Five apps for Android Auto so good it’s hard to believe they’re free

I admit that it is difficult for me to pay for applications and if there is something that makes me even lazier, it is subscriptions. Furthermore, experience showed me something: There Are Some Incredibly Good Free Apps which makes it very difficult to open the wallet. Although there is obviously a side B: monetization will come from another source, probably through personal data or advertising.

I have been testing compatible applications for Android Auto for a year and it is clear to me that these applications have become essential in my car since then. everything they offer without spending a single euro.

Vimusic

As someone who doesn’t pay for Spotify or Amazon Prime Music, ViMusic has become my must-have app for listening to music. Please note that it is not installed in the traditional way, but we will have to download it from the developer’s GitHub and follow these instructions.

ViMusic is essentially a complete Open Source Youtube player which provides a smooth, minimalist and distraction-free experience, perfectly suited to Coolwalk. The only thing to keep in mind before going on a trip and using it is that you will need to prepare playlists in advance.

Waze

Waze needs little introduction, the “brother” of Google Maps and on a personal note, which for me is global the best free GPS navigator for car and for Android Auto.

The main thing is on the one hand that it belongs to Google, which provides it with a huge amount of information or its very comprehensive maps (and also the aggressive data policy of the Mountain View company) and on the other hand a very active community which, in just a few minutes, updates the app with live incidents on the road. The icing on the cake is its interface: relaxed and intuitive, so you don’t get lost even if reading maps isn’t your thing.

TomTom AmiGo

A few years ago, there were no free browsers on mobile phones, but you had to use specific devices with cards that had to be purchased or subscribed. At that time TomTom was the king, but now the free version of the application (there is another paid one) has been adapted to offer all your experience at zero cost.

TomTom AmiGo is so good that it has little to envy of Waze or Google Maps. Its great strengths are its clear interface where only what is really important appears, comprehensive maps and very careful radar coverage with different forms of warnings so you don’t miss them.

What makes it different from the paid version? That it contains advertisements and you cannot download maps for offline use. If this isn’t a problem for you, it’s worth it.

Fixed and mobile radars

Both Waze and TomTom AmiGo display fixed and mobile speed cameras, but if you’re looking for a more specific app, you’ll find that there are quite a few on the Google Play Store… but they cost money. If you want something free, Fixed and Mobile Speed ​​Cameras have ads but they don’t bother you too much (the typical Google Ads banner at the bottom) and if so you always have the option of paying the 3.99 dollars in a single payment. .

Highlights of this application, which shows radars and fixed, mobile, section traffic lights with speed control with sufficient precision and completeness, since the community also contributes to it. Before you even follow a route, you can see what speed cameras it has. And a good tip: if the interface doesn’t convince you, you can leave it in the background and use another browser to guide you.

Weather and radar

Until Google improves the way it displays the weather on Android Auto and keeping in mind that finding compatible weather apps is rara reviewWeather and radar a real gem for knowing the weather on the road.

I love how visual this app is thanks to its spectacular and colorful interfaceits ease of use, the instantly understandable color guide, which provides temperature forecasts and weather markers, the visualization of geographical characteristics and its adaptation to Coolwalk.

Cover | Montage with image from Vectonauta in Freepik and own photography

In Xataka Android | The best apps for Android Auto