of languages for English speakers, as well as some languages for native speakers of other languages.
Google Play
Fabulous — Motivate Me!
With science-based coaching as its backbone, Fabulous — Motivate Me! will help instill healthy, positive habits and routines into your life — everything from better sleep, sticking to a morning routine, finding time for creativity, daily meditation, losing weight, and more.
Google Play
Finances and money
Acorns
Looking to save a little more money? Acorns helps you invest by rounding off your credit card or debit purchases to the nearest dollar. Once you’ve accumulated a little money, it’s easy to transfer the funds to your bank account. Acorns also offers retirement accounts like a Traditional IRA, so you can start saving for retirement now.
Google Play
Mint
Mint is our favorite money management website, but it also has a terrific app. Mint can keep track of multiple bank accounts or credit cards to help you stay on budget and out of the red.
Google Play
Venmo
Venmo allows users to send money for free. The transactions can be sent to any bank and occur overnight. This makes paying back your friends simple and quick.
Google Play
Honey
Honey brings automated saving and expert couponing to over 300 online stores. The Honey app will help you save money by offering coupons at check out, price tracking, and rewards all built around shaving off a few dollars from online transactions. Shoppers can also choose to browse products right from the Honey app.
Google Play
Robinhood
Getting started on your investing journey has never been easier. An app you’ve undoubtedly heard about by now, Robinhood is a free equities and crypto trading platform. It’s a great way for young and beginning investors to get their feet wet in the world of Wall Street.
Google Play
Shopping
Depop
Depop’s ultra-minimal, online marketplace takes little more than a photo to get started. Once captured, share it on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter before striking a secure deal with a host of potential buyers via the built-in chat function.
Google Play
eBay
There’s very little that you can’t buy or sell on eBay. The app is full-featured and much easier to use than the website. Bid on items, track your orders, and sell all of your unwanted stuff right here.
Google Play
Amazon Prime Now
While the selection on Amazon Prime Now may not be as good as what you find on Amazon, the upshot is free delivery within two hours. If you’re in a real-time crunch, some products and locations offer one-hour delivery available for a small fee. With Amazon’s recent acquisition of Whole Foods, Amazon Prime Now even offers a decent selection of groceries.
Google Play
PayPal
The easiest online checkout method right on your smartphone. You’ll be able to manage your PayPal account, send and receive payments, and more. The app can also notify you of transactions, offering handy reminders and alerts when you use PayPal as a payment method or have an upcoming bill due.
Google Play
Travel and events
RV Parky
RV Parky is a leading app for travelers to find RV campgrounds and parks across the country. RV Parky will help you choose from national, state, and privately owned RV sites with reviews, pictures, and info on the type of hook-ups and amenities available at the site. If you’re trying to explore the country with your family or friends in an RV, then RV Parky will be an essential tool in your travels.
Google Play
Uber
If you need to get somewhere and don’t have wheels of your own, hop in someone else’s ride. Uber allows you to call upon a private driver in your city who will help you get to where you need to go. It’s all the ease of a taxi, at a lower cost, and without the fumbling for cash at the end.
Google Play
Lyft
Lyft is another private cab service, that helps you to find a — well — lift whenever you need one. Basically an alternative to Uber, you can hail a cab and pay directly in the app, and can even split the tab with a friend easily.
Google Play
Airbnb
Forego the headache of trying to find and book a hotel, and instead find an open room or home to stay at on your travels. Users can search for accommodations, communicate directly with hosts, and book, all without leaving the app.
Google Play
Google Translate
Translate speech or text between more than 70 languages with this app. It can act as your interpreter, enabling you to decipher signs and menus and enable two-way conversations. You can download translation files if you know you’ll be without a data connection, and it can even translate signs with Google Lens.
Google Play
Going out
Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor is the ultimate going out app, with millions of recommendations and reviews from people all around the world, covering the best things to do wherever you are. Plan ahead with Tripadvisor’s tools, allowing you to organize your hotel bookings, restaurant trips, and attractions. You can even book them from the app with Google Pay access. It’s also great when you’re traveling, thanks to support for mobile tickets and bookings.
Google Play
Yelp
Craving a decent microbrew, a breakfast burrito, or a good latte? Yelp will help you scratch that itch. It’s packed with user reviews, directions, and tips for almost every place around, making it invaluable for almost every trip out.
Google Play
StubHub
StubHub allows you to buy and sell tickets to virtually any event, from sports to concerts. StubHub protects its users with its “FanProtect Guarantee,” meaning you can buy and sell tickets on their app without risk.
Google Play
National Park Service
Just in time for summer vacation, the National Park Service has released an app to help guide you through the 420-plus national parks spread across the United States. The new app has a treasure trove of information on the national parks, including interactive maps, accessibility information, and information on guided tours. The National Park Service app is a welcome addition to exploring the nation’s beautiful parks and will you help you figure out what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time.
Google Play
GasBuddy
GasBuddy offers a convenient way to find the best gas prices wherever you may be. More than just a price checker, GasBuddy also helps you log your driving habits, fill-ups, and miles. The app covers every major gas station in the country thanks in part to user-contributed data. You’d be surprised how short a drive away 10 to 20 cent cheaper gas usually is.
Google Play
Waze
Never get caught off guard by a car accident, broken traffic light, or speed trap again. Waze harnesses all the power of user summited information to help drivers avoid the common pitfalls of their daily commutes or long road trips. Waze is designed to get you where you’re going as quickly as possible by using up-to-the-minute live information to navigate. It will even help you find the cheapest gas along your route.
Google Play
Device performance
All-In-One Toolbox
The all-in-one toolbox is exactly what it sounds like. This app provides tools for storage management, file management, and other system management gadgets to help your smartphone run smoothly.
Google Play
Files by Google
Google’s Files app is an all-around excellent utility app that allows you to find files quickly and free up space on your phone. You can also easily exchange files with other people close by with Files, similar to Apple’s AirDrop. While there are other similar Android apps on the market, Files is less cluttered and not bogged down with ads.
Google Play
Google Find My Device
Google’s official phone tracking service helps you locate your phone, remotely erase its data, and reset the screen lock PIN, and it works with any device associated with your Google account.
Google Play
Gboard
There are many keyboard apps out there, but Gboard is generally considered one of the best. Coming straight from Google, Gboard is loaded with a tonne of features, including swipe typing, inbuilt Google search, GIFs, and emojis.
Google Play
Photo editing and management
Adobe Lightroom
Lightroom, a program built upon Photoshop, is an essential photo editing tool for photographers. The mobile app takes the features of the desktop application and puts them on your Android device.
Google Play
Adobe Photoshop Express
While not as feature-filled or extensive as the desktop version, Adobe Photoshop Express still offers an impressively wide array of tools for editing and creating images directly on your Android device.
Google Play
KineMaster
Though not exactly for photos, KineMaster is one of the most powerful video editing apps available on Android and perfect for our modern habits of capturing everything we see and do. From TikTok or YouTube creators to casual videographers, KineMaster offers a full suite of editing tools to tackle any size project. You can crop, edit, trim and add effects to videos, after which you can export them in 4K at 30 fps. KineMaster also allows direct sharing to several social media platforms.
Google Play
Imgur
The official app for one of the most procrastination-friendly sites on the internet. Browse through near-endless GIFs and images from almost any topic you can imagine.
Google Play
Google Photos
A centralized location for all your photos. Google Photos will automatically backup your photo libraries on your phone to your Google Drive, saving them in a special folder that only you can access.
Google Play
Documents, web, and email
OfficeSuite
It’s one of the most downloaded apps on the Play Store, and that’s for a very good reason. OfficeSuite is a full-featured alternative for Microsoft Office, and includes tools to view, edit, and create Word, Excel, and Powerpoint documents, as well as including support for various PDF operations. It’s an all-in-one solution for your document woes, and it’s free to get most of the features. OfficeSuite Premium gets you the ability to work on password-protected files, 50GB of cloud storage, the ability to export PDFs to other formats, and more.
Google Play
Google Drive
Downloading Google Drive should be a given. it’s one of the biggest sharing and cloud saving platforms out there, with 15GB for free and the ability to access your files and photos wherever you might need them. It’s tied into Google’s other services as well, including Gmail and Docs, making it the natural choice for anyone invested in Google’s ecosystem.
Google Play
Dropbox
Dropbox is another cloud saving service, and while you think you have that covered with Google Drive, Dropbox is still useful to download and use, because it often works with many third-party apps Drive doesn’t. It only gives you 2GB for free, but if you use it primarily for smaller files you should be okay with that amount.
Google Play
Evernote
Who needs to carry a notepad when you have your phone and Evernote? Evernote’s app is an elegant and extremely useful solution for note-taking, and can be used for everything from simple to-do lists, to notes with accompanying photos. You can scan in typed notes with your camera, create separate notebooks, share your notes with other people — and best of all, everything is searchable so you’ll never lose that important note.
Google Play
Andropen Office
Power to the people! Or at least spreadsheets. Andropen is an Android port of OpenOffice, an open-source suite of productivity software allowing you free access to what basically amounts to a slimmer version of Microsoft Office. Andropen allows you a free workspace to open and manipulate word documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more.
Google Play
Productivity
Todoist
Todoist can quickly become an essential helper in your busy day-to-day routine. You create customized to-do lists, assign tasks, receive notifications, and organize your life. You can set recurring notifications for those more regular tasks, and prioritize your list across customizable categories. After sorting it all out, you can even track your progress with productivity trends shown right in the app.
Google Play
LastPass
LastPass remains the preeminent password manager across your devices. If you’re struggling to remember dozens of passwords, or wondering how you might pass on all those passwords in the event that was needed, LastPass is the answer. LastPass will securely store all your usernames and passwords as well as automatically sync with any devices on which LastPass is installed — as long as you have Premium access, that is. Premium access for use across all your devices is just $3 per month, and allows you to sync passwords across all devices, not just between the mobile or desktop apps (a new limitation on the free tier).
Google Play
Google Authenticator App
As our lives move increasingly online, you’ll want to protect your most precious connected accounts with an added layer of security. The Google Authenticator App is used to add 2FA or Two-Factor-Authentication to your important accounts. You’ll have to match the temporary number in the Google Authenticator Account to the corresponding account you’re attempting to log into.
Google Play
Line2
Line2 brings a second phone number via VoIP to your smart device. If you’re looking for an additional phone number for work or personal purposes, Line2 will likely be a cheaper alternative for adding a line than most major cellular providers. Line2 starts at $15 per month for a local phone number with call forwarding and unlimited calls and texts.
Google Play
Slack
Slack remains one of the preeminent communication tools for businesses everywhere. Organize your teams and employees into channels to help with team productivity. Slack’s intuitive layout and ability to integrate workflows with other popular productivity apps such as Google Drive, Salesforce, and Dropbox make it a powerful tool to help get work done.
Google Play
Editors’ Recommendations