10 exclusive F-Droid apps are not available on Google Play Store

Google Play Store is not the only place you can download Android apps. There are a few alternatives to Google Play Store worth exploring.

One of the most popular alternatives is F-Droid. It specializes in free and open source software. You can install F-Droid on your device or download the APK file of this application on its website.

There are some similarities between F-Droid and Play Store. Many applications are available on both platforms. However, today, this article is only interested in dedicated F-Droid applications.

1. Chanu

Are you a regular reader of 4chan? This is the most popular but also controversial image based website on the Internet.

Unfortunately for 4chan fans because it has no official app. Reddit, often considered 4chan-lite, also has no official application until recently.

Google Play Store has several third-party 4chan apps. The most popular of them is Mimi.

However, to get more functionality, you need to switch to F-Droid. Chanu application allows you to browse message boards, track topics, download photos and save your favorite message boards. There are also bright and dark themes, support for utilities and offline mode.

Download Chanu (free).

2. Clover

Clover is a 4chan reader instead. It was once available on Google Play, but now you will only find this app on F-Droid.

Some Clover features are like Chanu. You can view topics, reply online, receive notifications and apply some themes. However, Clover also supports a number of other image message boards. They include 8chan, Lainchan, and many other options.

Download Clover (free).

3. Beta Updater for WhatsApp

WhatsApp regularly receives new updates. Many of these features add new uses to the world's most popular instant messaging application.

But how can you experience these new features soonest? How can you get the beta version of WhatsApp?

If you've installed WhatsApp from Google Play Store, unfortunately you can't do anything. Unlike Windows, Chrome, other mainstream applications and services, there is no way to subscribe to new test versions for WhatsApp.

However, you can review Beta Updater for WhatsApp. This free app will ensure you always run the latest beta release of WhatsApp.

Warning: Beta releases are often unstable, behaving strangely and error-prone.

Download Beta Updater for WhatsApp (free).

4. Yalp Store

If you have used Android for a while, you may be familiar with the concept of sideload applications. Simply put, this refers to installing the application on the device manually without using Google Play Store.

Understanding how to download applications is also an essential part of owning an Android TV or Amazon Fire TV device. Both platforms have more modest native app stores than mobile app stores, but you can run any Android app with a little tweaking.

To sideload an application, you need the APK file of that application. Unfortunately, the APK file is not available on Play Store (although there are some third-party websites where you can download the APK file).

Yalp Store solves the problem of APK files on Google Play. It allows you to download APK files of any application directly from the store.

Yalp is also a great way to download the Google Play Store app without using a Google account. It uses an integrated account to connect, so you don't need your own login information.

Download Yalp Store (free).

5. / r / Android App Store

/ r / Android maintains a wiki page for Android applications. It includes both community-recommended apps and apps from developers who want to spread information about their products. There are hundreds of applications on this list.

/ r / Android App Store on F-Droid gives users an easy way to browse and download all the applications in the wiki. You will find both paid and free apps in the / r / Android App Store, and the application itself is completely free to download and use.

Download / r / Android App Store (free).

6. NewPipe

NewPipe is an alternative to YouTube. This app is very light and has some feature enhancements compared to the official app. Featured features include playing videos in the background, a video popup player, a local playlist and a subscription list that can be added / removed.

NewPipe also places more emphasis on user privacy than YouTube. It does not use proprietary Google APIs, saves all your data offline and allows you to control what data the application can collect.

Finally, it allows you to download MP3s from YouTube and download MP4 videos on YouTube. You can set your own file name and resolution.

Download NewPipe (free).

7. Chromium SWE Updater

Chromium is an open source launcher created by Google in the Chrome web browser. Because it is open source, other users can split the application and customize their own way.

A group called Code Aurora Forum, broken down Chromium to create Chromium SWE. It is specially optimized for devices with Qualcomm Snapdragon chips. However, the browser does not come with an integrated update. Instead, users must remember to check and install updates regularly.

Due to the importance of always running the latest application version, this is not ideal. Thankfully, the arrival of Chromium SWE Updater in F-Droid solved the problem. The tool will automatically update Chromium SWE builds to ensure you always use the latest version.

Download Chromium SWE Updater (free).

8. Tachiyomi

If you like manga, Tachiyomi is an application you must have. It allows downloading content from multiple sources, including Batoto, KissManga and MangaFox, then reading it all in one place.

Tachiyomi's readers are really impressed with this. It has a variety of view modes, convertible reading directions, and light / dark themes. You can also schedule updates to always have the latest materials in hand. It even supports your reading list on MyAnimeList, AniList and Kitsu.

Download Tachiyomi (for free).

9. SimpleRT

SimpleRT will be your companion application, if you want to share your computer's Internet connection with your Android device via USB. Unlike some other applications that share the connection in the opposite direction, it does not require root access.

The application supports multi-tether (which means you can combine several Android devices into a single virtual network) and allows you to set up custom DNS servers. On Android, SimpleRT acts as a service and has no user interface.

This service is fully compatible with Linux and macOS, while the Windows version is still in beta.

Download SimpleRT (free).

10. WebTube

This is another alternative application for YouTube.

WebTube is not as full-featured as NewPipe. You cannot use it to download videos. However, if you just want to watch the video, it's a quick and lightweight option worth considering. Like NewPipe, this app focuses primarily on privacy. It will not use nor access the exclusive YouTube API, nor will you need to use any Google Play Service.

Download WebTube (free).

F-Droid App Store is a great way to find special apps that you won't be able to see in Google Play Store.

However, there are many applications that you may not have heard of that are already in the Play Store. To learn more, please refer to the article: 9 great Google Android apps that you've never heard of

See more:

1. 7 best Android apps are not available on Google Play Store
2. How to install the application on Android without using Google Play Store
3. 5 types of mobile applications should not be installed on smartphones