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15 best premium apps and paid apps for Android

Are you ready to spend a few bucks, but want the best value? Here are apps that are definitely worth the price tag.
By
September 10, 2023
HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro Google Play Store

Some of the best apps cost a little bit of money. That’s just the way it works sometimes. However, there are also a bunch of apps that ask for too much, are very expensive, or are simply not worth it. There are millions of paid apps in the Google Play Store and many of them are excellent. However, we think a few stand above the rest. To make this list, apps have to have a single price tag with no additional in-app purchases, subscriptions, or advertising. You buy it once and you get everything. Here are the best premium apps for Android.

The best premium apps for Android

1Weather

Price: Free / $4.00

1Weather is one of the best weather apps on mobile. We like this one in particular because it has a clean interface and all of the basic info like humidity, precipitation, and air quality.  It also has a weather radar that helps you detect hurricanes, tornados, cyclones, and typhoons. In addition, the little weather fun facts are enjoyable as well. The free version has everything along with ads, while the premium version removes ads. It’s a rock-solid, single-payment weather app in a market where more and more weather apps have a subscription. 

Tasker

Price: $3.49

tasker collage
Umme Aimon Shabbir / Android Authority

Tasker is one of the best paid apps on Android. With Tasker, users can automate various tasks and actions on their devices, making their smartphones even smarter. This app is a game-changer for those who want to simplify their daily routines and enhance productivity. Tasker allows users to create intricate automation profiles by defining triggers, conditions, and actions. For example, you could ask it to unlock your phone when you are at home and lock it when you are outside. Tasker is a must-have for Android users seeking to unlock the full potential of their smartphones.

Business Calendar

Price: Free / $8.99

Business Calendar 2 screenshot 2021
Joe Hindy / Android Authority

Business Calendar 2 doesn’t have the coolest name, but it’s one of the best calculator apps on mobile. The app has a bunch of customization options and plenty of features that enhance your productivity, and it provides configurable notifications. The developers focus on making this work as efficiently as possible, and thus, it removes a lot of fluff from other calendar apps. With all of the customizations and efficiency, it’s tough to find much wrong with this calendar. The pro version goes for $8.99, which we think is reasonable. It’s a good calendar.

Star Walk 2 – Night Sky View 

Price: $2.99

sky walk collage
Umme Aimon Shabbir / Android Authority

Star Walk 2: Night Sky View is a captivating stargazing app that brings the wonders of the cosmos to your fingertips. It helps users identify stars, planets, constellations, and even satellites overhead. The app provides detailed information about celestial objects, making it an excellent tool for both amateur astronomers and curious stargazers. Whether you’re exploring the night sky from your backyard or a remote location, Star Walk 2 offers an immersive and educational stargazing experience.

Medium 

Price: Subscription ($49.99/year or $4.99/month)

medium collage
Umme Aimon Shabbir / Android Authority

The Medium reading app offers users a convenient platform to access a wide range of thought-provoking articles, essays, and stories. Readers can explore content on various topics written by both established and emerging writers. The app also offers personalized recommendations and allows users to bookmark and save their favorite pieces. Whether you’re looking for insightful analysis, creative storytelling, or expert advice, the Medium reading app is a go-to destination for intellectually engaging content.

Nova Launcher Prime

Price: $4.99

Nova Launcher is one of the best android apps

Nova Launcher is one of the best paid Android Launcher apps. It features a modern user interface, tons of extras, some theming features, and more. You can customize everything from the size of a home screen to the number of icons on the dock and plenty of other things. It also helps you adjust the icon size, customize the scroll effect and hide apps. These and other features easily make it a strong competitor for the best Android Launcher app.

PhotoPills and SunSurveyor

Price: $10.99 and $8.99, respectively

PhotoPills and SunSurveyor are two photography apps with similar purposes. These apps help you plan shoots for photography and filmmaking. They also help you to keep track of things like sunrise and sunset, moon phases, and star positions so you can get the photographs you want at the right time. Both of these apps are rather expensive, but there have been almost no complaints from anybody who buys them. You can choose the one that fits your budget.

Podcast Addict

Price: Free / $6.99

Podcast Addict screenshot 2021

Podcast Addict is an excellent podcast player. It has all of the usual features, including excellent organization and playlist features, tons of available podcasts, and various playback controls. You can also do stuff like auto-download new episodes, find new podcasts, and cast them via Chromecast and SONOS. The user interface isn’t the most flashy, but it’s functional, and the rest of the features more than make up for it. This is easily among the best podcast apps on Android. 

Relay for Reddit

Price: Free / In-app Purchases ($0.99-$9.99 per item) 

Relay for Reddit is an excellent way to browse the massive website. It features a card-style user interface, and it really helps separate Reddit user interface elements. Some other features include inline previewing, moderator features, improved comment navigation, support for the spoiler tag, and more. It also loads comments and links simultaneously. It’s an excellent all-around experience and one of the better premium apps for Android.

Solid Explorer

Price: Free / $2.99

Solid Explorer is easily one of the best file browser apps. It has a simple User Interface. It supports drag-and-drop functionality and shows dual windows in landscape mode. Additionally, it supports various archive files such as ZIP.  It also has FTP servers that help you access files from your local PC. It gives you access to the most popular cloud storage websites as well. It also helps you to stream local media files to your Chromecast. All these features make it a great file browser application.  

Tapet

Price: Free /$5.99

Tapet screenshot 2023

Tapet is a wallpaper generator app. You choose the pattern and colors. The app then makes a wallpaper keeping those patterns and colors in consideration. All wallpapers are made for your device’s screen specifically so you don’t have to worry about mismatches or low-resolution images. Additionally, there are well over 100 patterns and tons of colors to play with. You can save the ones you like or apply them from the app itself. It also has a random generator that auto-applies if you want to go that route.

Scanner Radio 

Price: Subscription ($39.99/year or $3.99/month) 

radio scanner collage
Umme Aimon Shabbir / Android Authority

Scanner Radio provides users with real-time access to police, fire, and emergency service radio broadcasts. This app allows enthusiasts and curious listeners to stay updated on local incidents, emergencies, and law enforcement activities. With Scanner Radio, users can tune into live scanner feeds from various agencies and locations, offering a unique insight into public safety operations and events as they unfold. It’s a valuable tool for those interested in monitoring emergency services and staying informed about their communities.

Tiny Scanner

Price: Free / Premium Subscription ($3.99/month and $19.99/year)

Tiny Scanner screenshot 2022

Tiny Scanner is an excellent tool. It uses your device camera to scan documents, receipts, and other items. You can then turn those items into PDFs and save them for future reference. The app supports black and white, grayscale, and color scans. Additionally, you can adjust the contrast if you need to. It’s a simple app that does a simple job. However, it does that job really well for a single price tag.

TouchRetouch

Price: Free/ In-app purchases ($14.99 per item) 

TouchRetouch is a great photo editing app. Instead of the normal photo-editing features like red-eye correction, it edits out the unwanted bits and pieces from the photos. For instance, you can get rid of a sign on a beach, a power line at the top of a photo, or other things like that. It also helps you edit 360-degree photos. These features make it one of the best photo editing apps. 

WolframAlpha

Price: $2.99

Wolfram Alpha is one of the best learning apps for android

WolframAlpha is an information and education app. It’s also one of the most powerful apps in this space. You can find information on dozens of topics, such as statistics, math, physics, chemistry, engineering, astronomy, and more. Information on such a wide range of topics makes it invaluable for college and high school students. In addition to that, it even answers your most basic queries, like the tides in Honolulu, Hawaii. These features make it one of the best options in this price range.


If we missed any great premium apps or paid apps for Android, tell us about them in the comments. You can also click here to check out our latest Android app and game lists.