Look, we all know the Play Store is a mess. You’ve got millions of apps, most of them are garbage, and finding the good ones feels like searching for a needle in a haystack. I’ve been testing Android apps for years, and these are the ones I actually keep on my phone and use every day.
We have narrowed it down to 15 Android apps must-install apps for productivity, communication, and more.
Getting Stuff Done
Notion
I was skeptical about Notion at first—another productivity app, right? But this thing genuinely changed how I organize my life. You can build your own system for notes, tasks, and projects however you want. I use it for everything from grocery lists to tracking my side projects. The mobile app isn’t perfect, but it syncs fast enough that I can jot down ideas wherever I am.
Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard
If you’re still using your phone’s default keyboard, you’re missing out. SwiftKey learns how you type and gets scary good at predicting your next word. I hardly have to type full sentences anymore. Plus, you can swipe between letters instead of tapping, and it actually works. The themes are a nice bonus if you care about that stuff.
Todoist
I’ve tried basically every to-do app out there, and Todoist is the one that stuck. It’s simple enough that you’ll actually use it, but powerful enough to handle complex projects. You can type things like “meeting tomorrow at 3pm” and it figures out what you mean. The streak counter is weirdly motivating too.
Talking to People
Signal
WhatsApp is fine until you remember Facebook owns it. Signal does everything WhatsApp does—calls, video chats, groups—but your conversations are actually private. Edward Snowden uses it, and that’s good enough for me. The interface is clean and it just works.
Telegram
Telegram is what I use for groups because it handles them way better than anything else. You can send huge files, create channels for broadcasts, and the bots can do some pretty cool stuff. Everything lives in the cloud, so you can pick up conversations on any device.
Music and Podcasts
Spotify
Yeah, everyone knows Spotify. But their algorithm is legitimately impressive. Discover Weekly introduced me to half my favorite bands. The podcast integration is solid now too, though I still prefer a dedicated app for those.
Pocket Casts
Speaking of podcasts, Pocket Casts is worth paying for if you listen to a lot of them. You can speed up episodes without making people sound like chipmunks, it trims silence automatically, and the stats showing how much time you’ve “saved” are kind of fun. Syncs perfectly between my phone and tablet.
VLC for Android
This app plays literally any video file you throw at it. Downloaded a movie in some weird format? VLC handles it. Want to stream from your computer? VLC does that too. It’s free, has no ads, and just works. What more do you want?
Photos
Google Photos
I’ve got like 50,000 photos backed up in Google Photos. The search is honestly magical—type “beach” or “dog” and it finds the right pictures even though I never tagged anything. The editing tools are surprisingly good for quick fixes. Just know that Google is looking at your photos to make the AI work.
Snapseed
When I want to actually edit photos properly on my phone, Snapseed is my go-to. It’s got professional-level tools but doesn’t feel overwhelming. The selective editing feature lets you adjust specific parts of an image, which is huge. And it’s free from Google with no in-app purchases trying to nickle-and-dime you.
The Boring But Important Stuff
Bitwarden
Using the same password everywhere is stupid, but remembering unique passwords is impossible. Bitwarden solves this and it’s completely free for personal use. It fills in passwords automatically, generates strong ones, and works across all your devices. The interface isn’t fancy but it gets the job done.
Files by Google
Your phone gets cluttered with junk over time. Files by Google finds duplicate photos, cleans up cache files, and actually shows you what’s eating up your storage. The offline file sharing is clutch when you’re somewhere with terrible signal.
Tasker
Okay, this one has a learning curve, but hear me out. Tasker lets you automate basically anything on your phone. I have it silence my phone automatically during meetings, launch my music app when I connect to my car’s Bluetooth, and dim the screen at night. Once you set it up, it’s like having a personal assistant.
Your phone should work for you, not the other way around. These apps do that for me, and I think they’ll do the same for you. Just remember to update them occasionally and delete the ones you’re not using. Nobody needs 200 android apps sitting there doing nothing
From smart productivity solutions to everyday convenience apps, each option on this list offers real value. If you’re looking to make your Android phone more useful and efficient, these apps are a great place to start. Don’t forget to bookmark this page and check back for updates as new must-have apps continue to launch.