Android's greatest strength is its app ecosystem. There are unrealistically many of them and users pump them out by the billions.

Usually, good apps cost a few dollars. However, there are also options that you don't have to pay for.

We offer you our list of the best free apps for Android!

1Weather is one of the most feature rich weather apps out there - today's weather, forecasts, radar, interesting meteorological facts, graphs, and even sun and moon tracking.

The design is also incomparable and there is support for widgets.

AppLock is a free Android app with many options. If you pay, you can get premium features and get rid of ads. If you don't pay, you can get them for watching ads.

Or opt out of premium features and use the app for free and without ads. The choice is yours.

The application itself is very simple - it allows passwords. This is especially useful if you have roommates, kids, or just don't want to worry about privacy.

Blue Mail is one of best apps to collect mail. Simple design, support for multiple email providers, color organization, themes, Android Wear and widgets.

Plus lots of smart features like blocking notifications at specific times (per account).

Most of the tasks it performs successfully, there are very few shortcomings. The rating on Google Play is 4.7 out of 5. It's definitely worth a try.

Credit Karma

Credit Karma is a great finance app that checks your credit score once a year for free. In addition, the application notifies you of major changes and offers other services, such as credit cards, which, when good rating, can be claimed.

However, additional features may not be used. One of the most unfairly little-known applications on Android.

Feedly is one of the best news apps out there and definitely worth checking out.

This is an RSS reader, that is, you can subscribe to tons of different sites and get news from them. There is support for podcasts, YouTube channels and other sites.

That is, thanks to applications such as Feedly, you can view all the latest news in one application.

It's completely free and easy to set up. Without a doubt one of the best apps for Android.

gboard

Gboard is the official keyboard from Google without the extra bells and whistles. Among other things, there is gesture control, voice dialing, emoji search, GIF support, etc.

The most unique feature is the built-in Google search, which allows you to search the Internet without leaving your keyboard or application.

Gboard can also sync with other devices, so your saved words are always with you.

Effective, simple and 100% free app. Worth a try if the native keyboard does not suit you.

Google Drive Suite

The Google Drive suite is a group of applications integrated with Google Drive, including Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Sheets, Google Photos, and Google Keep with Google Drive itself.

Most of these applications are designed for working with documents, spreadsheets, and slideshows, but they can also be used for taking notes, backing up photos, and storing files.

The best thing is that they are completely free, as long as you don't need more than 15GB of Google Drive space. Most users don't need this.

Google Opinion Rewards is one of the best free Android apps on the Google Play Store.

To use it, you need to download it, install it and run it once. Google Opinion Rewards will then periodically ask you questions.

For each answer, you will earn credits that can be used to purchase apps and games on Google Play.

A great opportunity to expand your collection of applications without spending a single penny of real money.

groupon

Groupon is one of the best and most popular coupon apps for Android.

It is very easy to understand - find coupons for goods and services and use them to get discounts.

You can't find a coupon for anything. However, any savings is very good. You can view the history of used coupons and much more.

The design is also good. Groupon is one of those free apps that is definitely worth a try.

Imgur and Giphy

Imgur and Giphy are image databases - a great place for pictures and gifs.

Most of the pictures you see on Facebook or Twitter are from here. Imgur is also the main image host for Reddit.

Both apps are completely free. Thanks to them, you can easily kill a few minutes or find a great GIF for a social post. networks. Set without thinking.

Google Maps and Waze

Google Maps and Waze are navigation apps. They will provide information along the route, allow you to search for business establishments (and view reviews on them), and a lot of other information.

KeePassDroid

KeePassDroid is a password manager based on KeePass, an open source project.

It can store all important information, including data for websites, serial numbers expensive things, etc.

The app doesn't look great, but it does the job. Moreover, all information can be exported to files for transfer to new devices.

Simple, reliable and completely free application. If this doesn't suit you, then there are other applications based on KeePass.

Quik

Quik is a video editor from GoPro. One of the best video editing apps and absolutely free.

It breaks the video into segments, which can then be easily managed - crop, add effects and perform other manipulations.

Of course, it cannot be compared with such desktop programs as Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Pro, but its functions are more than enough for the average mobile user.

wunderlist

Wunderlist is one of the best to-do list apps out there. It is easy to use and allows you to divide tasks into separate categories for quick access and organizations.

With a simple design, it can be used to create shopping lists and more. Tasks and categories can be shared with other users - they will receive notifications about updates or additions.

The free version includes more than you need from a regular list app. Most paid features are used for corporate purposes.

[Total: 3 Average: 4.7/5]

Modern smartphones and tablets serve a variety of purposes, performing a lot of work every day. useful features. A device on the Android OS out of the box already has a number of applications in its arsenal, but in addition to the pre-installed software, each user seeks to replenish the functionality with other necessary tools. What can you equip your smartphone or tablet with in order to turn it into a truly multifunctional assistant for solving everyday tasks? In the official store Play market software is a myriad, new programs are added every day, and it becomes more and more difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. The best in front of you useful applications from different categories that may come in handy in the course. Some of them have long been familiar, while others will have to get acquainted, but each of them has a decent set of options and is worth attention.

In fact, no one, even the most authoritative publication, will be able to objectively compile a rating, pleasing everyone at once. Each user has their own priorities and interests, and what has become a vital tool for one, for another it will simply take up space in the device’s memory. At the same time, there is software that can solve a number of the most common tasks. We bring to your attention 10 useful applications that can help out in a variety of situations.

To efficiently work with data on your device, you need a powerful and fast file explorer that performs and allows you to organize files and folders. File Manager + is one of the best applications in this category. It has the following benefits:

  • Simple user interface providing comfortable work.
  • Support for all common file formats.
  • Manage files and folders on the built-in memory of the device, SD card or connected USB devices(launch, delete, move, copy, unpack, search, navigate and other actions).
  • Access to local and remote cloud services.
  • Work with installed programs.
  • Clear cache, uninstall apps.
  • Possibility of access from a PC and management from FTP.

In the new version 2.0.0 of the application, the image viewer tool allows you to enlarge large pictures. File manager + is free, but it is not crammed with ads, as developers like to do in free versions programs. The application competes with the famous ES Explorer and the good old Total Commander but it's a matter of taste and habit.

Yandex with Alice - browser and virtual assistant in one application

Which browser to use, again, is a matter of personal convenience. A domestic product has entered the top of the most useful applications for Android. In addition to the fact that Yandex has long been familiar to users and has proven itself on the good side, relatively recently it has acquired a twist - voice assistant called Alice. A virtual girl is constantly evolving, she will help in solving current problems, find everything you need, tell you the weather, build a route, determine what is in the photo, turn on the music, play or chat with you. Among other things, a browser equipped with a virtual assistant offers users the following benefits:

  • Faster loading of pages, images, videos and other content in Turbo 2.0 mode.
  • Blocking annoying ads on the pages, thanks to the connection of an external blocker.
  • With the Antishock technology, it is possible to disable shocking and obscene banners and advertisements.
  • Synchronization, provided by the presence of a Yandex account, makes available all bookmarks created in a browser on a PC.
  • Protect technology provides warnings about dangerous sites, prevention of leakage of personal information in public Wi-Fi networks and scanning of downloaded content for viruses.
  • Add-on support to provide the browser with the tools you need (extensions are available in the Chromium store).

Well, the icing on the cake was the latest update of the integrated assistant - the developers taught Alice to recognize QR codes. She also now reads fairy tales, so she can also serve as a part-time virtual nanny.

Sharing files with Share it

top useful programs could not do without such an important tool as Share it. Efficient file transfer between devices (tablets, smartphones, PCs) at close range is possible thanks to such applications, which have replaced the already obsolete method of transfer via Bluetooth. The Share it functionality includes:

The Share it app is blazing fast, transferring data 200 times faster than Bluetooth.

MAPS.ME - Offline maps

Many users of Android devices, most often travelers, constantly need maps to navigate in unfamiliar areas. But even if you are far from being a pilgrim and not wandering around the world, you never know when an assistant can come in handy, able to give direction and reach your destination with a short route. The big advantage of the tool, included in the top useful applications for Android, is the autonomy of maps, that is, the ability to work in the absence of the Internet. MAPS.ME is fast turn-by-turn navigation maps with directions around the world and is available completely free of charge. Among the advantages of the software:

  • Navigation for pedestrians, cyclists or motorists.
  • Saving mobile traffic, the ability to use maps in areas where there is no Internet.
  • Regular updates by millions of Open Street Map users.
  • Ability to create bookmarks.
  • Search for cafes, restaurants or other objects.
  • Booking hotel rooms on Booking.com.
  • A small amount of space occupied in the memory of the Android device.
  • The updated version has metro maps in 156 cities around the world.
  • Building a route in offline mode.

Reliable MAPS.ME maps do not take up much space on the device and are ready to help the user out at the right time.

Music without borders with the Deezer app

The ability to listen to music for free and without restrictions - this is exactly what one of the most useful applications for Android offers. Music library includes 40 million tracks different styles and directions. With the free Deezer option, you will have the following options:

  • Create your own music collection, playlists in unlimited quantities.
  • View lyrics of songs.
  • Channels with "motley" music.
  • Mixes based on a track, artist, album or playlist.
  • Flow is a personal soundtrack containing your favorite songs as well as new compositions.

The Premium subscription expands the app's features:

  • The option to switch audio recordings appears.
  • Ability to download tracks for offline listening.
  • No ads.
  • High quality music sound.
  • Android Auto feature that allows you to listen to tracks from the car dashboard.

The Premium subscription will be free for users for 30 days.

Watching videos with MX Player

What modern Android smartphone or tablet can do without? MX Player is one of the most popular video viewing tools with support for all audio formats, acceleration and subtitles. With it, users of Android devices have access to:

  • Multicore decoding.
  • View offline.
  • Subtitle management.
  • The function of resuming viewing from the place where you left off.
  • Finger gesture zoom, Zoom and Pan.
  • Support for multiple languages.

Each user also has his own favorite video player, as an option, you can use the good old (and constantly updated) VLC for Android, its functionality is impressive, and the interface, despite the wide range of options, is simple and convenient.

Reading with Cool Reader

Reading application e-books, which supports many text formats. Functional Cool Reader offers users a huge number of opportunities, including:

  • Action settings for buttons and parts of the touch display.
  • Dictionary support.
  • Integrated file browser.
  • Automatic paging, speed setting.
  • Setting the backlight brightness.
  • Day and night profiles.
  • Page flip animation.
  • The choice of background - texture or plain.
  • Bookmarks, book search, table of contents.
  • Export bookmarks to a text file.
  • Voice reading.
  • The ability to read from a ZIP archive.
  • Support for online catalogs (Flibusta, etc.).
  • Access to the LitRes bookstore and other interesting options.

For voice reading, the TTS voice engine is used by default. In order for the application to play text in Russian, you need to install SVOX and a Russian voice for it, after which you need to activate it in the default voice settings.

Snapseed photo editor

One of the best useful apps for android devices. The professional full-featured photo editor, which is a product of Google, opens JPG, DNG formats and offers users many options:

  • 29 tools and filters.
  • Selective adjustment brush.
  • Custom filters.
  • Ability to save styles and apply them to other photos.
  • Face correction.
  • The ability to change the location of objects.
  • Variety of design elements.

A large number of tools, settings and effects allow you to process a photo in whole or in part, remove unwanted objects, etc. The application is not inferior to Photoshop in terms of functionality, while processing is faster and easier, and thanks to intuitive clear interface Mastering Snapseed is not difficult for a user.

Cloud storage with Dropbox

When working with large amounts of information, the question of where to store them inevitably arises. And where to store tons of videos, music and other content, if not in the cloud. In the ranking of the most useful applications for Android devices, there must be cloud storage. With Dropbox you have options:

  • Sharing folders and files, which is very convenient when working on a common project.

A study was conducted on the Internet that made it possible to determine which applications people most often download on their gadgets. In our review of the 25 most popular applications. Perhaps someone will find something new and useful in this list.

1. Weather Channel


While there are thousands of weather apps out there, this one is the most recognizable and popular. Weather Channel, according to its developers, is the best radar maps, the most accurate local meteorological forecasts and current weather news.

2. Voice Search


Voice search allows users to use the Google Search search engine by saying the desired phrase next to the smartphone. In August 2014, a new feature was added that allows users to voice search choose up to five languages ​​that their application will understand.

3.Viber


If someone had said ten years ago that there is an application that allows you to call any place on earth absolutely free of charge, they would probably have laughed at him. Viber has made this dream of millions of people a reality.

4 Temple Run (and Temple Run 2)


This is a well-known gaming application that was originally intended only for Apple devices, and later was developed for Android. Temple Run literally captured the hearts of gamers around the world. This game (as well as its sequel) has been downloaded over a billion times since 2011.

5. Talking Tom and Friends


This app was named "Best iPad Game for Kids, Education & Family" in 2014. It's perfect for parents who want to keep their restless kids busy.

6. Shazam


Shazam is now history, but when it was released in 1999, it was considered a technological marvel. 16 years later, Shazam has over 100 million monthly active users worldwide and is used by over 500 million mobile devices. In October 2014, Shazam announced that its technology had been used to recognize fifteen billion songs.

7Pandora Internet Radio


Pandora Radio is the world's most popular music streaming and recommendation service, with 150 million users.

8.Netflix


Those who are ready to watch movies and series on their smartphone screen will fall in love with the Netflix app.

9.Instagram


Instagram was voted the best way to share photos in 2015, and judging by the fact that this application has been downloaded millions of times, this claim is not unfounded.

10. Google Translate


Google Translate is an automated text translation service provided by Google Inc. The application supports 90 languages ​​and is used by almost 200 million people a day.

11. Fruit Ninja Free


Fruit Ninja is a video game developed by the Australian company Halfbrick Studios. It was released on April 21, 2010 for ipod touch and iPhone, and has since become Apple's second most popular video game behind Angry Birds.

12. Facebook Messenger


Facebook Messenger is a free, easy-to-use application that makes it much easier to communicate on the Facebook platform via text messages.

13. eBay


Instead of shopping, you can shop right on the couch, enjoy coffee and breakfast with your smartphone in hand.

14. Dropbox

There is no other application that is so perfect to help you synchronize your smartphone with other computers or devices connected by a single account. Earlier in 2015, Dropbox acquired CloudOn, a leading document creation and editing company. Dropbox users now have the ability to create documents directly from the file sharing service.

15. Amazon Kindle


In June 2010, Amazon released the Amazon Kindle e-reader app for Android and later for Apple's iOS platform.

16. Google Street View


Google app Street View is a technology that provides a panoramic view of many streets around the world. It is included in two other major applications - Google Maps and Google Earth.

17. Angry Birds Free


Angry Birds Free is the most popular iPhone game ever and it's free!

18 Skype

skype- The best way organizing video chat with people around the world. It can be used on PC, laptop, iPad or smartphone.

19.Twitter

20. whatsapp messenger


WhatsApp is arguably the best-known and most downloaded instant messaging app for smartphones with over 800 million users worldwide.

21. YouTube

Even though YouTube got into App Store only in 2012 after Apple removed YouTube from the list of applications installed on the iPhone by default. And in just a couple of years, YouTube has become one of the top five most popular apps of all time.

22. Google Search


All you have to do is hit the "OK" button and Google will find anything from nearby movie theaters and restaurants to the number of calories in a hamburger a person is about to eat. The app has been downloaded over a billion times.

23. Gmail

The Gmail app has nearly half a billion users worldwide, and is one of the most popular apps and best-known email services in the world.

24. Facebook


Chrome browser by Google for the Android platform is one of the fastest, simplest, and simply the best web browsers in the world. No wonder why it has been the most downloaded app in the last few years.

True, in the real world, applications alone are indispensable. , will definitely appeal to those who care about comfort.

One of the reasons smartphones have got huge widescreens is to watch videos. Processors today can consume almost no energy when the smartphone is in video player mode, and in terms of the number of formats that a typical Android smartphone “pulls”, it is even cooler than computers. In theory, it will handle both the ancient videos of the early 90s and the new 4K video.

In theory, because standard video players in smartphones are made on the principle of "if only something would be played somehow." If you happen to record a bunch of movies from your computer to your smartphone to watch on the go, you run the risk of finding that half of the videos either won't open or play without picture and/or sound.

MX Player is an excellent omnivorous video player on Android

All this can be fixed by installing a truly omnivorous player. There are many of them, but MX is one of the most authoritative and sophisticated among its kind. It plays any video and music in a very economical mode even on old smartphones, can make the volume in video recordings twice as high as a standard player (in films with a quiet soundtrack, this is very useful), switch between several types of voice acting, scale the frame with a “pinch” ”, as in photos, and open videos from sites in a convenient Android player.

MX Player itself is free, but it is loaded with ads. The ad-free version is already worth the money. The only trouble is that, due to the greed of patent holders, support for the AC3 format (multichannel sound in modern films) needs to be downloaded and “fastened” separately. But take my word for it - the player is very good and deserves such trouble.

ES File Explorer - clean your smartphone from debris and transfer files over Wi-Fi

A long time ago, when Android was a semi-finished product, there were no smart file managers in it. In order to flaunt before the owners of iPhones the fact “look, I have everything laid out in folders, like on a computer!”, it was necessary to download a separate application for managing files.

Those days are long gone, and now there are commonplace programs for renaming, moving or copying files in every smartphone. But there are no quality ones among them.

ES File Explorer will help you transfer files over Wi-Fi and clean your system of junk

ES File Explorer was one of the first noteworthy file managers on Android, today it has grown in breadth and can do much more than the average user needs. But an active android phone user will definitely need the following “goodies”:

  • Ability to open files from local network . For example, from a shared folder on your computer / laptop, or from a hard drive / flash drive that you plugged into the router.
  • Working with archives. Someday they will send you a pack of photos, a Word / Excel document inside a .zip, .rar or something even worse. ES Explorer will be able to open such archives without problems.
  • Drive Analysis. If the smartphone is full of files to the eyeballs, while it is not very clear why the place suddenly ended so abruptly, just press the "analysis" key in ES, after which it will show how much memory space is occupied by pictures / music / applications and games / documents, will arrange them from large to small and allow you to remove the "garbage" right in the same menu. An almost non-alternative function in terms of its convenience.
  • Transfer files between smartphones at Wi-Fi speed. It is unlikely that you send photos, music and videos to nearby mobile phones as often as in the era of polyphonic ringtones, but Bluetooth has been and has remained a dull and slow method of communication since then, and the normal universal way to transfer files over Wi-Fi is not came up with. More precisely, they came up with, but only between identical applications. If you and your friend have ES Explorer, you can send large files in two clicks at the highest possible speed between mobile phones - the file manager has a "sender" function for this case.

WPS Office - Word, Excel and all-all-all

During the existence of smartphones, Microsoft Office standards files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) were at first "unbearable" exotics, then a revelation with which everyone tried to edit texts on tiny screens. Today, there are no miracles in viewing and finely editing text in documents and presentations. Another thing is that such files (+ documents of the format Adobe PDF) will be sent to you by e-mail from all sides, and there will be nothing to open them on your smartphone. You can, of course, keep the intrigue until you get to the desktop PC, but it is more reasonable to spend several tens of megabytes of memory on a ready-made set for opening and editing everything “office”.

WPS Office - Word, Excel and PowerPoint in your pocket

WPS Office (former Kingsoft Office if anyone is interested) - not the coolest office suite of its kind, but it is free, bug-free, fast and not deprived of features even in comparison with expensive alternatives. Recommended.

Weather/news widgets - not to turn on the TV

As in the case of file managers, smartphones are not deprived of informers about the temperature outside the window and the latest news, but the quality of standard widgets almost always leaves much to be desired. Therefore, we advise you to decorate the desktop with informational details from other developers.

The appearance and functionality of widgets is always a matter of taste, but in our opinion, Yandex offers the least catchy and at the same time functional options for weather and news. A side effect is the constant “steaming” of search, the Taxi application and other company products.

Weather and news will make the smartphone desktop always an interesting sight

At first, looking at headlines and weather instead of “wallpaper” on your desktop will be unusual, but take my word for it - very soon you will begin to enjoy the fact that you will know all the main events in the world before TV viewers and news readers on the Internet. It is also not necessary to delve only into political conflicts - car lovers or electronic devices can only receive information on their favorite topics.

Shazam - find out what song is playing

Every day you hear music, among which there are songs that seem to shock you. Because here, under this very song, you rushed under the Christmas tree as a child / were going on a first date / got a job / something else, but from the text in a foreign language it is still not clear what it is about, and you also don’t remember who He actually sings this song and what is the name of it.

With new smartphones, this is no longer a problem - you take out your “shovel” on Android from the wide legs, press the key. The smartphone listens to the song and calls the artist and the name of the song after a few seconds. That's what an app called Shazam is for.

Shazam: you will always know what music is playing nearby

Of course, Shazam, although it was one of the first, is far from the only one of its kind - Sony has similar applications, and even Google has recently begun to learn to recognize music. But Shazam has the largest knowledge base, so it's still the surest way to recognize music with a smartphone.

It seems to you now that such a function will not be needed regularly - when you begin to suffer after you heard a fragment of your favorite song, but did not find out who sings it, you will remember our words.

Currency converter - a tragedy with the dollar and the ruble in the lead roles

What are you laughing at? Have you already forgotten how you tore your hair on your head and rushed to stores for equipment in order to have time to buy it before the price tags are rewritten?

Of course, I would like to believe that the worst is behind us, and in the coming years we will not find sharp fluctuations of the ruble against the US dollar, but it will not be superfluous to keep an eye on how the national currency is doing so that later we will not learn the shocking truth last, from the evening news reports. And in general, a convenient tool for converting between currencies of different countries will come in handy on vacation and on business trips.

How is our long-suffering ruble doing there?

There are a lot of applications that can convert currencies, we will recommend one of the most obvious among them - Easy Currency Converter. Simple in appearance, with the ability to select "favorite" currencies and a chart with the dynamics of the exchange rate. That is, in addition to the current figures, you can always see how the ruble bounced / fell against the dollar over the next days, months or even years. Gourmets, by the way, can even glance at the so-called Russian Zen - the "holy trinity" of the dollar, euro and the price of a barrel of oil.

Messengers - VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, WhatsApp, Viber, Skype and others

A very naive item in our selection, but if you have just recently bought a smartphone, you should know that “smart phones” differ from simple ones by focusing on constant communication not only for calls and SMS in GSM networks, but also via the Internet. The ability to correspond in "ICQ" was in ancient times, but in new smartphones under Android control you have the opportunity to share huge amounts of information, video recordings, make video calls abroad for free!

A smartphone is an opportunity to communicate without regard to tariffs and distances

Because cellular operators have long transferred everyone to tariffs with a monthly fee, to which the serious shred of the Internet is “nailed”. This is enough to stop sending SMS and switch to communicating with friends and relatives online.

It is not necessary to install all instant messengers at once (although it is desirable) - select those in which you will keep in touch with someone. This will be enough.

Video on the network - "telly", online cinemas or short jokes

Of course, with a limited amount of traffic in the new cellular tariffs (Russian operators have removed the unlimited distance in order to “milk” subscribers more efficiently), it does not allow to accelerate much, but the Internet package is enough for a certain amount of video entertainment. And with periodic Wi-Fi at home or at work, you can get out even more efficiently.

If you didn’t know, the “big three” (MTS, Beeline, MegaFon) mobile operators have applications for watching TV via 3G/4G without spending traffic from the tariff. In MTS, for such a pleasure, they want a little money in excess of the tariff, in Beeline there are a small number of free channels + paid ones, MegaFon varies the number of free tariffs depending on the amount of the subscription fee for your tariff. In any case, if you would like to watch TV away from the "box", pay attention to such services of cellular operators.

TV, movies or short videos - Android has it all

And if, on the contrary, you don’t want the TV to reach you from your mobile phone, install an online cinema for yourself to watch feature films or music videos. The most popular applications of this kind remain ivi.ru and Megogo, among unofficial (which are not on Google Play) and completely free clients, one can note video mix , HD VideoBox and LazyIPTV.

Previously Cell phones could only perform a limited set of functions. As a rule, these are calls and sending messages. Thanks to the development of the technical sphere, many interesting developments have appeared that have allowed manufacturers to turn simple dialers into a full-fledged PC. Some 15 years ago, few people could have imagined that the functions of a large bulky computer could be performed by a small compact smartphone or tablet. Now all this has become a common reality. But the gadget itself will not provide such opportunities. It can be conditionally called a base that creates certain conditions for installing various applications. And it is the latter that allow the most efficient use of the full resources of multimedia devices.

Currently the most popular operating system is Android. Most manufacturers install it on their gadgets. We are talking about such well-known brands as Samsung, Huawei, HTC, Xiaomi, etc. When purchasing a new smartphone or tablet, users most often wonder what applications are needed for Android? Of course, the level of functionality of the device will depend on their correct choice. It's easy to get lost in the wide range of apps in the Google Play Market. Not every user will immediately figure out what exactly needs to be installed on the gadget. This article will describe exactly those services that, according to users, are the most necessary.

Top must-have apps for Android

When purchasing a new gadget, buyers notice that the manufacturer has already equipped it with various utilities. However, are they really needed? Unfortunately, some applications turn out to be completely useless in practice. But, fortunately, such software can be removed, and instead of it, install those programs that a particular user needs.

The "Google" store offers a wide range of paid and free content. Among this variety, there are applications that a modern user simply cannot do without. In order for the owner of the gadget not to waste time on independent searches, below is a list of them.

So, let's look at what are the most necessary applications for a smartphone on Android that are in the top 10.

  1. Antivirus. A modern gadget can not do without protection. Currently, there are a large number of viruses that can not only harm the device, but also completely disable it.
  2. Managers. In order to tidy up all the files (arrange and organize them into folders) available on your phone or tablet, it is recommended to use a special utility. It's called a file manager.
  3. Browser. At present, it is difficult to imagine a user who can do without the Internet. In order to be able to visit the World Wide Web, you need to install a browser.
  4. Navigator. According to statistics, most of the population of Russia has cars, so it is recommended to equip your gadget with a special program that can plot a route to any object. This will help save not only the nerves of the driver, but also gasoline.
  5. Cards. In the past, when arriving in a foreign city, it was easy to get lost. I had to ask people to show them the way, for example, to the station or to the museum. Now everything is much easier. If you install maps, you can even feel at home in a foreign city.
  6. Social networks. You can communicate with friends and relatives living in another country every day. To do this, just install the application and create a profile.
  7. Video communication. How good it is not only to hear the caller's voice during a call, but also to see it! To do this, it is enough to have a gadget with a camera and with a special service installed. The application must be on two phones.
  8. Adobe Flash Player- a multimedia platform that allows you to play a graphic image, audio recordings and video.
  9. MX Player- An excellent video player that supports a large number of formats.
  10. Cool Reader- a program for those who prefer to read e-books.

Of course, the most necessary applications for Android are not limited to this list. Each user can additionally download educational games, fitness programs, health services (liquid control, smoking cessation, etc.), weather and much more from the Play Market.

Protecting your gadget from malware

The Android operating system, in comparison with iOS, is considered quite vulnerable. Unfortunately, danger can lurk where you least expect it. Users who are going to turn their gadget into a powerful work platform simply cannot do without an antivirus. There are a lot of various malicious programs on the Internet. It is impossible even for the most experienced programmer to determine them without a special utility. You can pick up a virus on your device by downloading music, pictures, just by visiting websites. Malicious software can greatly spoil the user's life. At first, small failures will appear, and then the device may not turn on at all.

It is much easier to prevent such a nuisance than to “cure” the device later. To do this, you need to choose the right antivirus and install it on your tablet or smartphone. However, you must act very carefully. The fact is that such programs are resource-intensive, so they must be selected carefully, based on the technical equipment of the gadget itself. If the characteristics of the device are not powerful enough, this will lead to strong braking of work processes and, as a result, to freezes.

So, what applications do you need to install on Android in order to protect your gadget from virus attacks?

  • Dr. Web. The most popular application. Perfectly copes with the assigned tasks. For installation on a smartphone, it is recommended to use a simplified version - Light. According to users, this antivirus is the most reliable. It provides various functions: database update, blacklist, system check (quick, full) and so on. A significant advantage of this program is the low requirement for hardware "stuffing". It is this utility that tops the list of necessary applications for Android. True, only a trial version can be installed for free for a period of several months, and the full one is offered by developers for a certain price.
  • Avast! mobile security. No less popular antivirus. Works qualitatively and quickly. You can install it on your gadget for free. Protects against various viruses, infected codes and malware. Can track activity on the Internet. The interface is simple, the controls are well thought out by the developers.

File managers

Continuing to study the necessary applications for a smartphone on Android, you need to talk about file managers. Many gadget owners will ask what they are for? Users download a large number of music, graphics and video files to their phones. For example, a fascinating movie helps to pass the time in a traffic jam. The way to work becomes much more exciting if you listen to your favorite music. However, not all devices have special utilities that manage such files. After downloading data from the Internet, you can spend a day (or more) searching for them in numerous system folders. To avoid this, the manager is installed. This application allows you to save downloaded files in a specific location, so that the data is not lost.

Unfortunately, a large selection of programs currently does not exist. This, of course, is very surprising to users, since interacting with the gadget without file manager quite problematic. Now the store offers to choose one of two applications - File Manager HD or File Manager. The utilities do not have any significant differences. With their help, the user can manage all the files installed on the device, view them and even archive them if necessary.

World Wide Web - browser installation

Of course, the list of the most necessary applications for Android includes browsers. Without them, the user simply will not be able to access the World Wide Web. Today there are a lot of such applications. Each of them (according to the assurances of the developers) is the most convenient. But is it really so? Unfortunately no. If, when buying a gadget, a browser is installed that the user does not like, it does not matter. It can be easily removed and replaced with another one. There are a lot of offers in the "Google" store. Having studied the reviews, it turned out to single out two leaders.

  • Google Chrome . This browser is unrivaled in terms of speed. Does not load RAM, which has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gadget. Information on the screen is displayed qualitatively. A significant advantage of Google Chrome is synchronization. In order not to enter information again, it is enough to log into your account. After that, the user will have access to all saved data: history, bookmarks, passwords, and more. It is also worth highlighting the voice search option. With its help, there is no need to spend time entering text from the keyboard, but just say the request aloud.
  • Opera Mini. This browser has long been familiar to users. It began to be installed in simple mobile phones to access the Internet. Now the developers have maximally oriented the application for modern smartphones. It is currently the only browser that has a built-in VPN option. Some domestic operators cellular communication offer unlimited Internet if you use Opera Mini.

Navigator

Of course, the necessary applications on Android for a tablet or phone cannot be specified unambiguously. For each user they will be different. For example, it is difficult to imagine a driver who does not use a navigator. You can buy a DVR with such a function, but it will also not be superfluous to install the service on a smartphone or tablet. It will be useful even to those people who know the city well. Couriers, freight forwarders, taxi drivers need it most of all. This program will be able to lay a route taking into account traffic jams.

Among such applications, the leader is Navitel Navigator. This service is paid. The program reads information from satellites. There is a voice alert option. Works only on those gadgets that are equipped with a GPS receiver. Minimum Requirements- takes from 14 MB of "RAM". Supports graphics acceleration, there are display filters. The search is carried out by objects and addresses. The interface can be customized by the user. There are no comments on the application. The system functions clearly and without errors, although it is inferior in quality to professional devices.

Cards

So, what are the most necessary applications for Android? In addition to the above, it is necessary to highlight the cards. At first glance, it may seem that only travelers need them. However, it is not. Few people even in their city know all the streets, not to mention the numbering of houses and the location of office buildings.

Previously, large maps printed on paper were sold. But using them is not always convenient. As a rule, at the most necessary moment they are not at hand, and then a smartphone comes to the rescue with installed application. Based on this, we can safely say that it is the maps that belong to the category of necessary applications for Android. Which of all the available ones you need to choose will be prompted by user reviews. The undisputed leaders are:

  • Google maps. The application allows you to get directions to a specific object. Provides information about the length of the journey and the time spent (by car, public transport and on foot). If you wish, you can view pictures of the area, work schedule, phone numbers of office buildings, and more. All data is loaded only with an active Internet connection. The only drawback of this application is the large volume.
  • "2 GIS". This application provides the user not only with maps of cities with a layout of houses, but also full information about organizations, even from which side the entrance to the building is located. You can also find public transport routes, phone numbers, work schedules and more in it. "2GIS" is not just maps, but a full-fledged reference book that competes with Google Maps, so if you still doubt what applications are needed for Android, then be sure to install this program.

Social networks

In life modern man social networks play an important role. Young people communicate with friends, housewives exchange experiences, men discuss politics, sports news and more. Going online only from a computer is not always convenient; it is better to use a smartphone for these purposes. You can log in, for example, to Facebook, Odnoklassniki or VKontakte in two ways: through a browser and through an application. As for the first, it can be called a costly method. Users must open a browser, type in a query, and follow the link, which will take some time. It is also worth noting that such actions waste traffic uneconomically. And those owners who have already installed the necessary applications for their Android phone can significantly reduce the time it takes to go to their social media profile. The Play Market has special utilities that are downloaded completely free of charge. Finding them is very easy, as they have the name used on the sites. All versions are secure. With their help, you can use without a browser social networks saving Internet traffic.

Video calling

There are also such necessary applications for Android (2017), which are reassigned for communication via video communication. Cellular operators they constantly offer favorable rates for calls and SMS, but if the user has unlimited Internet, then it is best to use an alternative offer.

Not so long ago, the exchange app was popular ICQ messages. The developers did not stop there and went further. Now every owner of a tablet or smartphone can install Skype or Viber. They are offered to users completely free of charge. You can call back or chat with a subscriber who also has such an application installed. If there is no traffic limit, then you can chat for an unlimited time without any additional costs.

The necessary programs for the gadget, according to users

They will help you choose the right applications for "Android" reviews of the owners of modern gadgets. Most have already been covered, but there are others. They deserve no less attention.

  • Cool Reader- a great app for those who love to read. It works with all known text files.
  • Adobe Flash Player. To watch videos on the Internet, this application is indispensable. It also allows you to open all graphic images.
  • MX Player- a utility that can completely replace the built-in video player. The developers have provided a convenient library and a large number of codecs. The application works with almost all known file types.

Do I need to update apps on Android?

It often happens that, when entering a certain application, you may encounter a request to update the program. Not everyone knows what to do in such a situation. For example, user reviews often provide information that after updates, the application starts to work with errors. However, in most cases it is a new version opens up many possibilities for the user. Therefore, if the question arises whether to update the program or not, then the answer can be one: of course, yes! Developers, having released the application, will subsequently improve it by implementing new functions.

And one more thing you need to pay attention to: if you do not update the downloaded services in time, then they may simply not start after a certain period of time.

Conclusion

In principle, this can already finish describing the applications that must be installed on the gadget. But this does not mean at all that the user should not download anything else from the Google store. With a high probability, there are many more useful programs in it that will be useful specifically for a specific activity. Everyone must decide for himself which applications for Android are the most necessary!