If you’re looking for the best apps for your cell phone, this is the place to be. We have hand-picked the top 10 apps we think you should have on your phone and put them into one handy list.
Apps are great because they make our lives easier, but they aren’t always easy to find. This list makes it easy for you by telling you what we think are the best apps around and where to get them.
We’ve also included a little blurb about each app so that you can get an idea of what each one does and why it’s worth checking out for yourself.
So if you’re looking for something new and interesting, this list is definitely worth checking out!
Best Apps For Cell Phones
Wondering what to download for your smartphone? Start with this collection of the best productivity tools, utilities, and games. Here are our picks for the best multiplatform apps. To see our top choices for apps exclusive to Android, BlackBerry, or iPhone, read the other articles in this package.
Productivity Tools
Never forget: After you create text, photo, and audio notes with Evernote, you can synchronize them to your PC or the Web. From generating recipe ideas at the farmer’s market to capturing lecture notes in class, Evernote is one of those universal apps that everybody should use. Free; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, WebOS, Windows Mobile
Master your to-do lists: The Remember the Milk app packs a ton of features, such as the ability to set reminders, switch between incomplete and finished tasks, and sort by priority, due date, or task name. Free app, $25 annual service subscription after a 15-day trial; Android, BlackBerry (MilkSync), iPhone, Windows Mobile (MilkSync)
Dictate everything: In Jott Assistant you can use your voice to set reminders, capture notes and to-dos, send e-mail and text messages, and post to Web services. $4-per-month basic version, $13-per-month premium version; BlackBerry, iPhone
Dropbox for smartphones
Dropbox offers your smartphone access to your synced files and folders.
Store and sync: The well-designed Dropbox syncing and sharing service lets you share folders across all of your computers. The apps for Android and iPhone (a BlackBerry app is on the way) make sure that your smartphone hosts those folders too. Free; Android, iPhone
Scan business cards: CamCard scans business cards and adds the data to a new phone, Gmail, or Exchange contact. $10 for Android, $7 for iPhone
Sync to the cloud: ZumoDrive is a Web-based file storage, syncing, and sharing service that mounts just as a network drive does. Free; Android, iPhone, WebOS
Utilities
Speak a command: Vlingo replaces every instance where you have to type on your smartphone with voice commands. It covers your phone’s basic messaging functions, voice calls, Facebook updates, and personal notes. On Android and BlackBerry, the app will even read your incoming messages to you. Free basic version, premium version varies in cost by platform; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Symbian
Call smarter: Google Voice gives you one phone number that you can use to make outgoing calls from–and forward incoming calls to–any phone. The app’s Voicemail Inbox transcribes your voice messages so that you can preview them at a glance. Free; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone
Check your speed: The FCC-endorsed Ookla tool checks the upload and download speeds you’re getting from your wireless network. Free; Android, iPhone
Retrieve a lost phone: With SmrtGuard you can remotely track–and lock–your smartphone if it goes missing. The Pro version lets you perform automatic wireless backup and restore. Free basic version, premium version is $5 per month after a 30-day trial; Android, BlackBerry
Organizers and Timesavers
OurGroceries for smartphones
OurGroceries keeps your shopping lists organized–and makes them shareable with other phones.
Write transferable grocery lists: OurGroceries allows you to set shopping lists on your phone and share them with other handsets, even if they don’t run the same OS. Free; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone
Monitor vital data: Use Personal Assistant to track credit card transactions, check your bank account status, monitor frequent-flyer miles and itineraries, and get alerts when bills are due and itineraries change. Free basic version, $7 premium version; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile
Manage your passwords: The mobile version of LastPass syncs saved login data, secure notes, and saved forms with the desktop app, which runs on Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari. $12 annual subscription after a 14-day trial; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Symbian, WebOS, Windows Mobile
Buy and sell faster: Search and browse Craigslist posts near your current GPS location, and bookmark relevant listings, with Craigsphone. The app also has tools for posting your own listings with photos and maps. Free; Android, iPhone
Run smarter: The RunKeeper app employs your smartphone’s GPS radio to track the distance, time, pace, route, and elevation of your jogs. You can then sync your data to the RunKeeper Website and later view a history of your activity. The Pro version (for iPhone only) includes timing for interval training and audio cues, and it integrates with your music playlists. Free basic version, $10 premium version; Android, iPhone
News and Reference Apps
Listen to NPR: Even if you can’t catch all of the news from NPR at home or in the car, you can still start your day with NPR News for your smartphone. You can listen to national news stories on demand, or allow the app to use your smartphone’s GPS to pinpoint local content. Free; Android, iPhone
WeatherBug gives current conditions and forecasts.
Check the weather: The location-aware WeatherBug app has detailed weather forecasts, radar maps, temperature maps, satellite views, and a cool sliding interface. You can configure it to appear as a home-screen widget, too. Free; Android, iPhone
Find facts fast: The Relief Central app puts the whole CIA World Fact Book into your smartphone. Free; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, WebOS, Windows Mobile
Customize your news: You can tailor the AP Mobile app to meet your needs by adding local news to your feed and selecting specific areas of coverage. AP Mobile also nicely utilizes the push-notification system of the iPhone for breaking-news updates. Free; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Symbian, WebOS
Financial Tools
Get financial news: With breaking business stories and complete in-depth market coverage in a customizable format, CNNMoney provides real-time reporting of financial news and analysis, as well as data and charts. Free; BlackBerry, iPhone
Watch the markets: When you’re on the go, consult Bloomberg Mobile for financial news, stock quotes, company descriptions, market leaders and laggers, price charts, market-trends analysis, customized lists of stocks, and more. Free; iPhone, WebOS
Watch your money: Balance your budget on the go with the Mint mobile companion to the popular Mint.com free personal-finance site. Among other features, Mint offers real-time monthly budgets (so you know how much you can spend while you’re out and about) and account-activity alerts, all within an incredibly secure app. Free; Android, iPhone
Monitor markets: For continuous access to–and control over–your TD Ameritrade account, use iStockManager. You can get equity and option trading, streaming data, real-time balances and positions, news, and more on your mobile device. Free; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone
Convert currency: XE Currency can convert the currencies of more than 180 countries at up-to-the-minute rates. The app saves the last conversion just in case you may need to repeat it offline, too. Free; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone
Report expenses at once: Expensify takes some of the hassle out of creating expense reports by allowing you to report expenses as they happen while you’re on the move. Free; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, WebOS
Social Networking Apps
Foursquare lets you leave your mark by "checking in" at various local establishments.
Share your location: On Foursquare you “check in” whenever you hit a restaurant, a coffee shop, a bar, or even a bus line, and then you can see if other Foursquare members are there, too. You can earn badges for your check-ins, as well as receive the prestigious title of “Mayor” if you check in to an establishment enough times. Free; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, WebOS
Upload in a trice: Pixelpipe Post & Upload Pro lets you post status updates and upload photos or video to Facebook, Flickr, Picasa, Twitter, YouTube, and other services all at once. It’s a great, time-saving way to reach all your social networks. Free; Android, iPhone, Symbian, WebOS
Network effectively: Using HootSuite, you can manage your Facebook and Twitter accounts within an elegant, clean user interface. HootSuite stands out from other social network managers for its extra features: You can schedule updates, set columns to monitor keywords and hash tags, and translate updates in other languages. Free basic version, $3 premium version; Android, iPhone
BeejiveIM lets you chat with pals on multiple services at the same time.
Chat with all of your friends: Via BeejiveIM you can chat simultaneously on AIM, Facebook, GoogleTalk, ICQ, Jabber, MSN, MySpace, and Yahoo. $10 for a single device, $15 for a transferable license; BlackBerry, iPhone
Share your photos easily: Use iTookThisOnMyPhone as a one-stop shop for uploading your pictures and video to photo sharing sites, including Facebook. All of your albums are hosted for free on the iTookThisOnMyPhone Website. Free; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile
Exchange media: One the most ingenious mobile apps we’ve seen, Bump lets two smartphone users physically bump their devices together to share contact data, media, and bookmarks, as well as to initiate social networking connections and chat sessions. The app employs each phone’s GPS radio to detect the presence of the other phone, and then establishes a Web connection with the target device in order to share data. Free; Android, iPhone
Maps and Location Services
Map it: The Google Maps app is useful for finding businesses (you can save results into your Contacts) and getting directions (you can hand this function off to Navigation). Its public-transit directions are great when you’re in a new city. Free; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Symbian, WebOS, Windows Mobile
Visit the world: Using the detailed satellite imagery displayed in Google Earth, you can explore the world. Assorted POIs (points of interest) are marked with links to photos, Wikipedia articles, and more. Free; Android, iPhone
Get maps free: You could shell out big bucks for a top-brand navigation app–or you could download the free MapQuest 4 Mobile, which delivers spoken turn-by-turn directions, automatic rerouting if you miss a turn, walking directions, and many other useful navigation features. Free; BlackBerry, iPhone
Layar places useful neighborhood information over the scene shown in your phone’s camera.
Enhance your world: The Layar Reality Browser is an AR (augmented reality) app that overlays information about such subjects as restaurants, public transit options, and apartment-search information on the view from your smartphone’s camera. You can even see the tweets from people posting to Twitter within your camera’s field of view. Free; Android, iPhone
Access travel plans: The WorldMate mobile app gives you full access to the travel plans you make using the WorldMate desktop program. You can see up-to-date information on flights, hotels, car rentals, and more, with clickable links. The premium version lets you get flight-delay information, plus suggestions for alternative flights. Free basic version, $12-per-month premium version; BlackBerry, iPhone, Symbian, Windows Mobile
Find your way: Turn your phone into a real-time navigation device with TeleNav. You can get turn-by-turn directions by voice and on screen, and you can locate, call, or navigate to rated and reviewed restaurants, hotels, ATMs, Wi-Fi hotspots, and more from a directory of over 10 million businesses. $10 after a 30-day trial; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Symbian, WebOS
Music Apps
Discover music: Tell Pandora your music preferences, and it streams tunes on your smartphone accordingly. You can stream music in the background (yes, even on the iPhone with iOS 4) while you do other stuff such as check e-mail or play games. Pandora’s music algorithm isn’t always spot-on, but the app is a nice alternative when you need a break from your own song collection. Free; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, WebOS, Windows Mobile
Listen offline, too: Similar to Pandora, Slacker is a well-designed taste-based online radio service. We like it because it caches on an iPhone 4’s memory, so you can listen to music while in flight or outside the cellular signal area. Free, though some features require a subscription; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, WebOS, Windows Mobile
Name that tune: Want to identify that one song you keep hearing everywhere you go? Just open the Shazam app, hold your smartphone up to your radio’s speaker, and–in a flash–it displays the name of the song and the artist. Free; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Symbian, Windows Mobile
Be a power listener: The perfect app for the hard-core music lover, MOG enables you to download any song or album to your phone for $10 a month. It’s great for continued listening when you leave wireless coverage. MOG also one-ups Pandora by letting you create radio stations that play only what you specify, such as a station of Bruce Springsteen songs. App is free, service is $10 a month for all your devices; Android, iPhone
Rock your BlackBerry: Unlike MOG, Thumbplay allows BlackBerry users to get in on the on-demand music, with unlimited access to any artist or album. You can build playlists within the app, listen either online or offline, and sync existing music from your PC or Mac. $10 per month for full access; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone
Get your groove on: Find and stream an amazing variety of music, hassle-free, with Grooveshark. Play individual songs or whole albums, or create your own playlists. $3 per month; Android, BlackBerry, Symbian, WebOS
Entertainment Apps and Games
Kindle has previews of e-books and provides bookmarking functions.
Preview books: With the Kindle mobile app, you can use your smartphone to preview books that you might like to buy later. Clean and customizable, the app permits you to preview the first chapter, as well as to add bookmarks, notes, and highlights. It’s a must-have for any bibliophile. Free; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone
Watch cable anywhere: SlingPlayer Mobile streams the video from your cable box and DVR to your phone. The responsiveness of the app’s video controls and the image quality of the video depend on the quality of your wireless connection, but it’s worth the trouble. $30; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Symbian, WebOS, Windows Mobile
Crack up: For the most hard-hitting…ahem…fake journalism on the Web, look no further than the Onion News Network. You can grab the latest updates on Sasquatch, the MacBook Wheel, and the Girl Raised by Wolf Blitzer. The Onion News Network app keeps you connected by giving you access to the Onion archives and delivering all Onion videos to your smartphone. Free; Android, iPhone
Follow the league: In the MLB.com app, you can enjoy an audio stream of every regular and postseason baseball game, along with real-time box scores and stats, video highlights from the game shortly after they happen, and all the news from around Major League Baseball. $15; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone
Launch furious fowl: The clever Angry Birds game combines simple physics with sheer luck as you transport ticked-off birds to a pig fortress via slingshot to retrieve stolen eggs. $1 for iPhone, free plus $2 level packs for Symbian
Play an old-school game: In the highly addictive Doodle Jump, you use your phone’s accelerometer to guide “Doodle the Doodler” up a sheet of graph paper while dodging black holes and blasting enemies. If you miss old Nintendo games, you’ll love Doodle Jump. Varies in cost by platform; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Symbian
best apps for cell phone
The Best Android Apps for 2022
The Google Play store has millions of apps. Some are terrific, some are duds. Our guide, which covers 13 key categories and 103 top apps, features the ones that deserve a place on your Android phone or tablet.
Jeffrey L. Wilson
Gabriel Zamora
By Jeffrey L. Wilson & Gabriel Zamora
Updated April 1, 2022
The Best Android Apps for 2022
Android tablets and phones are technological marvels that entertain, let you work from any location, and keep you connected with friends, family, and coworkers. With the right app, you can transform your humble cell or slate into a mobile movie theater, work station, art canvas, recipe manager, and so much more. Unfortunately, finding the best Android apps is a bit of a challenge.
There’s a titanic quantity of apps to download from the Google Play Store, but which ones are worth their salt? We’ve assembled this list to help you discover worthwhile apps, so read on: You may find something you didn’t even know you needed.
These 103 recommended apps are organized into 13 categories, including music, productivity, security, and utilities, so it’s easy to find ones that suit your mood. Need an entertaining streaming video service? There’s an app for that. In search of a dependable word processor that’ll keep you productive while on the go? There’s an app for that, too. Note that we don’t include any games in this roundup. For those, check out our separate list of the best Android games.
If this is your first time with an Android device, 103 apps might be overwhelming. If so, take a look at our list of 10 must-have Android apps to cover the basics. If your wallet is feeling a little light, know that many of the entries in both lists are free.
Each recommended app is excellent in its own way. Taken together, our collection is a snapshot of the Google Play Store’s best apps at the time of writing. So explore and enjoy.
We didn’t forget about iPhone and iPad users. For the iOS faithful, check out our roundups of the best iPhone apps and the best iPad apps.
BROWSERS
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Brave Privacy Browser
Brave Privacy Browser offers many features aimed at protecting your security and privacy on the web. For instance, it includes built-in blockers for ads, pop-ups, scripts, and third-party cookies. It even implements the HTTPS Everywhere extension, so you can ensure that your connections to sites are secure. The lightweight, minimal design looks great, too.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
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DuckDuckGo
Based on Google’s Chromium codebase, DuckDuckGo is a minimalistic browser designed to keep your online activities private. DuckDuckGo defaults to the highest encryption available for whatever site you visit, and lets you wipe your browsing history with a button tap. If you’re tired of trackers hounding you for advertisement purposes, and want to browse the web with a bit of freedom, give DuckDuckGo a download.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at DuckDuckGo
See It
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Firefox
Firefox is lickety-split fast, and has a clean design that is a joy to use. Mozilla makes a big point about how it doesn’t collect your data, and we are pleased to see that the app comes with a full complement of security settings—including an option to protect your information from advertisers and a private browsing mode. Like the desktop version, Firefox for mobile has a robust plug-in selection, excellent tab management, and a dynamic start page for bookmarks and the latest headlines. You can even sync settings, history, and tabs with the desktop variant
MSRP Free
$0.00
at mozilla
See It
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Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge lets you easily sync web pages, bookmarks, and browsing history between your Android device and the Edge browser on your desktop. Top features of the mobile browser include an integrated reading view, news ratings (handled by NewsGuard), and a content blocker (powered by Adblock Plus). You can search with Bing using your voice or by selecting a photo, as well as earn points via the Microsoft Rewards program. Both Microsoft Edge’s dark and light themes look elegant and are easy to navigate.
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
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Tor Browser
Privacy stalwarts, rejoice! Tor now has an official (and modern-looking) Android app. The Tor project operates under the principle that “internet users should have private access to an uncensored web.” Make sure to read the overview of how Tor works before you start using it, as it addresses specific types of privacy threats (and does so very well). The Tor browser may perform more slowly than other browsers, given its complicated inner workings, but that drawback should be negligible for the users who appreciate and rely on its protections.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Tor
See It
COMMUNICATION
Duolingo Image
Language Learners
Duolingo
5.0
If you’re looking to learn another language, Duolingo gamifies language learning with bite-sized lessons and a friendly interface. Starting with simple vocabulary and building from there, Duolingo is your guide to learning a new language or brushing up on one you already know. The more you use the app, the more you unlock and—with practice—the more you learn. This free app currently supports Danish, Dutch, French, German, Irish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish. Or more practical choices, like Esperanto and Klingon.
MSRP Free
Duolingo Review
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Facebook Messenger
5.0
The problem with most mobile messengers is convincing your friends to sign up. That said, there’s a good chance that most people you know are already on Facebook. This is handy, because the Facebook Messenger app is fantastic. It’s simple, clean, and easily handles voice and video calling. Check out our feature on Facebook Messenger to discover its other capabilities.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
Facebook Messenger (for Android) Review
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Google Translate
Many people fear not being unable to communicate with people from another country while traveling. Google Translate takes a bit of the edge off, quickly translating either written text or spoken words. You can even use the app to do the speaking for you, and input text through your camera or handwriting. The app can translate 103 languages with a data connection and 52 when you’re offline. It can’t handle Tamarian, but it’s sure to be a handy tool here on Earth. Another option is Microsoft Translator, which offers 60 offline languages, travel phrasebooks, a real-time conversation mode, and actually translates Klingon.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
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LingoDeer
LingoDeer is a fantastic language-learning tool with a strong Asian-language focus (though it includes a few major European languages, too). The app’s courses are multilingual, so if you wish to learn Japanese as a German speaker, this is the app for you. That said, LingoDeer is also quite challenging, as it features specific, high-level terminology and detailed grammatical explanations. Nonetheless, it is a superb resource, and the developer is constantly improving the app based on community feedback.
Per Month, Starts at $11.99
$11.99/Per Month
at LingoDeer
See It
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LinkedIn
4.0
Most people are probably familiar with LinkedIn as a service only visited in times of desperation—after being laid off, maybe, or after a day in the office so bad that you’re just not going to take it anymore. The LinkedIn app aims, however, to be a companion to the LinkedIn web service that you check every day. Sure, there’s the all-important profile pages showing off your work experience, and the handy tools for networking, but the service now includes visitor metrics and a newsfeed for a decidedly more social feel. It’s sometimes the easiest way to reach out and make a business connection. It’s like Facebook for grown-ups.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
LinkedIn (for Android) Review
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Snapchat
4.0
With Snapchat, you quickly snap and exchange photos with one or several friends. The app also supports video snaps, as well as voice and video calling. The catch is that whatever you post vanishes after a day. It’s just a fun and ephemeral way to share the world around you.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
Snapchat (for Android) Review
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Signal
There are many apps that pay lip service to security and privacy, but Signal was built from the ground up with the goal of letting people easily communicate without having to worry about being overheard. The Signal app is a complete phone and SMS client replacement (though it works just fine as a standalone app, too) for sending and receiving encrypted calls and messages. The app’s look and feel continues to improve, too.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
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Textra
Textra is an excellent alternative to Messages on Android. The app includes numerous customization options that you won’t find with the stock messaging app, including custom contact colors, text bubble styles, and notification icons. Additionally, you get extra features such as text scheduling, the ability to blacklist contacts, and the option to rename group conversations. Textra also has excellent light and dark modes.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
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WhatsApp
3.5
In a world rife with messenger apps, WhatsApp is among the most successful, boasting an enormous and dedicated user base. Add to that an integrated web version that lets users take their chats to the desktop. This Facebook-owned app is bolstered by encrypted messaging provided by the minds behind Signal. It might just be the largest secure messaging service out there.
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
WhatsApp Messenger (for Android) Review
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Your Phone Companion
Microsoft’s Your Phone Companion app lets you link your Android phone and text from your Windows 10 PC. As a bonus, you can also quickly access photos from your camera, as well as manage your device notifications. The app setup is easy, and it’s certainly more comfortable to type out longer responses on a physical keyboard than craft a message on your phone.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
FOOD
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Blue Apron
4.5
If you don’t want to think about buying ingredients, but still want to cook, Blue Apron is an excellent option. With reliable deliveries and great meals to choose from, this food delivery service lets you skip the trip to the grocery store. The sleek mobile app allows you to manage your account, schedule your deliveries, and save any recipes you want to revisit.
Starts at $7.49
$9.99/per serving – 2-Person Plan
at Blue Apron
See It
Blue Apron Meal Delivery Service Review
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Cookpad
Cookpad connects you with a vibrant array of recipes. Easily add favorite recipes, manage shopping lists, and find new recipes you’ll love based on those you already like. Once you start using it, you’ll have one less excuse to eat out.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
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Copy Me That
A quality homemade meal is one of life’s greatest comforts, so whip up a tasty dish using Copy Me That. This multipurpose tool lets you copy, organize, and manage recipes that you find online or input yourself. Customize your recipe collection with photos of your choosing, and organize them in whatever categories you want. The app is great for cutting through long-winded websites to get tight recipe copy, and it even provides a meal planner and shopping list to make cooking a cinch.
$0.00
at Copy Me That
See It
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Seamless
Remember the bad old days of ordering food? You needed takeout menus, knowledge of the terrain (“will they even deliver out here?”), cash, and faith that the person jotting down your order got it right. Seamless takes care of all that, even letting you pay via credit card from your Android. The only drawback? It’s not available in every city (or even every state), though it has expanded its range dramatically since it was first included on this list.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
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Untappd
Untappd helps you record each brew you try along with a rating and tasting notes. Think of it as Swarm for beer! No more staring at a tap list, trying to remember which ones you’ve had before. The app also has a vibrant community of beer drinkers that can point you toward new discoveries and an extensive list of beers. It’s also a handy way to find your favorite brew near your current location. While it’s not perfect, it can change the way you think of beer.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
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Yelp
4.0
It pays to be a little skeptical of crowd-sourced reviews, but Yelp tells you a lot more than just what people thought of a bar, restaurant, or just about any other place where you spend money. Many locations list hours of operation, contact information, and menus, making it easy to find the perfect spot in your neighborhood or a new city.
MSRP Free
Yelp (for Android) Review
HEALTH & FITNESS
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Adidas Running by Runtastic
The Adidas Running app, formerly called Runtastic PRO, can do much more than just track your favorite running routes. This excellent fitness app keeps track of all sorts of useful data and can return information-rich maps to help you plan future outings. Use it for cycling, hiking, and walking, too.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
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Clue
Menstruators the world over will rejoice over Clue, a simple app with a beautiful design for tracking your period and predicting when the next will occur. Using the data you enter about your cycle—and other factors—you can use Clue to plan ahead, whether it’s for pregnancy or just to keep ahead of your cycle. Reminders and a handy calendar tool can help take the guesswork out of life. Best of all, it’s totally gender-neutral, and not the expected pink.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
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Eve
Tracking your period isn’t just about knowing the cycle, but also the other factors surrounding it. Eve by Glow lets you track physical and emotional states, which can lead to some important insights when you take the time to interpret your own data. Eve also boasts a vibrant community and a wealth of information about sexual health built right in.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
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Fitbit
You might know Fitbit from its popular fitness trackers, but the app that powers those devices works well on its own, too. Using your just your smartphone (assuming you meet the minimum hardware requirements), this fitness app can count steps and log activities to help you achieve daily goals. There are also social features, so you can compete against your friends. It’s a must-have (really, you must have it) for Fitbit users, but also a smart choice for anyone looking to be more active.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
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MyFitnessPal
This calorie counter and exercise tracker aims to help you lose weight the old-fashioned way—expending more calories than you take in. With its smart design and an extensive library of foods, it makes quickly logging the calories you take in and what you burn while exercising a snap. A barcode scanner makes it even easier to log that post-workout snack. This fitness app also plays nice with other such apps, so your data won’t be tied up in just one place. MyFitnessPal won’t give you a whole workout regimen, but it can make you more aware of your habits. PCMag has a full review of MyFitnessPal for the iPhone.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
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Zocdoc
Zocdoc makes it easy to research nearby doctors on your health insurance plan and book appointments from your phone. When you first sign up for the app, you can enter your insurance information manually or scan your card to get started. The app itself looks slick too, with a modern, bright design that makes the experience of scheduling visits less stressful. Zocdoc even saves your history of appointments and makes recommendations for future ones, so you can stay on top of your health history.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
MUSIC & PODCASTS
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Anchor
3.5
If you want to record your own podcast, Anchor is likely one of the easiest ways to do it. This app lets you record by yourself or with friends and build out entire podcast episodes entirely from your phone. Anchor even implements some basic audio editing tools for perfecting each clip in the app. Recently, the service announced a monetization program for creators on the platform.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
Anchor Review
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Bandcamp
3.0
Filled with both up-and-coming and established acts, Bandcamp is one of the most exciting music marketplaces there is. The app was initially built around streaming songs you’d already purchased on Bandcamp, but now it’s a one-stop-shop for digital and physical band merch. If you want to keep your finger on the pulse of music, this is an essential app.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
Bandcamp (for Android) Review
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BlackPlayer
Streaming services are all the rage, but if you still keep music locally, BlackPlayer is worth your attention. We particularly like the Discover option, which shuffles through 10-second previews of seldom-played tracks in your library continuously, until you decide on what to listen to next. There’s also a built-in tag editor and a ton of customization options for button styles, fonts, themes, and now playing notifications.
$3.59
at Google Play
See It
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LiveXLive
4.5
While Pandora may have introduced the world to streaming radio, LiveXLive has refined it. You can listen to what the service thinks you’ll like, or try out one of its human-curated channels and playlists. It also has hyper-specific playlists that appeal to particular tastes and moods, such as Yacht Rock. If you aren’t ready to subscribe to LiveXLive quite yet, you can try out its free version.
Per Month, Starts at $9.99
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
LiveXLive Review
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Pocket Casts
4.5
Android has struggled with podcasts (they don’t call ’em “Droidcasts,” after all), but Pocket Casts is here to help. This highly customizable app is great for chilling out with an episode of your favorite casts, and it can also sync among different devices so that you can pick up right where you left off. Time to start listening.
MSRP $3.99
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
Pocket Casts (for Android) Review
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Songkick
4.0
Songkick is the bridge between the music in your digital collection and concerts in your area. Once installed, Songkick scans your device for tunes and then lets you see when and where your favorite artists are playing. If you see a show you’re interested in, you can also purchase tickets all from within the app. Add multiple locations to Songkick to catch concerts when you’re on the road.
MSRP Free
Songkick Review
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Spotify
4.5
With its huge inventory of music, Spotify has become a mainstay for free, legal music streaming. You can shuffle through smartly selected songs, find your favorite albums, or explore one of the service’s excellent playlists. Close ties with artists means that new tracks are sometimes available the same day they hit the shelves in record shops. Those still exist, right? Spotify also offers a limited free version.
Per Month, Starts at $9.99
$9.99
at Spotify
See It
Spotify Review
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Stitcher
Though its interface is a bit tricky, Stitcher connects you with just about every podcast out there. Podcasts are organized by subject, or you can just search for a familiar title. Shows can, in turn, be organized into playlists for a continuous stream. Once you’ve exhausted all your favorites, let Stitcher recommend something new. With a special emphasis on sources like NPR, CNN, and ESPN, Stitcher has a little bit of everything.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
PHOTOGRAPHY
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Adobe Lightroom
3.5
Adobe Lightroom is a powerful photo-editing app for mobile that retains many of the features from its desktop counterparts, Lightroom, which earned a three-and-a-half star rating, and Lightroom Classic, a five-star Editors’ Choice winner. Some of its standout tools include raw camera file profiles, noise reduction, profile-based lens corrections, and advanced color and lighting sliders. Lightroom also notably syncs all these edits between the mobile and desktop apps.
MSRP $9.99
$19.99 Per Month
at Adobe
See It
Adobe Lightroom Review
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Flickr
3.5
Remember Flickr? The venerable photo-sharing service is an Editors’ Choice web service, and the Android app has a lot to recommend it, too. It’s more about the art of photography than the meme- and selfie-packed Instagram. Offering a well-designed interface and excellent photo and video editing tools, Flickr is more valuable than ever. Plus, the app connects you to the vibrant community of photographers on the service. Best of all, it can automatically back up photos from your phone. Free users can upload up to 1,000 photos and a $50 per year subscription gets you unlimited online photo storage.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
Flickr (for Android) Review
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Google Photos
4.0
Google Photos puts the search giant’s powerful (and sometimes creepy) image magic into your phone. It can identify faces, even as they age over the decades, as well as animals, places, or objects. You can also search for photos from specific dates or locations. The impressive built-in Assistant can detect clutter or even create collages or animations on its own. The app is rounded out with editing tools and unlimited cloud storage if you make some minor compromises on upload quality. Google Photos also extends to photo prints; you can digitize physical photos with the built-in Photo Scan or even order a custom photo book. The companion Google Lens app can even report back information related to your images or photos by scanning them.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Photos
See It
Google Photos Review
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Instagram
4.5
It seems like just yesterday that Facebook-owned Instagram was adding video. Then direct messaging. Then advanced photo editing put it on par with Photoshop Express for image correction and manipulation. Instagram Stories is now far more popular than Snapchat’s similar feature. And anti-bullying features should make it more palatable for some. With a clean, minimalist interface, Instagram is the current king of social photo apps.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
Instagram (for Android) Review
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PicsArt Photo Studio
4.0
With tons of effects, controls over layers, drawing tools, and collages, PicsArt Photo Studio can contend with Photoshop and is one of the best photo editing apps for Android. If you think it’s just a lowly Instagram clone, you’re wrong. When you’re looking to take your smartphone snapshots to the next level, seek out this app.
Per Month, Starts at $8.99
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
PicsArt Photo Studio (for Android) Review
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Snapseed
4.0
Don’t get us wrong, some of us love Instagram. But if you want more control than Instagram affords, try Google-owned Snapseed. This app straddles the line between full-fledged image editor and filter app, all in a sleek and attractive package. Best of all is the amount of control it gives you over how filters and effects are applied to your images. It even lets you make non-destructible edits to raw camera files and make adjustments to exposure and detail levels.
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
Snapseed (for Android) Review
PRODUCTIVITY
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Asana
4.5
Asana is the 800-pound gorilla of task management for teams, dwarfing other popular services like the capable Trello. Asana is all about workflows and checkbox tasks that can be assigned to individuals. The Android app lets you take your tasks on the go and offline, syncing your progress when you’re back on the network. It’s a powerful tool with an excellent interface, and new features are added regularly.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Asana
See It
Asana Review
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Doodle
4.5
The hardest part of scheduling a meeting is getting everyone to agree. Jeff is free Monday and Wednesday. Jill is available Monday, but not Tuesday. And the other dozen people have their own schedules to contend with. Doodle lets you suggest times, and then see which work best for everyone. It’s an invaluable planning tool.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
Doodle (for Android) Review
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Evernote
4.0
Once you start using Evernote, this note-taking app becomes a powerful tool for organizing just about everything. Notes can be anything—text, images, audio, or a mix—and are organized into notebooks. One of its killer features is optical character recognition, which makes the text in images searchable. Cloud-storage makes it the perfect tool for organizing the little pieces of a project into a finished draft.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Evernote
See It
Evernote Review
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Fax.Plus
Faxing isn’t dead quite yet, but fax machines can safely be left behind thanks to online fax services. Fax.Plus’s app is well designed and easy to use. It notably offers a digital signature tool and a contact manager. We like how mobile fax apps allow users to snap a picture of an attachment, attach a fax cover sheet, and send a fax off to a recipient in a few quick actions. Fax.Plus makes this process seamless.
Per Month, Starts at $5.99
$5.99 Per Month
at FAX.PLUS
See It
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IFTTT
4.0
IFTTT, which stands for “if this, then that,” helps you create custom automations between various online services and devices without any coding experience. The mobile app makes it simple to set up these Applets (previously called recipes) on your own or implement any of the community-created ones. IFTTT is particularly great for controlling smart home devices.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
IFTTT Review
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Khan Academy
Avoid paying for expensive textbooks and use Khan Academy instead. With lessons and videos for Arts & Humanities, Computing, Economics & Finance, Math, and more, there’s no shortage of topics you can learn or review. The app is easy to use, and you can resume lessons wherever you sign in to your account.
MSRP Free
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Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word is, simply put, the alpha and omega of word processing, and one of the key apps in Microsoft Office 365. You’ll find it on every kind of computer in every kind of setting, and now it’s available for free on Android. Word plugs into Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure to keep your documents in order, but its main selling point is that this really is Word. What you make on your phone will look exactly the same on the desktop. For the worker on the go, it’s essential.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
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Mint
5.0
Mint is a fantastic online service to keep track of your finances, and it really shines on Android. Once you’ve entered all your information, you can easily check up on your finances on the fly. Mint keeps you on track for your goals and a new bill paying feature makes sure that you never miss a payment. Be sure to try out the app’s excellent widgets, too.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Mint.com
See It
Mint Review
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Nine Email
Nine is a very reliable email client designed to work with all of your accounts. The clean interface and the optional conversation view make reading and replying to email intuitive. One of the coolest features is the ability to customize the notification actions, including an incredibly useful “Mark as read” option. It isn’t cheap, but it’s only a one-time $14.99 charge for a much-improved email experience that also integrates calendar, contacts, notes, and tasks functionality.
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
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Slack
4.5
Slack has gone from the new hotness, to controversial productivity tool, to essential office tool faster than you can say “hot take.” With a familiar, instant messenger feel, it’s easy to get started with Slack. But the service became popular because of its wealth of advanced features, like customizable alerts and a Do Not Disturb function. You can even host VoIP calls through Slack with your coworkers. A free account will get you started, but a monthly fee unlocks even better search tools. And be sure to install the Giphy plugin for maximum productivity.
MSRP $8.00
Visit Site
at Slack
See It
Slack Review
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Spike
Reading email can be a slog, as they just don’t feel as natural or accessible as, say, text messages. Until now. Spike is an app that transforms your email inbox into a messenger platform, giving it a WhatsApp-style conversation flow. You can perform traditional email tasks, such as forwarding or scheduling messages, but the radically different inbox appearance will change your email perspective. A personal account is free, so give Spike a shot. Once you switch you may never go back to traditional emails inboxes again.
Visit Site
at Spike
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Todoist
5.0
If you like to keep your life organized with various to-do lists, then you definitely need to download Todoist. This app lets you keep track of the tasks you need to get done; you can assign them different priorities based on their overall importance or organize them across different projects. It also has a functional, clean design and works across many different platforms. Anyone can get started for free, but seriously organized individuals should upgrade to the $28.99 per year premium plan to set up task labels and reminders, upload files, and view productivity charts.
Per Month, Starts at $4.00
$3 Per Month
at Todoist
See It
Todoist Review
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TurboTax Tax Return App
Everyone needs to file their taxes every year. Most people will probably have an easier time using dedicated tax software (and some might still enjoy preparing them by hand), but more ambitions filers or those with simple tax returns can get away with using a mobile app. Intuit’s TurboTax Tax Return App is the best one we reviewed this year. Among its top features are an excellent user interface, support for all major tax forms, and innovative help options. If you get stuck at any point, you can just open up the Virtual Assistant, which keeps a running dialogue of the help topics you searched for, or use SmartLook to connect to a tax expert via video chat.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
READING & NEWS
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Calibre Companion
Calibre is the giant of ebook management, and this app is the perfect (ahem) companion for it. With just a few clicks, you can add any book from your computer to your eReader over USB or Wi-Fi. You can also store your ebooks on the cloud for easy access from wherever you are. What’s so surprising is how well it works, and how easy it is to use. If you’ve got a lot of ebooks and are ready to cast off the shackles of Amazon, this is the app for you.
$4.99
at Google Play
See It
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ComiXology
4.5
The Amazon-owned ComiXology—the iTunes of digital comics—offers a near-perfect combination of store and comic book reader in its wonderful Comics app. The free app transforms your Android smartphone or tablet into a digital long box that houses and syncs your purchases across multiple devices. Even better, the new Comixology Unlimited service lets you devour an ever-expanding catalog of titles for just $5.99 per month.
MSRP Free
5.99 Per Month for Subscription
at ComiXology
See It
Comixology Review
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ESPN
What is most impressive about the ESPN Android app is the sheer number of sports it covers. Everything from American football to Brazilian soccer to Indy 500 is available. For those unmissable games, you can set alerts and follow specific matches as they unfold. It also connects you to videos and news headlines, courtesy of the popular sports cable network. Also, check out ESPN’s streaming service, ESPN+.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
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Feedly
4.0
Feedly takes the RSS feed into the modern age, and it’s the easiest way to stay on top of all your favorites sources of news. You can view everything all at once if you want, but Feedly also lets you categorize your sources for focused reading or use its Today tab, which shows you the top stories from each category. Additionally, you can make Feedly look as simple as you wish, with minimalist text-only layouts. It’s a great way to keep informed with the days’ headlines and it offers useful integrations with other services as well.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
Feedly Review
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Flipboard
4.5
With its slick, streamlined interface, Flipboard is one of the best apps for reading the news. With it, you browse the articles, videos, podcasts, and other media that matter most to you. The app’s signature magazine-style interface lets you explore the day’s headlines in a gorgeous environment. The Daily Edition feature gives you the most important news along with themed stories for each day of the week. Flipboard has been one of our top picks for years, and it’s easy to see why.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Google Play
See It
Flipboard (for Android) Review
Conclusion
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