The best automation apps for Android

Automation takes over on a grand scale. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of ways to automate your life. You can set your phone so that at a certain point in time you will no longer be notified. There are ways to automatically backup your camera roll. The list goes on and on. Unfortunately, there are few ways to automate things right now. We hope this segment will grow more over time because it is quite nice when it works properly. Here are the best automation apps for Android.

The best automation apps for Android

Action blocks

Price: For free

Action Blocks is an automation app from Google. It’s a direct integration with the Google Assistant. You can tell the app to do something at a specified time and the Google Assistant will do the job at the specified time. There are a lot of things you can do, like turn the lights off and on. It can also do simple things, like reminding you to call a family member. Basically, it can do what the Google Assistant does, but you can control when it happens. It definitely takes more polish and we hope Google stick with that. Action Blocks aren’t the best option on the list, but it’s worth a try if you use Assistant a lot.

Automate LlamaLab

Price: Free / $ 3.90

Automate is another decent automation app. It focuses more on basic tasks. For example, it can text your significant other when you drive home. Some other features include automatically uploading files to Google Drive on a schedule, changing the audio volume at night, and other simple things like this. It uses a flowchart system and we really like how easy it is to get into with it. There are apps that are much more powerful, but this one is extremely easy to use for simple things.

AutomateIt

Price: Free / $ 1.99

AutomateIt competes with automation apps such as LlamaLab’s Automate. It automates a number of basic little things. For example, you can change your audio volume at night, turn WiFi on and off, and other basic things like this. It has dozens of overall functions. You can also see things like your stats. It can also do things like automatically reply to text messages while you are driving. The app seems to be struggling on some devices and has an occasional bug. It’s pretty good otherwise.

IFTTT

Price: Free / $ 3.99 per month

At IFTTT, we talk about the big dogs in automation apps. IFTTT is a pretty big deal with an absolute amount of integrations and features. It can do the simple things when you need it. A popular example is downloading Instagram photos when they post. However, it integrates with Google Drive, Dropbox, work messaging like Slack, and loads of smart home technology like Philips Hue, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and others. The list of things to do is too crazy to even mention. The Pro version unlocks more applets, but the free version lets you tinker around long enough to find out if you want to pay for them.

MacroDroid

Price: Free / $ 2.49

MacroDroid is an interesting automation app. It uses if-then statements similar to those used by computer programmers. You can set up some pretty complex tasks. For example, you can set the app to reject calls when you turn your phone face down. These super granular actions are fun and can make a lot of things easier. One of the funniest that actually works is that the app will automatically skip any skippable ad on YouTube. It can even do security tasks like taking a picture every time your PIN is entered incorrectly. Little things like this can greatly improve the user experience, and in some cases even replace some apps.

Tasker

Price: $ 3.49

Tasker is one of the most powerful automation apps for Android. Like IFTTT, it has an insane number of things to do by itself. There are also tons of apps and add-ons that add functionality. Think of it as a more powerful version of MacroDroid. There is a small compromise, however. All of that power is pretty hard to use. The learning curve of this app is pretty intense. There are plenty of videos out there showing you how to do different things, but it’s definitely not easy to use in the beginning. This is also free via the Google Play Pass if you use it.

May individual apps

Price: Free / Varies

Many apps have some kind of automation setting for their main function. There are several good examples. Photo backup apps like Amazon Photos or Google Photos can be set to automatically upload photos when your phone is connected to WiFi and also to a charger. Most to-do list apps can do repetitive tasks that automatically fill in when you delete one. Some third-party text messaging apps and social media apps allow you to send messages or post updates on a schedule. There are too many of them to list here, but hopefully that gives you an idea to explore the settings menu in some apps to see if there are any native automation features.

Smart home apps

Price: Free (usually)

One of the most popular examples of automation apps are smart home apps. The whole point of a smart home product is to enhance your experience with basic things. That goes for this list. Philips Hue lights can be set to turn on and off according to specific schedules. Smart thermostats can control the temperature of your home in a number of ways. Even things like Amazon Alexa and Google Home can help by speaking to your house directly. Most of these products have some kind of automation.

OEM-specific functions such as Bixby

Price: For free

Even Android OEMs are sometimes involved. There aren’t many examples of this, and the biggest one by far is Samsung’s Bixby. Bixby has a routines feature that you can use to automate things on your Samsung devices. It is a direct competitor to Google’s Action Blocks and Apple’s Shortcuts. This is a relatively new thing that again doesn’t have many examples. For now, Samsung owners should try Bixby Routines. I use the feature to turn off fast wireless charging at night to keep my phone cool while sleeping. That’s only an example.

Your Android settings

Price: For free

The Android operating system offers a few things that you can automate. Most things can be done on any modern Android device. Some examples are turning things like Do Not Disturb and blue light filters on and off at certain times. More modern versions of Android include digital comfort features that can be triggered at night to encourage you to turn off your phone and go to bed. Of course, there are classics like Smart Lock that switch your security on and off depending on your GPS location. It’s worth digging through your settings menu just to check.

If we missed great automation apps (or anything else), tell us about it in the comments. You can also click here to see our latest Android apps and game lists.
Thanks for reading! Also try these out: