Did you know there are over 2.6 million apps on the Google Play Store? Imagine the number of essential Android apps slipping through your fingers. Hey Android enthusiasts, fear not! Here is our curated list of must have Android apps for your Android smartphone.
Before you move on to our list of useful Android apps, here are some other lists you might want to check out to boost productivity:
- Best Chrome Extensions
- Best Note-Taking Apps For iPhones & iPads
- Best Habit Tracking Apps For Android
- 23 Useful Gmail Tips And Tricks
Best 8 Essential Android Apps You Should Use In 2019
1. Niagara Launcher
Being a tech lover, I have used a number of smartphones: Samsung, Google Pixel, Xiaomi, Redmi, etc all with different Android skins. But if I talk about my daily driver, I install the Niagara Launcher right off the bat. It is simply one of the best launcher apps available on Android.
The minimalistic launcher beautifies your home screen to an extent where it feels like you are holding an entirely new smartphone. Niagara renders this stunning look through a vertical list of Android apps in place of the standard app explorer.
The launcher app’s goal is to add some breathing space to your smartphone. To achieve this, Niagara Launcher only allows a few apps on the home screen. Other than that, the Niagara Android app keeps up with the competition by including all the necessary customization settings such as tweaking the app’s icon, app text, color, etc.
2. Direct Chat
Facebook Messenger is one of my least favorite Android apps. But I admire one of its features — Chat Heads. Come to think of it, the app makes it easier to multi-task in the middle of a conversation.
The other day I thought, “How about having this feature for all messaging apps on my smartphone?” I looked through the Google Play Store in the hope of finding something similar and then I discovered — Direct Chat. It’s another must have Android app that allows you to get chat heads for all your social media apps like Whatsapp, Instagram, Telegram, etc.
Direct Chat allows you to converse with friends at different platforms simultaneously. Apart from that, you can also customize the chat bubble from the Android app settings.
3. White Noise Generator
I want you to take a deep breath and remember the last vacation with your loved ones. Remember one perfect moment and focus on the ambient sounds of that place. Was it the sound of rain? Was it the sound of sea waves hitting the shore? Now you can find that relaxing sound in one of the coolest Android apps — White Noise Generator.
The white noise Generator has a number of soothing and relaxing ambient sounds. You will find ambient sounds of raindrops, burning wood, running trains, thunderstorms, etc. The Android app is beautifully designed and has clearly defined icons for each ambient sound.
The best part about this app is that you can mix one or two sounds such as mixing the sound of birds chirping in a forest with sounds of a thunderstorm. You can also save the mix as your favorites. White Noise Generator is certainly a must have Android app for your device.
4. GCam [Google Camera]
If you haven’t heard of the GCam app then you probably need to come out of your cave. GCam is one of the best camera apps that brings massive improvements to your phone’s camera performance.
The Android app is a port of the Camera app, found on Google Pixel devices. For those who don’t know, Google Pixel is credited with excellent photography due to the post-processing capabilities in the Pixel camera app. Imagine being able to harness that power on your smartphone. Here are some shots from the OnePlus 7 Pro default camera app and the GCam app –
The only caveat is that GCam is not available on the Google Play Store. Therefore, you will have to jump on this XDA link and locate the camera app for your Android phone; However, this never stopped thousands of people from downloading this must have Android app.
5. Sectograph
Sectograph is one of the most useful Android apps on the Google Play Store. If you have a habit of noting time for important events and meetings then this app is a must for you.
The idea is to keep the time-table of your day in front of you. To achieve this, Sectograph adds a clock-shaped widget to your screen. When you add an event to your default calendar, the app automatically displays the event on the widget.
Sectograph is jam-packed with customization. In the settings menu, you can change the clock dimensions, change the color scheme, choose your own sector colors, etc.
6. AppsFree
Every once in a blue moon, many paid apps go free on the Google Play Store. So, here is an useful Android app that helps you in getting hands on your favorite paid Android apps for free.
It doesn’t offer free paid apps, but it keeps track of all the Android apps that were previously paid, but are now available for free on the Google Play Store. You can either search for a specific paid app or set parameters such as rating, downloads, developer, etc.
So what are you waiting for? Maybe the paid Android app that you wished to get for free is available right now.
7. WiFi AR
WiFi AR is one of the most unique Android apps that I have ever seen on Android. Using this application, the process of searching WiFi signals becomes fun as well as efficient.
Yellow markers tell you about WiFi signal strength in a specific area. To attain these markers — walk a certain distance while holding your phone, turn around and see the magic for yourself.
In this application, you can also define areas where there is a lot of signal interference. The Android app can also be used to find LTE signals. So the next time you go on an adventure to find better WiFi signals, you will know where to start.
8. Replika
There is not a single person in the world who hasn’t felt lonely in his/her life. Loneliness gets to you one way or the other. Therefore, this Android app should be on your Android device at all cost.
Replika is an AI assistant that responds to your calls when you are feeling lonely or sad. On your journey, you will encounter four missions at every milestone. Each mission is designed to make you feel better.
The AI assistant is not as intuitive as you see in the movies. But, it is good to have someone to talk to. Other than that, your conversation with the assistant will make you reflect on your actions, thoughts, and your past.
Which one is a must-have Android app according to you?
I hope you found this article helpful. I deliberately refrained from adding Android apps that are popular such as Facebook, Spotify, Instagram, etc. As a matter of fact, calling an Android app essential is quite subjective. In view of that, let me know which Android apps that you feel are essential for everyone.
