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The best Android apps for your phone

A running list of the best Android apps available today

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This roundup has been updated with two new apps

The best Android apps aren't always obvious, and so AP is here to help. With the many options available on the Play Store, it can be tough to determine which titles will suit you best or whether these apps will run on older budget devices and newer hardware alike. That's what this roundup is all about. This is a hand-picked list of the best apps currently available on Android, a best-of-all-time list, as it were. So if you're new to Android, think of this list as the greatest hits, and if you've been around the platform for a few years, perhaps you'll find something to add to your arsenal. Like with the best Android games, this roundup will grow and evolve over time, so please leave your favorites in the comments.

Google Maps

Let's start off easy with Google Maps. It's an app that I'm sure most of us have used and are familiar with, but that doesn't discount the usefulness of this listing. Google Maps is a staple, not to mention the go-to map software for mobile devices, and for a good reason, this is still one of the best maps and navigation software currently available. It's an excellent app for hunting down food to eat, gas stations to stop at, and you can even review the places you've visited. Plus, the navigation aspect is sublime. While I know people love Waze, there's no denying that Google Maps is used by more people, allowing its crowd-sourced content to continually grow at a much faster clip than any other mapping software out there. So whether you're looking for a rideshare, the closest biking path, or simply want to know how long of a walk it is to the grocery store, Google Maps is more than likely the place you'll be looking for this info.

Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs

Sync for reddit (Pro)

There are many Reddit apps out there, some have come and gone, and others have stuck around. Sync for reddit is one of the mainstays, it's been around for years, with active development the entire time, and it's my personal go-to Reddit app. It's easily themeable, suits phones and tablets alike, and you can even browse Reddit when its servers are having issues, which seems to be pretty often in the last few years. Like all Reddit apps, issues can pop up, but at least the dev is responsive, so you know these issues won't stick around. Sync for reddit is already ten years old, but it's still popular because it's reliable.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $1.99

Sketchbook

There are many apps out there if you'd like to paint and draw on your Android device, but Sketchbook stands above the rest thanks to its ease of use and thought-out design. Nothing is ever too cluttered, and yet all of your tools are typically a tap away. The app supports layers, and thanks to a wide range of brush and pen/pencil tips, you're never left in the lurch wanting for more. So if you're big into sketching, like black books for graffiti designs, Sketchbook is a beautiful tool that throws out the need for paper. Best of all, the app is free, something the competition simply doesn't offer.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

Tasker

This one is for all of your automation nuts out there. Tasker is one of the most powerful tools on Android, and despite Google's constant whittling away of OS access, the app has continued to find an audience, which is a testament to how useful Tasker is. There are over 350 different actions available to set up your own automations (all without the need for root access), such as turning on a dark mode at a particular time of day or automatically switching off notifications once you connect to your home wifi after work. While I wouldn't call the app intuitive, those that spend their time figuring things out will be rewarded. There's a 7-day free trial for anyone that wants to take a look, and if you like what you see, you can unlock the full app with a single purchase.

Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs

Google Drive

There are many cloud storage solutions out there, but seeing that we're all using Android phones, it makes sense that Google's cloud storage option has some of the best integration with the OS and its apps. For me, I'm a big reader, and I prefer to keep my e-books on a local drive, but I also keep my staples in the cloud so that I can access them with ease no matter what reading app I'm using at the time. It's a rare day that an Android app doesn't offer Drive support if it also offers support for other cloud storage services. Plus, with the Drive app installed, you won't even have to rely on other apps with built-in connections to Drive. All around, Drive is one of the most convenient cloud storage services out there for Android users, and since it's an app many of us rely on every day, it's easily one of the all-time best apps out there.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $1,024.00 per item

Twilio Authy 2-Factor Authentication

There are more than a few two-factor authorization apps on the Play Store, and even Google offers one. But Twilio (formerly Authy) has the ability to save your info, unlike Google's option. This way, you can easily move phone to phone, tablet to tablet, over the course of years, and you'll still have access to all of the accounts you stored in Twilio. Cause, really, who can remember all of the accounts they have two-factor turned on for? I know I always forget, which is precisely why my go-to for 2-factor authentication is always Twilio. This way, anytime a site or service asks for my 2-factor code, all I have to do is install Twilio on whatever Android device I have on hand, and I'm good to go.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

Poweramp Music Player

If you're looking to play locally-stored music with one of the best audio engines around, Poweramp Music Player is that app. Not only is this the longstanding king, but it's also been updated several times over the years to offer a better and better experience. If you're big into FLACs and other lossless files, this is one of the best apps available to play them. It's an audio player for audiophiles that's also great for everyone else. To this day, you can still unlock the complete feature set of Poweramp through a single purchase, which is remarkable for an eleven-year-old app that's managed to stand the test of time.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

YouTube

What would an all-time best-of Android app list be without YouTube on it? As everyone is well aware, YouTube is the go-to service for community-made video content. It also houses all of our purchased Play Store movies, plus there's tons of music on there, along with an endless sea of tutorials, reviews, and first-looks. The answers to all of life's questions are squirreled away somewhere on the service, and it's only a matter of digging them up so that you're better informed. Plus, many make a living posting content to the site. YouTube is basically its own ecosystem of video content, a neverending stream of information at everyone's fingertips, and because of that, it's probably one of the most used mobile apps out there. If you watch video content, then you've more than likely used YouTube several times over. This is an app that doesn't need an introduction, but it is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal, which is why it's in today's best-of roundup.

Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs

Solid Explorer File Manager

There's a boatload of file managers available on the Play Store, and somehow Solid Explorer has managed to remain one of the best options. Not only does this app work great on Android TV and Chromebooks, but it's also super useful on Android phones and tablets. The number of features available blow the stock pre-installed options on our devices out of the water. There's built-in cloud storage support, including Drive, plus archiving is supported, which means you can easily open RAR files (perfect for those of us that collect comics archived as CBRs). There's built-in NAS support and FTP support, not to mention a host of themes. Best of all, anyone can try the app for free, and if you'd like to unlock the app, you can do so through an in-app purchase. Some functions are sold piecemeal, but these are the more niche options most people won't use.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $2.99

ZOOM Cloud Meetings

Thanks to Covid, I'm sure more than a few of you are familiar with the video conferencing service ZOOM. The app is free and supports up to 100 participants in its free tier meetings, which is precisely why the service is so hot right now. There are also paid plans, and these range from $16 a month to $20, and these plans bump up how many participants are allowed to 1000 while also extending the time limit allowed for these streams. No matter how you slice it, ZOOM is one of the best video conferencing apps out there. It's easy to set up, and unless you run a large business, you can easily use it for free with friends and family, even on Chromebooks.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $14.99 - $149.99

Bitwarden Password Manager

Password managers might not appeal to everyone, especially since Google offers a built-in manager with Chrome, but if you're looking for an extra bit of security, Bitwarden Password Manager is one of the best choices available. An unlimited number of passwords are supported, plus these passwords are protected with plenty of encryption, including AES-256 bit, salted hashtags, and PBKDF2 SHA-256 keys. There's also a built-in password generator, so you won't have to think up your own passwords. Bitwarden is also a cross-platform service, which means you're covered on other operating systems. Basically, Bitwarden offers all of the features you'd expect from the more well-known subscription apps, except it's open-source, and there's a free tier for individuals. It doesn't get much better than this. Heck, even if you want to subscribe to the premium tier, it's only $10 a year.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

Zillow: Houses & Apartments

Straight up, who doesn't love looking at the available houses on the market while dreaming big? Zillow is probably the most well-known real estate app out there, and for a good reason, it's a blast to peruse. Pick a town, and then start looking at the many pics of each home that strikes your fancy. Estimated prices are included, along with the general taxes, which means you can quickly decide if a house fits your current budget. You can even schedule tours of these houses within the app, and you can make offers. Heck, even if you're only into looking at pics of strange houses and crime scenes, this is the app for you.

Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs

Spotify: Music and Podcasts

I used to be a diehard FLAC fanatic, only playing my music files locally, never streaming. It took a holiday sale on Spotify (free Hulu) for me to take it for a spin, and while I was at first unimpressed, once I built up a library of my favorite music, Spotify became infinitely more helpful. The way I see it is I'm paying Spotify monthly not only for access to tons of music but for Spotify's recommendations. Specifically Discovery Weekly and Release Radar. These weekly customized playlists are how I now discover a vast amount of new music, worlds better than the crawling I used to do on Amazon and iTunes for new releases. For a person who rarely feels subscriptions are worth it, Spotify continues to be worth every penny every month. Sure, there are some downsides, like live music in playlists, and remixes, plus the constant assault of podcast promotion, so it's not all sunshine and rainbows, but I've still yet to find a better music streaming service, and that's coming from a Play Music convert.

Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs

MX Player Pro

Out of all of the native video players on Android, MX Player is one of the oldest, and yet it's still one of if not the best video players currently available, all thanks to its vast video codec support. Sure, you can view most videos in Photos or any of the built-in manufacturer players, but MX almost always performs better. It's handy on a phone and tablet and even more helpful on Chromebooks and Android TV. I've yet to find a file this video player can't play. Even if you get most of your media from the high seas, MX Player shouldn't falter.

Monetization: $5.49 / no ads / no IAPs

I've been using Android since the very start, and over the years, I've installed many different weather apps in an endless search to find the most accurate and beautiful app out there. I'm still hunting, and yet MyRadar is one of the first apps I install on every new Android device. Being able to view an animated weather map assuredly helps me pinpoint where storms are headed, and there's also a quick-view for the current temp and forecast if you're in a rush. The map offers plenty of filters to drill down to the view you require, and there's even a video section for those that prefer to watch someone report the weather. So if you require a weather app with one of the best radar views available, MyRadar is an excellent choice, especially since most phones now come with their own weather apps that do not provide a detailed radar view.

Monetization: $3.99 / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $24.99

Netflix

What would an all-time best-of Android app roundup be without Netflix on the list? Out of all of the video streaming services, Netflix is at the top, along with Youtube, but since Netflix is more focused on Hollywood-like content, this is the place to go for many of the top movies and TV Shows available in 2021 (when does Stranger Things season 4 start, I'm growing impatient, I need my fix). The basic plan starts at $8.88, Standard is $13.99, and Premium is $17.99. If you want to watch 4K content, then the Premium plan is what you're looking for. All in all, Netflix is available just about everywhere, and since many TVs are now Android TVs, there's a good chance you'll be using the Android app. Best of all, if you're a subscriber, you now get access to a handful of Android games, with more to come.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $7.99 - $13.99

Shazam: Music Discovery

Shazam is a music recognition and discovery app that's been available on Android going on 13 years. That's a long time for an app to be supported, and what's crazy is that this app is free, without any ads either. Its remarkable Shazam is still here, and that has everything to do with how well it works. Sure, Google and other phone manufacturers offer similar apps and functionality, but Shazam is standalone and offers a bunch of extra features for easy discovery once you've defined a tune. So if you've ever needed to know who wrote some random song that's playing, whip out your phone, start this app, and the answer is only a few moments away, starting your journey of discovering what that band and similar sounding artists have to offer.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

PayPal

There's a neverending supply of banking and money apps on the Play Store, and yet PayPal still manages to be a the top. Personally, I use the app and service as a shield for online purchases, never dirtying my credit or debit cards, allowing PayPal to do all of the work so that I have an avenue to easy returns should there be a dispute. PayPal still tends to side with the buyers, not the sellers, which is excellent for us consumers (but maybe not so great for all you eBay sellers out there). The app offers biometrics for easy sign-ins, alerts any time money leaves or goes, and you can even perform transfers straight from your device. While I would never replace my bank with PayPal, the conveniences and protection that the app brings to the table are certainly worth the effort of connecting a bank account.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

DoorDash

Food delivery services certainly blew up during covid, and despite the strain, DoorDash is still humming along. Yes, Uber Eats is also a top option, but I find the service offers fewer restaurants, so I'm a DoorDash stan. This may differ from area to area, though I do find the app much easier to use than Uber's option. Finding the restaurants I'm looking for is a breeze, and the tracking is reliable so that I know when my order will arrive. Even the fees and deals tend to be better on DoorDash over many of its competitors. Heck, if you find that you use the app all of the time, there's a subscription available that cuts out all of DoorDash's delivery fees. While I don't order as often as I'd like, the convenience of having Indian, Mexican, Thai, Japanese, and southern food at my fingertips is hard to resist.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

Snapseed

For years Android lacked quality photo editing apps, but with the release of Snapseed, that's no longer the case. To better illustrate what I mean, we have writers that exclusively use this app for editing photos on Chromebooks and Android alike. It's a robust editing app that will allow pros and amateurs an easy way to correct and edit their photos without the need to jump to a desktop PC with a full-featured app. Snapseed may not be a replacement for the desktop version of Photoshop, but it sure beats the mobile version. So if you ever need to edit a pic in a pinch but require something a little more robust than the stock options on your device, Snapseed is easily AP's mobile go-to, and best of all, it's free.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

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