The year is about to end and as the new year is approaching we decided to take a look back at the best android apps of 2018. Most apps are useful depending on the user, but the list below presents the ones that are ubiquitous with Android. They are the best in their respective functions and are useful to everyone. Without further due, here are the best apps of 2018:

• Dark Sky Weather App

Rather than give you a general idea about the weather in your city, Dark Sky was built to provide hyperlocal forecasts. With Dark Sky, there will be no surprises as it will let you know when it will rain and when the sky will clear as accurately as possible. Dark Sky’s interface is also very interesting and unconventional with its neon clouds and white background. The latest version of the app might be the most conventional, but that only made it better. The app takes a single page scroll view for the forecast from which you can go to the map tab, notifications and a page where you can report the weather in your vicinity to the app, helping it provide better and more accurate weather reporting. You can download the free version of the app from Play Store, but all the hyperlocal features only come with the premium version which you can purchase for $2.99 a year.

• Google Assistant

Over the years, Google Assistant has developed to become a very powerful app that is a must-have. You simply download the app and enable it, from there you can ask it anything you want. The app also supports various commands and can be connected to other devices around your home that can extend its functionality, such as Google Home, Chromecast and other devices. While these will cost you money, the Assistant app is free. The best thing about Google Assistant is that it is a work in progress you will receive most of the new features as Google develops its AI technology.

• LastPass Password Manager

LastPass is one of those apps you must have. It helps you manage your passwords and lets you save your login information in a safe, organized and secure way. Additionally, it can help you generate impossible passwords for you to use in your accounts. The app is controlled with a master password that lets you access the rest of your login credentials. It works across platforms and devices. While it is not the only one in business, it’s certainly the best. You can download the app for free through Play Store, but the premium version comes at $12 a year.

• Pocket Casts

IF you like podcasts then this app is the way to go. Pocket Casts is a very stable and attractive app with great design, allowing you to stream and download various podcasts. It features audio-only, as well as video podcasts. It supports a light and dark theme, an account feature so you can sync your podcasts across devices and recommendation function that presents you with personalized suggestions. Pocket Casts is available through Play Store for just $3.99.

• Solid Explorer

File browsing on smartphones has always been a hassle, but with Solid Explorer it will be a breeze. This app is basically as good as file browsing gets. It has a Material Design interface, fingerprint security, cloud service support, archiving support and for the demanding user encryption support and things like WebDav, FTP, SFPT and SMB/CIFS support. The app is incredibly stable and looks great. There is a 14 day trial period for the app while the full price is $2.99.

• TickTick

You might have never heard of TickTick, but it might be just what you need and is certainly one of the best to-do list apps out there. It has all the basics from recurring tasks, reminders, push notification and other organizational features. On top of that it lets you share tasks and categories with other people, which makes it perfect for teams and families. There is an abundance of good to-do list apps out there,such as Todoist, gTasks and others, but we chose TickTick as it has the perfect balance between great functionality and easy interface, while having the most important features free. You can download the app from the Play Store for free, while the premium version comes at $27.99 a year.

• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC

Lightroom is the standard for photo editing when it comes to laptops and desktops, and the mobile version is not different. It is the best photo-editing app for serious photographers with RAW support and many advanced features that allow you to adjust everything from grain to haze to the tones of shadows and highlights. Lightroom is all about controlling the details, allowing you to do selective edits, brush on enhancements. Aside from that, all of this can be synced through Adobe’s Creative Cloud. The app is free in Play Store but you will need to purchase Creative Cloud access.

• Google Maps and Android Auto

Google Maps is hands down the best navigation app on both Android and iOS, and one of the best Android apps in general. It receives regular almost weekly updates and has an extensive list of features. Put Android Auto on top of Google Maps and you have yourself the best driving app, which allows you to access apps through this distraction-minimizing car companion. Android Auto allows you to stay focused on the road with its simplified large font while at the same time sending texts and making calls via voice command. You can download Android Auto from Play Store for free.

• Forest: Stay Focused

Forest is an app that takes on the Pomodoro Technique, a practice of breaking work down into 25 minute intervals. The main trees that you can grow for free are cedars, with the option for premium trees such as Boabab, banana and apple. The app is a fun way to get work done and keep track of work hours, as it also allows you to dig into personal stats when you upgrade, which also allows you to use in app credit to plant actual trees via non-profit organizations. You can download Forest here.

• Tasker and IFTTT

Similar to IFTTT, Tasker is an amazing application once you figure it out. It allows users to create custom commands and use them in a variety of ways. Tasker support in other apps has only grown over the years and now you can even use Tasker to create highly complex commands via NFC tags. The app is capable of many things so it’s hard to pin down what it really does. Aside from having wide support from other apps, there are many plugins you can add. While tasker is more capable than IFTTT, the latter can sometimes be better for its simple user interface.

 

Read More: Best Android Games of 2018