15 of the best, lightest, and most awesome Android launchers

15 of the best, lightest, and most awesome Android launchers

Ah, Android and its beauty! Without a shadow of doubt, it has the upper hand when it comes to flexibility and customizability - its biggest rivals (iOS and Windows Phone) literally don't stand a chance in this one-horse race. Thanks to this fundamental aspect of Android, almost any
manufacturer out there usually snaps a home-brewed user interface suite on their devices. HTC's Sense and Samsung's TouchWiz are probably the most popular custom UIs for Android, but let's face it – not everyone likes the looks of these.

Fortunately, you can easily modify the interface looks of your Android device and make it suit your liking. Probably the easiest way to do so is by installing a custom 3rd-party launcher. Voila, you are done! Not only custom launchers provide you with different looks, they also come with a wide range of nifty customization features and options that are rarely found in stock UIs. What's more, most of the 3rd-party ones are usually a whole lot lighter and smoother, which is always welcome, isn't it?

Okay, but... how does one change the launcher of their device? It's pretty simple and straightforward. Installing it is easy, but setting it as the default launcher requires an additional tap or two. Android will automatically ask you which one of the installed launchers to be the default one when you press the home button of your device for the first time after the installation has been completed. Most launchers will also guide you through the process of setting them as default ones. In addition, if your device is running Android 4.4 KitKat or higher, you can also select the default launcher via the Settings menu – just head there and look for the Default Applications submenu.

While we are on the subject of home screen replacements, we decided to delve in Google Play and pick some of the best and most popular Android launchers. Check them out and don't forget to tell us which one is your favorite!

15 downright awesome launchers to treat your Android device to

1. GO Launcher EX

One of the most popular and downloaded launchers for Android, GO launcher, comes with a decent amount of customization options. It supports custom icon packs, a wide range of themes, beautiful transition effects, and more. You can also launch apps with gestures. Still, Go Launcher is not among the lightest launchers, so it shouldn't be your first option if your device is a low-end one. What's more, the free version of the launcher comes with ads, and if you want to get rid of those, you'll have to get GO Launcher Prime.

Download: GO Launcher EX (Android)
Download: GO Launcher Prime (Android)

2. Nova Launcher

Nova Launcher is one of the lightest and most feature-packed AOSP-like launchers out there. It's often lauded as being the best all-around launcher for Android. Recently updated to version 3.0, it now comes with even more features than before and really sets itself apart from the competition. It supports Google's Voice Search hotword ("OK, Google), allows its users to greatly alter the layout of their home screen, as well as the transition animations, icon shortcuts, etc. The paid version of Nova, Nova Launcher Prime, will provide you with even more customization features.

Download: Nova Launcher (Android)
Download: Nova Launcher Prime (Android)

3. Apex Launcher

Although not as feature-rich, Apex Launcher is pretty similar to Nova in terms of customizability. Still, it allows you to have up to 9 homescreens, multiple drawer tabs, customize the icon and the label of any app or folder, define home screen gestures, and many more. As a whole, it's a decently balanced launcher - if you are looking for smooth performance and stability, then Apex will probably not disappoint you. The paid version of Apex, dubbed Apex Launcher Pro, comes with even more perks on board.

Download: Apex Launcher (Android)
Download: Apex Launcher Pro (Android)

4. Smart Launcher 2

This is one of the more unique and curious Android launchers. The signature feature of Smart Launcher are the so-called "bubbles" - a circular dial of several apps that are neatly positioned on your home screen. Its app drawer, which can be accessed by swiping right, sorts your apps in several tabs - Media, Internet, Utilities, Games, etc. One of the few downsides of the launcher is that it doesn't support widgets - if you are a fan of these, you'll have to purchase Smart Launcher Pro 2.

Download: Smart Launcher 2 (Android)
Download: Smart Launcher Pro 2 (Android)

5. Mi Launcher

Xiaomi's phones ship with the company's own ROM, MIUI. Its signature feature is the lack of... an app drawer, making it a look like a peculiar mix between iOS and Android. The philosophy behind Mi Launcher is exactly the same - it ditches your app drawer and scatters your apps across several home screens. Don't turn your heads, Android die-hards! Mi Launcher is surprisingly easy to use and chances are that you'll end up loving it at the end of the day. Still, it comes with a pretty limited amount of customization capabilities, which might be a deal-breaker for some Android devotees.

Download: Mi Launcher (Android)

6. dodol Launcher

One of the strongest points of dodol Launcher is the abundance of themes that are available for it. Apart from the ample amount of these, Dodol Launcher is also pretty customizable. Well, not as much as Nova, but dodol Launcher still enables you to customize various aspects of its interface. Performance-wise, dodol Launcher is smooth and should be more than acceptable for the average Android user. Oh, did we mention that this launcher is completely free?

Download: dodol Launcher (Android)

7. Action Launcher

Action Launcher is all about ease of use and smooth performance. Similar to Smart Launcher, it lacks a regular app drawer. Swiping your home screen right will take you to an alphabetical list with all of your apps in tow. Swiping your home screen left takes you to the so-called "QuickPage", which gives you access to Google Search and some of the apps you've recently used. Action Launcher is strikingly light and smooth - interface lag and hiccups will probably be seen as scarce as hen's teeth. Unfortunately, most of the customization features are only available in the paid version of Action launcher.

Download: Action Launcher (Android)
Download: Action Launcher Pro (Android)

8. Solo Launcher

Meet Solo Launcher - one of the most feature-rich launchers for Android. Solo comes with a Unread Messages counter, gesture combinations, and a panoply of available themes, to name a few. Additionally, it's a performance champion and runs quite smoothly. Solo Launcher is free to download and all of its features are available out of the box for free, as well. If you are a customization freak, then Solo Launcher would probably surprise you with its flexibility. Don't hesitate to give it a try.

Download: Solo Launcher (Android)

9. Buzz Launcher

Maybe the most prominent feature of Buzz Launcher is that it allows its users to download complete home screen setups. Don't confuse this with themes - apart from coming with their own icon sets and wallpapers, these also come with their own layouts. Thus, each home screen setup has a completely different look and feel. Users can also create their own setups and share them. Surely, this great variety makes Buzz Launcher the perfect option for those Android fans that want to completely alter the interface of their devices trouble-free.

Download: Buzz Launcher (Android)

10. EverythingMe Launcher

EverythingMe is a contextual launcher that is touted as being able to "predict" what app you need at any given moment. According to the time of day, it will suggest the apps that you are most likely to use. For example, it will bump news-related apps early in the morning, productivity-centric ones throughout the day, and even suggest you restaurants if it detects that you are outside in the evening. The more you use it, the better EverythingMe will become. Despite the limited customization options, it's a a pretty curious replacement of your stock UI.

Download: EverythingMe Launcher (Android)

11. Launcher 8

If the appearance of Windows Phone 8 appeals to you, then Launcher 8 is the perfect home screen replacement for your Android device. Frankly said, it's a little unpolished, but as a whole it provides a straightforward Windows Phone experience. Live Tiles are on board, too, and swiping left shows you all of your apps, just like in Windows Phone. Launcher 8 also comes with a Windows Phone-like status bar. Performance-wise, Launcher 8 is quite smooth and pleasant to work with. If you have a thing for Microsoft's mobile OS, but reluctant to leave Androidland, then you should give it a try.

Download: Launcher 8 (Android)

12. Themer Beta

Just as its name suggests, Themer is a theme-centric home screen replacement. Indeed, it sports a pretty impressive collection of themes that not only replace the visuals of your interface, but also come with their own layouts. This means that no two themes are the same. This launcher is still in beta, so take into consideration that you might experience issues with some themes or features. Hopefully, these will be fixed with a future update.

Download: Themer Beta (Android)

13. KK Launcher

KK Launcher is based on the stock Android KitKat launcher, so it comes to no surprise that it's a champion when it comes to speed and smooth performance. The interface is almost completely identical to the one of the stock KitKat launcher, but KK launcher excels when it comes to customization. It supports the "Ok, Google" hotword, themes, icons, etc. It also comes with a sidebar, which conveniently houses your most used apps. All of this is kept in a pretty minimalistic package, so KK Launcher should provide a pretty decent KitKat-like experience for users that are running Android 4.0 or higher.

Download: KK Launcher (Android)

14. Next Launcher 3D Shell

Enough with these minimalist launchers that go easy on your hardware! Next Launcher provides users with a dynamic 3D interface. Both the app drawer and the home screen receive this 3D treatment, which comes with customizable transitions and animations. It supports a number of 3D themes, and interestingly enough, Next Launcher allows you to mix elements from different themes and create one that is your cup of tea. Still, take into consideration that the fancy effects might really eat up your battery. The price of the app might also turn off most users - Next Launcher retails at $16.99.

Download: Next Launcher 3D Shell (Android)

15. Atom Launcher

Atom is yet another launcher that offers a fair amount of customizability features. Some of the more interesting of these are the included theme maker, which easily allows you to create and share a theme, and the customizable Atom Bar. Apart from these, Atom Launcher does not have a hidden ace up its sleeve - its true strength lies in its smooth performance.

Download: Atom Launcher (Android)

 

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