If there's one thing Android is known for, it's choice. No matter your taste, you can find a phone that fits your unique style. And these days, style is more about software than hardware.

Although all Android phones run on the same OS, their look and feel can vary drastically depending on the brand you use. In this guide, we'll explain what an Android skin is and walk you through the top six Android skins you should check out.

What Is an Android Skin?

Unlike iOS, Apple's proprietary operating system, Android is an open-source operating system. This allows manufacturers like Samsung and OnePlus to customize the software experience on their phones by adding design tweaks to the Android version running on them.

In the same way that you download launchers from the Play Store, brands customize the user interface on their phones to showcase their unique style and stand out from the competition. Based on your taste, you may like one Android skin better than the other.

1. Stock Android

Smartphone showing app drawer

Stock Android is the "naked" version of Android, i.e., it's what runs underneath the skin of every Android phone. It's best if you want to experience Android in its purest form without any design tweaks or pre-installed bloatware apps. It's light, simple, and easy to get used to.

That said, stock Android's greatest strength is also its greatest weakness. Because it's only giving you the basics, you'll miss out on the extra features available from heavy Android skins like Samsung's One UI or Xiaomi's MIUI that many find handy and fun to use.

Furthermore, stock Android is quite rare because most smartphone makers prefer to put a skin on their phones. So, if you're planning to buy a phone with stock Android, Motorola and Nokia are your main two options.

2. Pixel UI by Google

Pixel 6 Pro Display
Image Credit: Google

Pixel UI is the Android skin you see on Google Pixel phones. Note that Pixel UI is not an official name Google has given to this skin; it's just a term fans use when referring to it.

A lot of people equate Pixel UI with stock Android since they look and behave similarly; after all, Google owns Android. But despite this similarity, they're not the same. For one, Pixel UI has more features than stock Android and is also more visually showy.

Pixel UI's biggest selling point is that it receives OS updates faster than any other skin. This means that if you own a Pixel phone, you will get new Android features before anyone else alongside new Pixel-exclusive features.

It's also, inevitably, the most Google-centric of all the Android skins, which could be a pro or a con depending on how much you're invested in the Google services.

3. One UI by Samsung

One UI is the skin that runs on all Samsung Galaxy phones released after 2018; it's the successor to the company's older TouchWiz Android skin. One UI is one of the heaviest skins on this list and is loved by both casual and power users; it's loaded with tons of features that you might not find on other skins.

That said, some people do complain about the pre-installed Samsung apps on One UI. You see, Samsung makes its own substitutes for many Google apps including a browser, an app store, a calendar, and also essential apps like Phone, Messages, Contacts, and Clock.

All these extra apps can make the software feel bulky, especially if you're used to using Google apps as your default anyway. However, with One UI, you do get Samsung Knox security and fast software updates for up to four years which is more than what even Google offers with the Pixel series, ensuring longevity.

4. OxygenOS by OnePlus

OnePlus-Nord-2-5G-Display
Image Credit: SuperSaf

OnePlus' OxygenOS is very popular among tech enthusiasts for being clean, minimalistic, and smooth. Many popular tech reviewers even call it their favorite Android skin of all time.

However, ever since OnePlus announced its merger with Oppo, OxygenOS went through some changes to resemble Oppo's ColorOS. This, understandably so, caused a huge backlash from OnePlus fans, forcing the company to retract its decision and provide clarification.

For now, OxygenOS remains a good option for anyone who wants a near-stock Android experience with a few essential tweaks and features added on top. But we suspect that OxygenOS will continue to take inspiration from ColorOS in the future.

5. MIUI by Xiaomi

Xiaomi-MIUI
Image Credit: Beebom

Xiaomi's MIUI is the second most popular Android skin worldwide after Samsung's One UI; in fact, it's the leader in many Asian markets. Aside from being heavily inspired by iOS, MIUI is also the heaviest Android skin out there with loads of customization options, widgets, themes, and support for icon packs.

Unfortunately, it also has many pre-installed bloatware apps and built-in ads. By profiting off of software partnerships with advertisers and third-party developers, Xiaomi reduces the price of its phones to score greater sales. Nearly all Chinese phone makers use this strategy to gain authority in price-sensitive Asian markets.

For you, this means MIUI may feel more cluttered and unorganized. You'll also find many Xiaomi system apps asking for unnecessary permissions, including the calculator, app drawer, and cleaner. This isn't surprising since Xiaomi self-identifies as a data company, so you can expect more tracking.

6. ColorOS by Oppo

Oppo-ColorOS
Image Credit: TechSpurt

Oppo's ColorOS is what you get if you mix MIUI and stock Android. In other words, it's lighter than MIUI but still heavy enough to be very customizable and feature-rich. Many describe ColorOS as "mature" and polished while others don't like it much. You'll have to use it to decide if it's right for you.

However, we will say that the recent versions of ColorOS are a lot more refined than their previous iterations. There are fewer ads, bugs, and bloatware apps on ColorOS than MIUI, and the former also usually has Google apps set as the default option. ColorOS also receives faster and more stable software updates than MIUI and OxygenOS.

An Android Skin for Everyone

Although hardware innovations aren't as frequent as they used to be in the smartphone industry, software is far from being standardized. While some skins like Pixel UI and OxygenOS are closer to stock Android and offer a clean software experience, heavier skins like One UI and MIUI aim to provide you with everything you could ask for.

Try out as many Android skins as you can to see which one fits you the best.