12 of the best indie Android apps you've never heard of

What's your favorite off-the-wall app?

Android is an open platform, and this is why you'll have better luck finding unique apps on the platform compared to iOS. Seeing that strange yet useful apps are prevalent on Android, we here at Android Police figured it was time to round up the standouts, titles few have heard of but offer all manner of interesting and unique features. So that's exactly what we've done.

Today's roundup covers a handful of exciting indie apps as well as a few apps from larger companies that are still unique but rarely discussed. Consider this a sister roundup to our best Android apps listicle, where we dive deep looking for gems that are otherwise unknown. So if you're on the hunt for the unknown, this roundup is for you. Keep in mind that today's roundup will continually grow as we update it with new listings, so make sure to sound off in the comments if there's something you'd like to see added to the list.

Bromite

If you're looking for a Chromium fork that offers built-in ad-blocking along with privacy enhancements, then Bromite should be on your list. It's a mobile browser that's taken the advertising-centric design out of Chrome, and all patches are published under GNU/GPL v3, which means the app is also open-source. Simply put, it's a de-Googled browser for Android, offering the same layout as Chrome to keep things simple and familiar. Of course, this app isn't available on the Play Store, though you can find it on its own website and GitHub page.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

Download Bromite

Snapdrop for Android

Sharing files through Bluetooth or USB can be cumbersome. If you're looking for a local file-sharing solution that's a little less unwieldy, Snapdrop is an excellent option that's flown under the radar since its release in 2021. It's a free and open-source client, and you can send files between your devices that have the client installed.

Think of Snapdrop as an Airdrop solution that works across Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, and macOS. So the next time you need to transfer some files locally, perhaps Snapdrop can fill that niche for you.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

TrailLink: Trail Maps & Trail Guide - Walk & Bike

If you happen to bike, longboard, skate, or walk a bunch, then you know full well it can be challenging to find all the trails in your area. Sure, Google Maps offers some excellent routes, but this misses the smaller trails and the unknowns. In comes crowdsourcing to the rescue, which is precisely how TrailLink operates. People using the app in your community can detail the trails in their area, and so can you, which builds up a database of trails for everyone involved. This way, everyone is free to use this app to find and document trails so the entire community can join in on the fun of being outdoors.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $29.99

Squid - Take Notes & Markup PDF

There are many note-taking apps available on the Play Store, and there are even a few that offer handwritten notes, but Squid is a standout, thanks to its fantastic vector-based text that remains readable at all zoom levels. It's a great tool for students or those who often take handwritten notes. Although the basic app is free, paid subscribers get additional like PDF importing and color backgrounds.

While subscriptions are rarely the best way to pay for an app, Squid comes in at under a dollar. Plus, Squid is great even if you don't subscribe, and best of all, it works on tablets and Chromebooks alike.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $1.00 - $10.00

Dolby On: Record Audio & Music

When I think Dolby, the first thing that comes to mind isn't a free audio recording app for Android. But that's exactly what Dolby On is, and it's probably the best audio recording app on Android. Sure, Dolby isn't some indie dev, but Dolby On isn't a very well-known app, which is why I wanted to highlight it.

Thanks to its audio processing that supports noise reduction, de-essing, and a fade in/out, Dolby On is highly useful in an assortment of settings. There's even a built-in EQ as well as support for spatial audio. So whether you want to record a band's live performance in a noisy theater or simply want to record your next lecture, Dolby On has you covered. Best of all, Dolby On is totally free, so it's easy to take for a spin if you're intrigued.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

MarinDeck for TweetDeck

This one is for all of you Twitter users out there. An enterprising developer brought TweetDeckback on Android to life with MarinDeck. At first the app was only available in Japanese, but after some attention, the developer eventually released an English patch. Sure, MarinDeck isn't actually a revival of TweetDeck, but a clone that gets close, and it offers an excellent gallery view to boot. So if you've been missing TweetDeck all these years, perhaps MarinDeck will fill that void.

Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs

Caffeine - Keep Screen On

Here's one all you Linux users should recognize. Yep, it's Caffeine, an app that keeps your screen on for as long as you want. Android doesn't offer an easy way to keep the screen on past 10 minutes, so if you'd like to use a tablet as a display, tossing Caffeine on there will ensure you can keep the screen on as long as you want without the need to tap the screen to keep it awake. It's a simple purpose-built utility, and just like on Linux, it's pretty useful on Android.

Just keep in mind the app shows up as a tile for your status bar pulldown, so you won't see it in your app drawer once it's installed.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

Dream by WOMBO

Have you ever wondered what a picture of a pug may have looked like if Salvador Dalí had painted it? Wonder no longer. Dream by WOMBO is an incredibly slick app where you can input keywords, pick a famous artist, and then let the app's AI generate a painting from your selections.

Dream by WOMBO is an incredibly fun app to mess around with, and if you like a picture, like you really like it, then you can get it printed for real to hang in your home, directly through the app. Playing around with Dream by WOMBO is a great way to pass the time when you have a few seconds to spare, plus the results are often suitable for a laugh with a few friends.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

NewPipe

People hate the ads on YouTube so much there's a YouTube fork out there that also delivers an ad-free experience. It's called NewPipe, and you can find it on F-Droid, a free and open-source app store for Android apps. This YouTube fork is the go-to for those not using any Google framework libraries, like if you're running a de-Googled Android ROM. This way, you can still install a YouTube app even if you don't want Google having access to your information.

NewPipe is open-source, which means it's free for anyone and everyone. You can sideload the APK that's available on F-Droid, or you can use F-Droid's client if you'd like to keep the app updated without having to manually install new versions each time. You can also find NewPipe APKs on its GitHub page.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

Download NewPipe

Flowx: Weather Map Forecast

Weather apps are a dime a dozen on mobile, with tons of options to choose from. Single screen radar apps are certainly standouts amongst the crowd, and Flowx is one such app that offers an intuitive layout that contains all the info you would need on a single screen. Plus, you can micromanage your data layers so that you'll see exactly what you want to see, whether that's wind speeds, rain, heat, etc. You can easily drill down to the info you need to plan your day out. It's a weather app for tinkerers or those into radar maps, but it's also great for casual users.

The app is free to try, and if you like what you see, you can unlock new data sources through a few in-app purchases, with Gold, Silver, and Bronze data packs available, ranging in price from $5 a year to $20 a year.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $19.99

Offline Survival Manual

What with current events and all, I'm sure more than a few of you have started looking into prepping and survival techniques. Thankfully there are apps that can help with this, such as Offline Survival Manual, which offers an offline manual that covers subjects like building a fire, how to build shelter, where to find food, as well as medical techniques for emergencies.

No internet connection is needed, but you will need power for your phone. So as long as you have some juice left when disaster strikes, then you'll have a handy guide at your disposal.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

This is the end of today's list. Hopefully, everyone was able to find some quality apps that rarely get much attention, whether that's an Adobe app for sound recording or a niche survival manual. We've selected an assortment of titles to ideally cover everyone's needs, but if there's something you'd like to see added to Android Police's indie app roundup, sound off in the comments below.