List of recommended Android software

Warning: This page has not been actively updated in nearly a decade. You can help fix it

Google's Android is one of the two primary competing cellular phone systems (with the other being Apple's iPhone). Android was formerly the Hacker's choice due to its GNU/Linux kernel and it's open-source nature.

In the intervening years since its initial release in 2008, Android has increasingly become locked-down to the End-User and continues to be harder to root and hack. If you know what you're doing, you can easily turn your Android phone into a nearly-fully functioning computer. Many forums and communities exist for this very purpose, and specialty software exists for these tasks. This specialty software is prone to change often and frequently, and does not always work on every single cellphone. Much of this software is also maintained by Indian Programmers or the Chinese.

Universally recognized software for accessing higher functionality includes Termux, a Terminal Emulator and Magisk, a root-level module installer.

This page is filled with high-quality, up-to-date and mostly open-source software. Android uses a package type known as APKs, which can be acquired from Google Play, or alternative App Stores not requiring Google Services such as F-Droid. Always exercise caution when installing from third-party repositories.

Custom ROMs

Occasionally phones will ship with bloatware that you cannot remove. To solve this, either use the Universal Android Debloater or consider a Custom ROM.

App Stores

• F-Droid (FOSS Repo) — F-Droid is more or less the most popular alternative to the default Google Play store as all your main FOSS applications can be found here (sometimes even paid versions of software on the Google Play store are avaliable on F-Droid for free). Allows you to add repository locations as well.
• Aurora Suite — Popular FOSS client alternative to Google Play Store. Only sane Google Play Store front-end.
• You can also download APK files directly from Google Play with Evozi's APK Downloader. Be wary of third party sources that claim to provide unmodified APKs from Google Play if an app signature, checksum or other means of verification is not available. Some may bundle in malware or adware.

Web browsers

• Cromite
  • Based on Chromium, FOSS and respects your freedoms;
  • Baked-in ad-block engine with filters from EasyList, EasyPrivacy and others
  • Removes click-tracking and AMP from search result

• Fennec
  • Based on the latest Firefox release (codenamed Fenix).
  • It has proprietary bits and telemetry removed, but still connects to various Mozilla and Google services that can track users.
• Iceraven
  • Based on Mozilla's Fenix version of Firefox, GeckoView and Mozilla Android Components.
  • about:config support
• Mull
  • Privacy oriented and deblobbed web browser based on Mozilla technology.
  • Enables many features upstreamed by the Tor Uplift project using preferences from the arkenfox-user.js project.
  • It is recommended to install 'uBlock Origin'.
• FFUpdater
  • Easy way to manage installations of a variety of browsers from Git. Includes Cromite, Mull, Iceraven and more

Imageboard browsers

• KurobaEx -- A Kuroba fork including captcha support, new thread navigation, external archive support, new media viewer, mpv support, and lots of other minor improvements. Archived.
• Chance -- An imageboard browser that also works on iToys. Has similar features to Kuroba/Ex and it is still in active development.

Communications

For most users, the app will you use to communicate will be dependent on the platform your friends use (or you have forced them onto). Most platforms will have their own app that you can use however they will usually contain many anti-features. Some platforms have 3rd party apps which may not save your privacy but may make your experience better.

Majority of the apps here will only work if both parties have it, otherwise it simply is a fancy replacement for the Messages app.

• Element — The flagship client for the Matrix protocol.
• FluffyChat — Like Element, but with a much less ugly UI.
• Signal — The successor of TextSecure and RedPhone. It provides end-to-end encrypted VoIP and IM over Wi-Fi or cellular internet using your existing phone number. It is recommended by both Snowden and Bruce Schneier. It previously required Google Play, but now you can download the APK from the website directly
• K-9 Mail (Email) — supports OpenPGP if APG is installed.
• FairEmail — Open source, privacy friendly email app
• Revolution IRC — Decent IRC client. Is open source.
• SimpleX Chat — Decentralized instant messenger. Open source and requires no identifying info such as phone number to use.

Music

• GoneMAD Music Player — (Paid proprietary) Know the recently released Foobar2000 for Android? This app more or less is what its' devs are trying to recreate - and they can't do it, despite the fact that it was in development for years. Supports a shitload of formats including .opus(!!), and it has a decent UI, which is reminiscent of Vanilla Player and Rocket Player combined. Good, robust app.
• Vanilla Music — A superior FOSS music player.
• SicMu Player — Ultra barebones lightweight FOSS music player that's based on folders displayed in a file hierarchy tree view, in addition to some nice basic features.
• Auxio — A simple, rational music player based on Material Design

Video players

• VLC — It's VLC. It plays everything.
• mpvKt— /g/s recommended desktop video player, on Android. Has a nice GUI. Suggested for those who want a more lightweight FOSS video player.

YouTube

• NewPipe — A lightweight YouTube front end without the botnet. Can download videos for offline viewing, play audio in background, play videos in a small window while using other apps. Supports subscriptions without a Google account. Can be used for Soundcloud, MediaCCC, PeerTube and FramaTube as well. It is under heavy development, updated regularly.
• Skytube — YouTube client with hardware acceleration. Has similar features to NewPipe.
• LibreTube - Open source YouTube client that uses the Piped API. By default, it proxies video through a Piped instance which means your IP isn't exposed to Google, and also includes SponsorBlock integration. Can save subscriptions and playlists locally without an account.

Privacy and Security

• AuthPass — KeePass compatible password manager.
• Bitwarden — FOSS Cloud password manager.
• Ente Auth — Simple 2FA manager.
• NetGuard — Firewall that works as a local VPN.
• Karma Firewall — Easy to use firewall.
• OpenKeychain APG (OpenPGP) — PGP keychain managers.
• Shelter — Uses the work profile feature to isolate apps from having access to files, contacts, apps, etc., from the main profile. The isolated apps can also be freezed.
• Wi-Fi Privacy Police — Defeat certain methods of Wi-Fi location tracking.

Ad-blockers

• AdAway — Blocks ads by editing host files - requires root. Can also be used without root by using the VPN slot for it.
• Adguard — Works as a local VPN. Also battery hungry, but lets you use a firewall even if you don't have root, and can filter mobile traffic.
• DNS66 — Blocking host names through DNS. Can be used for ad-blocking. Best part is that it doesn't require root, or fucking around with proxy settings. Worst part is that it's got a couple of issues. Be a good /g/entoomen and help the dev find and squash bugs, or suggest features.

File Managers

• Ghost Commander — Another Norton Commander clone. Gives access to all files on the device.
• Amaze — Extensible file manager with Material Design.
• Little File Explorer — Ultra lightweight and barebones file manager with all the basic features you'd probably need and literally nothing more. Supports Android 1.0+

Navigation

• Organic Maps — Privacy-respecting OpenStreetMap based mapping with a clean interface.
• MAPS.ME — OpenStreetMap based offline map and turn by turn navigation.
• OsmAnd — OpenStreetMap based mapping. Allows you to store detailed mapping info locally for offline access.

Photography And Photo Gallery

• Open Camera — Feature-rich open-source camera app.
• Obscuracam - FLOSS camera app made by The Guardian Project to obscure faces in photographs.
• Fossify Gallery - Simple, easy-to-use gallery.
• QuickPic Gallery - An open-source fork of the original excellent media gallery app.

Torrents

• LibreTorrent — Free and open source torrent client, very similar to Flud but without the ads.
• BiglyBT

Miscellaneous

• AntennaPod — An Excellent podcast manager that is available on F-Droid.
• Transistor — A bare bones app for listening to radio programs over the internet.
• Forecastie — Get the weather forecast for anywhere in the world, cached for offline use.
• Kiwix — A web reader for offline content, notably Wikipedia.
• Aard2 -- Offline dictionary and wiki reader for .slob files.
• LesserPad — A simple text editor that saves documents in plain-text format.
• Feeder — Auto-updating RSS feed reader with full text extraction (no more truncated feeds).
• Survival Manual — Learn how to survive innawoods. A great companion for both veterans and newbies alike. Hell, it's a good read even if you're not going anywhere. Guide is based on the (public domain) US Army Survival Field-Manual FM 21-76, and is fully working offline. Even has illustrations.
• microG — FOSS re-implementation of Google's proprietary Android user space apps and libraries. Great for those who desire a bit more privacy, but still want to continue using Google's services. When used on older phone, it can even better your battery life. Implementation status can be viewed here.
• MuPDF — The Android port of a well known and efficient PDF reader. There is also a mini version with less bloat.
• KOReader — Excellent document reader app designed for E-Ink devices. Supports many common file formats. Respects your privacy together with a good balance of being feature-rich, yet simple to use. Comes with sane defaults but offers extensive customization. Overall a great app for reading.
• Tachiyomi — Free and open source manga reader for Android
• Diary — a Diary (not bloated). Notes are stored as .txts, sorted by dayte and put in /year/month subdirectories. Includes calendar interface to help navigate notes.
• Suntimes — Tracks sunlight and moonlight times. Features an app, alarm clock, and widget collection.
• Cronometer — Non-free but excellent nutritional database and calorie-counting app.

References

¹ Has a bookmark of /g/ in one of the demo screenshots.

External links

• Prism Break — Lists software that respect your freedom and privacy (and points out those which do not).

See also

• List of recommended Windows software
• List of recommended GNU/Linux software
• List of recommended OS X software