The best Nova Launcher alternative isn't on the Play Store — here's how to install it

Although I no longer use it, there’s little doubt in my mind that Nova Launcher is a titan of the Android customization space. This app has seen the meteoric rise of the platform, from Ice Cream Sandwich right through to Android 17, and in that time, the launcher has experienced plenty of ups and downs itself. It was effectively abandonware at one point, then sold, then sold again, and now leaves once-committed users like me questioning its development trajectory.

After its initial sale, Nova Launcher’s co-founder stated that an open-source release of the home screen was in the works, and suggested that should he leave the development team, that version would be made broadly available for fans to continue its legacy. More than a year since that post and the launcher’s sale to its current owner, there’s no indication that it’ll ever be open-sourced — at least not in an official capacity.

This isn’t to say that others in the community aren’t committed to it, though. One of these pioneering projects to develop a Nova-like product without the strings is called Supernova, a rather tongue-in-cheek title for a home screen that offers almost everything its namesake has, and more.

How to install Supernova on Android

Before we go any further, it’s worth mentioning that you won’t find Supernova on the Google Play Store. This means that installing it and keeping it updated is a little trickier than its muse.

However, unlike many other apps I’ve covered on Android Authority that are exclusively available via their GitHub repositories and are best updated using third-party updater Obtanium, the Supernova developer has also published the app to F-Droid.

This means that you can install and keep Supernova updated by downloading the official F-Droid app or one of its variants (I opt for F-Droid Basic myself).

Once installed, search for Supernova and tap Install. F-Droid will take care of the installation steps. To update Supernova, open F-Droid, visit its My apps tab, and tap the Update all button. Alternatively, you can open Supernova’s app page and hit the Update button to update it exclusively.

Why Supernova is the best Nova Launcher alternative

Nova Launcher might still be one of the most functional home screens on the market and remains a beloved piece of software used by scores of our readers, but its ownership churn, injection of trackers, and flirtation with AI have left me and others rather disillusioned and searching for a viable alternative. There’s a problem with this effort, though: Very few one-to-one Nova Launcher challengers exist. Sure, plenty of other great launchers are available, but some have particular setups that simply don’t translate. You can recreate a Nova experience with Niagara Launcher or Kvaesitso, for instance. Supernova solves this problem by sticking as close to the core Nova design and customizability experience as possible.

Since its source code is openly available, you can peer into Supernova’s inner workings yourself to see how it functions and verify what it does with your data. This level of transparency is valued, especially when it comes to a launcher — the de facto central hub of one’s smartphone. Supernova doesn’t request any access to the internet, which leaves it without trackers, ads, or any AI features.

More importantly, at least for me, I can actively take part in Supernova’s development journey by logging issues or suggesting features. Nova, despite enjoying a healthy community, largely kept users out of this process. There was a disconnect between consumers of the app and its creators. It’s a core reason why I prefer running open-source apps over more established closed-source products.

A Nova Launcher from a much simpler time

Supernova’s core goal is to provide those who love Nova Launcher an equivalent without the extras that weren’t asked for. This means that you can largely build the same setup across the two launchers without a steep learning curve.

My previous Nova Launcher setups used a dense grid layout to allow finer widget resizing, a clean home screen with a clock and weather widget, multiple useful widgets on subsequent screens, and a natural gesture layout. I built something similar with Supernova in a few hours.

Adding a KWGT widget up top for the time and a MeteoCompare widget below for a weather outlook keeps the home screen clutter-free. I’ve hidden the dock and opted for a row of bottom icons and folders instead. The bulk of my app access steps from swiping up to open the app drawer, but I can tap folders to access the first listed app, or swipe up to open the entire folder itself.

Swiping right, you’ll see two additional pages, one housing my master Google Keep note and Google News widgets, and another dedicated to an Investing.com watchlist.

Of course, your setup may vary, but this skeleton formed the heart of my Nova Launcher designs.

One of Supernova’s other delights is its Feed page. Similar to Nova Launcher, you can pin third-party widgets to this page, add a built-in calendar or Now Playing widget, or add a host of shortcuts. It’s incredibly useful, and can be accessed by swiping left on the main home screen. Using this page, you can go entirely widget-free if necessary.

I also appreciate the level of control Supernova offers, particularly over custom element colors, padding widgets, and other elements, as well as its useful, customizable popup menus.

Perhaps Supernova’s only weakness is its lack of deep search capabilities, a trait that I still value above all else when using Nova Launcher. Thanks to Sesame Search, I could access almost every single nook and cranny on my phone via the search bar, including particular phone settings, Spotify playlists, emails, documents, and so much more. Supernova simply doesn’t have this scope, and feels far shallower in search capabilities than Nova Launcher.

Earning the super in its name

Supernova presents one of the most accurate Nova Launcher reinterpretations I’ve seen thus far. This is entirely intentional. It looks, feels, and responds to customization much in the same way as Nova did in the past. Better yet, it’s lighter, faster, and arguably more promising than its contemporary. More importantly, there’s no subscription fee required to unlock Supernova’s hidden features. Everything is free. And, since the app doesn’t require any internet permissions, you won’t face any issues related to ads or trackers.

The launcher is enjoying a rapid development window at present which might work against those searching for a stable home screen. However, this young project is brimming with potential, and well worth considering if you miss the Nova Launcher of old.