In the form of an app, a launcher offers a quick way to change how your Android smartphone looks. This includes how apps are organized, widgets are arranged, and other things. A launcher is safe to use provided you stick to trusted apps.
There are several Android launchers you can use such as Lawnchair 2, Microsoft Launcher, Hyperion Launcher and others. But the best Android launcher without ads is Niagara Launcher. It offers great features including notification display on screen, and spam filter.
More about Android Launchers
One thing you’ll love about Android is its versatility. As an open platform, Android allows you to choose the apps you want, including an app launcher. But with so many app launchers available, choosing what best suits you can be overwhelming.
Many Android manufacturers preinstall their individually developed launchers. For instance, Samsung has One UI Home, Google has Pixel Launcher, and Huawei has EMUI Launcher. While preinstalled launchers may sound fantastic, it doesn’t hurt to try other options.
So, if you are looking for the best ad-free Android launchers for your smartphone, you have come to the right place. I have curated the 15 best launchers to give you endless customization.
Whether you are looking for something flashy or something minimal with less distraction, your choice of launcher will give your phone new functionalities and a complete makeover. So, let’s get straight to it.
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Best Android Launchers Without Ads
1. Lawnchair 2
Lawnchair 2 is one of the best Android launchers without ads that is clean and with a simple look. The launcher introduces powerful features such as drawer categories, integration with Android recents, and contextual data at a glance.
Lawnchair 2 supports adaptive icons and is a perfect choice if you want something close to stock, though Lawnchair 2 is more customizable. You can do more with Lawnchair, including changing icon shapes and sizes, setting colors, or adjusting the blur settings.
The launcher is relatively lightweight and has recorded over one million downloads. It also offers an Android 12 look and feel.
Lawnchair is available for free download and has no in-app purchases.
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2. Niagara Launcher
If you are accustomed to traditional home screens made decades ago, you need Niagara Launcher. Smartphones keep growing, and the minimalist Niagara Launcher can make things accessible at a glance to let you focus on what matters.
Niagara Launcher makes it easy to control your device with an adaptive app list that puts all the apps you need at your fingertips. The launcher displays notifications on your screen and automatically filters out persistent notifications and spam.
Niagara focuses more on one-hand accessibility and is the best choice for those who have big-screen phones. It is fast, flawless, and smooth. In addition to traditional settings, the launcher has features to enable a music widget.
It is one of the best Android launchers with ergonomic efficiency, and the launcher is promising with its frequent updates.
Niagara launcher is free to use. However, to unlock its premium features, make a lifetime purchase of $14.99.
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3. Microsoft Launcher
Microsoft Launcher gives you a home screen experience to empower you to be more productive on your Android device. It is highly customizable and allows you to organize everything on your device.
It gives you a personalized feed to easily view your calendar, create your to-do lists, make sticky notes on the go, and more. Once you set up your new Microsoft Launcher, you can choose to start your favorite apps afresh or import your current home screen.
The best part about Microsoft Launcher is that you can switch back to your previous home screen whenever you feel like it. Microsoft Launcher works best with a Microsoft account linked to your system.
If productivity is what you are all about, Microsoft Launcher is a perfect option for you. The launcher boasts over 10 million downloads, free with no in-app purchases. Swipe your home screen left to access your newsfeed screen.
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4. Hyperion Launcher
If you are good with stock Android UI for your home screen, you’ll have a great experience with Hyperion Launcher. Hyperion Launcher may look like Lawnchair 2 at first glance.
However, Hyperion Launcher has many customization settings to enable you to tweak your desktop, dock, or even app cards. It also has a profile manager for saving desktop layouts for work, home, or gaming profiles.
The makers of Hyperion Launcher argue that more than having a feature-filled launcher with a beautiful interface is required. Their main agenda is updating and consistently pushing new tweaks and customization to meet every user’s unique needs.
The Hyperion Launcher is lightweight, weighing around 5.8 MB, and boasts over a million downloads.
The launcher is available for free download and has no ads or in-app purchases.
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5. Smart Launcher 6
Smart Launcher has long been the best ad-free Android launcher, with a simple favorite grid and an assorted app folder. The latest version, Smart Launcher 6, adds refinement and many features to give your Android device a new home screen for easier and faster use.
This launcher quickly sorts your apps into various categories and features a powerful search engine to help you search for what you need with a few taps. Smart Launcher 6 is highly customizable and matches your wallpaper colors whenever you change it.
It perfectly aligns everything on the screen and is a perfect choice for Android devices, which vary in screen sizes. The launcher also allows you to create unique looks for your items by tweaking the formatting per item.
In addition to adaptive icons, colors, and fully resizable widgets, Smart Launcher 6 offers more customization around its packaging, making it a great classic launcher.
Smart Launcher 6 is free.
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6. Nothing Launcher
Nothing Launcher is an excellent ad-free Android launcher that combines the Android experience with iconic design language. Nothing Launcher has unique features, including Max folders, Max icons, and custom widgets.
It is relatively new in the market, but an excellent choice if you are looking for something simple, thousands of options do not weigh that down. If you use Nothing’s OS version of V1.16, you can easily update it via Play Store without waiting for its updates.
Nothing Launcher is the dream of every Android user. The launcher is feature-packed with the ability to revolutionize your devise-use experience. With Nothing Launcher, you can change the color of your background and how your icons look or add widgets for easy app access.
The launcher has excellent functionality and is easy to use. It can seamlessly run on your device and takes less than two minutes to set up and customize. You can also share the launcher with friends and family.
Nothing Launcher is free to use.
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7. Before Launcher
Before Launcher is an excellent Android launcher that keeps you focused with its minimalistic style and incredible functionality. Before Launcher reduces distractions using a notification filter so that you can focus on what matters.
It performs differently than most launchers. On opening the launcher, you’ll see three screens. The main screen showcases regular apps, including phone, Gmail, maps, and camera.
Swiping from the left, you’ll see a screen showing notifications from selected apps. Additionally, when you swipe to the right, the launcher gives you access to all apps in your list view.
You can also sort your apps alphabetically, how regularly you use them, or based on their installation dates.
The launcher weighs about 9.1 MB and it’s ad-free. It’s currently at over 100K downloads and is an excellent choice to give you an optimal and productive mobile experience.
Before Launcher in-app purchases range from $1.99 to $5.99 per item. For updated pricing visit the site then click on “About this app”.
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8. AIO Launcher
AIO Launcher is no ordinary home screen. It may not have many animation effects or colorful icons, but the launcher uses the screen space to showcase your most important information.
Instead of showing flashy icons, AIO Launcher displays frequently visited apps, system information, received calls, Android notifications, emails, a calendar of upcoming events, and app icons.
It might not have a friendly interface, but it is still a great choice if you don’t mind information density.
AIO Launcher will do all the above without collecting your personal information. The launcher has been around since 2017 and is continually gaining interest, thanks to its unique and customizable layout.
With AIO Launcher, you can adjust your screen brightness with a single tap. The app is currently at about 500K downloads.
It’s free, with no ads. However, AIO Launcher has in-app purchases to help unlock other features starting from $0.99 to $9.99 per item.
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9. Nova Launcher Prime
Nova Launcher Prime has been a favorite Launcher among Android users since it was released in 2012. The launcher offers a standard layout and an essential app drawer with many home screen options. Nova Launcher is highly customizable and an excellent choice for themers.
It is sleek and probably a launcher that most Android users have tried out. It is rich in features such as the ability to change the app card, modify app icon designs, switch to different styles of the app drawer, and change fonts.
It is considered the most-loved launcher with about 50 million downloads and weighs in at 7.7MB. The launcher is also free of bugs as they are quickly squashed following the quick and frequent app updates.
Nova Launcher is free to install and has no ads. But if you need to access all its premium features, you can make a one-time purchase of $4.99. The paid version unlocks features including hiding apps, custom icon swipe gestures, and creating app drawer groups.
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10. POCO Launcher
Another excellent Android launcher without ads is POCO Launcher. POCO is fast and lightweight, designed to offer high performance and a better scrolling experience. What makes POCO Launcher a top choice is an intuitive app drawer with genres for easy category selection.
This launcher is a perfect solution if you have an extensive library of installed apps. POCO Launcher allows you to play around with themes, wallpapers, and animations to personalize your device in the best way you know.
POCO Launcher is an excellent choice for many users, thanks to its familiar UI.
The launcher comes from Xiaomi and undergoes continuous updates. So, expect new features and regular fixes. It is versatile and runs smoothly, making it an excellent choice for all Android devices.
The launcher introduces unique organization to your device. It organizes your apps into categories based on their icon colors, making them easy to find.
It is a lightweight app, and it’s free with no in-app purchases.
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11. Lynx Launcher
Lynx Launcher is another excellent distraction-free Android launcher that is fully customizable. Lynx is similar to a standard launcher and a perfect replacement for your home screen, which offers a clean, more focused, and intuitive interface.
The app is entirely inspired by the Gnome Desktop Environment for Linux and offers all the functionalities a modern home screen would give without being complex.
The only difference with Lynx Launcher is that its app drawer is on the right, and you only need to tap on it to bring up your apps.
Lynx gives you the freedom to choose between the dark and light modes. The app has over 100K downloads and weighs 3.5 MB.
The launcher is free but also requires in-app purchases to unlock other features at $3.99 per item.
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12. R Launcher
R Launcher is currently in its early access stages, but it gives users the vibe of an Android stock launcher. It is based on the popular launcher for TV or mobile repository users’ interfaces. Expect more features to be added to the launcher with subsequent releases.
One thing that stands out with this launcher is its clock and weather widget. These features give the launcher a nice classic look. In addition, basic features such as the ability to change theme, grid size, or icon sizes boost its functionality.
The launcher has accumulated over one million downloads and weighs 5.3 MB.
R Launcher is free to download and has no ads or in-purchases. However, the app offers a paid version to give you access to more features with a one-time purchase of $0.99.
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13. Apex Launcher Pro
Join over 10 M users to enjoy personalized customization from one of the most powerful Android launchers – Apex Launcher Pro. Apex balances features and performance with stylish 3D transition effects to redefine your Android experience.
Some of its core features include up to nine screens, a scrollable dock with up to five pages, and the ability to customize your home screen grid size. Apex Launcher also allows you to enjoy infinite scrolling, filter styles, transition animation, and app drawer styles.
It is an excellent launcher with an easy-to-use interface, a better boost to your device security, and is perfect for faster operations. Apex disguises and locks apps to guard your privacy and allows you to back up and restore data to spice up your experience.
Apex Launcher Pro offers fancy transition results like dice or pill. It is optimized for phones and tablets and has a superior theme engine and plenty of customization options to discover.
The launcher also has free icon packs and themes to personalize your Android phone interface. Download its paid version for $8.99 to enjoy an ad-free scrolling experience, more drawer options, theme support, and additional gestures.
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14. Total Launcher
If you are looking for an Android launcher without ads that is fast, easy to use, and light, I recommend Total Launcher. Total is fully customizable and offers incredible versatility to its users.
Whether you are looking for a minimalist app or want to go in-depth with general theming and tons of widgets, this is the best launcher. Total Launcher recently launched support for foldable devices, which has a simple concept of use.
When you turn on the support for foldable screen option in the launcher option, you can configure various layout designs for unfolded and folded screens. You don’t have to be good at theming to enjoy Total Launcher.
Total Launcher has no ads and is free to use. However, if you wish to access more features, such as hidden apps and folder search, you have to make in-app purchases ranging from $1.99 to $4.99 per item.
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15. Olauncher
Last on our list of the best Android launchers without ads is Olauncher. It is a minimalist and open-source launcher with just enough features to give you the scrolling experience you have been looking for.
Olauncher has everything clearly laid out, and the launcher gives priority to your most-used apps with zero distractions. It pairs with a sleek wallpaper, which you can get a couple of free ones each day with light or dark themes.
It has an excellent search function that gives you an easy time whenever you want to pull up an icon that is not pinned to your home screen. Olauncher fades away the notification bar so you don’t get distracted and focus on productivity instead.
However, you can still see the notification by swiping down the notification bar to see the full notification interface. But when you swipe up, you will see a list of all installed apps.
The app saves you time by opening your desired app amidst typing as long as it is the only option that pops up. There is also an option to view the launcher’s roadmap.
On the roadmap, the developer points out that it is easy to add new features, but they ensure that everything works for all devices.
Olauncher is free with no ads or in-app purchases.
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Final Words
The choice of your preferred launcher is a personal thing. But I’d recommend a minimalist launcher that gives you maximum functionality. I also encourage you to try out different launchers to see which suits your needs.
If you are a die-hard themer looking for a launcher that makes things easier by displaying notifications on screen and automatically filters out persistent notifications and spam, I recommend Niagara Launcher.
Tom loves to write on technology, e-commerce & internet marketing. I started my first e-commerce company in college, designing and selling t-shirts for my campus bar crawl using print-on-demand. Having successfully established multiple 6 & 7-figure e-commerce businesses (in women’s fashion and hiking gear), I think I can share a tip or 2 to help you succeed.