Android, since the launch, has dominated the market due to its innumerable customization possibilities. You can go to any level of customizations on Android OS and that attracted both the users as well as the developers. One of the most popular customization apps on Android is Launcher. Launchers are basically arranging our apps, home screens, widgets in one place on our Android phone. By default, we have a stock launcher on every Android phone but there are some great third-party launchers apps available on Play Store which offers a lot more and that too for free. So it is always beneficial to have a good launcher on your phone.
There are hundreds of third-party launchers available on Play Store and you must be puzzled to choose the best one. That’s why we have compiled a list of best launchers available on Google Play. So without any further ado let’s get started.
Best Android Launchers of 2018
#1. Nova Launcher
Nova Launcher is currently the best launcher you can use in terms of performance and simplicity. I have been using this launcher for four-five years now and I am still very happy with it. The app gets regular stability updates as well as the new features. Although the app is very simple and light it has all the advanced features you need on a launcher. You can add icon packs, customize your home screen, folders, dock, apps arrangement, widgets etc. In the App Drawer, the app has a top row which shows frequently used apps. It also features a very unique and well-managed Search bar on the top. Nova Launcher has a paid version too which unlocks some really cool gestures and advanced features. If you have used this launcher once then there’s no going back.
#2. Microsoft Launcher
Another great launcher you can download is Microsoft Launcher (formerly known as Arrow Launcher). It’s fascinating that the Windows company has mastered the art of Android customization. Anyway, the app is very clean and sleek and it has some cool features like Pin contacts on Home screen or dock or in folders, wallpaper & icon customization, gestures, and personalized feed. If you have a Microsoft account and a Windows PC then you can access news, calendar events, docs, contacts on your personalized feed. You can also open a photo in PC directly from your phone. So overall this is really a cool launcher to have and especially if you are a hardcore Windows PC user.
#3. Evie Launcher
If you are looking for performance then Evie Launcher will be the best launcher for you. The smoothness of this launcher app is unparallel. The app comes with a variety of home screen shortcuts, customizations, icon pack support. It shows all your apps in one place as a big list and you can easily search for them using the Search bar. You can also change the grid of the app drawer to show more apps on the screen. The app lacks in gesture feature which is a downside for me. But if you want to try a really fast and light launcher then you must try this.
#4. Buzz Launcher
If you are looking for endless possibilities then this is the launcher you must look at. Buzz Launcher comes with a unique feature called Homepack Buzz which opens the door for home screen customization. You can choose your home screen from more than 50000+ available home screens uploaded by its users. You can also upload your own home screen. The app also features a good feature called Screen Effects. Using this feature you can overlay animated effects such as snowflakes, autumn leaves on your home screen. You can also place a moving picture (GIF) on your home screen. Buzz Launcher has an associated app called Buzz Widget which offers 3D widgets and they look really cool.
#5 Lawnchair Launcher
Lawnchair Launcher has launched recently and it grabbed all the attention because of its similarity with Nova Launcher. This is a fully free launcher and comes with all the advanced features you have dreamed of in a launcher. The launcher supports icon packs, desktop, dock, app drawer customizations, overlay effects, app shortcuts etc. It also has the backup and restore feature. One of the coolest features of Lawnchair is the Blur feature. So far this app is very simple, clean and lightweight.
#6. Smart Launcher 5
Smart Launcher has evolved a lot over these years. The Smart Launcher Team has recently revamped the whole launched with a new look. The app has all the basic customization features like changing icon packs, wallpapers. It also sports some advanced features like automatic app sorting, ambient theme, Smart search, On-screen notifications, gestures etc.
#7. TSF Launcher 3D Shell
TSF Launcher has been since years now and it was one of the first launcher apps with really good 3D home screen transitions and widgets. You can customize a lot of things in this launcher like changing icons, adding unlimited dock bar, adding 3D widgets etc. The app also comes with gestures support which includes app launching, calling, SMS, home screen switching and a lot more. If you are looking for a different launcher experience then you must try this app for sure.
#8. GO Launcher
If you are looking for a huge resource of themes in a launcher then this is the best launcher to go for. Go Launcher has its own store which has so many good looking themes and you can install them right away. Alongside themes, the launcher also features so many customization features, transition effects, and wallpapers. The launcher has a built-in RAM cleaning tool and app lock system. The app has more than 100 million downloads over Play Store and it is still one of the best-rated themes.
#9. Action Launcher
Action Launcher is similar to Nova launcher and Lawnchair Launcher. The app brings all the stock Pixel launcher features such as full screen All Apps mode, circular folder style. Action Launcher lets you customize the dock search box and gain a full control over it. The app also supports icon packs, Google Now integration, Adaptive Icons, App Shortcuts. One of the coolest features of the app is Quickedit. Using this feature you will get icon suggestions for a particular app without even opening the icon pack.
#10. ADW Launcher 2
This is another feature rich launcher you can use. Just like other launchers this app also supports Android 7.1 launcher shortcuts, icon packs, wallpapers, widgets. The app also lets you edit the widgets using their Template Manager feature. The app is fast, clean and lightweight. Overall this is a great launcher app to start with.
So these are our top picks for 2018’s best Android Launchers. Outside our list, there are so many other third-party launchers available. But they aren’t as good as these. If we find any new launcher with great features we will update this list right away. So keep visiting this article once in a while and also let us know which launcher you use on daily basis.
