The 100 Best Android Apps of 2017

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// Categoriesthe-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 2

  • Browsers
  • Food
  • Health and Fitness
  • Music and Podcasts
  • Personal Productivity
  • Photos
  • Reading and News
  • Security
  • Shopping
  • Social Media and Communication
  • Travel
  • Utilities
  • Video
  • Workplace Productivity

the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 3 Browsers the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 4 Food the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 5 Health and Fitness the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 6 Music and Podcasts the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 7 Personal Productivity the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 8 Photos the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 9 Reading and News the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 10 Security the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 11 Shopping the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 12 Social Media and Communication the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 13 Travel the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 14 Utilities the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 15 Video the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 16 Workplace Productivity

Maybe you just got your very first Android device, or maybe you've been using the best Android phones since they first came on the market. Or maybe, by choice or circumstance, you've factory-reset your phone and are looking at a completely blank slate. Either way, finding the best apps to get your Android device ready to take on the world can be a daunting task. Consider: If you looked at an app from Google Play every second, without stopping, it would take more than 23 days to see them all. Hence this list—a gathering of apps, some new and some old, that represent the very best that Android has to offer.

Our 14 categories are presented alphabetically, and you'll find a little bit of everything from productivity and utilities to food and travel. Note that you won't find any games in this hallowed hall of Android excellence. That's not because we don't like fun. In fact, we love mobile games so much that we've made a separate list for the best Android games.

If this is your first time with an Android device, 100 apps might be too much to deal with right off the bat. In that case, you can start small with our list of 10 must-have Android apps. These are the perfect way to get started with Android, and will cover the basics. Or, if your wallet is feeling a little light, you might prefer the best free Android apps.

When we look for apps to add to this list, we're after those that excel in two areas: uniqueness and elegance. A unique app provides something that no other app can. Take a look at Tasker, which gives you incredible control over your Android device, if you can master its numerous tools. An elegant app may not be the most original app, but the way it accomplishes something makes it a joy to use. Lots of apps let you browse the news, but few do it as stylishly as Flipboard.

We also consider timeliness, design, price, security, and popularity when putting the list together. Each and every app in the list is excellent in its own way. Taken together, they are like a snapshot of the best of the Google Play store at the time of writing. If we missed something, or you have a recommendation, be sure to drop us a line in the comment section below. And now, we humbly present the 100 best Android apps of the year.

Browsers the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 17 the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 18

Dolphin
Free
A clean, tabbed browser, Dolphin delivers an excellent user experience on Android, almost making you forget that you're on a mobile device. Dolphin also supports tight integration with services like Evernote and LastPass, as well as robust settings. My favorite feature is gestures, which might not always be efficient but are definitely cool to use. Dolphin also has integrated ad-blocking and support for Flash. Yes, Flash!


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Firefox
Free
What's incredible about the Android version of Firefox is that it feels as mature, if not more so, than Firefox on the desktop. It's lickety-split fast, and its clean design is a joy on mobile. Mozilla makes a big point about how it doesn't collect your data, and I was pleased to see that the app comes with a full complement of security settings—including an option to protect your information from advertisers. Like the desktop version, Firefox for mobile has a robust selection of plug-ins.


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Opera
Free
Not to be confused with its Mini cousin (see the next entry), Opera is a full-fledged browser for Android. With a slick design, it aims to be your gateway to Web content with features like a built-in news portal and the Opera mobile apps store. Opera also takes it easy on your data plan with special video compression and ad-blocking software.


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Opera Mini
Free
Don't be fooled by its unassuming exterior: Opera Mini is a clever, stripped-down version of the full Opera browser designed to thrive where network conditions are not their best. And it doesn't skimp on features, either. Opera mini gives you access to special Opera Web apps, a handy homepage complete with news and social media updates, a surprising array of powerful security settings, and even ad-blocking.

Back to Top ↑ Food the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 25 the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 26

Cookpad Recipes
Free
Cookpad connects you with a vibrant array of recipes. Easily add favorite recipes, manage shopping lists, and find new recipes you'll love based on those you already like. Once you start using it, you'll have one less excuse to eat out.


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Pepper Plate Recipe, Menu & Cooking Planner
Free
Pepperplate makes it easy to access your recipes from any Android device so you can cook up a storm wherever you go. On the desktop side, the service connects to websites like Allrecipes and Epicurious so you can import recipes (and sync them to your phone) with just one click. You can also easily build shopping lists and keep your recipes handy wherever you are.


Seamless
Free
Remember the bad old days of ordering food? You needed takeout menus, knowledge of the terrain ("will they even deliver out here?"), cash, and faith that the person jotting down your order got it right. Seamless takes care of all that, even letting you pay via credit card from your Android. The downside? The app only supports restaurants in Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington DC. Sorry, everywhere else.


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Untappd

Free
This handy app lets you record each brew you try along with a rating and tasting notes. Think of it as Swarm for beer! No more staring at a tap list, trying to remember which ones you've had before. The app also has a vibrant community of beer drinkers that can point you toward new discoveries, and an extensive list of beers. It's also a handy way to find your favorite brew near your current location. While it's not perfect, it can change the way you think of beer.


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Yelp

Free
It pays to be a little skeptical of crowd-sourced reviews, but Yelp can tell you a lot more than just what people thought of a bar, restaurant, or just about any other place where you spend money. Many locations list hours of operation, contact information, and menus, making it easy to find the perfect spot in your neighborhood or a new city.

Back to Top ↑ Health and Fitness the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 33 the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 34

Clue
Free
Menstruators the world over will rejoice over Clue, a simple app with a beautiful design for tracking one's period and predicting when the next will occur. Using the data you enter about your cycle—and other factors—you can use Clue to plan ahead, whether it's for pregnancy or just to keep ahead of your cycle. Reminders and a handy calendar tool can help take the guesswork out of life. Best of all, it's totally gender neutral, and not pink.


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Eve by Glow
Free
Tracking one's period isn't just about knowing the cycle, but also the other factors surrounding it. Eve by Glow lets you track physical and emotional states, which can lead to some important insights when you take the time to interpret your own data. Eve also boasts a vibrant community and a wealth of information about sexual health built right in.


Fitbit
Free
You might know Fitbit from its popular fitness trackers, but the app that powers those devices works well on its own, too. Using your just your smartphone (assuming you meet the minimum hardware requirements), this fitness app can count steps and log activities to help you achieve daily goals. There are also social features, so you can compete against your friends. It's a must-have (really, you must have it) for Fitbit users, but also a smart choice for anyone looking to be more active.


My Asics Run Coaching
Free
Most running apps charge you a pretty penny to access training regimens. That's not the case with My Asics Run Coaching. This app, for both iPhone and Android, has customized plans for 5K, 10K, 5-mile, 10-mile, half-marathon, or marathon runs. It's also not on a fixed schedule. Instead, the app adjusts your plan based on your running data. This app will get you off the couch and on the road to victory. PCMag has a full review of the iPhone version of My Asics Run Coaching.


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MyFitnessPal
Free
This calorie counter and exercise tracker aims to help you lose weight the old-fashioned way—expending more calories than you take in. With its smart design and an extensive library of foods, it makes quickly logging the calories you take in and what you burn while exercising a snap. A barcode scanner makes it even easier to log that post-workout snack. This fitness app also plays nice with other such apps, so your data won't be tied up in just one place. MyFitnessPal won't give you a whole workout regimen, but it can make you more aware of your habits. PCMag has a full review of MyFitnessPal for the iPhone.


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Runtastic PRO

$4.99
Runtastic can do much more than just track your favorite running routes. This excellent fitness app keeps track of all sorts of useful data and can return information-rich maps to help you plan future outings. It also features a fully integrated music player, for a seamless workout experience. Use it for cycling, hiking, and walking, too.


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Runtastic Six Pack Ab Workout
Free
In today's lazy-yet-busy world, it's difficult to find time to get to the gym to truly blast your abs. If you're trying to build a washboard set, consider Runtastic's Six Pack Ab Workout app. It lets you create a customized workout to target the specific muscles you want to transform into rock-hard edifices of chiseled humanity. Just follow the avatar on the screen through the moves, and you'll be the mayor of six-pack city before you know it. PCMag has a full review of Runtastic Six Pack Ab Workout on the iPhone.

Back to Top ↑ Music and Podcasts

Apple Music

Free
Marking one of Apple's first forays into Android development, Apple Music brings the company's impressive musical catalog to Android. The app is built around Apple's subscription-based streaming service, which dishes up all-you-can listen music for $9.99 per month, or just $4.99 for eligible students. It suffers a bit on Android for being divorced from the Apple ecosystem, however.


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Bandcamp

Free
Filled with both up-and-coming and established acts, Bandcamp is one of the most exciting music marketplaces there is. The app was initially built around streaming songs you'd already purchased on Bandcamp, but now it's a one-stop shop for digital and physical band merch. If you want to keep your finger on the pulse of music, this is an essential app.


DeaDBeef Player
Free
If you're an audio nerd or just prefer to have a lot more control over your music collection, take a look at DeaDBeeF. This sprawling app supports AAC/MP4, ALAC/MP4, APE, FLAC, MOD, MP3,OGG, WAV, and more. There's also a 10-band equalizer so you can get your tunes sounding just so. If the idea of buying Neil Young's weird music player doesn't appeal, DeaDBeef is the next-best thing.


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Pocket Casts

$3.99
Android has struggled with podcasts (they don't call 'em "Droidcasts," after all), but Pocket Casts is here to help. This highly customizable app is great for chilling out with an episode of your favorite casts, and it can also sync among different devices so that you can pick up right where you left off. Time to start listening.


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Slacker Radio

Free
While Pandora may have introduced the world to streaming radio, Slacker Radio has refined it. You can listen to what Slacker thinks you'll like, or try out one of its human-curated channels and playlists. It also has hyper-specific playlists that appeal to particular tastes and moods, such as Yacht Rock.


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Songkick for Concerts

Free
Songkick is the bridge between the music in your digital collection and concerts in your area. Once installed, Songkick scans your device for tunes and then lets you see when and where your favorite artists are playing. If you see a show you're interested in, you can also purchase tickets all from within the app. Add multiple locations to Songkick to catch concerts when you're on the road.


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Spotify

Free
With its huge inventory of music, Spotify has become a mainstay for free, legal music streaming. You can shuffle through smartly selected songs, find your favorite albums, or explore one of the service's excellent playlists. Close ties with artists means that new tracks are sometimes available the same day they hit the shelves in record shops. Those still exist, right?


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Stitcher Radio for Podcasts
Free
Though its interface is a bit tricky, Stitcher connects you with just about every podcast out there. Podcasts are organized by subject, or you can just search for a familiar title. Shows can in turn be organized into playlists for a continuous stream. Once you've exhausted all your favorites, let Stitcher recommend something new. With a special emphasis on sources like NPR, CNN, and ESPN, Stitcher has a little bit of everything.

Back to Top ↑ Personal Productivity the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 55 the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 56

Any.do

Free
At its core, Any.do is a list manager. You can quickly create a shopping list and have it synced among your devices and even share the list with others. The app also doubles as a task manager, keeping you on top of what needs to be done. This very capable app sports many features, but I particularly like one called the Any.do Moment, which encourages you to take a second and review your plans for the day. Lists are one thing, but building good productivity habits is quite another.


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EasilyDo

Free
If you're the forgetful type, EasilyDo is your savior. Once you hook the app up to a slew of supported social and calendar services, it suggests simple actions from a unified dashboard. Did you know it's Susie's birthday? EasilyDo will remind you and suggest you send her a message or a gift. It makes the little things easier, and proves its worth with saved time. It covers everything from to-do lists to tracking packages to storing your travel information.


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Evernote

Free
Once you start using it, this note-taking app becomes a powerful tool for organizing just about everything. Notes can be anything—text, images, audio, or a mix—and are organized into notebooks. One of its killer features is optical character recognition, which makes the text in images searchable. Cloud-storage makes it the perfect tool for organizing the little pieces of a project into a finished draft.


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Inbox by Gmail
Free
Inbox by Gmail isn't a tool for email power users. For everyone else, however, it's fantastic. Google took to heart the lessons of the now-defunct Mailbox and offers a client for Gmail with gestures, reminders, and some of the tricks pioneered by productivity pros. My favorite features include automatic package tracking, travel document detection, and the bundling of like emails. It also happens to be one of the best-looking material design apps to date.


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Mint

Free
Mint is a fantastic online service for keeping track of your finances, and it really shines on Android. Once you've entered all your information, you can easily see where your money is going. And Mint's budgets help you make spending decisions on the fly. Another great feature is the Mint widget, which helps you keep your finances in mind by keeping your account balances in sight. Mint can be a bit overwhelming at first, but it's well worth the effort to learn.


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Pushbullet

Free
If you've ever had to email a link or a picture to yourself because that seemed like the easiest way to get it off your phone, Pushbullet is for you. Simply put, it's the missing link between your PC and your Android. This handy service lets you send notes, URLs, files, addresses, and even lists among your devices. You can even push all these things to your friends, too.


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Wunderlist
Free
In a crowded app store full of to-do apps, Wunderlist for Android distinguishes itself as one of the prettiest and, more importantly, the easiest to use. It's ideal for making to-do lists, grocery lists, or lists shared with friends and family. Best of all, Wunderlist is cross-platform with numerous native apps and a spiffy, interactive website that keeps your lists within easy reach. Purchased by Microsoft last year, this app has a bright future on any device.

Back to Top ↑ Photos the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 68 the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 69

Adobe Photoshop Express

Free
Photoshop CC is a notorious beast of a desktop application, but Photoshop Express is a svelte app, with powerful tools to make the most of your mobile snapshots. Sure, it'll do the Instagram-ish filters, but it also lets you make fine adjustments to images with a beautiful, simple interface. It even seamlessly connects to various other services for sharing.


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Autodesk Pixlr
Free
If you've ever browsed through image-sharing services and wondered where the picture collages came from, Pixlr is a good guess. This photo editor can do more than just build mosaics of pictures. It has a host of effects and adjustments that run the gamut from subtly artistic to ridiculously bombastic—perfect for giving your images a touch more pizzazz.


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Flickr

Free
Remember Flickr? The venerable photo sharing service is an Editors' Choice Web service, and the Android app has a lot to recommend it, too. Offering a free terabyte of photo storage, a truly gorgeous app, and excellent photo and video editing tools, Flickr is more valuable than ever. Plus, the app connects you to the vibrant community of photographers on the service. Best of all, it can automatically back up photos from your phone.


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Google Photos

Free
Google Photos puts the search giant's powerful image-discerning magic into your phone. It can identify faces, even as they age over decades, as well as animals and places. The search results aren't as good as those of Google Image Search, but the app can perform impressive feats such as identifying specific dog breeds. It is rounded out with smart editing tools that use machine learning to manipulate specific aspects of photos, such as skin tone and the deep blue of oceans and skies. The service also offers effectively infinite storage for all your photos, so even if you merely need a dead-simple photo backup solution, it's hard to beat Google Photos.


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Instagram

Free
It seems like just yesterday that Instagram was adding video. Then direct messaging. Then advanced photo editing put it on par with Photoshop Express for image correction and manipulation. The latest addition is Instagram Stories, which will surely be familiar to fans of Snapchat. With a clean, minimalist interface, Instagram is the king of social photo apps.


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PicsArt Photo Studio

Free
With tons of effects, controls over layers, drawing tools, and collages, PicsArt can contend with Photoshop and is one of the best photo editing apps for Android. If you think it's just a lowly Instagram clone, you're wrong. When you're looking to take your smartphone snapshots to the next level, seek out this app.


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Snapseed

Free
Don't get me wrong: I love Instagram. But if you want more control than Instagram affords, try Snapseed. This app straddles the line between full-fledged image editor and filter app, and it brings a lot of useful tools to the table. Best of all is the amount of control it gives you over how filters and effects are applied to your images. Run a photo through Snapseed before Instagramming it.

Back to Top ↑ Reading and News the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 82 the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 83

Calibre Companion
$3.99
Calibre is the giant of ebook management, and this app is the perfect (ahem) companion for it. With just a few clicks, you can add any book from your computer to your device over USB or Wi-Fi. You can also store your ebooks on the cloud for easy access from wherever you are. What's so surprising is how well it works, and how easy it is to use. If you've got a lot of ebooks and are ready to cast off the shackles of Amazon, this is the app for you.


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ComiXology Comics

Free
The Amazon-owned Comixology—the iTunes of digital comics—offers a near-perfect combination of store and comic book reader in its wonderful Comics app. The free app transforms your Android smartphone or tablet into a digital long box that houses and syncs your purchases across multiple devices. Even better, the new Comixology Unlimited service lets you devour an ever-expanding catalog of titles for just $5.99 per month.


ESPN
Free
What impresses me most about the ESPN Android app is the sheer number of sports it covers. Everything from American football to Brazilian soccer to Indy 500 is available. For those unmissable games, you can set alerts and follow specific matches as they unfold. It also connects you to videos and news headlines, courtesy of the popular sports cable network.


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Flipboard

Free
With its slick, streamlined interface, Flipboard is one of the best apps for reading the news. With it, you browse the articles, videos, podcasts, and other media that matter most to you. The app's signature magazine-style interface lets you explore the day's headlines in a gorgeous environment. The Daily Edition feature gives you the most important news along with themed stories for each day of the week. Flipboard has been one of our top picks for years, and it's easy to see why.


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Kindle
Free
The official Amazon Kindle apps puts all of your existing Amazon ebook purchases at the tips of your fingers, and it gives you mobile access to the Kindle ebook store for impulse purchasing. Best of all, it syncs your notes, bookmarks, and where you left off among all your devices.


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OverDrive
Free
The library is an often-overlooked public resource, but OverDrive brings it back into the fold with its app. Supported by over 30,000 libraries worldwide, the app lets you access your local library's array of available eBooks. Use it to download titles, place holds on titles not yet available, and read your borrowed ebooks. The only requirement is a library card (or its digital equivalent).


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Pocket

Free
Your bag of holding for Internet content, Pocket saves articles, images, and videos for later reading. I especially like how it reformats articles for more comfortable reading on a mobile device, and how it syncs content to your tablet, phone, and online account. With the close integration between Pocket and the Android sharing tools, you can pocket just about anything from your phone.

Back to Top ↑ Security the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 94 the-100-best-android-apps-of-2017 photo 95

Avast Mobile Security & Antivirus

Free
Avast has the distinction of packing tons of features into an entirely free package. Inside, you'll find antitheft tools, app management, safe Web browsing, a battery manager, and an antivirus engine that receives top marks from independent testing labs. It's a top choice for Android antivirus apps.


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Bitdefender Mobile Security & Antivirus

$14.95 per year
Need Android antivirus? It's hard to do better than Bitdefender. This app has received perfect scores from two independent research labs, and scans your phone in mere seconds. It also includes excellent phishing protection, powerful antitheft tools, and Android Wear integration.


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Dashlane

$39.99
You're terrible at passwords. Don't take it personally! Everyone is terrible at passwords. That's why we all need apps like Dashlane, which generate, save, and replay login credentials wherever they're needed. This smart, cross-platform service makes sure that your passwords, payment information, and other vital information is stored securely but never out of reach.


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LastPass

$12
After a major overhaul to this powerful password manager its appearance finally matches its performance. With LastPass, you can access your saved passwords, secure notes, and filled forms from your Android, and you can also create new ones that sync to all your devices. The new version of the app ingeniously melds the password manager with a built-in browser, putting the app's auto-login features at the forefront. Staying safe has never been easier.


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Net Nanny

$12.99
Smartphones are a problem for parents. Give one to a kid and they could have too much freedom, use it to talk with strangers on the Internet, access inappropriate content, or just rot their brains with Candy Crush. Don't give a kid a smartphone and they'll be hard to get a hold of, have no emergency contact, and so on. Net Nanny offers a solution with fine parental controls that give kids the benefits of owning an Android while minimizing the risks.


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Norton Family Parental Control

$49.99
When it comes to parental control, it's hard to do better than Norton family Parental Control. You certainly get what you pay for, as this app sports powerful Web filtering, call and text blocking, location tracking, and app management. Best of all, parents can use it to control an unlimited number of devices, so it will suit families of all sizes. The only downside? It doesn't block anime.


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NordVPN

$8.00
With NordVPN you can rest assured that no prying eyes will see your Internet traffic. This app sports an excellent interface, a handy server selection tool, and a hundreds of available VPN servers across the globe. NordVPN's signature feature is its assortment of specialized servers, which are optimized for activities like peer-to-peer downloading, video streaming, and access to Tor.


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Orbot
Free
Tor is probably more famous for providing access to the so-called Dark Web, but it also provides a useful way to connect to the Internet while keeping your movements private. Working with a special browser, Orbot connects you to Tor within seconds. However, I have found in my testing that it sometimes takes a few attempts to get online.


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Private Internet Access VPN

$6.95
On the desktop, Private Internet Access VPN offers the protection of a virtual private network along with numerous advanced features. The same is true on Android, where you can connect to any of its over 3,000 global servers. This service also has the option to block ads and online trackers, if you so wish. It might not be much to look at, but it's among the most powerful VPN services available.

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Amazon

Free
Amazon is the Internet's marketplace; the one place where you can buy just about anything—and it's cheap too! On Android, two of my favorite features are the barcode scanner and photo search, making it easy to surreptitiously comparison shop from one of the brick and mortar stores the site is killing. You can also make purchases from Amazon's streaming video store, but Kindle ebook titles are still unavailable for purchase. Depending on where you live, you can take advantage of super-fast shipping that can sometimes deliver a package before you even get home.


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Google Wallet

Free
Google Wallet has gone through many permutations over the years. Its latest is as a person-to-person payment app, letting you easily send money without pesky cash or credit cards getting in the way. And in that role, it really excels. It's a strong alternative to our top choice, Venmo.


Groupon

Free
The original deal locator for mobile, Groupon partners with businesses to offer low prices to a limited number of people for a limited time. While the value of Groupon's offerings is sometimes debatable, it offers a useful way to try a new restaurant or a totally new activity in your area.


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Pinterest
Free
Pinterest is a social network of stuff, a place to "pin" things that interest you on themed boards. The Android app offers a great way to gather images from around the Web for making lists or just collections of stuff that catch your eye. I've used it to help redecorate my living room and for selecting a tattoo artist. It easily integrates with your browser for fast pinning, and you can view the pins of others for added inspiration.


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Samsung Pay

Free
Here's the bad news: Samsung Pay only works on a handful of devices and, yes, only Samsung devices at that. But if you can get your hands on a phone with Samsung Pay, the world is your electronic payment oyster. Whether it's sending money between devices, paying for something on your phone, or using the built-in magnets to trick card-swipe readers into thinking they've just read a credit card, Samsung Pay does it all. It's nothing short of astonishing.


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Slice
Free
For all our technical savvy and disruptive startups, physical package delivery is still the backbone of ecommerce. The Slice app automatically detects shipping details from your email and then tracks the packages for you. You can watch your precious commodities make their stately way to your doorstep, get alerts when they are delivered, and even receive warnings if they've been recalled or the price has dropped. In short, Slice is an online shopper's best friend.


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Wallaby

Free
Odds are, at least one of your credit cards has some kind of rewards program—be it cash-back, miles, or points. But it's a hassle remembering which ones to use, and where. Enter Wallaby, an app designed to help you maximize your rewards. Consider this handy shopping buddy the next time you look to spend some plastic cash.


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Venmo

Free
There are lots of ways to pay for things with your phone. But Venmo has a smart mixture of clean design, ease of use, and social functions that give it an edge. It doesn't do much, but it does let you easily send and receive payments from friends. And unlike other payment systems, it has momentum. It's usually the app people ask about when the group is splitting up the check.

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Circle of 6
Free
While most social apps are there for fun, Circle of 6 is here for when you're not feeling safe. Two quick taps sends one of three pre-written text messages to as many as six of your contacts. One message sends your GPS location and a request to be picked up, while another asks your friends to quickly get in touch with you. The app also includes links to the RAINN and Love is Respect hotlines.


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Eventbrite

Free
If an event isn't being organized on Facebook, it's probably being done through Eventbrite. This service makes it easy to manage invites, RSVPs, and even ticket purchasing. Attendees get handy reminders about the events they planned to attend, organizers can see guest lists. I particularly like that Eventbrite can generate QR codes, making event check-in a breeze.


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Facebook Messenger

Free
The problem with most mobile messengers is convincing your friends to sign up. But the odds are that most people you know are already on Facebook. This is handy, because the Facebook Messenger app is fantastic. It's simple, clean, and easily handles voice and video calling. But for me, the best part will always be the gorgeous stickers.


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Google Hangouts

Free
Like Facebook Messenger, nearly everyone you know is probably already using Google Hangouts whether they realize it or not. All you need is a Google Account to send instant messages, images, and even participate in video conference calls with up to 12 other participants. Very few other services come anywhere close, and none offer it for free. Tight integration with Google Voice means that you can also use this app to send and receive voice calls and text messages. For some, it's the only communication app they need.


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LinkedIn

Free
Most people are probably familiar with LinkedIn as a service only visited in times of desperation; after being laid off or after a day in the office so bad that you're just not going to take it anymore. While that might still be true, the LinkedIn app aims to be a companion to LinkedIn Web service that you check every day. Sure there's the all-important profile pages showing off your work experience, and the handy tools for networking, but the service now includes visitor metrics and a newsfeed for a decidedly more social feel. It's also sometimes the only way to chat with a businessperson you're looking to connect with. It's like Facebook for grown-ups.


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