Top free Android apps

Note: All apps are free (or atleast have a lite version/ad supported) and are available at the Android Market. More apps/categories will be added :)
Android Market alternatives:

Appbrain app market: Excellent alternative to the standard android market http://www.appbrain.com/app/appbrain...demonkeys.apps

and

Fast Web Installer: Required if you want to install apps from the computer's browser. http://www.appbrain.com/app/fast-web...keys.apppusher



Communication and Internet:

Call/Message Blocking:
Easy Filter (Removed from the market. Thanks Avinash for the tip)

Data based Calling: (free calls via Internet, read the ToS of app before using)
Skype https://market.android.com/details?id=com.skype.raider

Contacts:
Dialer 2: https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

Go Contacts https://market.android.com/details?i...jbapps.contact

Ray Dialer: https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

Touchpal dialer: https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result


Data Usage Monitoring:
3G Watchdog https://market.android.com/details?i...oid.g3watchdog

Dialer:
Go Dialer (part of Go Contacts, look above for the link)
Dialer One https://market.android.com/details?id=kz.mek.DialerOne

Messaging: aka SMS/Texting
Handcent SMS https://market.android.com/details?i...ndcent.nextsms
GO SMS https://market.android.com/details?id=com.jb.gosms

Browser:
Dolphin HD https://market.android.com/developer...olphin+Browser

SkyFire https://market.android.com/developer?pub=Skyfire

Opera Mini https://market.android.com/developer...a+Software+ASA

Opera Mobile https://market.android.com/details?id=com.opera.browser

Social networking:
Twitter for Android https://market.android.com/developer?pub=Twitter,+Inc.

TweetDeck https://market.android.com/details?i...ck.android.app

Twidroyd https://market.android.com/details?id=com.twidroid

Seesmic https://market.android.com/developer?pub=Seesmic

Plume https://market.android.com/details?i...velup.touiteur

Tweetcaster https://market.android.com/developer?pub=Handmark

Tools:


Alternate Keyboard: (Can be installed alongside other Keyboards)

Swype (beta) https://beta.swype.com/

Better Android (options cannot be altered in the free version) https://market.android.com/developer?pub=Better+Android

Go Keyboard https://market.android.com/details?id=com.jb.gokeyboard

MessagEase https://market.android.com/details?id=com.exideas.mekb

AI Type Keyboard https://market.android.com/details?i...aitype.android

Smart Keyboard Trial (nag screen) https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

Thick Buttons https://market.android.com/details?id=com.thickbuttons

TouchPal Keyboard https://market.android.com/details?i...k.smartinputv5

Multiling Keyboard (supports many languages) https://market.android.com/details?i...klye.ime.latin

Anysoft Keyboard: (also supports multiple languages) https://market.android.com/details?i...nysoftkeyboard

Hacker's Keyboard: (has arrow keys, esc, ctrl) https://market.android.com/details?i...ion.pckeyboard

Gingerbread Keyboard (Keyboard from Android 2.3) https://market.android.com/details?i...e=related_apps

Antimalware:
Lookout Mobile Security https://market.android.com/details?id=com.lookout

Anti0-virus Free (AVG) https://market.android.com/details?id=com.antivirus

Application managers:
App2SD https://market.android.com/details?i....gphone.app2sd

Appkik https://market.android.com/details?id=com.diune.appkik

App cleaner:
1 Tap Cleaner https://market.android.com/details?i...phone.acc.free

Android Assistant https://market.android.com/details?i...processmanager

History Eraser https://market.android.com/details?i...nfolife.eraser

Easy Uninstaller https://market.android.com/details?i...fe.uninstaller

Battery monitoring/saving tools:
Battery Dr to Save Battery https://market.android.com/details?i....batterydoctor

Juice Defender https://market.android.com/developer?pub=Latedroid

File Managers:
ASTRO File Manager https://market.android.com/details?i...ature=top-free

File Expert https://market.android.com/details?id=xcxin.filexpert

Explorer https://market.android.com/developer?pub=Speed+Software

ES File Explorer https://market.android.com/details?i...gs.android.pop


Backup Apps:

Dropbox: Official Dropbox app for android https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

SMS Backup & Restore: Backs up your text messages as an xml file. https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

Sugarsync: Official app for Sugarsync app https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

Wuala: Official app for Wuala https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

Productivity:
(a) Dictionary:

Merriam-webster Dictionary: Best offline dictionary tool. And its the official Android app form Merriam-Webster https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result


(b) PDF/Ebook readers:
Adobe Reader https://market.android.com/developer?pub=Adobe+Systems

FB Reader https://market.android.com/details?i...ary.ui.android

Calculators/Text Editors/Password managers:

Handy Calc: Calculator with scientific mode,converter,etc https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

Jota Text Editor: Excellent text Editor https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

KeePassDroid: Keepass for Android. https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result
(tip: use a backup app like dropbox to sync password database between PC/Phone)

System tools:

Androidlost: Lost phone tracker https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

Bluetooth file transfer: File manager with bluetooth support to browse/transfer apps between devices https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

Battery Indicator: Indicates battery status such as voltage,temperature, health, time unplugged etc in the status bar. https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

My Data Manager Free: Mobile Data Usage monitor https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

Network Info II: Complete info about tour network/wi-fi/bluettoth, etc https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result



Reminder/Alarm:

Colornote Notepad Notes: Note taking app https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

ZDClock: Alarm clock, Hourly Chime, Reminder, etc https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result


Task Managers:
If you have Android 2.1 or > you don't need a Task manager, certain apps run like services and start up in a few seconds if you kill them. I am just listing them here in case you have older versions of Android

Advanced Task Killer https://market.android.com/details?i...ature=top-free

SystemPanelLite Task Manager https://market.android.com/details?i...pp.systempanel

Task Panel Xtra https://market.android.com/details?id=sychee.taskpanel

Process/App Monitor:

Use this instead of Task managers.

Watchdog Task Manager Lite https://market.android.com/details?i...t.watchdoglite



Multimedia:

Photography:
(a) Camera tools/pic editors

FX Camera https://market.android.com/details?i...droid.fxcamera

lgCamera https://market.android.com/details?i...epper.lgCamera

Little Photo: Camera app https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

PicSay: Photo Editor https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

QuickPic: Image browser/gallery https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result


(b) Document Scanner:
Cam Scanner https://market.android.com/details?i...sig.camscanner

(c) Bar code/ QR code scanner:
Barcode Scanner https://market.android.com/details?i...client.android
QR Droid https://market.android.com/details?id=la.droid.qr

(d)Screenshot app:
Shootme (ROOT required, but works on certain un-rooted phones) https://market.android.com/details?i...bw.picme.local

NOTE: More apps are listed in Post #4 due to text character limits in vbulletin ----> http://www.avinashtech.net/android/2198.htm#post13232

Thanks a lot Ashwin for this detailed list. It takes lot of time to compile a list and that too for favorite or top ones. Thanks again. Few of the apps from the list are even unknown to me. thanks for compiling it. Useful for any Android phone user.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Avinash

Thanks a lot Ashwin for this detailed list. It takes lot of time to compile a list and that too for favorite or top ones. Thanks again. Few of the apps from the list are even unknown to me. thanks for compiling it. Useful for any Android phone user.

---

LOL. You know I love to test stuff, been testing loads of apps, doesn't take much time to search or download stuff from the Android market.
There are tons of good freewares, but most people don't know where to look. That is why I wrote this post to help them get what they need :)

Will update the first post whenever I come across new free apps :wink:

Guys, feel free to share this post with your friends who use Android handsets.

And of course, your suggestions will be added to the list :thumb:

Continued from Post 1:

Music Players:

³ Cubed: https://market.android.com/details?i...kon.rockonnggl

Cloudskipper: Free Audio Player https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

MixZing: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mixzing.basic

Winamp: https://market.android.com/details?i...ullsoft.winamp


Video Players:

BS Player Lite: Official BS Player for Android. Just like the PC app, its fantastic. https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

mVideo Player https://market.android.com/details?i...t.mVideoPlayer

Mobo Player https://market.android.com/details?i...4r.android.nil

QQPlayer https://market.android.com/details?i....research.drop (my favorite, coz it has no ads)

VitalPlayer https://market.android.com/details?i...go.VitalPlayer

Personalization:

Launchers:
Go Launcher EX https://market.android.com/details?i....go.launcherex

ADW Launcher https://market.android.com/details?id=org.adw.launcher

Weather apps:

Beautiful widgets lite: Probably one of the best weather apps. Temperature Notification in the status bar too https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

Go Weather: Another good weather widget https://market.android.com/details?i...awoz.goweather

Widgets:
Animating Flip Clock Widget https://market.android.com/details?i...dios.flipclock

Battery Widget https://market.android.com/details?i...idgets.battery

Clockr: Text clock widget https://market.android.com/details?i...e=related_apps

Minimalistic Text: Text widget which can display time, date, battery and weather info https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

Retro Clock https://market.android.com/details?i...oclock.android (Thanks Arnab for the tip )

Simi Clock Widget: https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result


Games:
Alchemy: Create different objects/lifeforms from the basic elements https://market.android.com/details?i...ndroid.alchemy

Angrybirds: There are 3 versions. Probably the most popular game on Android https://market.android.com/details?i...vio.angrybirds

Burn The Rope: Accelerometer based game where you have to burn a rope. https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

Cloudy: Another Paper plane game where you have to guide it past various obstacles like wind, clouds,etc https://market.android.com/details?i...en.game.cloudy

Guns 'n' Glory Free: Tower defense type game with a Wild-west theme https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

Inotia 3: Children of Carnia: RPG game https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

PewPew: A cool retro game. sweet graphics https://market.android.com/details?id=com.jyaif.pewpew

My Paper Plane: Accelerometer based game where you control a 3d paper plane https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

My Paper Plane 2 (3D) : Accelerometer based game where you control a 3d paper plane https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

River Pirates Free: Tower defense game with boats and towers https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

Robodefense free: Tower defense game with Robots https://market.android.com/details?i....rdefense_free

Sliceit: Slice the given shape into the required proportions https://market.android.com/details?i...com2us.sliceit

Tank Hero: A Tank game with nice graphics https://market.android.com/details?i...games.tankhero

Townsmen 6 Free: RTS. Similar to settlers. https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

Zenonia 3: RPG Game https://market.android.com/details?i...enonia3.global


Root Apps: (NOT for casual use, inexperienced users. You could kill your phone if you aren't careful with some of these apps )

Adfree Android: Adblocker for android. https://market.android.com/details?i...=search_result

ROM Manager (ROOT Reqd) https://market.android.com/details?i...mmanager&hl=en

Superuser (ROOT Reqd) https://market.android.com/details?i...fou.android.su

Titanium backup (ROOT Reqd) https://market.android.com/developer?pub=Titanium+Track

Someone is working hard to make me work hard :) lol :grouphug:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Avinash

Someone is working hard to make me work hard :) lol :grouphug:

---

LOL.

Just trying to share what I have come across. Hope others can contribute too.


P.S: Updated Post #1: Smart Keyboard Trial Thick Buttons,TouchPal Keyboard ,Multiling Keyboard,Anysoft Keyboard,Hacker's Keyboard and Gingerbread Keyboard (Keyboard from Android 2.3)

Thanks a lot Ashwin!!

Great List of Android Apps Ashwin :clap2: