This is a list of notable applications (apps) that run on the Android platform which meet guidelines for free software and open-source software.
Advertisement blocking
Application name Description AvailabilityLicense API Note Google Play AdAway Ad blocker GNU GPLv3 L16 / 4.1+Adblock Plus Ad blocker GNU GPLv3 L7 / 2.1+ Standalone filtering app was removed from Google Play for breaching Play terms of service.Multiple sources: Chloe Albanesius (14 March 2013). "Ad-Blocking Apps Pulled From Google Play". PC Magazine. Retrieved 31 August 2023. Peter Eckersley (14 March 2013). "Google Takes the Dark Path, Censors AdBlock Plus on Android" Retrieved 31 August 2023. Scott Gilbertson (March 21, 2013). "New Adblock Plus Doesn't Need No Stinking Google Play Store". Wired.com. Retrieved 31 August 2023. Ricardo Bilton (March 13, 2013). "Google yanks Adblock Plus from Google Play, surprising nobody" Retrieved 31 August 2023.
Web browsers
Application name Description AvailabilityLicense API Note Google Play Brave Chromium-based web browser with emphasis on tracking prevention, and reforming ad-blocking MPL 4.1+ Has in-built ad blocker Chromium Primary code-base of Chrome; uses Blink and V8 engines BSD4.4+ DuckDuckGo Chromium-based; focuses on privacy & tracking protection Apache 2.0 5.0+ Fennec F-Droid Rebadged fork of Firefox; aims to remove proprietary components MPL 4.1+ Same with Firefox for Android, but some proprietary code removed. Firefox for Android Customizable with add-ons; uses Gecko engine MPL 4.1+ Removed from F-Droid Firefox Focus/Klar Privacy centered browser; uses Gecko engine (GeckoView) MPL 5.0+ GNU IceCat GNU Project version of Firefox MPL 4.0.3+ IceCat contains features not found in mainline Firefox release and eschews all usage of proprietary components. Tor Browser Firefox-based browser enhanced for use on Tor anonymity network MPL 4.0.3+ Available in F-Droid by activating the extra Guardian Project repository
Office Suites and synchronisation
Application name Description AvailabilityLicense API Note Google Play Collabora Online Office suite with Microsoft Office compatible word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, and vector graphics editor MPLv2 8.0+ An enterprise-ready edition of LibreOffice ownCloud Client for synchronization server GPLv2 7.0+ Nextcloud Client for synchronization server GPLv2 7.1+
Communication
Application name Description AvailabilityLicense API Note Google Play ConnectBot SSH, telnet, and terminal emulator Apache 2.0 1.5+ Element Federated instant messaging and group chat client using the Matrix protocol. Apache 2.0 4.1+ Jitsi Videoconferencing and instant messenger LGPLv2.1 K-9 Mail Advanced email client Apache 2.0 2.2+ Supports OpenPGP integration with OpenKeychain Linphone Video SIP/VoIP client GPLv2 2.2+ Mastodon federated social network GPLv3 6.0+ Session distributed blockchain-based messenger GPLv3 Also available for iOS, Linux, and Windows WordPress Official WordPress client GPLv2 2.3+ Zulip groupware and chat Apache 2.05.0+ Also available for iOS
Privacy or security focused
Application name Description AvailabilityLicense API Note Google Play APG OpenPGP and key management Apache 2.0 1.5+ OpenKeychain available as more up-to-date alternative Briar Peer-to-peer encrypted messaging and forums GPLv3 4.0+ Conversations Federated encrypted instant messaging and group chat GPLv3 4.0+ Interoperable with any Jabber/XMPP clients. End-to-end encryption using OMEMO, OpenPGP (and OTR for versions under 2.0 and the legacy version). Uses traditional login/password with any provider account, instead of quicksy/phone numberElement (formerly Riot)Decentralised, encrypted chat & collaboration powered by Matrix Apache 2.05.0+ I2P Anonymizing network layer Apache 2.0 2.3+ I2P also maintain their own F-Droid repo. IVPN Privacy-focused VPN service GPLv3 Also available on Windows, macOS, and iOS; and undergo independent security audit. Jami Softphone and messenger utilizing DHT and strong cryptography GPLv3 Formerly named "GNU Ring" and "SFLphone". Lantern Peer-to-peer internet censorship circumvention Apache 2.0 Mozilla VPN VPN service MPL 2.0 Also available for iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows Mullvad Privacy-focused VPN service GPLv3 Also available for Windows, macOS, and iOS NymVPN Privacy- and security-focused VPN service Also available for iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows OpenKeychain OpenPGP and key management GPLv3 Integrates with K-9 Mail. Orbot Client and proxy for Tor anonymity network BSD, GPL 1.6+ Psiphon Client for internet censorship circumvention system GPLv3 Proton Drive Remote file storage, sync/share GPLv3 10+ Integrates with Proton Docs and Proton Sheets. Also available for iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows. Proton Mail Client end-to-end encrypted email service GPLv3 Also available for iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows, and Bridge app and website. Proton VPN Privacy-focused VPN service GPLv3 Also available for Windows, macOS, and iOS; and undergo independent security audits.Quicksyprivacy-focused and federated secured XMPP client, using phone number Equivalent of conversations, interoperable, but using phone number instead of traditional id/password; support both PGP or OMEMO encryption plus Jingle for voice/video communication, and file transfers. Signal End-to-end encrypted instant messaging, voice and video calling GPLv3 2.3+ Also available for iOS. The Android client is a merger of the former TextSecure and RedPhone apps. Surespot Encrypted instant messaging GPLv3+ Also available for iOS. F-Droid build is based on forked repo. Telegram Client for cloud-based messaging platform GPLv2 2.2+ Also available for iOS. F-Droid build is based on forked repo. Server uses closed source software. Tox Peer-to-peer instant-messaging GPLv3+ 4.0+ Alpha release Tutanota Client for end-to-end encrypted email service GPLv3 8+ Wire Encrypted instant messaging, voice and video calling GPLv3 Also available for iOS, Windows and OS X. Server uses closed source software.WireGuardVPN clientApache 2.07.0+Also available for iOS, Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, macOS, Windows 7+ and others.
Emulators
Application name Description AvailabilityLicense API Note Google Play Citra Nintendo 3DS GPLv2 Dolphin Nintendo GameCube and Wii GPLv2+ 5.0+ Requires device with support for arm64-v8a ABI and OpenGL ES 3 or above Mupen64Plus Nintendo 64 emulator GPLv3 2.0+ Unofficial port as Mupen64 Plus AE. openMSX MSX GPLv2+ PPSSPP PlayStation Portable GPLv2+ 2.3+ RetroArch Emulates multiple platforms GPLv3RetroArch / COPYING. github.com. Retrieved 19 August 2015. 2.3+ ScummVM Emulates multiple gaming engines GPLv2 1.5+ Termux Terminal emulator Deprecated GPLv3 UserLandLinux EmulatorYesYesGPLv3? VICE Commodore systems emulator GPLv2
Games
Application name Description AvailabilityLicense API Note Google Play 2048 Mathematics sliding block puzzle MIT 2.2+ Port of 2048 Angband Text-based roguelike GPLv2 Battle for Wesnoth Turn-based strategy in a fantasy setting GPLv2 2.3+ Ported to Android with SDL Brogue Roguelike GPLv3 Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup Roguelike GPLv2+ Text-based version also available Fish Fillets NG Underwater puzzle game. GPLv2 1.6+ Port of Fish Fillets NG Freeciv Turn-based strategy game similar to Sid Meier's Civilization GPLv2 2.0+ Frozen Bubble Tile-matching puzzle game GPLv2 1.6+ Port of Frozen Bubble GLtron Lightcycle racing game GPLv2 2.2+ Port of GLtron H-Craft Championship SciFi 3D racing game zlib 3.2+ Media is proprietary, but free for personal use. HyperRogue Roguelike in hyperbolic plane GPLv2+ Luanti Sandbox similar to Minecraft OpenArena First-person shooter similar to Quake 3 GPLv2 1.6+ Unofficial port by "pelya" using SDL 1.2 OpenTTD Business simulation game similar to Transport Tycoon Deluxe GPLv2 1.6+ pelya SDL port Pixel DungeonLinux Magazine Issue #220 / Mar 2019 FOSS Picks
Andrew Koziara (3 July 2015). ‘Pixel Dungeon’ Review – Simple Name, Legendary Game John Walker (4 November 2016). Have You Played... Pixel Dungeon? John Walker (1 June 2015). Wot I Think: Pixel Dungeon Mark Brown (Jul 31, 2014). Pixel Dungeon is a completely free and completely addictive roguelike adventure for Android Pixel Dungeon Review: Rougelike dungeon crawling with pixel art goodness (27 May 2013) A pixel art filled roguelike dungeon crawler has arrived called Pixel Dungeon. (5 Mar 2013) 9kier. Pixel Dungeon (польск.) // CD-Action : журнал. — 2015. — Nr 8 (245). — S. 75. — ISSN 1426-2916. Rizqi Maulana (26 Sep 2014). Perombakan Kecil Dari Pixel Dungeon Untuk Membuatmu Mati Berulang-Ulang Minggu Ini PIXEL DUNGEON FOR ANDROID – A SURPRISINGLY GOOD (FREE) ROGUELIKE. (26 February 2014) Pixel Dungeon. (8 March 2018) Roguelike with pixel art graphics GPLv3 Also available for Linux, iOS, Windows 10, Mac OS X OpenTyrian Vertical shoot 'em up GPLv2 1.6+ pelya SDL port robotfindskitten A "Zen Simulation" GPL 1.6+ Simon Tatham's Puzzle Collection Collection of puzzle games MIT 2.1+ Ur-Quan MastersSource-port of 3DO version of Star Control II GPLv2+, CC by 2.0,CC by-nc-sa 2.5Game engine is free, but Star Control art assets are released under a Creative Commons non-commercial license. pelya SDL port
General
Application name Description AvailabilityLicense API Note Google Play Dasher Accessible text-input method GPLv3 Also available for iOS FetLife Social network catering to the BDSM, fetish, and kink communities MIT fetlife/android/README.md. GitHub. 5.0 Also available for iOS GNU Emacs Extensible self-documenting text editor GPLv3+ 2.2+ Version support is decided at compile-time and individual binaries may require more recent releases of Android.android.texi (texinfo). git.savannah.gnu.org. Retrieved 17 October 2023. Also available for Unix-like systems (GNU, Linux, macOS, BSDs, Solaris), Haiku, Windows, MS-DOS Google IO App for Google IO conference Apache 2.0 4.0 OpenLP Worship presentation software GPLv3 The White House The official White House app MIT 2.2+
Health
Application name Description AvailabilityLicense API Note Google Play COVID Alert Canadian digital contact tracing app Apache 2.0 Also available for iOS DP-3T Protocol and reference implementation of decentralized European contact tracing app MPL 2.0 Also available for iOS PEPP-PT Protocol and reference implementation of centralized European digital contact tracing appMPL 2.0 TraceTogetherSingaporean contact tracing app GPLv3 Available for iOS Data collected is available to police, and may be used in criminal or other types of investigationsAndreas Illmer (5 January 2021). Singapore reveals Covid privacy data available to police. BBC News, Singapore.
Multimedia
Application name Description AvailabilityLicense API Note Google Play AntennaPod Podcatcher MIT 2.3.3+ Butter ProjectMedia player utilising the BitTorrent protocol AGPLv3 Jellyfin Client for the Jellyfin Media Server GPLv2+ 5.0+ Kodi (formerly XBMC) Media player and center GPLv2+ Multi Krita Graphics editor for art and animation F-Droid.org Krita Retrieved 20 September 2023. GPLv3 Optimized for tablets and may behave poorly on phone screens. Member project of KDE.Pocket CastsPodcatcherMPL27.0+Released as open source software in 2022. Popcorn Time Media player utilizing BitTorrent protocol GPLv3+(AGPL exception)Popcorn Time Foundation. android / LICENSE.md. git.popcorntime.io. Retrieved 19 August 2015. In Nov. of 2015 PopcornTime.io ceased operations after court order from the MPAA issued in Canada. Ringdroid Ringtone maker Apache 2.0 4.1+ Rockbox Media player GPLv2+ Tribler Decentralized video sharing GPLv3 3.0+ Tux Paint Simple drawing program for children GPLv2 Version on Google Play is published by a 3rd-party & contains proprietary ad libraries in violation of upstream developers' license VLC Media player GPLv2+ 4.2+ Wikimedia Commons Client for free media repository Apache 2.0 4.4+ Old CommonsLab app no longer maintained. Current app is community-developed. Navigation