Over the years we have seen many quality apps appear in the Play Store, so we at Android Police have decided to round up our favorites, the best of the best, the absolute best for everyday use. Like our best collection of Android games, today’s app list has everything you need to get started as a new user, and we haven’t forgotten our old readers as we’ve added a few less notable apps.
So if you can’t wait to see what tops AP’s best apps list, you’ve come to the right place. Lots of fun!
Google Maps:
Let’s simply get started with Google Maps. It’s an app that most of us will surely have used and known, but that doesn’t detract from the usefulness of this list. Google Maps is a basic model, let alone mobile map software, and for good reason it remains one of the best maps and navigation software available today.
Google Maps is a great app for food, gas stations to stop and you can even rate places you’ve been. In addition, the navigation aspect is sublime. While I know people love Waze, there’s no denying that Google Maps is being used by more and more people, growing its crowdsourced content much faster than any other mapping software. So if you’re looking for a ride, the closest bike path, or just want to know how long it takes to get to the grocery store, Google Maps is probably the place to look for that information.
Open Table:
If you happen to eat out a lot because of drinks and family outings and often book yourself, OpenTable is an absolute must to easily book a table. And if you’re a foodie, OpenTable is also a great discovery app for finding the best food in your area. Add the best user reviews and you have the perfect app to find not only great food that is well-reviewed, but also the perfect app to secure your table on the day of your choice.
Best of all, OpenTable is free and has no in-app purchases to make the experience cluttered. What you see is what you get and what you get is a quality restaurant search and reservation app. What is wrong?
Duolingo: language lessons:
Learning a new language is a challenge, but there are many apps that can help you with that. Duolingo is exceptional at covering over 35 languages with small, easy-to-digest lessons. Basically, the company has gamified new language learning and apparently this method helps keep users motivated. You can even track your progress to make sure you reach your goals.
Please note that if you choose to use the app for free, the content is limited. There’s an optional subscription that costs $6.99 per month, and the first 14 days of full access are free, so you can check it all out before spending any money yourself. So whether you’re excited to learn a new language or just picking up useful phrases for your next trip, Duolingo is definitely within reach with its easy-to-use lessons.
Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard:
One of the great things about Android is its versatility: you can replace some of your core components, such as the software keyboard, with third-party tools. So if you’re not a fan of Board or just want to try an alternative that many Android users prefer, Microsoft SwiftKey keyboard might be what you’re looking for.
SwiftKey is a full-featured software keyboard now owned by Microsoft that brings excellent swipe-based input to the table. Like many software keyboard apps, this version learns as you type, so ideally the predictions will improve as you use it.
Sync with reddit (Pro):
There are many Reddit apps, some have come and gone and some have stuck. Syncing with reddit is one of the pillars, it’s been around for years, has always been actively developed and it’s my personal reddit app. It has an easy theme, suitable for both phones and tablets, and you can even browse Reddit if the servers are having problems, which seems to be quite common in recent years.
As with all Reddit apps, issues can occur, but at least the developer responds so you know these issues won’t last too long. Reddit Sync is ten years old, but it is still popular because it is reliable.