10 free apps every new phone needs
No subscriptions, no ads worth mentioning. The free apps we install on every fresh phone.
A new phone is a chance to install less. These ten apps are free, respect your attention and cover the basics.
- Signal for private messaging. Move your closest group chats here.
- Firefox for a browser that blocks trackers by default and supports extensions on Android.
- Google Maps for navigation and offline maps when you travel.
- Libby to borrow ebooks and audiobooks from your library.
- Khan Academy for free, ad-free lessons in almost every school subject.
- Snapseed for photo editing that beats most paid apps.
- Proton VPN for a VPN with a free plan that is not a trap.
- Obsidian for notes that stay on your device as plain files.
- Discord for communities around whatever you are into.
- Bluesky for a social timeline you can shape with custom feeds.
Install these first, then add paid apps only where a free one is clearly worse.
Apps in this article
Obsidian
Private, local-first notes with links between ideas
Signal
Private messaging with end-to-end encryption by default
Discord
Voice, video and text communities for any interest
Bluesky
An open social network where you choose the algorithm
Khan Academy
Free courses from maths to history, with practice
Snapseed
A professional photo editor that is completely free
Libby
Borrow ebooks and audiobooks from your library for free
Proton VPN
A trustworthy VPN with a real free plan
Google Maps
Navigation, transit and places, everywhere
Firefox
A privacy-focused browser with extensions on mobile