On Android, you don’t have to be stuck with the default look the phone ships with. All you have to do is install a new “launcher”, which controls how your homescreen looks. But given the plethora of such apps on the Play Store, which launcher should you use?
Some launchers focus on getting things done, others let you customize them to the finest degree, and a few are about being lightweight. Heck, even Google lets you download its default launcher.
As usual, there is no “best” overall app, and it depends on your needs.
No-Nonsense, Lots of Great Features: Action Launcher
Best For: Anyone who wants a launcher with tons of smart, useful features, without having to set them up yourself.
A launcher’s core job is to get out of the way and let you do your tasks quickly. Whether it’s launching an app, looking up a widget, or anything else, the launcher is merely the mechanism. Action Launcher understands this better than any other.
By default, Action Launcher imitates the clean look of the launcher on Google’s Pixel phones. And yes, it has complete Google Now integration for voice commands OK, Google: 20 Useful Things You Can Say to Your Android Phone Google Assistant can help you get a lot done on your phone. Here are a whole bunch of basic but useful OK Google commands to try. Read More .
Its shortcuts are the best part, though. For example, instead of adding an app’s widget on your fifth homescreen, Action Launcher has “Shutters”. Swipe up on an app with a corresponding widget, and you will immediately launch the widget.
Similarly, you can choose the most frequently used app of a folder as the “Cover App”. Tap the Cover to launch the app, or swipe the Cover to reveal the folder with other apps.
Action Launcher lets you add app shortcuts in the Google search bar, choose different icon packs, hide and rename apps, create backups and restore them, and it comes with a swipe-out scrollable app drawer.
It’s free to try, but that restricts most of the great features noted here. Check it out — it is definitely worth the $2.99.
Download: Action Launcher for Android (Free, $2.99 for Pro)
Most Customizable: Nova Launcher
Best for: Those who want to control exactly how their Android looks, and those who like to often change the theme of their launcher.
Nova Launcher is, without a doubt, the most customizable launcher on the Play Store. It lets you tweak each and every aspect of how your Android device performs. And it’s blazing fast too.
The free version of Nova Launcher lets you control the positioning of each icon on your screen, and it hosts a variety of icon packs. One of its popular features is the infinite scroll, letting you seamlessly scroll between the homescreen and the app drawer. And the app drawer itself is customizable too. Learn more in our collection of power tips for Nova Launcher users 10 Power User Tips and Tricks for Nova Launcher Prime on Android Nova Launcher Prime is undoubtedly the best launcher on Android, and with these tips and tricks, it can be even better. Read More !
Nova also has the easiest backup/restore system we’ve seen. Given the large community of users for this app, you will often find Nova themes you can download for free. Now you see why this was our pick for the best free Android launcher.
The app really flexes its muscle with the paid version, Nova Launcher Prime. Prime includes two features that change how you use the launcher: Gestures and Badges on icons. Gestures are shortcuts to launch favorite apps, while badges display the number of unread messages/notifications on popular apps. Nova Prime also lets you hide certain apps that you don’t want others to see.
With this app, you’re better off installing the free version and trying it out for a month. If you like it, only then will it be worth it to pay for the Prime version.
If you’re looking for more highly customizable launchers, there are plenty of reasons to give Smart Launcher a try 11 Enticing Reasons to Try Smart Launcher on Android Looking for a new Android launcher? Here's why Smart Launcher is a great pick, whether you want something simple or special. Read More .
Download: Nova Launcher for Android (Free, $4.99 for Prime)
Free, Fast, and Light: Evie Launcher
Best for: Those on older phones looking for a lightweight launcher that still looks good and has all the basic features of a good launcher.
As great as the free version of Nova Launcher is, it has ads and in-app purchases. Plus, it’s customizable, but not beautiful. Evie Launcher outscores Nova on both counts, and even beats it on speed.
Evie is a marvel in how refined its animations are, while still being completely free. No ads and no in-app purchases that restrict features. It does require a few Android permissions What Are Android Permissions and Why Should You Care? Do you ever install Android apps without a second thought? Here's all you need to know on Android app permissions, how they've changed, and how it affects you. Read More to show you unread count badges and other smart features.
The homescreen is as barebones as it can get. Arrange the apps how you want, change the icons, and dive into settings to select how many apps appear on the homescreen or dock. You have similar granular control over the widgets and the app drawer.
Evie also lets you hide apps from the launcher, so as to keep it from prying eyes. And it includes a simple backup/restore function as well to save your theme.
All in all, it’s one of the best light Android apps to save storage and boost speed.
Download: Evie Launcher for Android (Free)
The Google Experience: Google Now Launcher
Best for: Anyone who wants what Google intended Android to look like.
If you buy a Samsung, it comes with the TouchWiz interface. If you buy an Asus, it comes with ZenUI. Every manufacturer seems to layer on their own version of Android. But if you want the stock Android experience without rooting How to Get the Stock Android Experience on Any Phone You can get the stock Android experience on almost any Android phone with these apps, including a stock Android launcher and more. Read More , Google has its own launcher.
The Google Now Launcher is what you will get on a phone without a custom interface, like any of Motorola’s phones. This includes Google Now cards, which display relevant information when you swipe over to the left on your homescreen.
The app drawer is sorted alphabetically, but you can also find installed apps quickly by typing the first few letters in the Google search bar.
There’s nothing fancy about the Google Now Launcher. It’s job is to give you the look and feel of a vanilla Android phone, and that’s what it does efficiently.
Download: Google Now Launcher for Android [Broken URL Removed] (Free)
What’s Your Favorite Android Launcher?
There are plenty of other great launchers on the Play Store, but we reckon these are all you need to look at. Which launcher do you use on Android and why? What makes it the best?
Related topics: Android Customization, Android Launcher.
Affiliate Disclosure: By buying the products we recommend, you help keep the site alive. Read more.
Surprised that no one has mentioned Swapps Sidelauncher. I have used it now for a few years on a couple of Samsung phones, and has all the time been completely satisfied.
Microsoft Launcher is best forever...
My head is spinnlng I have an android 6 my first smart phone. I didn't know I needed a launcher. I assume I already have some kind of one but I will try one of your recommended and see what they are about. Love your web site, very informative
I find apex still better then nova !
Even more customations. And fast and light.
Nova has some extra features above apex. But the apex home screen is much better!
My absolute favorite is "Computer Launcher" (about 48 mo) from BlueThemes Studio. It's really surprising and versatile, copying beautifully the Windows 10 OS on my PC ?
used Nova for a few years, then discovered Evie...now my favourite
ASAP and nothing else
only three words:Try cobo launcher
Google now launcher and Inspire launcher are the best options!
Try Hola launcher. It's amazing
what about Next launcher 3D
My ever fav
I'm using Espire Launcher which makes my phone look similar to that of iOS 7... And it looks really awesome..
One launcher that I never see mentioned is Atom launcher. it is minimalistic, very clean, and even has a persistent clock or search bar at the top.
I'm a diehard Buzz Launcher user. I went on a launcher binge and tried at least 15 different ones, but Buzz is definitely the one for me. However, I have a problem right now because I just bought a Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet and Buzz Launcher doesn't yet have tablet support (they claim to be releasing that in the future though). But for now I'm just kinda frustrated. Last night I tried so many launchers and I didn't like a single one of them. I tried everything listed here, even the ones in the comments. If anyone knows of a tablet launcher not listed above that has a decent UI please tell me! :)
Google launcher apk is the best.
MiHome Launcher is gorgeous..
SOLO Launcher is good.
Nexus 5 launcher
ADW wins in m eye for the fact that it supports android 1.6 and up, making it ideal for older phones such as the t-mobile g1, while still running relatively smoothly but with decent graphics.
I'm an avid fan of Xperia Launcher (yes, even on my Moto Razr I'm using it), tried many other launchers (Go, TSF, ADW, MIUI, etc) but after I tried Smart Launcher i did not let it go, it's the perfect combination of looks and speed, try it!
I use ADW launcher. It is open source and highly customizable.
Next launcher is pretty sick
Holo! Regular or HD.
smart launcher pro
The New and Rising Aviate is one of THE BEST yet to be seen.. Try it.
Hello. Can you help me to try the Aviate launcher please? I need one invite from one user.
Apex Pro for the win! Very customizable, fast on my Note 2. Own Nova Prime, Smart Launcher Pro, Action Launcher Pro. Nova features very similar to Apex but not as smooth on my Note 2 (my experince) Smart Launcher and Action Launcher unique features sets but not compelling for me to leave Apex. Just played with Buzz Launcher. Must admit very easy to install Themes, pretty powerful design. Just not my cup of tea. Lastly, also tried Themer, which is nice idea for downloading pretty themes but does not have mature launcher functionality yet.
ilauncher is good.It displays live clock(it's a working clock!) like iPhone. Also it shows message count and today's date in calender icon.Effects are like ios7. Worth of buying.
try tsf shell its incredible
I use smart launcher , very simple interface, the thing that sticks me to this is it organisas all apps according to their category.
But it lacks widgets on home page, i pro version widgeta provided in second page
I am using the Aviate beta at the moment. So far I like it and it is reasonably fast on my Defy XT.
kamote launcher is the best
Default stock Android launcher. The search box are on every page.
"The search box are on every page." - those are the first things I remove!
correction: for iPhone fans : iLauncher. Way better than Hi Launcher
GO Launcher is absolutely fantastic. It's fast, has tons of themes, and customization isn't an issue. It's by far my favorite.
Nova Launcher is no doubt the best launcher available on the market. It is best due to it's Reliability, Simplicity, Usability etc. I've been using it since long time now.
Solo Launcher . It's really Awesome
For me my custom launcher is better than anything !!!!
That should be "Any other widgets have good calendar widgets?"
I want other launchers, but for me, I need a good calendar widget, and I get that in Go Launcher. Any other launchers have good calendar widgets. I want to be able to see my daily schedule and then change to monthly or weekly as needed.
You missed the Go launcher.
Check how crazy Tile Launcher makes your phone look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOI-iIlnkYA
Seriously check out Tile Launcher, best launcher out there.
BUZZ Launcher .............best for my phone
Go launcher EX!
You folks completely missed out on an old classic that updated over time: ADW Launcher (along with the paid ADWex). ADW was really where theming without modifying system resources started on Android. Its same style of packs was later picked up by Go Launcher (and to a lesser extent, Nova Launcher). There are also others like Chameleon, Trebuchet (the CyanogenMod/AOSP launcher), and a number of other lesser known launchers that are still pretty popular.
Action Launcher Pro
for laucher pro
there are
- back and restore option
- hold the shortcut on trash icon a bit longer to uninstall
You should give a try to :
Yandex.Shell (Launcher+Dialer) : This type of personalization in Yandex launcher is not seen any other launchers !! Here is the play store link :
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Solo Launcher : It is free for ever and many types of theme are available on it , such as IOS and android 4.3 ....... Here is the play stor link
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For me , Solo laucher is far better than Nova or all those launchers .... Yandex one is also good
I hope u will give them a try !!
Been a user of Launcher Pro since 2010 and I love it. FYI, your misses on "No backup or restore." and "no option to drag icon to trash can." are not true
Apex Launcher
I am using Yandex.Shell launcher. It works good for me. Not a bad try
review of all 3d launchers like next,tsf,spb
I use TSF shell
tsf shell
go launcher my fav..
Check out Lightning Launcher, but you have to put it into "free scroll" mode. No more desktop "screens" cuz everything can be put onto an infinite field. Zoom out, zoom in where you want to go. Easy once set up and super lightweight. Supports folders and scrolling dock. Can also be used more like traditional launchers if one chooses. Best I've ever tried... and I've tried a lot! I always come back to Lightning.
SSLancher!
This is very useful. Go Launcher EX is awesome.
Aviate is pretty cool and is in beta that you have to sign up for an invite code but it's worth a try.
ADW Launcher is good for me, but i think i will try nova!!
Smart Launcher
HTC Sense 5.0 with Blinkfeed.
(I know HTC Sense was crap, but with 4.0 some massive improvements came)
Holo Launcher HD. Has all the same features of Nova but free.
Yeah my choice too. One of the fastest, smoothest launcher and that too free for the best true android interface experience.
I've been using Aviate. There's a few features I'd like to see but overall I like it.
Launcher 8 does support widgets. It's my daily driver, and I've got a couple on my screen. I'm also not sure what you mean "gets slow with usage"? Again, the launcher I've been using for months and I'd never use the word "slow" to describe it.
Sorry, Tony, I think I worded that badly. I meant to say it doesn't come with built-in widgets that complement the theme, since it's all about that particular style. I'll fix it, thanks for bringing it to my attention :) As for it getting slower with usage, in my experience, the time it took from tapping the home button to the screen showing up got longer as I used it more and added more tiles and widgets to the home screen. Hasn't that been your experience? Perhaps you could share which phone you are using. I tested this on a Lenovo P780 as well as a Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini.
My wife and I are both using it on our Galaxy Nexuses, and I haven't experienced anything similar to what you're describing.
If you want a simple and easy to use launcher, try Aviate! It's really awesome and fast, but still in beta ))
Nemus Launcher over LauncherPro....newer...light footprint around size of Zeam.
ssLauncher, it is great!
By far the best launcher I have ever used is Smart Launcher. Clean, neat, smart. A winner!
agreed, me too, i have used so mnay launcher, nova is fast too, but not as clean and neat as smart
TSF shell is probably the best!
Oh! I almost forgot...
I DON'T LIKE SAMMY'S TOUCH-STUPID-WIZ!
I'm a pure-android lover. :)
I use Solo Launcher. It's almost like Nova, but not so laggy. (Yeah! I'm a speed freak :P )
I love MiHome Launcher by Miui.
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I have loved TSF Shell since it first came out. Sure, it's a good bit expensive compared to the other launchers, but it really is different and unique, well worth it. Runs so fluidly on my S4!
I use TSF on my Nexus 7 and love it for that. I have been meaning to try it on my One X but haven't gotten around to it. I also hear it isn't the best for phone-sized screens. On my one x I'm currently using GO Launcher and it works well
Ditto!
TSF is waaay ahead of the others. But if I wasnt using TSF I would definitely be using Nova.
go launcher?
its an old one
I recently downloaded Yandex launcher after hearing it here. It is the best perfect for me. The inbuilt dialer is instantaneous and looks great. When i feel minimalistic i use Zeam launcher.
Smart Launcher is my choice
Yeah, mine too.. One of the best launchers out there, imho...
I use the Smart Launcher - simple and clean interface. Not much cluttered
Same here
I'm using smart launcher too.. It's best for even low end android device...
I'm currently happy with Smart launcher as well.
Same here! :D
Was using Nova until I found smart launcher. Will never look back. Very happy now
I'm using Apex launcher, it's very light and fast. There are lots of themes (shared with Go Launcher and Nova). For me, it's free and it works well (no crash).
I was using that for a while (paid version) then I switch to Nova as this crashed less. Both are excellent
Using Nova (with the paid goodies) on my phone and tablet. Even when I tried another launchers, I happily returned to Nova. As to the Launcher 8 and Hi Launcher, I don't get it. Why buying a cool Android phone and then turning it into an ugly Windows 8 or iPhone style device? But then again, let every man seek launcher's heaven in his own fashion, and let those who want it end up in launcher's hell.
Some people find may find the WP8 interface ugly, some see the Android UI as unpolished, and then some may find iOS (specially iOS7) as messy and dated. I'm a Graphic designer and I find the Windows Phone 8 UI elegant. It's balanced (because of the tiles), simple, minimalist, no frills. What I don't like is the hardware and availability of apps. Then there's iOS. I don't have much love for skeumorphism (which iOS have tons of.) Yes, iOS7 doesn't have it any more but it's pretty much a messed up UI right now. But I do like Apple's hardware, and their ecosystem is top-notch. On Android, because of heavy customization and tons of apps, you get a plethora of icons of different shapes and sizes (not to mention widgets of all shapes and sizes) which looks a bit messy at times. No one would argue though the Android is a very powerful OS and the Google Play is at par (if not superior) to Apple's App Store. Android is all about customization. I personally use Launcher8. I get the elegant interface of Windows 8 without sacrificing power and customization. It's a win-win situation for me.
action luncher
I have to say that windows launcher 8 is my fav. why? like it said: for windows 8 phone fans. as i am one myself ^^.
i have to say hi launcher is stupid.
Vote for Launcher 8, too.