20 powerful Android apps that aren't on the Google Play Store

There aplicativos that, although they are not in the Google Play Store, can be extremely useful in your daily life. You probably don't know many of them. Therefore, we have gathered here 20 powerful apps and maybe download it on your Android. With these aplicativos, you will have access to a multitude of functions that you can hardly find in apps conventional. Check it all out below!

Before you start: warning

Download applications outside Google Play Store It can pose risks, so it is necessary to be very careful and find out the origin of these applications. The applications of Google Play Store are evaluated correctly for the latest platform Android. Therefore, apps that pose some risk are often removed from the store. Apps that are not in Google Play Store may contain bugs or malware. Take care!

How to enable your cell phone to download applications outside the Play Store

First of all, change some settings on your phone Android to enable the process and be able to install applications from third-party stores.

1 – Go to “Settings” and access the “Apps and notifications” option.

2 – Scroll down the page and click on “Advanced”.

3 – Then, click on “Special access to apps” and select the “Install unknown apps” option.

4 – Look for the application you intend to use and enable the “Allow from this source” option switch.

Why download apps outside of the Play Store?

Even with the risks when downloading applications outside the Google Play Store, there are good reasons to do this. Especially if you're careful. Applications can be removed from Google Play Store because of bugs or malware, but there are also cases where they are removed due to content, functionality or for censorship reasons to comply with local laws.

WallMan

With this application, you can access several previously released pixel wallpapers and use them on your cell phone. Android. With it, you can also customize wallpapers, such as movement, shapes and designs so that everything looks just like you.

You will find wallpaper customization features offered by Pixel 4, Pixel 5 e Pixel 6 e Pixel 8. This way, you won't be limited to wallpapers created just for your device and will have plenty of options.

Pairdrop

When trying to share a file from Android to a iPhone, you may have some kind of difficulty, even if it is a small file. The application Pairdrop can facilitate this process, as it is very simple to share files to iPhone, Android, PC and even for the Mac.

The best thing is that you don't even need to download anything, you can use the website pairdrop.net. This is possible because both devices can be found there. All you will need to do is tap the link on one of them and then copy the code to the other device. Regardless of the size of the file, you will be able to transfer it very quickly and efficiently.

FFShare

Another very common problem is when we try to send a file via email address and this is not possible because of its size. O FFShare can be extremely useful when this happens. With it, it is possible to compress the size of the sending file, and best of all, without changing the quality and with the same dimensions as before.

You just need to share the desired media on the app and it will do all the work of shrinking the file for you. In the case of videos, it may take a little longer to decrease, which is normal.

Forest

If you are trying to have healthier habits such as walking, running and the like, this application that is not on the Google Play Store can help. Through it, you can count the steps, calories burned and the distance covered in an exercise.

What sets it apart from many health apps is that it also shows the amount of carbon dioxide you managed to save by choosing to walk instead of using motorized vehicles. Another very positive point is that it has a mechanic in which you can plant trees within the application as you reach certain goals. This will certainly make you more motivated.

Smartspacer

O Google has promised to add a toggle feature where you can see a summary of different applications on your cell phone screen, but, for now, nothing new. Until this happens, we can count on the SmartSpace.

You can easily track various information, such as subscribers to YouTube, weather information, general notes, updates, background data, and more. You can also use this feature on the lock screen. Among the positive points, know that the application works on any Android and it's completely free.

Smart dock

With this application you can launch your favorite applications regardless of the screen you are on. If you don't have a foldable phone, the Smart dock can offer you the same experience. By tapping the left corner of the screen, you have access to recently used applications or you can open all applications at once.

Furthermore, you can add some very interesting features, such as an assistance button, settings, among other things. This way, you can better organize your cell phone. The application still needs some adjustments, but it is progressing well. It could be very useful for you!

SaverTuner

The battery of some Androids can be quite limited. That said, the app SaverTuner You can limit some functions to help you in this aspect. With this application, you can disable animations, activate data saving, adjust brightness, among many other adjustment possibilities.

Beat

This application is essential for you who use the Android 14, given that you can access various information about the health of your cell phone's battery and the number of charge cycles. But, on other devices, this information cannot be accessed as it is 'hidden' in the cell phone's operating system. In this case, the Beat can help you by providing this information to you.

squawkers

Here is an application that is very different from the ones mentioned so far. O Squawquer offers an alternative to Twitter ou X. You may not like its interface right away, since it's not as attractive as the original app, but you have the same interaction possibilities.

You can have access to the same timeline that you would find on Twitter or X. The big advantage of using this application is that it does not have ad trackers or unwanted advertising. Another possibility it offers is to access accounts that have blocked you in the original application. This is if the user's account is open to the public, like yours.

Chromite

This application is a little better known than some on this list. Basically, it is an alternative browser. It works the same way as the Chrome. The difference and advantage is that you will not find unwanted advertising, trackers and advertisements in general on the websites you follow. The application is updated weekly.

Hail

You know that useless app that you always wanted to uninstall and disable from your phone, but couldn't? Good as Hail you will be able to remove it. Not only that, but the application offers other options, such as freezing them, hiding them or disabling them altogether. This is also a way to save your cell phone's battery, in other words, very useful.

Force Doze

If you are looking for an application that helps you save battery, the Force Doze and to you. It activates a feature called Android Twelve as soon as you turn off your screen. So, if you feel like your battery drains too quickly, even when your cell phone is turned off, this can help you a lot. To be very clear, know that this is a feature that can prevent many applications from running that have the power to drain your battery.

Some applications in this style will only be activated after the cell phone has been turned off for more than 30 minutes. As Force Doze, this feature is activated immediately without any timer, and the motion sensors are also deactivated so you can move your cell phone without deactivating the function.

WallpaperExport

This application allows you to extract the current background. This way, you can transfer your wallpaper to someone else, even if you don't know where you found it. The app is also useful when you want to transfer wallpapers that are saved on your phone.

Audile

Audile is a great alternative app to Shazam e Google Assistant. The application has the ability to recognize more than 80 million songs. After finding the song on App, you can still search for it on streaming. It covers a much larger number of songs than other conventional apps.

exteraGram

O exteraGram is an alternative to Telegram. It doesn't have many features, but it has good advantages that justify its use. For example, it shows what you change in settings with illustrations. In addition to these benefits, it can also improve the camera on some cell phones. Another advantage is being able to change double-tap actions for sending messages. The only negative point is that it is not updated very often.

Camera Folder

This app allows you to take a photo of a recent page. This helps, because instead of selecting an old photo, you take another one right there. It seems very silly, but it can be very useful.

AutoDND

It's very useful when you're in a game and it automatically turns on do not disturb mode, right? With this app, you can do the same. The difference is that you can choose which applications you want this function in. For example, you can watch videos on YouTube without being disturbed.

Canada

With this application, you have the possibility of transferring APKs (file used to install applications on Android devices) of your applications and thus store them. By doing it this way, you can transfer the APKs to your friends or another desired device. The advantage is that you don't need any root (allows the device to execute unavailable privileged commands).

URLCheck

Surely you have already wanted to click on a specific link, but as it was suspicious, you thought it was better to leave it alone. O URLCheck may be useful in this matter. When you click on a link, it provides you with a summary to check in advance whether it is a link that poses threats, whether it has tracking or even a virus. The best thing is that it allows you to open the link but with the right applications. This way, you will not be directed to the browser.

Obtainium

Well, with these applications out of the Google Play Store, it can be difficult to know when you should update them. O Obtainium is a facilitator of this process. It will show you when you need to update applications without having to go to each one's website. You will only need the URL from where you downloaded them. This way, you can update everything within the Obtainium.

Other stores to download applications

There are some third-party store options outside of Google Play Store and other application stores besides APKMirror. Other popular stores for downloading apps outside of Google Play Store include: APKPure, Aptoide, F-Droid, TapTap, among others.

See also other features

How to update apps on Android?

How to update apps on Android

Sources: HowToMen; TechViral; AndroidPolice

Text proofread by: Pedro Bomfim