Hall of fame: These are the Android apps I’ve been using the longest

I use a lot of apps, but I also tend to ditch them quickly. As a tech journalist, I’m always trying out new things to see what’s hot and worth talking about. However, I recently started thinking about the apps I haven’t ditched, the ones I’ve used for years and never tried to replace.

I grabbed my phone and scrolled through my installed apps. I found five that I’ve used regularly for the last decade or so. What’s interesting is that most of these aren’t my favorite apps, and some I only use for a few minutes each month. However, they get the job done well enough that I haven’t considered replacing them.

Viber is my go-to messaging app. It’s the first one I started using years ago, and I’ve set up various channels with people I want to stay connected to. I’ve downloaded and tried most of its rivals for work, including Messenger, WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, and others, but I’ve never fully switched.

There are two reasons for this. First, everyone I regularly talk to has Viber. While most also have accounts on rival messaging apps, they don’t all use the same ones, making switching a hassle. The fewer apps I need for a single purpose the better.

Second, Viber just works. I like it and am very used to the UI and its features. My only problem is the increasing number of ads. However, it’s still better than something like WhatsApp, where I got added to multiple crypto-related scam groups in the short period I tested it out.

This isn’t the most popular or prettiest weather app, but I’ve been using it for years and don’t plan on changing that.

I love it because of its radar feature, which works perfectly for my region. I haven’t found an app with a better weather radar, including the Pixel’s weather app. It’s the main reason I use it, as I frequently check if it’s raining or how far away a thunderstorm is. It’s also great for showing a possible hailstorm and when it might hit my city, so I can hide my car in the garage.

The Weather & Radar app also has all the other features you’d expect, including a detailed 14-day weather report, UV index, air quality, and more. I use the free version, although there’s an ad-free subscription available.

I’m a finance nerd and use You Need A Budget (YNAB) to manage my money. It’s a great app that I’ve talked about a few times over the last year.

I’ve used it for over a decade and love that it helps me prepare for significant expenses and save for a rainy day. The learning curve and subscription price are steep, but it’s worth it. I think the app has helped me save more money than I pay for the subscription, so I have no regrets.

One reason I’ve been using it for so long is that I spent so much time figuring out how it works and adjusting it to my needs. It seems silly to throw that away and start fresh with a new app. The time investment was huge and has paid off. So unless I come across something substantially better, I’m sticking with YNAB.

I can’t imagine my digital life without this app. Bitwarden is a password manager that keeps all my login details for the countless services I use, as I can’t remember them all.

I’ve been using it for a long time, and while it offers a paid subscription, I’m on the free plan and loving it. I haven’t had any issues with the app; it works like a charm. There’s no good reason to switch for me, although I have tested out a few rivals over the years.

Many password managers are subscription-based or have limitations on free plans, which causes problems for me. None do a better job than Bitwarden overall, so I’ll be sticking with it for the foreseeable future.

I’ve been using Docusign for almost ten years and am on the free plan. It’s the only app on this list I’m not particularly fond of, as I’ve had various issues over the years. The app has crashed randomly several times, and other issues have prevented me from signing documents.

However, I only use it for a few minutes per month to sign a couple of documents as a small business owner. I haven’t found a good replacement, as I generally like how it works (when it works).

It’s easy to sign a document and send it to someone via email. The free plan has limitations, but I still manage to get by. Paid plans seem steep for what the app offers, at least for my use case.

Now it’s your turn. Head down to the comments and share a list of the apps you’ve used the longest, excluding Google apps that we’ve all been using for a long time.