5 free Android apps I all the time set up

Key Takeaways

The Google Play Retailer is full of high-quality apps, a few of that are fully free.
Subscription and commercial fatigue is an actual factor, and so I cherish the occasions after I stumble throughout a terrific free app.
These apps are excessive on my checklist for set up as quickly as I arrange any new Android-based gadget.

Nothing feels fairly as satisfying as getting one thing at no cost, and the identical feeling can actually be utilized to smartphone apps. In a world saturated with in-app purchases, subscriptions, microtransactions, and ‘freemium’ enterprise fashions, actually free software program appears like an absolute breath of recent air.

There are a variety of apps on the market that I contemplate to be non-negotiable every time I arrange a new Android phone, and, fortunately, a few of them come for gratis in anyway. Listed below are 5 apps that I personally all the time set up on day one.

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1 KineStop

The go-to app for lowering movement illness

KineStop: Automobile illness help

A well-built app for lowering movement illness when in a automobile.

Again in Could, Apple announced plans to include a brand new ‘Automobile Movement Cues’ function into each iOS and iPadOS. The function embeds a wide range of animated dots onto your display screen, which shift in accordance with automobile movement to scale back automobile illness in these bothered with the problem.

Fortunately, Android customers are capable of expertise a really comparable function utilizing the fully free KineStop app from the Play Retailer. The idea is roughly the identical, and the interface is easy and simple to arrange. When you’re susceptible to feeling movement illness when utilizing your Android cellphone within the passenger seat of a automobile, KineStop is solely a must-download.

Apple Carplay showing Apple Maps in a car.

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2 Feeder

A beautiful and open supply RSS reader

Feeder

A free and open-source RSS reader app that works with out fuss.

Actually easy syndication readers, normally acronymized as RSS readers, are streamlined methods for viewing information articles throughout your favourite publications. Within the age of social media, these apps aren’t as fashionable as they as soon as had been, however they’re nonetheless a useful gizmo for once you wish to scale back distractions whereas nonetheless maintaining with present occasions.

Feeder is one such RSS reader obtainable on Android, and it is fully free and open-source. For an open-source app, the interface is genuinely beautiful, and the person expertise is equally intuitive. The one caveat right here is that it forces you to manually enter RSS feed hyperlinks to get began, however that is a reasonably small criticism general.

Someone holding an iPhone with the Notes app open

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3 AntennaPod

A wonderful resolution for streaming your favourite podcasts

AntennaPod

A free and open resolution for all of your podcast streaming wants.

In the identical vein as Feeder, AntennaPod is a totally free and open-source Android utility — however as a substitute of aggregating information articles, it is designed with podcast streaming in thoughts. The interface is clear, easy, and efficient, and I’ve no usability complaints.

Essential inclusions like shownotes, casting help, and a sleep timer are all current, which makes this a reasonably full-featured expertise. When you love listening to podcasts however wish to avoid main gamers like Spotify, Apple, and Google, then AntennaPod is a superb selection that I would extremely suggest.

Android all apps page displayed on a Google Pixel

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4 VLC

The notorious Home windows program can also be at residence on Android

VLC for Android

A widely known native media participant that is appropriate with all kinds of file sorts.

VLC requires no introduction — the enduring media participant is a favourite amongst Home windows desktop customers, as a consequence of its open-source nature and its spectacular file format help. If there’s ever an audio or video file in your pc that merely refuses to open, you may depend on VLC to play the file with out skipping a beat.

VLC on Android is equally open-source and highly effective. When you’re in search of a no-nonsense multimedia participant for native playback, then it is a must-download.

The interface lacks among the refinement of another opponents in the marketplace, but it surely’s nice sufficient and makes up for this in its sheer flexibility.

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5 Cloud Backup Checker

A useful utility for confirming whether or not apps are backed up

Cloud Backup Checker

A easy device for checking which apps are being backed as much as your Google Account.

Google affords a local cloud backup resolution for its Android working system, however many app builders additionally supply an ‘choose out’ selection. Sadly, it could actually get considerably complicated to maintain monitor of which apps are backed up and which of them aren’t.

The place Google does not supply a terrific native device for checking the standing of backups, the free Cloud Backup Checker app steps as much as the plate. The software program is light-weight, speedy, and does precisely what it says on the tin. If and once you improve to a brand new Android cellphone, it is value downloading this app so you are not left blindsided.