The 5 Best Open Source Android Apps for Productivity

Are you tired of using productivity apps that demand account registration, access to endless permissions, and have questionable privacy policies? While it’s ideal to use your Android device to take notes, record audio, manage your passwords, and other productivity tasks, finding that perfect app among the millions on the Google Play Store is tricky.

That’s why we’ve gathered this list of sleek productivity apps for Android, all of which are open source. This means their code is publicly viewable; this transparency arguably leads to greater security, and it allows you to fork your own version if you have the knowledge.

Without further ado, these are the best open source Android apps that can help you get organized and find more time in your day.

Why Should You Use Open Source Productivity Apps?

There’s no denying that smartphone apps have become increasingly intrusive, as apps demand unnecessary access to location, microphone, camera, contacts, and storage, thereby challenging privacy. The fear of allowing tech companies access to such private data is amplified when you come to realize that the software is proprietary (closed source).

Open source apps solve a major worry of users as they allow transparency. The code on which the apps run is public, allowing third-party unbiased audits. However, that isn’t to say that open source apps don’t demand access to permissions. But the majority of them are upfront about it and only ask for access to necessary permissions.

In fact, four out of the five open source productivity apps we have collected below don’t even require you to create an account to access them. Let’s go through them.

1. Loop Habit Tracker

Good habits are the foundation for productivity. The behavior needs to be repeated regularly and subconsciously to form a habit. This makes it critical that you can effectively track your habits to understand your behavior.

Loop Habit Tracker offers an ad-free experience. While you are busy tracking your habits and building habit streaks, the app creates colorful and detailed statistics for you to analyze.

Pros:

• The app has a modern and clutter-free interface that is easy to use. The home screen of the app shows all your active habits. You can also add widgets of your habits on your phone’s home screen.
• You don’t need to create an account to use the app. In fact, you don’t need an internet connection at all.
• You can keep track of your habits and get detailed statistics to help you improve over time. For in-depth analysis, you can export your charts and statistics too.

Cons:

• The app does not support syncing data features with any other platforms.

Download: Loop Habit Tracker for Android (Free)

2. Bitwarden Password Manager

Every online service or app you own requires you to have passwords to access your account. Remembering all those essential passwords is a tricky business and can eat up your crucial time.

Bitwarden is an open source password manager app that remembers and even generates passwords for you. Besides being a secure and easy to use app, Bitwarden also provides you transparency by making its code open source and available on GitHub so that anybody can easily monitor or audit its activity.

Pros:

• Your passwords and data are not only protected by 256-bit AES encryption, but the app also offers two-factor authentication for added security.
• Bitwarden is also available for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and browsers. This allows you to sync your passwords on all your devices without a hassle.

Cons:

• Bitwarden is a password manager that gets your job done. However, it can be overwhelming for the first time user.

Download: Bitwarden Password Manager for Android (Free)

3. Simple Notes Pro

Quick and easy note-taking is a staple of productivity. Whether you are a student or a working professional, jotting down notes on the go keeps your creativity flowing.

Simple Notes Pro is an ad-free note-taking app. You can add its colorful widget directly on your home screen to quickly take notes and refer to them later. Whether you want to take notes or create a to-do list, you can do it all within the app.

Pros:

• Simple Notes Pro allows color, text, and size customizations. Moreover, you can create widgets for quick access to your notes.
• All your notes are auto-saved, so you will never lose any critical information even if you close the app midway. You can also export your notes as PDF.

Cons:

• It doesn’t let you to add images to the notes.
• There’s a small fee when downloaded from Google Play.

Download: Simple Notes Pro from Google Play ($1.09) | F-Droid (Free)

4. Simple Calendar Pro

Everyone needs a reliable and feature-rich calendar to schedule their time and life events. But most people are not comfortable giving access of personal information to big corporations.

Simple Calendar Pro is an offline and ad-free calendar app that makes it easy to view your schedule. The app can also integrate and sync with other calendars such as Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and more.

Pros:

• It doesn’t require internet access, thus offers good privacy and security of your personal data.
• The entire interface of Simple Calendar Pro is highly customizable. You can also add widgets on the home screen displaying critical upcoming events. The app also offers support for over 30 languages.
• The app allows daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, and event views. Additionally, you set reminders for important events.
• You can create separate calendars (e.g., one for personal, another for business) and effortlessly switch between them.

Cons:

• There is no desktop version; cross-device compatibility is often handy for a calendar app.
• The Play Store version is not free.

Download: Simple Calendar Pro from Google Play ($1.39) | F-Droid (Free)

5. Audio Recorder

Not everyone likes to actively note down their thoughts or ideas on paper or note-taking apps. Instead, some prefer quick audio recordings. Then again, many users refrain from doing so as popular apps require access to your personal information.

Audio Recorder is an app that allows you to record and save audio directly on your phone. The excellent user-interface of the app experience is modern, ad-free, and highly customizable.

Pros:

• Audio recorder allows you to record audio, playback records, and even import audio files stored on your smartphone.
• The app supports M4A, WAV (lossless), and 3GP recording formats for quality audio in small sizes. You also get multiple options for sample rate and bitrate.

Cons:

• Audio Recorder does not allow you to directly record on external storage.

Download: Audio Recorder for Android (Free)

Boost Productivity Without Compromising Privacy

There are so many apps available to help you with productivity and organization that it can be hard to decide which ones to use. However, when transparency and privacy are your biggest concerns, proper research and consideration are essential.

Whatever you’re seeking productivity apps for, be it a business workflow or to aid with mental health conditions like ADHD, these open source apps are sure to come in handy.

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