Bloatware is nothing new, but it isn’t going away anytime soon. Fortunately, there are many apps that are made with not only your phone’s storage in mind, but your CPU, battery life, and RAM too!
This article focuses on the apps that use the least storage, and links to their source code are included (if applicable) so you can see how little bloatware they have!
If you have an older Android phone, or just a budget Android phone and don’t have much memory, then this is what you need. If you’re privacy conscious, you should take a look at these apps too.
Note: The app sizes and other specific details apply only to the version of the app that was current when this article was written.
OpenIntents File Manager (OI File Manager)
The OI file manager is lean, clean, and easy to use file manager for Android, and the download is only 2.2 MB (and about 5.5 MB after installation), 1/7th the size of the leading file manager on Android! (ES File Explorer). It is outstandingly fast and requires only the Storage permission, but has the basic functions you’d expect from a file manager. If your phone is slowing down, OI’s tiny footprint will make a difference.
Using A Kindle Or BlackBerry? Get OI From F-Droid or just download the APK from GitHub so you can sideload it.
Text Editors: Ted
The Ted text editor is an open-source, zippy text editor for Android with a tiny footprint. The download is only 252 KB and requires a miniscule 604 KB of storage on your phone. Regarding privacy, the only permission required is storage!
Web Browsers: Firefox Focus
Firefox Focus is a minimalist, privacy-oriented browser for Android that has a tiny footprint and is quick to load. It also has the ability to block trackers and advertisements, which is good for slow connections and limited data plans. Firefox Focus is outstandingly fast due to its lean, minimalist design. If you don’t require all the features that Chrome, the other Firefox and Brave offer and just need a basic browser, it fits the bill.
Storage Used After Installation (not including data):
- Firefox Focus: 7.1 MB.
- Brave: 108 MB.
- Chrome: 70.9 MB.
Download the Firefox Focus APK from GitHub so you can sideload it. If you’re German, Firefox Klar is the German version.
