These are our picks for the perfect Android apps of 2024

The 12 months is drawing to an in depth, and which means it’s time for our greatest Android apps of 2024 breakdown. It’s been an unimaginable 12 months for tech usually, however we’ve additionally seen some notable Android app developments from firms huge and small. And sure, whereas generative AI-influenced apps closely affect this record, these genuinely sensible apps that make smaller digital duties a lot simpler will nonetheless get their time to shine right here.

We picked our favourite apps primarily based on their affect on us over the previous 12 months, their performance and effectiveness, and their novelty. Our foremost record under particulars the perfect Android apps launched in 2024. Nevertheless, as a result of we’ve used varied instruments throughout the 12 months, we’ve additionally included one other part for older apps that stole our hearts. With out additional ado, listed here are the perfect Android apps of 2024.

Focus Go

The very best new Android gallery app, bar none.

• Value: Free
• Developer: Francisco Franco

Focus Go is an easy Android gallery app, however don’t let that modest description idiot you. The app places your pictures entrance and middle, and that’s splendidly refreshing within the age of AI and have creep.

So, sure, you gained’t discover any AI gimmicks, modifying instruments, or further options right here. This app was made to showcase your pictures and nothing extra. This acute focus makes Focus Go extremely swift, usually loading mountains of pictures in little to no time.

It might sound threadbare, however Focus Go is a type of uncommon Android apps that nails the one factor it units out to do.

Google Gemini

A must have Android utility and worthy inheritor to Google Assistant’s throne.

• Value: Free, with premium subscription tiers obtainable
• Developer: Google

I used to be skeptical when Gemini launched and promised to overthrow Assistant as Google’s chief digital helper. However for the reason that app launched in February, we’ve seen numerous new additions to the platform.

Because of a sluggish however assured rollout of extensions, the arrival of Gemini Reside to extra areas, and its newer capacity to recollect person preferences, Gemini has grow to be a necessary app for Android smartphone customers. I’ve used Gemini Reside for all types of queries, from cooking to common information conversations, whereas Gemini has provided unimaginable insights into e mail formation, doc creation, and extra.

Mozilla Thunderbird

The very best new unified e mail app for Android.

• Value: Free, with elective in-app purchases
• Developer: Mozilla Thunderbird

Mozilla Thunderbird lastly launched the secure model of its long-awaited Android e mail app, and it’s a superb debut. It borrows closely from Ok-9 Mail, however utilizing this legendary app’s useful bones as a base is sweet.

Thunderbird collates emails from varied accounts: Hotmail, Webmail, Yahoo, Gmail, and past. It additionally features a unified inbox, permitting all these emails to be considered in a single stream. Certain, it lacks the AI trappings of Gmail and the intensive options of Outlook, but it surely’s a great begin. Thunderbird desktop customers can simply import their configurations to the Android app, making it a seamless providing for legacy customers.

Blackmagic Digital camera

A wonderful handbook video recording app for Android customers.

• Value: Free, with elective in-app purchases
• Developer: Blackmagic Design

Fashionable smartphones are highly effective pocket video recorders, able to sucking up 8K shifting pictures with out fuss. Whereas native digicam apps are nice, professionals and lovers require one thing extra critical. That’s the place Blackmagic Digital camera fills a distinct segment.

Initially an iOS unique, Blackmagic Digital camera arrived on Android in 2024 to supply customers handbook controls, fast entry to border fee, a lens picker, and one other picture adjustment. Customers can view a histogram and different standing indicators from the primary recording display. Extra critical customers can profit from DaVinci Resolve help, and there’s additionally an choice to save lots of clips to Blackmagic’s cloud storage service for paying prospects.

Notably, the app added help for a number of premium flagships with its newest model, but it surely doesn’t provide LOG help — one thing that may’ve taken the Android model of the app into the must-have class. It’s a terrific package deal, however we hope Blackmagic takes it to the following degree subsequent 12 months.

Arc Search

The very best new Android browser of the 12 months, infused with AI goodness.

• Value: Free
• Developer: The Browser Firm of New York

Arc Search is a browser on the floor however capabilities extra like a solution engine on Android. Its nifty Browse For Me function supercharges this side, instantly answering search queries (assume Perplexity) with bullet level solutions and a listing of sources. Customers can even use it as a conventional browser, roping in Google and co. for common searches.

I wasn’t a giant fan of Arc Search at launch, however the app has obtained a number of updates. It’s now a terrific companion browser for these needing fast internet entry.

ElevenLabs Reader

Flip any book, PDF, or web site into an audiobook.

• Value: Free, with elective in-app purchases
• Developer: Eleven Labs

ElevenLabs isn’t getting a Christmas card from me this 12 months, no less than not after it killed Omnivore, top-of-the-line read-it-later apps I found far too late. Nonetheless, its progressive Reader app does earn it a gold star in my guide.

As its identify suggests, Reader makes varied doc codecs audible, remodeling them into audiobooks. Its trump card is its capacity to vocalize this content material utilizing varied AI voices, together with celebrities. Sensible options, like playback velocity, the flexibility to import easy textual content paperwork, and an simply navigable UI, add to the app’s attraction as a research information or a hands-off article reader.

AI is in all places in 2024, generally to no actual impact, however Reader is a wonderful instance of how helpful it may be when applied accurately.

PixelShot

Get a Pixel Screenshots-like function for any Android cellphone.

• Value: Free
• Developer: Aculix Applied sciences

This 12 months, the Pixel 9 collection obtained some super unique options, and Pixel Screenshots is essentially the most ingenious. It goals to convey some semblance of order and use to your plenty of screenshots. Fortunately, non-Pixel house owners can depend on a third-party Android app referred to as PixelShot to convey the same function to their units.

PixelShot unashamedly dupes Pixel Screenshots, organizing your screenshots folder and summarizing the knowledge utilizing AI. Customers can even go away notes on particular screenshots and seek for particular snippets, making it a helpful archival instrument.

The app makes use of AI to investigate your information and sends some textual content snippets for evaluation, which raises questions on safety, particularly if you happen to screenshot important paperwork. Nevertheless, it’s free and nicely price a attempt.

Clear as Duck

A easy chore administration app for busy households.

• Value: Free
• Developer: wilmo

I’ve at all times discovered it difficult to maintain up with extra mundane chores which might be crucial however simple to overlook. Clear As Duck helped me document these and jogged my memory to sort out them when required.

The app affords customers a protracted set of templates detailing some frequent chores, however you’ll be able to add virtually something to the app that you simply want a reminder for. As an illustration, I like so as to add a reminder to water particular vegetation extra usually than others.

Clear As Duck is amongst my favourite apps of the 12 months, and it completely deserves its place on this record.

Pixel Climate

Google’s refreshed climate app is the perfect new climate app of the 12 months.

• Value: Free; some options require a more recent Pixel gadget
• Developer: Google

Google had a number of hits in 2024, and the revamped Climate app is one in every of them. First debuting on the Pixel 9 collection (therefore the identify I’m utilizing), the app adopted a brisker fashionable design with movable widgets and much more climate metrics. These particulars now embrace pollen notifications, multi-day forecasts, and an AI Climate Report function that decodes and summarizes the day’s information in a sentence.

It is probably not the greatest climate app obtainable throughout the whole Android ecosystem, however Google is clearly dedicated to persevering with to develop its function record.

AInput

Get Magic Compose smarts on virtually any Android gadget and any app.

• Value: Free, with in-app purchases
• Developer: IJP

Lastly, AInput rounds out our record due to its useful AI-fueled textual content recommendations. Like Google’s Magic Compose, AInput affords customers a listing of different recommendations to strains of textual content replies. The app can be utilized in social media apps, when setting up a evaluation on Google Maps or a touch upon YouTube. It additionally integrates an AI internet search function for many who favor guided internet excursions.

Maybe the one concern I’ve discovered with AInput is the prevalence of adverts that mar the expertise. In fact, you’ll be able to pay to take away these.

There are numerous apps we’ve grown keen on in 2024 however have been launched in years previous. It is a particular class I needed to incorporate for these explicit apps.

• Kvaesitso: A light-weight, search-based launcher that’s now my most popular residence display.
• KineStop: An app that helps decrease the consequences of movement illness when utilizing your gadget in a automobile or different car.
• LocalSend: An extremely polished app that permits simple sending/reception of recordsdata between units, together with iOS to Android, and vice versa.
• HeliBoard: A faster, safer various to Gboard with a nifty toolbar that I actually take pleasure in utilizing.
• HotStock: This app notifies you at any time when a product is offered on the market. It’s C. Scott’s choose of the 12 months after it helped him rating a brand new desktop CPU.
• TickTick: Zac swears by this wonderful to-do app, however not for monitoring duties. He makes use of it as a dependable behavior tracker.
• Tropical Hurricane Tracker: This app was my favourite left-field discovery of 2024, simply in time for the North Atlantic hurricane season. It makes it simple to trace storms and observe advisories.
• Wysa: Feeling down or struggling along with your psychological well being? This app’s surprisingly supportive chatbot talked me by some points all year long.

What was your favourite app of 2024? Remark under along with your choose, and vote within the ballot above.