These 5 free Android apps are at all times the primary ones I set up

Nothing feels fairly as satisfying as getting one thing at no cost, and this may actually be stated about smartphone apps. In a world saturated with in-app purchases, subscriptions, microtransactions, and ‘freemium’ enterprise fashions, free software program seems like an absolute breath of contemporary air.

There are a variety of apps on the market that I contemplate to be non-negotiable at any time when I arrange a new Android phone, and, fortunately, a few of them come for free of charge by any means. Listed here are 5 apps that I personally at all times set up on day one.

1 KineStop

The go-to app for lowering movement illness

KineStop: Automobile illness support

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’ characteristic into each iOS and iPadOS. The characteristic embeds quite a lot of animated dots onto your display, which shift in accordance with automobile movement to cut back automotive illness in these troubled with the difficulty.

Fortunately, Android customers are in a position to expertise a really related characteristic utilizing the fully free KineStop app from the Play Retailer. The idea is roughly the identical, and the interface is easy and simple to arrange. Should you’re liable to feeling movement illness when utilizing your Android telephone within the passenger seat of a automotive, KineStop is solely a must-download.

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, often acronymized as RSS readers, are streamlined techniques 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 had been, however they’re nonetheless a useful gizmo for whenever you need to cut back distractions whereas nonetheless maintaining with present occasions.

Feeder is one such RSS reader obtainable on Android, and it is fully free and open-source. For an open-source app, the interface is genuinely beautiful, and the consumer 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 grievance total.

3 AntennaPod

A superb resolution for streaming your favourite podcasts

AntennaPod

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

In the identical vein as Feeder, AntennaPod is a very free and open-source Android software — however as an alternative 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.

Essential inclusions like shownotes, casting help, and a sleep timer are all current, which makes this a reasonably full-featured expertise. Should you love listening to podcasts however need to avoid main gamers like Spotify, Apple, and Google, then AntennaPod is a superb alternative that I would extremely suggest.

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 long-lasting media participant is a favourite amongst Home windows desktop customers, on account of its open-source nature and its spectacular file format help. If there’s ever an audio or video file in your laptop that merely refuses to open, you possibly can depend on VLC to play the file with out skipping a beat.

VLC on Android is equally open-source and highly effective. Should you’re in search of 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.

5 Cloud Backup Checker

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

Cloud Backup Checker

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

Google presents a local cloud backup resolution for its Android working system, however many app builders additionally supply an ‘choose out’ alternative. Sadly, it could possibly get considerably complicated to maintain observe of which apps are backed up and which of them aren’t.

The place Google would not supply an ideal native device 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 telephone, it is value downloading this app so you are not left blindsided.