The best Android apps of 2017

2017 was an exciting year for Android users. The ecosystem grew and grew, and the quality of the games and apps has set the bar even higher. We recently published a list of the best Android games of 2017, but now it’s time to talk about apps. It was tough to select just a few because of the sheer quantity of high quality apps, but we’ve made a list of ten Android apps launched in 2017 that we consider most relevant.

GlassWire

Monitoring the data usage of apps on your smartphone is as important as ever, and there is no better tool to get into the nitty gritty than GlassWire. If your Android device starts to slow down, it’s time to find out which applications are causing it. GlassWire is great not only because it tracks app data consumption over time, it also has a very clear, elegant, and colorful interface. If you want to learn more, don’t hesitate to check out our full review. [Download]

Files Go

This year saw the launch of the Go line of applications by Google. New apps and versions of their well known tools were developed to consume less RAM and take up less space on your device. Files Go stands out among the rest as one of the best ways to free up space on your device available in the entire Android ecosystem. It comes with countless options and also works as a file explorer. Everything works phenomenally. [Download]

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft was hard at work in 2017 developing a new strategy for mobile devices, and their launch of several Android apps was just the start. As the year went on, new applications continued to be released that let you take advantage of a lot of Windows 10 functions on your Android device. But what wasn’t expected was the entrance of Microsoft Edge into the eternal battle for domination of the mobile browser market. Although much of its potential lies in the connection between mobile and desktop browsing, it comes with a ton of options and could potentially wipe away the established order of web browsers on Android. [Download]

Socratic

Doing homework has never been easier thanks to the incredibly useful Socratic, an app that has been around on iOS for a while now and was released on Android earlier this year. The educational platform gives you quick solutions to math problems by simply snapping a photo, and also helps solve other questions by redirecting you to Wikipedia. It’s a great tool that if cleverly used can help you learn better. [Download]

Lawnchair Launcher

Many people have fallen in love with the pure Android aesthetic thanks to the Pixel Launcher. The problem is that not everyone can afford a Google Pixel or its kin, but luckily the Android ecosystem is full of pleasant surprises. Lawnchair is an Android launcher that emulates its aesthetic and relevant functions but doesn’t require Nougat to work. It’s without a doubt one of the best launchers of the year, and better yet it’s completely free, open source, and highly customizable. [Download]

Sarahah

Not a year passes without a new social network that carves its own niche thanks to a few unique quirks. 2017 was the year of Sarahah, an app that lets you send anonymous messages to other registered users. It was conceived as a way to get honest commentary, but unfortunately it became another platform rife with cyberbullying. But focusing on just the app itself, it was one of the most relevant new apps of the year and its popularity doesn’t seem to be drying up any time soon. Hopefully they implement some countermeasures to fight abuse on the platform soon. [Download]

FaceApp

Although it started as just another viral app destined to be forgotten after a few months, in the end FaceApp managed to become one of the most popular apps of 2017. Editing selfies and sharing the bizarre results with friends and family became an everyday activity for many people, even with the addition of several controversial filters. Making your face smile, appear older or younger, etc. became one of the most trendy things to do in 2017. [Download]

Adobe Scan

Adobe has stocked Android with a healthy repertoire of useful tools, but one of the most important was Adobe Scan. The app can scan documents with ease and delivers great results. Although it still has a way to go to catch up to traditional scans, it’s an indispensable tool for those who need to digitize paper documents quickly and easily. [Download]

Firefox Focus

Privacy became a major public concern in 2017, and Mozilla has stepped up to the plate with a new browser focused on privacy. Firefox Focus makes it easy to browse the web anonymously and securely. Although it got off to a rough start, consistent updates and improvements have made it a permanent feature on our smartphones. [Download]

Letterboxd

The relevance of cinema in today’s society is unquestionable, but for a long time Android has lacked any quality apps about the seventh art. That ended with the launch of the official app for Letterboxd, the greatest social network for movie buffs around the world. By transferring the majority of its web functions to the app, it became the easiest way to look up information about movies, learn about new ones, or rate your recently viewed films. Its lists of recommended movies are probably the best available anywhere, so if you’re a movie lover you don’t want to miss out on this incredible app. [Download]