At this point in my life, I don’t feel the need to be productive 100% of the time. But in those times I a.m I work hard, I need the right tools ready, whether I’m at my desk or on the go.
While I’m standing at my desk or sitting with my laptop, I have a multitude of tools at my disposal. But when I’m on the move, so is mine Pixel 8 Pro is the only device at hand, the number of tools does not seem so limitless. And that’s okay — because the tools that are available work very well to help me do what I need.
Also: Any Google Apps user can improve their efficiency with this one simple menu tweak
Many of the tools I depend on come from Google — but not all. Some of the most important apps I use are made by companies far outside the Google empire, and all are available for free. (Some have costs associated with premium features.) What are the non-Google Android apps that I depend on to help me stay productive?
Here are five non-Google productivity apps I can’t live without:
1. Relaxed
Slack is, hands down, the best collaboration tool I use. While it may not be perfect (missed notifications can be a real problem), there’s no other tool I rely on more to stay in touch with different clients. With Slack, not only can I stay on top of client needs, I can share files, tag replies, view threads, jump into calls, edit content with canvases, create automations, connect to third-party services, view my history, and more.
While Slack may seem like little more than a group messaging tool at first glance, it’s a lot more, and keeping up with different clients would be a serious challenge without this app.
Also: Slack adds a GIF picker that lets you spice up your business messages. Here’s how
Slack is free to use, but if you want premium features (which add unlimited message history, unlimited light voice chats, and more), pricing starts at $7.25 per user per month.
2. Trello
Kanban boards help my creativity flow. I mostly use Kanban boards to track the status of new manuscripts, flesh out ideas, and organize characters and plots. I also use Kanban boards for a few of my clients who need to track the workflow of the articles and videos I create for them.
When I need a Kanban board on Android, I reach out Trello. Not only does Trello simplify the creation and use of Kanban boards, it also has all the features I need to power those boards beyond standard use cases. For example, with boosts and templates, I can create very complicated panels without too much effort. They can also create unique dashboards for each book or client, add notifications, connect to third-party services, and more.
Also: How to create a Kanban board in Trello for a much more organized life
If you need to keep working, Kanban is the way to go and there’s no easier path to success than Trello.
Trello is free to use, but to get premium features (like unlimited boards, advanced checklists, and custom fields), prices start at $5 per user per month.
3. Bitwarden
You might be surprised to see a password manager listed with the productivity apps group, but consider this: when most of the apps, services, and accounts I use for productivity are protected by strong passwords, I’m going to need help keeping those passwords strong and managed.
Also: the best password managers you can buy
I’ve tried just about every password manager on the market and none of them come close to being as usable or flexible Bitwarden. Bitwarden has all the features you’re used to in such an app, but also includes features like Secure Send and Secure Notes, which allow you to securely send and save sensitive information. On top of all this, Bitwarden is open source and offers a self-hosted server solution: if you’re hesitant to store a specific vault on Bitwarden servers, you can deploy your own and keep those passwords in-house.
The Android version of Bitwarden integrates well with operating systems, so you can enjoy the auto-fill feature when you need to log into your account securely.
Bitwarden can be used for free, but to get premium features (such as Bitwarden Authenticator, file attachments, emergency access and more), the price starts from less than $1 per month.
4. Opera
Anyone who doesn’t think of a web browser as a productivity tool doesn’t understand how modern web browsers work. For my money, the most productive web browser on the market is Opera. But Opera is not just websites. With this browser, not only do you have an AI assistant at your fingertips (via Opera’s built-in Aria), but you also have My Flow to move seamlessly between desktop and mobile versions, create Pinboards for content selection and notes, and save web pages for offline reading.
Also: Firefox vs Opera: Which web browser is best for you?
For me, the My Flow and Pinboards features elevate Opera above the competition. With these two plugins, I can browse open tabs from my desktop on my Android device and create Pinboards for various purposes (like book inspiration, tech article ideas, and everything in between). And when it’s time to do some research on the go, I’ll open up Opera’s Aria AI feature and dive down many rabbit holes.
Opera is free to use.
5. Term
Term it’s not just a note-taking app. Notion is for documents, task management, collaboration, organization and web publishing. In fact, Notion is the only app I would turn to if all the other apps on this list disappeared.
Notion takes the task of note-taking to a whole other level; the app is a comprehensive project management and CRM tool that can even throw a little artificial intelligence into the mix. Of course, with all these features in one place, you’ll find that Notion’s learning curve is on the steeper side.
Also: Best note-taking apps for iPad: Ditch the pen and paper
While Notion uses pages and templates to create what you need, the process can be a bit overwhelming at first. However, the company recently added a Quick Notes Widget that simplifies the process of taking notes right from your device’s home screen. You’ll want to spend some time getting to know Notion. But once you get used to how Notion works, you’ll find it an invaluable productivity tool.
Notion is free to use, but to get access to premium features (such as unlimited team blocks, unlimited file transfers, and 30 days of site history), pricing starts at $8 per user per month.
Who said you can’t be productive with an Android device? Whoever it was, obviously didn’t know about these five apps. Of course, there are many more productivity apps that you can use. Once you find the right mix of apps for your workflow, you’ll find that you can be very productive, even while on the go.