The Best Android Apps Not Available in the Google Play Store.
While Apple was recently forced to offer alternative app stores in the EU, they’ve been around on Android for much longer: the more open nature of Google’s mobile operating system means it’s easier to access apps that haven’t been specifically approved by the Play Store, and the quality and variety of those apps is better than you might imagine.
A leader in this field is F-Droid , a repository of Android apps released as free and open-source software with a focus on security and privacy—both the code and app permissions are presented transparently, and there are no Google-style tracking and analysis features.
With F-Droid, you don’t get the full protection of the Play Store, and you rely on the F-Droid team to keep you safe and secure—the company has an excellent reputation in this regard. However, over the years, this alternative app store has established itself as a reliable source of safe and trustworthy apps, including those recommended below—just make sure you use only reputable apps that are updated frequently.
Now is the perfect time to recommend apps for F-Droid, as the database is under threat from Google’s tightening policy on apps hosted outside the Play Store, which will take effect in a few months. This will mean more checks and less privacy for developers, as well as a more complex process for installing apps from third-party sources (they will still be allowed, but you’ll have to wait 24 hours for each installation).
F-Droid has created a campaign page where you can read about the main concerns and sign a support agreement to help fight this “existential threat.” In the meantime, the best way to support F-Droid and its openness is by using the platform and the excellent apps listed below.
Go to the F-Droid website to install and launch the app store, which will give you access to a library of apps, including those featured here. Once installed, these apps will appear in your Android app drawer as usual.
Paperize
Paperize is a stylish and convenient wallpaper changer that lets you schedule a switch between your chosen background images for your lock screen and home screen. You choose the images and the switching time, giving you more control than with Android’s default settings. The app is intelligent enough to adapt images to your device’s dimensions and offers several handy effects and filters if you need them.
OpenTracks
OpenTracks is a fitness tracking app that respects your privacy—you don’t even need an internet connection or registration. You can use it to track runs, hikes, and bike rides, and display them on a map with details like distance traveled and average speed.
This app doesn’t fully support wearables and fitness trackers, although you can sync data via Bluetooth from some heart rate monitors and cycling computers. Your phone is used as the primary tracking device, so it’s essential to always have it with you.
Windy weather
There are numerous weather apps on the market, but Breezy Weather is a strong contender for the title of default. It can collect meteorological data from numerous publicly available sources and then present it in a variety of interesting and engaging formats.
It’s definitely on par with the stock weather apps that come with Pixel and Galaxy phones, and there are plenty of customization options (including what weather information is displayed and where) and, crucially, home screen widgets.
Chrono
All alarm, clock, and timer apps are pretty similar, right? To some extent, but Chrono has an elegance and intuitiveness that many other similar apps lack. From split times in the stopwatch to time zones in the watch, there’s plenty to explore.
Some of the features I like here are the alarm filters (active, snooze, and disabled alarms are displayed with a single tap), as well as presets in the timer section, which allow you to quickly start a meditation or workout (for example). You also have complete control over the app’s color scheme.
Heliboard
F-Droid also makes keyboards, and the HeliBoard is a fully customizable and flexible keyboard that can also work offline, so your keystrokes or typing patterns are not transmitted to a data server.
Keyboard customizations include key style, layout, and colors. You can add toolbars and dictionaries, customize swipe and long-press gestures, and add sounds and vibration. This comprehensive yet private customization is possible.
Auxio
Auxio is a “simple and streamlined” music player that will take you back to the days before streaming services. It focuses exclusively on local files stored on your device, meaning you won’t have to worry about unstable internet connections, and no one is tracking your music preferences.
It has all the basic features you’d expect, and after importing, your music is neatly sorted by metadata, album, artist, and genre. There’s also a built-in equalizer, a playlist creator, and a range of customization controls.
Librera reader
Librera Reader can turn your phone into a decent e-reader—this app will be of interest to anyone who reads on their phone. It can open a variety of e-book and document formats, from EPUB to PDF, and offers a wide range of customization options.
You can choose how you read documents and e-books, including infinite scrolling from top to bottom, book-style left-to-right scrolling, and even automatic scrolling. All the necessary support for bookmarks, search, and document structure is also provided.