4chan isn't everyone's cup of tea, but if you're a 4chan user then you probably know that the website doesn't provide the best experience on smartphones. If you want to browse 4chan on your smartphone, there are some great 4chan apps available.

These apps make the smartphone experience much smoother, and some of them have handy features that the website doesn't. In this article, we'll highlight the best 4chan apps for Android, as well as how to access 4chan on iOS.

4chan Apps for iOS

If you're an iOS user looking for 4chan apps on your iPhone or iPad, you're out of luck. There are no 4chan apps available in the Apple App Store at the time of writing.

However, there are still three ways to access 4chan on your iPhone:

  • Use a web browser: The obvious workaround is to browse 4chan using your iPhone's web browser.
  • Use AppValley: AppValley is like an alternative App Store. Once you install the app, search for and install Fortune. You will be able to browse 4chan through Fortune.
  • Use Lucky Chan: Lucky Chan is a web app designed to be mobile-friendly. The app stores your bookmarks and settings through cache and cookies. Once you add a shortcut to Lucky Chan to your home screen, it won't differ much from an installed app.

The AppValley method has some serious drawbacks. Firstly, apps in the store are all unlicensed. If Apple licenses the app, it becomes unusable, and you need to reinstall it. Secondly, there is no quality control; some apps are known to contain viruses and malware. So, proceed at your own risk.

The Best 4chan Apps for Android

There are more Reddit apps for Android than 4chan apps, but at least Android users do have a wider selection to choose from. Considering the controversial nature of 4chan, Google isn't very keen on hosting these apps on Play Store. As a result, some of the apps listed here aren't available on Play Store, and you'll need to sideload these apps on your Android device.

Note that apps that you install from sources other than Play Store might contain malware or harm your device. If you're a 4chan user, then you probably already know all that. So, without further ado, here are the best 4chan apps for Android.

1. Omnichan

A 4chan thread on Omnichan
Omnichan home screen
Adding a board on Omnichan

Omnichan is one of the few 4chan apps that is available through the Google Play Store. The app has a minimalist design that's perfect for use on larger screens such as tablets. Some of the standout features include the ability to save all the images in a thread with a single tap, instant video playback, cached images/threads, and a way to bookmark the threads to read them offline.

Omnichan supports other image boards such as 8kun, 420chan, and Wizardchan as well. The app is entirely free to use.

Download: Omnichan for Android (Free | Play Store)

2. Clover

A 4chan thread on Clover
Viewing boards on Clover
Clover settings page

Clover is another of the best 4chan apps for Android. However, you cannot install Clover from the Play Store. Instead, you'll need to install Clover from F-Droid, which is an open-source alternative to Play Store.

Some of Clover's key features include inline replying, thread watching, notifications, multiple themes, and search filters. It also supports other imageboards, including 8chan.

Lastly, Clover is free and—importantly for some users—open source. If you are comfortable installing non-Google Play apps, Clover is highly recommended. You can install Clover from F-Droid or download the APK from the Clover GitHub page.

Download: Clover for Android (Free | F-Droid)

3. Read Chan

A 4chan board on Read Chan
A 4chan thread on Read Chan
Read Chan settings

Another 4chan app available through Google Play Store is Read Chan. The app has a highly customizable interface that lets you make the app work in the way you want. You can use it to read content, make new posts, and reply to messages. Archive, bookmark, and hidden threads are all supported.

Read Chan has a swipe feature that lets you dismiss pages, you can toggle between list and catalog view, and you can also swipe to switch between different boards. The app even has a built-in gallery for viewing and managing images you have saved from 4chan.

Download: Read Chan for Android (Free | Play Store)

4. ThreadWatch

ThreadWatch home screen
Adding a board to Threadwatch
ThreadWatch settings page

ThreadWatch is a simple thread watcher and notifier for 4chan. It will alert you via an Android notification whenever a thread you are watching receives a new post. You'll never miss out on one of the many 4chan controversies again!

Some of the features available in the app include a configurable refresh rate, thread sorting, viewable thread statistics (including the number of replies, number of images, the last post time, and more), and the ability to import and export threads between your different devices.

The app is free to use and is entirely open source. You can install ThreadWatch from Google Play Store.

Download: ThreadWatch for Android (Free | Play Store)

5. Dashchan

Viewing a thread on Dashchan
Dashchan extensions for different boards
Dashchan extensions for different boards

Dashchan isn't as well-known as the other 4chan Android apps that we've looked at so far, but it's still worth checking out. It supports multiple imageboards, including 8chan, 55chan, 410chan, and more than 50 smaller niche boards.

As with many of the other apps, Dashchan's features include filtered searches, favorite boards, video support (including WebM files), and in-line replies.

The big downside of Dashchan is its installation process. You need to install an extension for each imageboard you want to visit. Although you can install the extensions through Dashchan itself, you'll have to restart the app every time. It's a bit fiddly to set up.

Download: Dashchan for Android (Free | F-Droid)

6. Overchan

Viewing a 4chan thread with Overchan
Adding boards on Overchan
Overchan settings page

Overchan supports a few other imageboards in addition to 4chan, but nowhere near as many as you'll find on Dashchan. Using the address bar on Overchan to add an unsupported board will open the board in your web browser, which is practically useless.

On the other hand, one of the Overchan features we loved the most was its ability to set preferences for image boards on a board-by-board basis. For example, you could make a video-heavy board display differently from a predominantly text-based board.

The app also lets you save threads (with attachments) as HTML files, send posts in the background, and automatically update all your open tabs in the background.

Download: Overchan for Android (Free | F-Droid)

7. Imageboard Media Grab

Imageboard Media Grabber on Android
Downloading media with Imageboard Media Grabber
Settings page in Imageboard Media Grabber

The final 4chan app in our list is Imageboard Media Grab. It supports 4chan, but also board sites like 2chan, kohlchan, reinchan, arhivach, and 2ch.

As the name suggests, the app specializes in letting you grab media files. You can use it to divide the media by type and download them as needed. The downloading of thumbnails is supported, and there is also a preview tool.

Other features include downloading in the background, auto-refresh of content in preview, and traffic control.

Download: Imageboard Media Grab for Android (Free | Play Store)

A Quick Warning About 4chan

4chan is often touted as one of the best Reddit alternatives. That's not entirely true, though. While there are some similarities between the two sites, 4chan is much more "edgy".

There is not the same level of moderation; threads and comments are often offensive, sexual, aggressive, or contain other adult material. If that doesn't sound like your idea of fun, give the site a wide berth.