• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

5 best Android apps to have

Nick Arthur

Newbie
Feb 23, 2016
11
1
I would like to share 5 must have applications that I think will benefit most Android users. My list is consisting of applications that represent different categories, so none of them replicate what others tools do. So without further interruptions, here are the top apps that Android users must have.

ApowerREC

We can see a lot of videos nowadays that share some mobile app reviews, game play tutorial and commentaries, etc. In this case, a reliable screen recorder for Android is indeed important and that’s where this first tool comes in. ApowerREC is a free mobile application that is available at Google Play. By using this app, users can easily record screen activities along with the audio as well. The app is also capable of recording the front camera which is perfect for making commentaries and reviews.

http://i64.tinypic.com/1g3xoh.jpg

Spotify

And Spotify is a decent choice, for it allows users to listen to the music that they prefer as long as they are connected to the internet. If you have the buck, you can get its premium account to access its additional features as well as playing some chosen audio tracks offline. Its collaborative playlist, awesome sound quality, and deep music catalog are the things that you can expect from this app. The only flaws of this tool so far is that it does not have a live radio or DJ's and it won't play MP3 occasionally. But overall, it is a great application that should be lying around your Android phone.

Netflix

If you need some daily dose of movies then Netflix is the app for you. This is a free application that can be downloaded by any Android users from Google Play. All you need to do is to create a free account and you can access to wide arrays or TV shows and Movies for 30 days. After the trial period, you can avail its premium for a fair prize of 9 dollars 99. With ton loads of videos that you can watch, you’ll surely hook into this app and will make you keep in it your phone for good.

Facebook

For a social media app, Facebok is basically an overall tool to have. Even though there are ample amounts of social media applications that runs throughout the internet, Facebook still provides the best service and since it provides everything from image and photo sharing, to commenting and instant messaging. Plus, FB now offers live video sharing and live video calls as well making it a compact application that will surely hooked you into it. To get updated to your friends and to keep ones closeness, then better get one of this on your device.

Super Mario Run

Who wouldn't know Super Mario? A game that is popularized in 90s had a more advanced revamp making it easier to play, yet letting you have the same old Mario experience. This is a free game that can be played by anyone by simply avoiding Mario fall of get bump as he runs across the platform. There are numerous games that are available on Google Play, but I chose this game because it's easy to use and there's no need to stay with the game for hours just to accomplish something. If you haven't tried it yet, better get it now.

http://i63.tinypic.com/2rw2vch.jpg

And those are the top 5 applications that Android users must have. There will be some that will agree with my list and some may not, it's your personal opinion, and for me these are the finest and must have applications based on purpose and experience. If you have a different list, kindly share them below and I will get through them.
 
Interesting how tastes vary: I would say that none of those are essential, and only have 2 of them installed: one of which I've not used for months and tend to forget I have, the other is a badly-written crock that does nothing I couldn't do with a browser (though I'd want to isolate it from the rest of my browsing).

I'd say adecent calendar, a decent email app that doesn't route your email through the app developer's systems (privacy reasons), an Internet message app that your friends an family also use (as SMS is limited and MMS a rip-off, but everything else relies on both parties having it), some navigation app (Maps will do for many, but not all) and a browser with adequate customisation and privacy features. Personally I'd add a music player to the list, but I don't require streaming and would care more about quality of output.
 
Upvote 0
Recommendations for all Android users.

Android apps for your protection (I use Cerberus)
Android Device Manager – free – remotely track your phone – remote Factory Data Reset
Android Device Manager (Android) enable capability on device
Android Device Manager (Website) control device from website
Cerberus – paid – remotely track your phone – remote Factory Data Reset –
remotely take picture, copy text message log, display message
Cerberus (Android) enable capability on device
Cerberus (Website) control device from website

Android apps I recommend to everyone
3C Toolbox – free – collections of Android tools
3C Toolbox Pro – paid – enhanced version
A+ Gallery Phots & Videos – organizer for photos and videos
Barcode Scanner – scan barcodes (including QR codes) and save data
CallX – automatic call recorder (not for Verizon advanced calling)
chompSMS – subscription – the best messaging app I have ever used
Chrome Browser – internet browser
Multi Stopwatch & Timer – complete stopwatch and time facility
Nova Launcher Prime – paid – replace vendor launcher – backup/restore settings
TeslaUnread (Nova) – free – display counts on icons needing action
Pixel Phone Pro – paid – phone/contacts finally done right
Poweranp Music Player trial – trial – professional music player/equalizer
Poweramp Unlocker – paid
QR Droid Code Scanner – create QR Code for various purposes
RealCalc – trial –customizable calculator – RPN option and bin/oct/dec/hex options
RealCalc Plus – paid
Reverse Lookup – look-up information about caller from their phone number
SD Maid – System Cleaning – trial – remove junk from SD cards – free version
SD Maid Pro – Unlocker – paid – unlock trial version
Smart Tools – paid – collection of very interesting and very useful measurement tools
Solid Explorer File Manager – manipulate device folders and files
SwiftKey Keyboard – keyboard replacement … it predicts what you are going to type
Tasker – paid – complete automation facility
Tasker App Factory – free – convert Tasker script to .APK file
Textra SMS – messaging
VoiceX – voice Recorder – Dictaphone
Weather Underground – paid – weather report, history, and predictions
X-plore File Manager – manipulate device and cloud folders and files

Android apps report false result/send your personal data to facility in China– do not install
AnTuTu Benchmark – compare your device to other devices – AuTuTu Tools
Boat Browser – internet browser
Clean Master – optimizer, speed booster. and anti-virus – Cheetah Mobile
Dolphin Browser – internet browser – Dolphin Browser
ES File Exp/Man – manipulate device and cloud folders and files – ES Global
ES File Exp/Man Pro – manipulate device and cloud folders and files – ES Global
File Manager – manipulate device and cloud folders and files – Cheetah Mobile
File Manager HD – manipulate device and cloud folders and files – Cheetah Mobile
QuickPic Gallery – photo gallery – Cheetah Mobile

… Thom
 
Upvote 0
Interesting how tastes vary: I would say that none of those are essential, and only have 2 of them installed: one of which I've not used for months and tend to forget I have, the other is a badly-written crock that does nothing I couldn't do with a browser (though I'd want to isolate it from the rest of my browsing).

I'd say adecent calendar, a decent email app that doesn't route your email through the app developer's systems (privacy reasons), an Internet message app that your friends an family also use (as SMS is limited and MMS a rip-off, but everything else relies on both parties having it), some navigation app (Maps will do for many, but not all) and a browser with adequate customisation and privacy features. Personally I'd add a music player to the list, but I don't require streaming and would care more about quality of output.

I recently decided to have an app cull on my phone. I cleared out a lot of garbage that I don't use, and got close to pretty much what you describe above. Got to have Scrabble though, can't live without that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hadron
Upvote 0
My essentials list is actually a bit longer than 5 apps, but 5 was the OP's request so I tried to stick to that (then added a 6th!).

I personally also need a file explorer, a decent calculator (all built-in ones are rubbish), some sort of note/memo app (does not have to sync with anything, does need to offer encryption) and several travel-related apps (trains and planes). But by this point we're getting more into things that are essential to me and less general than a message app or email client.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
My list of "must have" actually can't be limited to 5, in fact it's about 50 apps..yes, a screen recorder coud be important if you are a YouTuber or something like that..one important not mentioned is an Adfree, an efficient fax mobile, a good office one, a reliable rotation manager, a movie downloader, the bank, also one that takes payments on the go(if your business is on the go..mine is), let's don't forget about tether..BUT, the winner of all of them is Tasker!!!
 
Upvote 0
I would like to share 5 must have applications that I think will benefit most Android users. My list is consisting of applications that represent different categories, so none of them replicate what others tools do. So without further interruptions, here are the top apps that Android users must have.

ApowerREC

We can see a lot of videos nowadays that share some mobile app reviews, game play tutorial and commentaries, etc. In this case, a reliable screen recorder for Android is indeed important and that’s where this first tool comes in. ApowerREC is a free mobile application that is available at Google Play. By using this app, users can easily record screen activities along with the audio as well. The app is also capable of recording the front camera which is perfect for making commentaries and reviews.

http://i64.tinypic.com/1g3xoh.jpg

Spotify

And Spotify is a decent choice, for it allows users to listen to the music that they prefer as long as they are connected to the internet. If you have the buck, you can get its premium account to access its additional features as well as playing some chosen audio tracks offline. Its collaborative playlist, awesome sound quality, and deep music catalog are the things that you can expect from this app. The only flaws of this tool so far is that it does not have a live radio or DJ's and it won't play MP3 occasionally. But overall, it is a great application that should be lying around your Android phone.

Netflix

If you need some daily dose of movies then Netflix is the app for you. This is a free application that can be downloaded by any Android users from Google Play. All you need to do is to create a free account and you can access to wide arrays or TV shows and Movies for 30 days. After the trial period, you can avail its premium for a fair prize of 9 dollars 99. With ton loads of videos that you can watch, you’ll surely hook into this app and will make you keep in it your phone for good.

Facebook

For a social media app, Facebok is basically an overall tool to have. Even though there are ample amounts of social media applications that runs throughout the internet, Facebook still provides the best service and since it provides everything from image and photo sharing, to commenting and instant messaging. Plus, FB now offers live video sharing and live video calls as well making it a compact application that will surely hooked you into it. To get updated to your friends and to keep ones closeness, then better get one of this on your device.

Super Mario Run

Who wouldn't know Super Mario? A game that is popularized in 90s had a more advanced revamp making it easier to play, yet letting you have the same old Mario experience. This is a free game that can be played by anyone by simply avoiding Mario fall of get bump as he runs across the platform. There are numerous games that are available on Google Play, but I chose this game because it's easy to use and there's no need to stay with the game for hours just to accomplish something. If you haven't tried it yet, better get it now.

http://i63.tinypic.com/2rw2vch.jpg

And those are the top 5 applications that Android users must have. There will be some that will agree with my list and some may not, it's your personal opinion, and for me these are the finest and must have applications based on purpose and experience. If you have a different list, kindly share them below and I will get through them.

Its good to know about this information... thanks for sharing the link...
 
Upvote 0
Quite frankly what are the best Android apps to have are entirely down to the individual. One thing, I don't need a "free" screen recorder app that monetizes by phoning home my personal private data to servers in China, and selling it to whatever third-parties, e.g. ApowerREC, and I'm NOT recording Android game videos to YouTube.

Spotify and Netflix I don't need, because I'm not in the US.
 
  • Like
Reactions: KBU2
Upvote 0
Quite frankly what are the best Android apps to have are entirely down to the individual. One thing, I don't need a "free" screen recorder app that monetizes by phoning home my personal private data to servers in China, and selling it to whatever third-parties, e.g. ApowerREC, and I'm NOT recording Android game videos to YouTube.

Spotify and Netflix I don't need, because I'm not in the US.

I ranked this as best answer but to some they may not. Just like @mikedt leaned toward it's up to the individual on what they think their best apps should be.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mikedt
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones