Best apps for Android
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Top Android apps ranked by the community
Opera is a long-running web browser, now built on Chromium, that bundles features others leave to extensions: an ad blocker, a free browser VPN, messaging apps in the sidebar, workspaces, tab islands and the Aria AI assistant. It runs Chrome Web Store extensions and is available on desktop and mobile. The same company makes Opera GX, a variant aimed at gamers.
8 Opera alternativesPros
- Free built-in browser VPN and ad blocker
- Messaging apps and workspaces in the sidebar
- Runs Chrome Web Store extensions
Cons
- Built-in VPN only covers the browser, not other apps
- Many bundled features and promotions make the interface busy
Cost / LicenseFreeProprietaryCategoriesVivaldi is a Chromium-based browser from Norway, created by a co-founder of Opera, in which almost every part of the interface can be customized. It offers tab stacking and tiling, workspaces, a built-in ad and tracker blocker, notes, and integrated mail, calendar and RSS reader, with end-to-end encrypted sync. Vivaldi has chosen not to build generative AI chatbots into the browser.
10 Vivaldi alternativesPros
- Almost every part of the interface can be customized
- Built-in mail, calendar, feed reader and notes
- Tab stacking and tiling for heavy multitaskers
Cons
- The sheer number of options can overwhelm new users
- Interface can feel less snappy than leaner browsers
- Its interface code is proprietary, unlike Brave or Firefox
Cost / LicenseFreeProprietaryCategoriesTor Browser is a free, open source browser from the nonprofit Tor Project that sends your traffic through the volunteer-run Tor network, hiding your IP address from the sites you visit and your browsing from your network provider. Based on Firefox ESR, it isolates each site, resists fingerprinting by making users look alike, clears history on exit and can open .onion services.
7 Tor Browser alternativesPros
- Hides your IP address by routing traffic through the Tor network
- Fingerprinting resistance makes users look alike
- Built-in access to .onion services
Cons
- Browsing is noticeably slower because of multi-relay routing
- Many sites block Tor or show frequent CAPTCHAs
- No official app for iPhone
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesThe DuckDuckGo browser is a free, privacy-focused browser for iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows that uses DuckDuckGo search and blocks hidden trackers by default. The Fire Button clears tabs and data in one tap, Duck Player shows YouTube videos without personalized ads, and Email Protection forwards mail through @duck.com aliases. It also offers private Duck.ai chat and end-to-end encrypted sync.
8 DuckDuckGo Browser alternativesPros
- Blocks hidden trackers by default with no setup
- Fire Button clears tabs and data in one tap
- Built-in email aliases and Duck Player for YouTube
Cons
- No support for third-party extensions
- Fewer customization options than mainstream browsers
- No Linux version is available
Cost / LicenseFreeProprietaryCategoriesSpotify is a streaming service for music, podcasts and audiobooks, known for personalized playlists such as Discover Weekly and its recommendation features. The free tier is ad-supported with some playback limits, while Premium removes ads, allows offline downloads and includes lossless audio. Spotify Connect lets you move playback between phones, computers, speakers, TVs and cars.
9 Spotify alternativesPros
- Strong personalized playlists and recommendations, like Discover Weekly
- Spotify Connect hands playback between phones, speakers, TVs and cars
- Free ad-supported tier and apps on nearly every platform
Cons
- Free tier has ads and playback limits, especially on mobile
- Podcasts and audiobooks crowd the interface for music-only listeners
- Offline downloads require a Premium subscription
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesApple Music is Apple's subscription streaming service with a large catalog, curated playlists, live radio stations and time-synced lyrics. Subscriptions include lossless audio and Dolby Atmos spatial audio at no extra cost, and the service works with Siri, the iCloud Music Library and Apple devices. It is also available on Android, Windows and the web, with a free trial for new subscribers.
9 Apple Music alternativesPros
- Lossless and Dolby Atmos spatial audio at no extra cost
- Time-synced lyrics, live radio and curated playlists
- Deep integration with Siri and Apple devices
Cons
- No free tier beyond the trial
- Best experienced on Apple devices, with other platforms feeling secondary
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesYouTube Music is Google's music streaming service, combining official albums and singles with music videos, live performances, remixes and covers from YouTube. It builds personalized mixes from your listening and lets you upload your own tracks to your library. The free version is ad-supported and does not play in the background on mobile, while Premium adds background play, downloads and no ads.
9 YouTube Music alternativesPros
- Huge catalog that adds remixes, covers and live versions from YouTube
- Music videos and audio tracks live in the same app
- Lets you upload your own tracks to your library
Cons
- Free version has ads and no background play on mobile
- No dedicated desktop app, only the web player on computers
- User videos mix with official tracks and can clutter search results
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesFeaturesDeezer is a French music streaming service with a large catalog, podcasts and Flow, an endless personalized mix that adapts to your taste. Premium plans remove ads, unlock offline listening and stream in lossless FLAC quality, and the apps include synced lyrics and song recognition. A free ad-supported tier is also available, with features that vary by country.
9 Deezer alternativesPros
- Flow builds an endless mix tuned to your taste
- Lossless FLAC streaming on Premium plans
- Synced lyrics and built-in song recognition
Cons
- Free tier has ads and limits that vary by country
- Offline listening requires a paid plan
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesTIDAL is a music streaming service focused on sound quality, streaming in lossless and hi-res FLAC as well as Dolby Atmos. It offers curated playlists, music videos and detailed artist credits, and integrates with many hi-fi systems and network streamers. TIDAL no longer has a free tier: a single paid plan includes every audio quality level, and new users can start with a free trial.
9 TIDAL alternativesPros
- Lossless and hi-res FLAC streaming included in a single plan
- Detailed artist credits and curated playlists for music fans
- Works with many hi-fi systems and network streamers
Cons
- No free tier, only a trial before the paid plan
- Music discovery features are less developed than on Spotify
- No official desktop app for Linux
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesAmazon Music is Amazon's streaming service for music and podcasts. Prime members can listen to a large catalog in shuffle mode along with some on-demand playlists, while Amazon Music Unlimited is a separate subscription with full on-demand listening, HD and Ultra HD lossless audio and spatial audio. A free ad-supported tier is offered in some countries, and the service integrates closely with Alexa and Echo devices.
8 Amazon Music alternativesPros
- Included with Prime for shuffle-based listening
- Unlimited plan offers HD and Ultra HD lossless plus spatial audio
- Tight integration with Alexa and Echo devices
Cons
- The Prime tier is mostly shuffle play with limited on-demand control
- Full on-demand listening needs a separate Unlimited subscription
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesSoundCloud is an audio streaming platform where independent artists, producers and DJs upload original tracks, remixes, mixes and podcasts alongside major-label catalog. Listeners can comment at specific moments in a track, follow creators and build playlists. Listening is free with ads; SoundCloud Go plans add offline listening and remove ads, and Artist plans give creators more uploads, statistics and distribution.
9 SoundCloud alternativesPros
- Home to independent artists, remixes and DJ mixes found nowhere else
- Timed comments let listeners react at precise moments in a track
- Free listening, plus Artist plans with stats and distribution
Cons
- Free listening comes with ads and no offline mode
- Audio quality is uneven since tracks are uploaded by users
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesQobuz is a French music service focused on high-resolution audio, streaming in lossless and hi-res FLAC up to 24-bit/192 kHz. Alongside streaming it runs a store for buying hi-res album downloads, and adds editorial content such as reviews, liner notes and digital booklets, with a catalog known for its classical and jazz coverage. There is no free tier, but paid plans can be tried for free first.
8 Qobuz alternativesPros
- Lossless and hi-res FLAC streaming aimed at audiophiles
- Store for buying hi-res album downloads
- Reviews, digital booklets and a strong classical and jazz catalog
Cons
- No free tier, only a trial
- Personalized recommendations are less developed than on bigger services
- No podcasts, unlike most mainstream rivals
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesBandcamp is an online music store and community where independent artists and labels sell digital albums, vinyl, CDs and merch directly to fans, who can often choose to pay more than the minimum price. Most music can be streamed before buying, and purchases can be played in the app or downloaded in formats including FLAC, ALAC and MP3. The service is free to use and has no ads.
7 Bandcamp alternativesPros
- Fans buy directly from artists and labels, often paying more than asked
- Downloads in FLAC, ALAC or MP3 that you keep
- Vinyl, CDs and merch sold alongside digital releases
Cons
- Not a subscription catalog: you buy music release by release
- Mostly independent music, with little major-label catalog
- Successive ownership changes raise questions about its future
Cost / LicenseFreeProprietaryCategoriesPandora is a US music streaming service built around personalized radio stations, based on the Music Genome Project's analysis of songs. Listeners shape stations with thumbs up and thumbs down, and can also play podcasts. The free tier is ad-supported, Pandora Plus adds offline stations and fewer limits, and Premium adds on-demand listening. Owned by SiriusXM, it is available only in the United States.
8 Pandora alternativesPros
- Music Genome Project powers well-tuned personalized stations
- Thumbs up and down make each station easy to shape
- Free ad-supported tier to get started
Cons
- Available only in the United States
- On-demand listening requires the top Premium tier
- Free tier plays ads and limits skips
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesFeaturesVLC is a free and open source media player from the VideoLAN non-profit that handles most video and audio formats, DVDs, audio CDs and network streams without installing extra codecs. It supports subtitles, hardware decoding, filters, format conversion and streaming, and can be extended with add-ons and skins. It runs on desktop and mobile platforms, with no ads, tracking or paid tier.
9 VLC media player alternativesPros
- Plays almost any file, disc or stream without extra codecs
- Free and open source, with no ads or tracking
- Available on desktop and mobile platforms
Cons
- Interface looks dated next to more modern players
- Advanced settings are buried in complex preference menus
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesPlex is a media platform that organizes your movies, shows, music and photos with Plex Media Server and streams them to apps on phones, TVs, consoles and browsers. It fetches artwork and metadata, transcodes when needed and offers free ad-supported movies and live TV. Core features are free, while a Plex Pass subscription unlocks extras such as hardware-accelerated transcoding and remote playback of your own media.
9 Plex alternativesPros
- Polished apps on phones, TVs, consoles and browsers
- Rich artwork and metadata for movies, shows and music
- Free ad-supported movies and live TV alongside your own library
Cons
- Remote playback of your media and hardware transcoding need Plex Pass
- Requires a Plex account, with sign-in depending on Plex servers
- Ad-supported content clutters the interface
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesJellyfin is a free, open source media server for hosting your own movies, TV shows, music, books and photos and streaming them to web, mobile, TV and desktop clients. Forked from Emby in 2018, it has no premium tier or tracking: hardware transcoding, live TV and DVR, multiple users and plugins are all included. The server runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Docker and many NAS devices.
9 Jellyfin alternativesPros
- Completely free, with hardware transcoding and DVR included
- Open source, with no tracking and no premium tier
- Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Docker and many NAS devices
Cons
- Client apps are less polished than Plex or Emby on some devices
- Remote access needs manual setup such as a reverse proxy or VPN
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesKodi is a free, open source media center, originally known as XBMC, designed for the big screen and remote controls. It organizes local and network movies, shows, music and photos with artwork and metadata, plays nearly every format, and is extended through add-ons, skins and PVR backends for live TV. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and small devices such as the Raspberry Pi.
9 Kodi alternativesPros
- Big-screen interface designed for remote controls
- Extensible with add-ons, skins and PVR backends for live TV
- Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and the Raspberry Pi
Cons
- Setup and configuration take time for newcomers
- Third-party add-ons vary in quality, and some carry legal or security risks
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesEmby is a media server that organizes your movies, shows, music and photos and streams them to apps on the web, mobile devices, smart TVs and consoles. It supports multiple user profiles with parental controls, automatic metadata and live TV. The server and basic apps are free, while an Emby Premiere subscription unlocks extras such as hardware transcoding and DVR. Emby moved away from open source in 2018.
7 Emby alternativesPros
- Streams to web, mobile, smart TVs and consoles
- Multiple profiles with parental controls and live TV
- Automatic metadata keeps libraries well organized
Cons
- Hardware transcoding and DVR require an Emby Premiere subscription
- No longer open source, unlike its fork Jellyfin
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategories
