I obtain these 5 free apps on each new Android cellphone

Key Takeaways

The Google Play Retailer is full of high-quality apps, a few of that are utterly free.
Subscription and commercial fatigue is an actual factor, and so I cherish the instances once I stumble throughout an important free app.
These apps are excessive on my checklist for set up as quickly as I arrange any new Android-based machine.

There’s nothing higher than getting one thing helpful at no cost, particularly relating to smartphone apps. In a world saturated with in-app purchases, subscriptions, microtransactions, and ‘freemium’ enterprise fashions, software program that is actually free looks like a totally recent breath of air.

There are a selection of apps on the market that I contemplate to be non-negotiable each time I arrange a new Android phone, and, fortunately, a few of them come for gratis in any respect. Listed below are 5 apps that I personally all the time set up on day one.

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1 KineStop

The go-to app for lowering movement illness

KineStop: Automotive illness help

A well-built app for lowering movement illness when in a automobile.

Again in Could, Apple announced plans to include a brand new ‘Automobile Movement Cues’ function into each iOS and iPadOS. The function embeds quite a lot of animated dots onto your display, which shift in accordance with automobile movement to cut back automobile illness in these with the problem.

Fortunately, Android customers are in a position to expertise a really related function utilizing the utterly free KineStop app from the Play Retailer. The idea is roughly the identical, and the interface is straightforward and straightforward to arrange. In case you’re vulnerable to feeling movement illness when utilizing your Android cellphone within the passenger seat of a automobile, KineStop is just a must-download.

Apple Carplay showing Apple Maps in a car.

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2 Feeder

An exquisite and open supply RSS reader

Feeder

A free and open-source RSS reader app that works with out fuss.

Actually easy syndication readers, normally regarded with the acroynm “RSS” readers, are streamlined methods for viewing information articles throughout your favourite publications. Within the age of social media, these apps aren’t as common as they as soon as have been, however they’re nonetheless a great tool for whenever you need to scale back distractions whereas nonetheless maintaining with present occasions.

Feeder is one such RSS reader out there on Android, and it is utterly free and open-source. For an open-source app, the interface is genuinely beautiful, and the person expertise is equally intuitive. The one caveat right here is that it forces you to manually enter RSS feed hyperlinks to get began, however that is a reasonably small criticism total.

Someone holding an iPhone with the Notes app open

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3 AntennaPod

A superb answer for streaming your favourite podcasts

AntennaPod

A free and open answer for all of your podcast streaming wants.

In the identical vein as Feeder, AntennaPod is a totally free and open-source Android software — however as a substitute of aggregating information articles, it is designed with podcast streaming in thoughts. The interface is clear, easy, and efficient, and I’ve no usability complaints.

Vital inclusions like shownotes, casting assist, and a sleep timer are all current, which makes this a reasonably full-featured expertise. In case you love listening to podcasts however need to keep away from main gamers like Spotify, Apple, and Google, then AntennaPod is a superb selection that I might extremely advocate.

Android all apps page displayed on a Google Pixel

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4 VLC

The notorious Home windows program can be at residence on Android

VLC for Android

A well known native media participant that is suitable with all kinds of file sorts.

VLC requires no introduction — the enduring media participant is a favourite amongst Home windows desktop customers, on account of its open-source nature and its spectacular file format assist. If there’s ever an audio or video file in your pc that merely refuses to open, you’ll be able to rely on VLC to play the file with out skipping a beat.

VLC on Android is equally open-source and highly effective. In case you’re on the lookout for a no-nonsense multimedia participant for native playback, then it is a must-download.

The interface lacks among the refinement of another rivals in the marketplace, however it’s nice sufficient and makes up for this in its sheer flexibility.

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5 Cloud Backup Checker

A useful utility for confirming whether or not apps are backed up

Cloud Backup Checker

A easy software for checking which apps are being backed as much as your Google Account.

Google provides a local cloud backup answer for its Android working system, however many app builders additionally provide an ‘decide out’ selection. Sadly, it could get considerably complicated to maintain monitor of which apps are backed up and which of them aren’t.

The place Google does not provide an important native software for checking the standing of backups, the free Cloud Backup Checker app steps as much as the plate. The software program is light-weight, speedy, and does precisely what it says on the tin. If and whenever you improve to a brand new Android cellphone, it is value downloading this app so you are not left blindsided.