There’s no question that the Google Play Store is the largest mobile app store out of all of them, and that includes cross-platform stores that serve iOS, Android, Windows, and more. Right now, there are around three million apps and games to choose from in the store, and that number increases by the day. Because of that, choosing decent apps to download is not easy; it’s time-consuming, and it’s a very hit and miss affair.
Let’s face it, while some of these apps are free, some require payment, and not all of them are worth what the developer charges. Likewise, some of the freebies are fantastic, but, sadly, they don’t get the coverage they deserve as many people dismiss free apps as a waste of time.
At the moment, the app store is supported on more than 2.5 billion devices, and, over the years, those devices have improved beyond all recognition. Even the low-end of the spectrum devices offer great screens, fast processors, and lots of other features. Go for a high-end device, and there is little you cannot do with it.
Want to play music or watch a movie on your way to work? Not a problem. Can’t be bothered to cook when you get in from work? Just order in. Are you looking for a hot date on Saturday night? Look no further. All of these and more are easily done on your Android device, but only if you have the right apps for the job. So, you’ve got two choices; spend hours searching the store or let us do it for you.
Top Ten Must-Have Android Apps for 2020
With so many apps to look through, making our choice of just ten was not easy. But we did it, and here, for you, are ten of the very best apps that you should use on your Android tablet or smartphone in 2020.
- Facebook – Free
We had to include it. More than two billion people use Facebook, and, really, not all of them can be wrong, can they? Facebook is by far the largest and most popular social network ever launched, and it just keeps on getting better. Its one of the best ways to keep in touch with your friends and family, especially during current world events when we have little to no contact with anyone. You can share status updates, posts that you found interesting (or not, as the case may be), and you can play games. There’s even a dating section now, you can do your shopping, or you can just browse to see what everyone else is doing. Add Facebook Messenger to it, and you have the perfect social experience.
- Tor Browser – Free
Sure, you get a browser on any Android device – if you are happy using Google Chrome. There’s nothing wrong with that browser, but some people want more privacy, and that’s where the Tor browser comes in. An official desktop browser, it now has its own app. The Tor browser is a complete project that works to the principle that all users should be able to access the uncensored internet in privacy. Tor is used for addressing very specific privacy threats, so ensure you know how it works before you download and use it. It is a complicated browser, so don’t expect it to be lightning-fast; however, if its total privacy you want, that should be no hurdle to you. You can download apps like these and more from the TutuApp Store.
- Signal Private Messenger – Free
Plenty of apps claim to be the most private or secure app there is, and plenty claim to completely protect you. Signal Private Messenger is different – it was specifically built to let you and your friends or family communicate without any worries about being overheard – total privacy. It isn’t just a messaging app; it’s a phone and SMS client that you can route all your calls and text messages through – it does work as a standalone app as well. All calls and messages are encrypted, keeping you safe and away from prying eyes and ears, and the app is pretty easy to use, too, with an ever-improving user interface. You can download apps like these from the Panda Helper appstore.
- Twitter – Free
Twitter often gets called the baby brother of Facebook, the not so popular brother if you like, but that’s a little unfair. Twitter is just as popular as Facebook, and it’s far more instant; things happen immediately on this platform, and it is responsible for the oh-so-popular and much-used hashtag. If you want instant access to breaking news, Twitter is the place to be, and the app makes it easier to get notified of when your favorites post an update. You can follow whoever you want, even your favorite celebs, and stay up with whatever is going in the world as it happens.
- Hulu – Subscription
Hulu is, without a doubt, one of the best streaming apps in the world. Sadly, it isn’t free, but there is a great choice of subscription packages to choose from. With Hulu, you can watch movies and TV shows, classics and current, as well as live sports. For just $5.99 per month, you can unlock the entire library, pay $11.99 a month and ditch the midstream ads, and if you want live TV and DVR capabilities, well, that will cost you $54.99 a month.
- Youtube Music – Free
Most people automatically think of Spotify for music streaming, but Youtube Music is a decent competitor. It provides users with a huge library of music, but it also offers you the opportunity to upload and store up to 50,000 songs of your own. That’s a great way of having all your favorite tunes in one place, especially those you’ve had on your computer since before music streaming became the norm.
- Bouncer – $0.99
A fairly new app, Bouncer, is one of the best security apps ever launched, and it is somewhat unique compared to similar apps. With Bouncer, you can grant an application with temporary permissions. So, for example, you could let Facebook have quick access to your location so you can check in but, as soon as you close Facebook down, Bouncer will cut the permission immediately. This way, you can use social media, and all it has to offer without having to keep going into your settings to stop and start permissions or having to provide those applications with permanent access. It isn’t free, but $0.99 is a small price to pay for what it offers.
- Google Assistant/Google Feed/Google Search – Free
This has to be one of the most powerful apps ever, and it works on pretty much all Android devices. Just download it, enable it, and away you go. You can ask the app whatever you want, and it does have support for several different commands. You can use the apps to control your lights, ask it to do a simple Math calculation, ask it any question you want. And the functionality of this app can be extended with a number of products, such as Google, Chromecast, Bose QC II Bluetooth headphones, and more. Plus, if you want to launch the app quickly from your home screen, there’s a Google Assistant companion app to download too.
- Weather – Free, Subscription available
There are plenty of weather apps available, but 1Weather is one of the very best. With this app, you can see the latest weather in your area, an impressive forecast covering 12 weeks, a radar map to track rain or storms coming in, and even plenty of useful stats. It has a simple, user-friendly design, lots of customizable widgets, and you can even set the app to notify you of any severe weather warnings. On opening the app, you will see some fun facts about the weather, and its simple, minimal design allows you to see exactly what you want to see – the weather – without a screen filled with information. You can use the app for free, which is ad-supported, or you can buy the ad-free version for $1.99. To be fair, the only difference between the apps is the adverts – if they don’t bother you, you don’t have to pay anything.
- Microsoft SwiftKey – Free, In-App Purchases Available
Our last app is one of the most powerful keyboard apps in the app store. It is incredibly customizable and has been in the store for several years. With a great predictive text engine, the app is constantly expanding and improving. Over the years, lots of new features have been added, including the option of buying themes. SwiftKey Flow offers gesture typing, there’s a dedicated numbers row, lots of languages are supported, you can sync your library across all your devices, and much, much more. Owned by Microsoft, it is free, and Microsoft has finally managed not to mess up one of their apps.
Well, we did our best here to find ten apps that we thought you would get plenty of use out of and find lots of value in. Yes, we did include some of the bigger names, like Twitter and Facebook, but we also included lots of little known apps that have been hanging around for years, hidden away in the depths of the store.
Try them, see what you think and share this with your friends and followers.
