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Free of Ads Android Apps

My favorite apps


Introduction

I got a new Android phone four months ago (a Xiaomi).
It was full of apps with ads on it. I withdrew consent for all of them and found alternatives on the web.

I do not want to use the Google Play Store, so all the apps can be found either on F‑Droid or downloaded from APK‑DB repositories.

Here is the list of apps I use:

  • OpenTune – Get music from YouTube without any ads. It can download tracks and puts them automatically in cache (super handy on the subway).
  • OsmAnd – Offline maps, from ski stations to boat roads.
  • Syncthing – Synchronize files between computers.
  • Tailscale – VPN to connect to home when remote, without annoying configuration.
  • Aegis – For 2FA.
  • Hacky – Hacker News reader.
  • MyExpenses – Tracking my budget.
  • QuickDic – Dictionary / translation.
  • LibraReader – PDF reader; not the best, but could be improved.
  • Quillpad – For markdown notes and to‑do lists. A bit glitchy sometimes, but it does most of the job.
  • Replaced Gallery, File Manager, Agenda, Messages, and Contacts with FOSS alternatives. The main problem with my phone is access rights; I cannot access some parts of it with non‑native apps.
  • Ventusky – Weather maps; not available on F‑Droid.
  • Keybase – End‑to‑end encrypted messaging. I mostly use it for encrypted files and personal Git repositories.

Apps that I dislike

  • Pinterest – This app sucks:
    • Full of ads (AI‑generated images for very low‑quality products everywhere; I don’t understand why they don’t moderate these scams).
    • When you click on a link, you are taken to their browser with no ad blocker.
    • I definitely prefer using a regular browser with uBlock Origin.

My major problem is banking applications, as they enforce 2FA with their app…


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