Finding the best Android apps can be tough. There are millions to choose from and many of the best are free and just as many are paid apps. The good news is you can have a full, rich experience with Android with free apps. If you need some help finding such an experience, here is a list of the 25 best free Android apps to help you get started!
1Weather: Widget Forecast Radar
[Price: Free]
First on our list is the highest rated and one of the most popular weather apps out there called 1Weather. The app features a slick, good-looking, and easy to use interface that, obviously, tells you the weather. There are also a few really good widget selections available. So if you need weather and want a good app or widget, this is one of the best free Android apps to start with.
Amazon
[Price: Free]
If you enjoy shopping online, there are few apps better than the official Amazon app. Using this app you can browse Amazon’s extensive selection and it works in multiple countries (including India). You can also edit your Wishlists, check Lightning Deals, Deal of the Day, and other special offers. It’ll even automatically recognize that you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber if you are one. It’s the world’s largest online retailer and that means you should have their app.
App Dialer
[Price: Free]
App Dialer is a fun application that helps you find the apps you need faster. Here’s how it works. The floating window screen opens up with a number pad. Simply spell out the name of the app you wish to use (like you used to spell out texts on old flip phones) and it’ll pop up all the apps that match the characters you entered. More often than not, you’ll see your app pop up after a couple of presses. This is a great way to free yourself from the cluttered mess that is the app drawer. It’s highly rated and definitely deserves to be on the best free Android apps list.
Android Device Manager
[Price: Free]
Android Device Manager is a very simple app with a great premise. It essentially tracks down your lost or stolen phone. Once installed you log into the website and from there you can see your device’s location, wipe it remotely, reset your device’s lock screen PIN, and make your phone ring so you can find it. It’s highly recommended that you only use this app with a lock screen PIN so those with malicious intent cannot log into the website under your name and wipe your device. Of course, if you’d like to use a service that’s outside of Google’s purview, there’s also Where’s My Droid.
Cal calendar by Any.do
[Price: Free]
Cal Calendar recently won our award for Best App Design of 2013 and for a good reason. The interface is very enjoyable to use and to look at. Thanks to its modular interface, it’s one of the easiest calendar apps to use and it’s also colorful and appealing to the eye. It has a lot of fun features like tagging contacts and locations in calendar events and it also has most of the features that you’d expect out of a calendar app.
CamScanner
[Price: Free]
CamScanner is a nifty app that allows your phone to act as a scanner. You can scan virtually any kind of document into it and then make a myriad of changes to it. You can add watermarks, fill out forms, and even fax the document (for a nominal fee). This is a great tool to have laying around. It’s not an every day app but when you need this app, it’ll be there to help out. It even comes with built in optimizations to make your documents legible and sharp when scanned in.
CM Security
[Price: Free]
If you’re in need of a free antivirus application on Android then look no further than CM Security. It is totally free to use, comes with plenty of modern features, and it’s quite effective. It has a 4.7 rating in the Google Play Store and that’s even considering that most people don’t need antivirus. Anyone who wants to be a little extra cautious would do well to pick up an antivirus app and this is the best free one out there. If you want to see more antivirus options, check out our best antivirus apps for Android.
Duolingo: Learn Languages Free
[Price: Free]
To open with, Duolingo won Android Authority’s vote for the Best Android App of 2013. That should give you a fairly good idea of how good this app actually is. With it, you can learn various foreign languages in a game-style environment. There are both text and voice lessons and if you miss a question, you lose a life. Lose too many and you have to start the lesson over. It’s a fun way to learn a new language and it’s great for both kids and adults.
Evernote
[Price: Free]
Evernote has long been the front runner when it comes to note taking. It has a bunch of features including device syncing, organizational features, compatibility with other applications, and various different types of notes. There is a premium option that adds more functionality but there are millions of people who enjoy the free version of this app. There are many who put this on their list of must-have applications and we’re no different. If you’re looking for something a little more simple, another great free option is Google Keep.
ES File Explorer
[Price: Free]
When we don’t include ES File Explorer on best Android lists, people get angry at us. The reason is because ES really is one of the must have apps out there. It is packed with features for both root and un-rooted users, it has a nice interface, and it’s free. It’s better than all of the stock file manager offerings and it’s been a top choice for most people for a few years now. If this isn’t your cup of tea, check out our top file explorers on Android for more options!
Dropbox
[Price: Free]
One of the world’s most ubiquitous cloud storage services is Dropbox. Practically everyone has heard of it. It’s free to sign up (and you get 2GB of space to start with) and the app is free to use too. It’s a great way to backup things like your photos and videos as you can set the app to auto-upload them once you take them. More advanced users can set their Titanium Backup or Helium backups to go there and you can even share files (in small numbers). There are a number of devices that have Dropbox as a stock app and there are promotions all the time to get you more storage. It’s one of the best free Android apps and everyone should have it.
Google Drive
[Price: Free]
Like Dropbox, Google Drive is an excellent solution for those who want some cloud storage. Also like Dropbox, you can pay to get more storage but you do get 15GB to start with. You can store your backups, photos, videos, and pretty much any other file you can think of. Google Drive also has the added benefit of having a small assortment of office-style applications like a word editor and a spreadsheet editor. The only downside is that you have to go download those office apps separately but they are also free Android apps. You can also work on documents with other people in real time. It has a lot of unique features and it’s worth having.
Clean Master (Cleaner) – FREE
[Price: Free]
Sometimes smartphones need a little maintenance. We download billions of apps a year and those apps leave crap behind even if you uninstall them. What Clean Master does is find those files and clean them out to give your device more storage and more memory. It’s been endorsed by many websites, including CNet and The Boston Globe. Also, us. It’s definitely worth picking up just to get rid of those old files and folders. If you’d like an alternative, the old and always reliable CCleaner is also now available on Android
Google Maps
[Price: Free]
How many people don’t use Google Maps? It’s frequently updated with new features, constantly expanded, and a best friend to travelers worldwide. Sure there are other options but Google Maps is as good as it gets when it comes to navigation. This is especially true since Google has begun adding functionality from Waze which they bought in the summer in 2013. There are simply too many features to list here, so click the button to go read them on the Play Store. This is a must own app.
Google Play Music
[Price: Free]
Google Play Music is the go to app for music. It can play your locally stored media or it can stream your content for you. Every Google Music user can upload up to 20,000 songs to Google and then stream them via this application wherever they have a data connection. There are some fun built in features and you can also get All Access for a monthly fee if you like that trounces Pandora in effectiveness. Even if you don’t pay for the subscription, the free parts of this app are still pretty great. If you want to check out other music players, here is our best music player apps list for Android.
Google Play Newsstand
[Price: Free]
Google Reader died off a while and that’s sad, but they have at least come up with a solution that’s comparable in terms of quality. Google Play Newsstand is still relatively new in the grand scheme of things but it doubles as both a news reader app and a magazine reader app. So if you have a magazine subscription you’ve been looking to turn digital, you can use this app to do it. It also has a decent, easy-to-use interface and Google’s personal seal of approval. Despite the recent controversy with borrowing content that doesn’t belong to it, Feedly is also a good option for a general purpose news reader that’s also free. Whatever you use, don’t forget to subscribe to Android Authority!
Google Translate
[Price: Free]
You never know when you’ll run into something or someone that you will have problems communicating with. Enter Google Translate. It’s a must-have app for anyone who travels extensively and just a good app to have around just in case. It can translate more than 70 languages and can translate direct speech, written language, typed language, and even translate things found in photos. If you don’t know what what a phrase means, pop it into Translate and find out. This is another one of those free Android apps that everyone should have no matter what.
Google Hangouts
[Price: Free]
When it comes to communication apps, it’s hard to find a better free option than Hangouts. You can use it to send SMS and MMS messages but you can also use it for send unlimited Hangouts messages and make unlimited video calls (with up to 9 other people) and it’s all totally free of charge. There are other messaging apps out there, but in terms of what you get for free, >nothing out there beats Hangouts. All you need is a Google account to get started and if you can download an app in the Play Store, then you already have one. A recent update to Google Hangouts also gives you the ability to make unlimited VoIP calls (phone calls over the internet) to any other Hangouts user for free. There is no reason everyone shouldn’t have this. The only app that comes close to this functionality is Skype.
IFTTT
[Price: Free]
IFTTT stands for “If This Then That” and it’s a productivity app for Android that can do some powerful things. Here is how it works. Say you perform a set of actions on a regular basis. You can use IFTTT to automatically perform those tasks for you. All you have to do is set it up. If you’re stumped as to what kind of things you can do then simply Google Search for IFTTT recipes. Recipes that fit your lifestyle can save you a bunch of time. It has a bit of a learning curve so be prepared for that.
iHeartRadio – Internet Radio
[Price: Free]
iHeartRadio is a must have app for all fans of the radio. Instead of relying on an FM transmitter which not all devices have, iHeartRadio relies solely on data to stream practically any radio station you want. You can find stations that play your favorite music or even stations that have your favorite talk radio programs. Along with having thousands of radio stations at your disposal, you’ll also have recommendations catered to your interests and an alarm that will wake you up with your favorite radio station. Just like those old, cheap alarm clocks no one uses anymore but were totally awesome for that one thing.
Kindle
[Price: Free]
When it comes to eBook readers, there are few that are more popular than the Kindle app. It’s connected to Amazon which means you get a fairly good selection and Prime customers have extended features with the book library. If you’re going for an all-free experience, though, Kindle has an impressive library of free books in the public domain such as the original Dracula, Huckleberry Finn, and others. It’s a great way to get back into reading the classics. It’s also a darn good way to keep your kids busy if you pick up some kid’s books.
Kingsoft Office + PDF – FREE
[Price: Free]
No list of free apps would be complete without some office software and Kingsoft is the best free office suite you can get. It comes with Word, Spreadsheet, and Presentation functionality built in and some PDF functions as well. It garners a fairly high rating on the Google Play Store and most people have no problem making it work. It supports over 20 file types, has a build in file manager, and even has gesture functions. It’s also a good alternative to Google Drive’s office suite if you would rather keep your stuff offline.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
[Price: Free]
You just never know when you’ll need a dictionary. The Merriam-Webster dictionary app allows you to look up pretty much any word that it’s the actual printed Merriam-Webster dictionary. You may be thinking that’s faster to look up words online and yes that’s true. However, Merriam-Webster’s app keeps the entire dictionary right there on your device for offline use which can come in handy if you’re in areas of sketchy internet or no internet. If you have an internet connection and want an alternative, you can always try out the Dictionary.com app which has a few extra features you may enjoy.
Microsoft Office
[Price: Free]
Over the last year Microsoft has been making some big moves on Android. One of them was making their Android version of Microsoft Office totally free. You’ll need the OneDrive app to make full use of it as Microsoft forces you to save everything there. However, you are looking at the Microsoft Office that a lot of people enjoy on desktop. Also, you can get free storage on OneDrive and connect it easily to your Windows computer if need be. If you’re a Microsoft fan, this is the office suite to get.
Pandora
[Price: Free]
Pandora is the premiere free music streaming app. In fact, most people reading this probably have either heard of Pandora or already have it downloaded. It’s that popular. For those who don’t know, Pandora lets you create custom radio stations that play music you like. So you can do anything from Christmas music to heavy metal, save the station, and create more. You have to suffer through the occasional commercial and you can only skip tracks so many times, but aside from that it’s a great app and a great way to listen to free music without breaking the law. The only downside is that it only has about 800,000 songs (maybe a little more) which is way less than competing subscription services like Spotify or Google Play All Access.
Pocket
[Price: Free]
Pocket is a very interesting application. Instead of working to provide you with news and content from the internet, it makes the user do it. Here’s how it works. You find a video, article, or some other content online that you’d like to see or reference again. You simply share it to Pocket and Pocket will remember it for you. Consider it like a proprietary bookmarks app, except way better. You tell it to remember things you like and it’ll remember it so you can go back and view it any time. It’s a must have app for people who love to browse the web.
Pushbullet
[Price: Free]
Pushbullet is an application that allows you to connect your computer to your Android device. You download this app and then the matching Chrome extension and then get everything connected. Once that’s done, your notifications will show up on your computer as well as your phone so you’ll always know what your phone is buzzing about. In a recent update, Pushbullet enabled the ability to return text messages which only adds to its functionality. If you need a client to return texts and check notifications on your computer, this is one of the best free Android apps to get!
Spotify
[Price: Free]
Spotify has undergone a number of huge updates in the last year. One of them was adding the ability for mobile users to use the free version of Spotify just like they can on the desktop. That means you can use Spotify totally free of charge! It features millions upon millions of songs, allows you to create and share playlists, and all you have to do is listen to a few audio advertisements every now and then. The only really bad thing is that it only has Facebook integration which means non-Facebook users won’t get the full social experience.
Super-Bright LED Flashlight
[Price: Free]
Super-Bright LED Flashlight is one of those apps that everyone has but no one really talks about. The app’s sole function is to use the LED flash on the back of your phone as a flashlight. Even though the app is simple, having a really bright LED flashlight always at your finger tips can be extraordinarily helpful in so many situations. It’s worth having one of these types of apps on your phone at all times. If you don’t like this one, another good one is TeslaLED from the makers of Nova Launcher. One of the two of those should work for pretty much every device out there.
theScore
[Price: Free]
If you’re more into sports, theScore is one of the best free Android apps available. Last year I wouldn’t have said so but the developers have really put the pedal to the metal the last year or so. Now the app is updated in or around every major sporting event (including the beginning of sporting seasons) to add more features and more targeted content. The app is gorgeously designed, has a lot of awesome features for every sport, and you better believe they’ll be doing something special for your favorite sporting events. It’s also totally free.
SwiftKey Keyboard
[Price: Free]
Early in 2014, SwiftKey did a bold move and went free. That officially makes it the best third party keyboard available in terms of sheer features and functionality. There are in app purchases but the only thing SwiftKey is asking you to pay for are some themes. The free version comes with a number of themes included and the entire core app is totally free to use. Its text prediction is among the best in the industry as is its auto correction (once it learns your typing habits). People who are sick of the stock keyboard would do well to try this one out.
Todoist: To-Do List
[Price: Free]
Todoist is a task list application for Android that is free to use. One of the best uses for smartphones is as an always-there way to remind you that you need to do stuff. Of course, the best way to take advantage of that is to have an app. Todoist is packed with features, has an easy to use interface, and it has cross platform apps so you can access it anywhere. The premium version holds a few of the more basic features but you can get by just fine on the free version if you’re a casual user.
TuneIn Radio
[Price: Free]
TuneIn Radio is the go-to solution if you want talk radio. It features hundreds of podcasts, radio shows, and other talk shows that you can sink your teeth into and it’s all totally free. It also features a smooth interface, easy controls, and some extra features like access to 24/7 stations. There are over 100,000 shows you can get into and this is the best way to get into them. There is no music, though, so you’ll want to look elsewhere for that.
VLC for Android Beta
[Price: Free]
VLC has been a trusted media player on desktop for a very long time. Now it’s available on Android! It’s still in beta so there are bugs to work out but every update brings it closer and closer to being totally stable. On most devices it will work well enough and it has a number of extra features that you generally don’t get in other media players. If you have an ARMv6 device (you may have to Google it) then this won’t work at all. However, most people carry ARMv7 devices these days anyway so it’s not a huge deal.
Zedge
[Price: Free]
If you need some wallpapers or ringtones and you don’t want to pay for them, Zedge is where you want to be. It features hundreds of thousands of ringtones and wallpapers that you can surf through and use. It also recently underwent a total re-design to a new interface that makes it easier to use and look better. So if you haven’t yet, grab up Zedge.
Wrap up
If there are any free Android apps that we missed and we really shouldn’t have, leave us a comment and let us know! The app atmosphere changes almost every day so there’s a chance we may have missed one or two!
You might also like: Best Android Games
from Android Authority http://ift.tt/1dEKnVK
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