We all use browsers, we all load pictures, we all send audio messages and we all like Facebook. These apps are made to make sure you can save that precious data without compromising on the user experience. I’m not going to claim that these apps will cut down the data usage clean in half, but they will certainly help you on a limited budget. The number one app on the list has seriously helped me over the years and I cannot stress enough that it actually tones down everything on a website and gives you a smooth, yet less data strenuous, experience. I usually resort to these apps when I know my data is going to be done in around one gigabyte so that I can easily stay connected the last 10 days of the month. I know, it would have been better if I use them from the get-go but I like to live like a king when a new month starts. Note: the 5 Android apps that use less data were tested on a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge smartphone. I’ve been using these apps for over 4 years now and they worked perfectly on a number of devices. Apart from the Facebook app, everything in the list has been tested extensively over multiple devices. Obviously, all of these apps will need an active Internet connection to work properly.
1. Opera Mini
Conclusion
These were some of the best apps that use less data than their competition. I have personally used 4 of them over the years and the experience has been phenomenal. Even if you don’t want to save data, some of the apps can still help you in your day to day tasks. For example, Whatsapp is a great way to contact anyone without paying a single cent. This browser has the potential of saving you a lot of data if you turn on the data saving features in it. How does this work? When you try to access a webpage the browser actually loads it on a server, compresses it and sends it back on your device. Then the browser compresses it and displays it on your screen. While this process is technically a bit slower, you won’t even notice this happening while using the browser. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Opera Mini has been on our best browsers for Android list as well. Free Version
2. Facebook Lite
Thankfully, there is an alternate lite app that can be used to access all the features you have become accustomed to. I’m a social media addict and check my Facebook, Instagram and Twitter once every hour, so naturally the regular Facebook app leeches data like a cyber-leech. The Lite version of the app saves data by loading only essential information and even reducing the image quality to be less strenuous on your data package. I have to admit, it looks quite ugly but hey, if the app lets you check in without using 5mb, it’s a win right? Free Version
3. UC Browser
The user experience is well polished and the browser comes with all the features you would need. However, this browser is in last place because the data saving is not significant, in fact it is the least data saving app on the list. As a result, the experience is much faster than Opera Mini but the data savings are average at best. Free Version
4. Whatsapp
Sure, the picture quality won’t be the same but hey, at least you can send a bunch of images without having to worry about data caps. My Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge takes pictures of at least 5mb, and sending them to anyone can be a nightmare at full resolution, thankfully Whatsapp sends a compressed copy that only takes a few hundred KBs. This is exactly why this app was featured on our best messenger apps for Android list. Free Version
5. Google Chrome
While the browser may look like a regular one when you first launch it, and to a huge extent it is, but the real data saving magic happens when you head over the options and switch on the data saving feature. After that, your data usage will go down drastically and you’ll still be able to enjoy your favorite websites with ease. There is almost no lag on strong connections and the best part? Your browsing history and saved passwords will carry over to the desktop and even iOS variants. Free Version So, what do you think about this list? Give us your thoughts in the comments below. Feature Image Credits
