by Smartphone use is exponentially increasing. Everyone is using smartphone in their day-to-day life. It has become an important part of our life as it can certainly make our chores easier and smarter. Whether you want to talk to your friend, listen to songs, capture pictures, read news, search information, and find local services or just to play games, smartphone is there. When we discuss about smartphones, Android is the first thing that pops up in our mind.
Android is an open source operating system which has revolutionized the way we use our phone. There are thousands of existing Android apps which can make our phone experience wonderful and amazing. Choosing the best apps from such a large number can be exhausting. To install some finest applications to your smartphone, you will have to do research and read reviews of various apps. However, I came here solve your problem through this post. I have collected a list of 20 must have apps for all android users. You don’t need to get confused or spend hours to check the worthiness of apps listed below. All these apps are available on Google Play Store which are free to use.
Essential Apps For Android Smartphones
Below are the indispensable apps for Android users:
1. 360 Security
Safety always comes first. So, while talk about must have apps, security is our first priority. 360 Security is the best antivirus designed to protect your Android phone. It acts both as an antivirus as well as memory booster. It works as phone cleaner, calls & SMS blocker, app manager, data monitor, power saver and privacy advisor. As it has multi-layer Antivirus protection from cloud engines, you’ll get simple but effective malware protection for your Android device. Besides, it can also acts as an anti-theft app.
Size: 10MB
Android Requirement: 2.2 and Up
Ratings: 4.5
Alternate:
- AVG Antivirus Security,
- Avast Mobile Security and AntiVirus
- Kaspersky Internet Security (Paid)
2. Dictionary – Merriam – Webster
It is not a normal dictionary. You can search for the words by voice search and you don’t even have to spell the word. Apart from Synonyms, it offers antonyms, example sentences and much more. There is a history feature in this app which allows you to check the words which you’ve searched in past. It also offers audio pronunciation and if you are using it on a tablet, you can browse dictionary by scrolling Index. Moreover, you don’t need the internet connectivity to view definitions.
Size: 27MB
Android Requirement: 2.3.3 and Up
Ratings: 4.5
Alternates: English Dictionary, Webster’s Dictionary , Oxford Dictionary
3. Shazam
Shazam is one of the best apps for the music lovers. This is one of the best Android apps to identify music and TV. You only have to bring your phone near the music and it will tell you about the name of the song along with lyrics, singer details etc. By using this app, users can buy and preview tracks on Amazon, share their discoveries on social platforms, watch music videos on YouTube etc. You may sing along to the beat with amazing real-time lyrics. You can also use this striking app for TV and explore trending shows.
Size: Varies with Device
Android Requirement: Varies with Device
Ratings: 4.4
Alternate: SoundHound, Track ID,
4. Software Data Cable
You don’t need to use USB cables if you have Software Data Cable app. It allows you to connect and share everything among Phones, Laptops, Cloud Storage, Mac, Xbox etc. Its transfer speed goes up to 54 MB/sec and it is compatible with FTTP client tools. It can be used to transfer files from phone to computer and vice versa without using a USB Cable. It is fast and does not put any impact on mobile data plan. I would recommend this app to save your time and extend mobile storage space at no cost. Automatic syncing to cloud storage is a notable stuff of this vibrant app.
Size: 2.6MB
Android Requirement: 2.1 and Up
Ratings: 4.2
Substitute: WiFi File Transfer, Virtual USB, Air Data Cable
5. Vine
It is an app to share videos in a simple way. You can upload unlimited videos on this app and after uploading them, you can share them on Facebook and Twitter. You can connect with other people too. This is just like a social network where everything is in motion.
Size: Varies with Device
Android Requirement: Varies with Device
Ratings: 4.2
Alternate: Viddy
6. Duolingo
It is a language learning app where you can learn Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Danish, Irish and English for free of cost. It has been awarded as best of the best app in 2013. You can track your progress with this funny app.
Size: Varies with Device
Android Requirement: Varies with Device
Ratings: 4.6
Substitute: Learn Languages (Paid), Learn 50 Languages
7. Google Keep
Google Keep is a productive app which allows you to keep all the memos at one place. You can speak a voice memo, take a picture of thing which needs to be reminded and it can be synced across all the devices used by you. You can color code the memos as per the priority and set location-based reminder to your notes for quick access. It is a simple but yet very effective app.
Size: 8.4 MB
Android Requirement: 4.0 and Up
Ratings: 4.5
Substitute:Simplenote, EverNote
8. Feedly
This is an awesome curating tool which allows you to read and share your preferred web content. AS it is RSS powered, you just need to enter the feed URL of the content that you want to read. Likewise, this app can be integrated with Evernote, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn etc to share your favorite content to your Feedly account. Out of all, you can discover the best blogs to get inspired. Thus I would tell that it is the best app to gain knowledge at your spare time.
Size: 8.2 MB
Android Requirement: 2.3 and Up
Ratings: 4.5
Substitute: Feedspot, Google Play Newstand
9. Swiss Army Knife
Flash light, Unit converter, Stopwatch, Timer, Compass, Calculator, Mirror, Magnifying glass and Ruler are some of the stuff present in this app. It is the best app in case of an emergency as you can find all these basic needs at one place. As it is a standalone tool, you can save a lot of disk space and achieve network consumption. It does what these tools are meant to do, nothing special but yet an awe-inspiring app.
Size: 743KB
Android Requirement: 1.6 and Up
Ratings: 4.3
Substitute: Tools Box Smart
10. Nova Launcher
It is the most polished customizable launcher for recent Android which is available at free of cost. You can even customize color theme, icon them and import layout. It supports OK Google and works excellent as compared to other launchers. It has advanced restore system which let you to back up your launcher settings. Creating multiple docks is possible with this app and you may add any widget in the dock. As it let the animations to run smooth, you can use your Android phone very fast.
Size: 4.3MB
Android Requirement: 4.0 and Up
Ratings: 4.6
Substitute: Smart Launcher 2, Go Launcher
11. Android Device Manager
Don’t worry if your phone gets misplaced or lost, Android Device Manager is at your rescue. It helps in locating your lost Android device and securing your data. It uses your Google account for locating the device, it can rest your device lock pin and it can even erase all the data from your phone. Its new feature allows you to set a “call me back” phone number to receive a call when you lost your Android phone.
Size: 1.9 MB
Android Requirement: 2.3 and Up
Ratings: 4.3
Substitute: Android Lost (Paid)
12. Dropbox
Storage is always a problem for every android user. Dropbox is an amazing app which allows you to store your data without disturbing your phone memory or SD card. It is like cloud storage. You can even save videos on Dropbox.
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The amazing feature about Dropbox is that it can be accessed from anywhere. You can use it on another device, on your PC or on your tablet. Data can also be shared via Dropbox and one can even edit docs in this wonderful app. So, if you have lost your Android, your data will stay safe on Dropbox.
Size: Varies with Device
Android Requirement: Varies with Device
Ratings: 4.5
Substitute: Google Drive, One Drive
13. Zomato
Just imagine, if you could check out which hotel is the best one, which restaurant offers best food and you can even review them. Yes, Zomato is the best restaurant finder app. It helps in finding best hotels, pubs, restaurants, cafes etc. near your location and guide you to go there with map. You can also get awesome deals and discounts by using this app. In addition, you can share your experience of going to a certain hotel or night club. If you move to a new city, this app can be your best friend in finding out the best food spots for you.
Size: Varies with Device
Android Requirement: Varies with Device
Ratings: 4.4
Substitute: AroundMe (Paid)
14. Kingsoft Office
This app allows you to view and edit all files like office documents like PDFs, power point presentations and spreadsheets. It is the world’s most popular office app where you can even connect to cloud and can edit documents. It is fully compatible with MS-Office and can open any formats like .doc, .xls, .ppt, .txt, .pdf. You can access documents from Dropbox and Google Drive. It supports wireless printing, USB & Bluetooth keyboards and 44 different languages. This remarkable app got featured in so many tech blogs as it would let you to view any file type, create wonderful documents, easy file sharing and connect to cloud.
Size: 26MB
Android Requirement: 2.3 and Up
Ratings: 4.4
Substitute: Microsoft Office Mobile
15. Pushbullet
There are chances that you might miss some important call or message while you are working on your computer. Now, Pushbullet is a handy app which shows your mobile notification on your desktop. Even if your mobile is in another room or is on silent mode, it will notify you that “this” person is calling you. You can read and reply text messages even without touching your phone. Another awesome feature of this app is that it connects your computer and phone in such a way that you can share files on them too.
Size: 5.6 MB
Android Requirement: 4.0 and Up
Ratings: 4.6
Substitute: Send Anywhere
16. PressReader
PressReader is an award winning news app which helps you to read publications and stories as they appear in the print. You can personalize your news feed and download for offline reading. It has advanced search across several publications and you can bookmark your ideal articles for later reading. Additionally, you can comment & vote for any article and share stories on social platforms by using this app.
Size: Varies with Device
Android Requirement: Varies with device
Ratings: 3.3
Substitute: Flipboard, Google News
17. Double Twist Music Player
The search for best music player ends at double twist music player. It has amazing look and easy to use interface. It has been used by millions of users and got more than 95k 5 stars rating. This is due to its all-roundness since you can avoid jumping between different apps to play music, manage podcasts, sync iTunes playlists and much more.
Size: Varies with Device
Android Requirement: Varies with device
Ratings: 4.3
Substitute: Google Play Music, MX Player
18. Facebook
Everyone is on Facebook. It is the world’s most used social networking site and millions of new users are joining it. So, it is obvious that this site would have a mobile app. Facebook app allows you to share updates & media files, chat with friends, see what your friends are doing and play games. You’ll be notified when you get tagged, when someone comments on your status and when someone sends you a message.
Size: Varies with Device
Android Requirement: Varies with device
Ratings: 4.0
Substitute: Twitter, Instagram
19. WhatsApp Messenger
WhatsApp is the next big thing after Facebook. It is an instant chatting app which allows you to share messages, images and videos. You can send voice & video messages and enjoy group conversations with your contacts. It is free of cost for the first year and charges 0.99$/year after that. There are no ads, no international charges, no hidden costs and it doesn’t require login/logout.
Size: Varies with Device
Android Requirement: 2.1 and Up
Ratings: 4.4
20. Dolphin Browser
This is the number one mobile web browser which offers features like voice search and gestures. It is faster than stock browser and has user-friendly interface. It has tabbed browsing and thus no need to toggle between screens. This dynamic Android app has excellent customization choices and you can make use of “One Tap Share” to grab any content from famous social networks, share them on your desired place and bookmark websites.
Size: Varies with Device
Android Requirement: Varies with Device
Ratings: 4.6
Substitute: UC Browser, Chrome Browser
Final Words:
There are plenty of fantastic free apps for Android available and we should be grateful to the developers who offered these must have Android apps for us. I hope you’ve engaged well with my top pick of Android apps. Do you use any apps for Android that are not listed here? If so, share them in the comment section as I would like to take your suggestions.
Hello Atish,
Surely the smartphones have really reduced our workload especially their portability nature and flexibility.Thank you for the feature sharing which are very useful.
These days probably everyone uses android phone. Some of the app you mentioned above are present in every android mobile like WhatsApp, facebook. Most of the android app you mentioned above are used by me and Yes, they are just amazing. Swiss Army knife really seems interesting and I never used it. I will surely give it a try. Thanks for sharing this post.
These are cool android apps, my favorite apps among them all is the whatsapp app. Is among the apps i cannot do without in an hour.
Hello Atish,
These Are Really Awesome Apps, My favorite app Among them all is the PressReader app.. Thanks for posting such a good information About Android Apps
Dolphin Browser is my first android app. I used on phone, tablet, mini pc etc. The web browser is very simply and its work like a sharm! It have the possibility to choose between user that you want to show to servers! I believe lot of you wants some time to navigate from phone like from desktop, this application can do this with simple click. another thing that i like it is the option to erase the cookies on every exit, that keep the memory empty and the speed is very god! The last thing is problem solve with flash content, Dolphin Browser is the only one how is working very well with this flash problems and android!
Of all these apps, I personally find Google Keep the most useful for my everyday’s use. I have been using it for long time now and it really is helpful to keep yourself on track during whole day. I rarely miss any work during the day.
I have used few from the list but most of these are either unknown to me or I haven’t explored ever. Great list. I am noticing nowadays, this blog is sharing even more descriptive content which is cool. Keep it up Mate.
Nice list of apps. I am android user too and I have many of these apps. I will try other also. I didn’t know Google’s Android Device Manager has an app also. Will surely give it a try!
Great list Atish. Being a blogger myself, my personal favorite Android app from this list is Feedly as it allow to keep track of the latest blogs etc.
Apart from that, I am waiting for Viber is another favorite app but it missed your list 🙂
Beautiful app compilation, I think the apps you have listed here are sort of a basic app any android user should have. but with a personal experience, I would recommend users should also have a Bible app, health app as well as ES Explorer.. These are sort of basic for me … However, in over all, they are really great apps.
Software Data Cable is the best app to transfer files over wifi to any device and the feature that connects it to a laptop without needing a software on the laptop is just awesome
360 Security app seems very good app, never heard of it before.
I think Dolphin browser is a must for any android device, unless you don’t connect to internet on your phone 🙂
Nice apps buddy. Personally I use mostly of this apps. A nice app that you may like is Habit Browser. It is awesome and worth trying. In my site you can find a review and he download link.
I would like to suggest cool browser which is very useful in any android phone.I am currently using the same.and its running good.We always are in search of a browser which will help us browse faster, smoother and more easer. If you really are more interested in testing different apps on your android device. I would suggest you to try out with Cool Browser.
I want to suggest one privacy app lock in this list.That is leo privacy app lock,which helps to lock your apps images and videos and many more.It has one special feature that is it can click picture if someone tries to open your hidden files.
thanks for the post. its a great post.
i think leo privacy should also be on this list. Security apps are must for any android user and leo privacy is one of the best security apps i found on playstore.