Best Replacement options to the top 10 most popular Chinese apps

We use several apps on our Android devices, and the grim reality is, a few of the most useful apps that we use, or consider to be the one-stop destination for one or multiple purposes, are Chinese. Apparently, I don’t want to argue on the feasibility of boycotting of Chinese products from tomorrow, but I am pretty sure, this can be accomplished with prudent government policies, and once the customers become mature. However, the concern with most Chinese apps is privacy. Yes, all the Chinese apps that we use are loaded with features making the apps lucrative choices for the majority of users. The popularity of some apps is so high, that we can’t even think of finding an alternative.

There are also a few Chinese apps, which seem to have taken monopoly, even though several other better, or close to the same alternatives are already available. Most Chinese apps are infamous for their unscrupulous privacy policies and there are also proven allegations, several apps send data to the Chinese servers, which isn’t fair. So, if you really want privacy, and don’t want your data to be sent to China at least, it is high time that you searched for alternatives. If you are really looking for the alternatives, but don’t have enough time searching for them in the store, I am here to do that hard work for you. I will talk about alternatives to a few of the most popular Chinese apps here. All the alternatives will not necessarily be Indian apps, whatsoever.

So, without any further delay, let’s get started with the top alternatives to some popular Chinese apps for Android.

Adobe Scan – Alternative to CamScanner

To most smartphone users, scanning documents using a scanner is a thing of the past, as we could literally scan documents with our smartphones. What CamScanner does is, convert the captured image to a document with better colors making it easy to print without wasting ink. But, instead of CamScanner, you can start using Adobe Scan. The functionality is exactly similar, and the app is free from ads. No ads, and no unnecessary notifications like that of CamScanner. CamScanner was also deleted from the Google Play Store, following some privacy issues, however, it is available on the store now, but it isn’t a good choice any longer. Furthermore, the user interface of Adobe Scan is also better, and the app is free from bugs.

Unlike CamScanner, Adobe Scan doesn’t come with the app-name stamp below every document, which also makes it great if you want to use the scanned documents for official purposes. Besides using the camera, Adobe Scan can also convert documents saved to your gallery. You can also share the scanned documents with just a single tap through WhatsApp, email, or by some other way, making the app better than CamScanner in several aspects.

Files by Google – Replacement to Xender and SHAREit

The size of the files has got bigger these days and it is practically impossible to send those files using Bluetooth, which is a painfully slow protocol. Additionally, we do not have enough time in hand and we also have new ways to send files, like using WhatsApp or other messaging applications. But, each of the messaging apps has its own limitations, and that’s when, an alternative to the Bluetooth file transfer was very much important, and that’s when Chinese apps like SHAREit, Xender came into the picture. Instead of using Bluetooth, these apps use Wi-Fi to transfer files, making the transfer process very fast.

The apps were great till recently when the apps started promoting third-party apps, showing ads, and everything else that most users aren’t interested in. Additionally, SHAREit also had allegations that it sends sensitive user data like browser tokens and cookies, which leads to serious privacy issues. So, if you are planning to ditch these Chinese apps on your smartphone, which you should do, Files by Google is an all-in-one app that can not only help you transfer files using Wi-Fi that is fast enough, but it can also be used as a file manager and delete unnecessary files from your system. Files by Google is easy to use, comes with material design, and last but not least, the app is free from ads.

Amaze File Manager – Substitute to ES File Explorer

ES File Explorer used to be my favorite file manager unless it turned into and ad-factory in the last few years, loaded with all unnecessary elements that I and most other users hate. The app unnecessarily scans all the new apps that you install on your Android handset, and even after being the one-stop destination for all file management requirements, the app now has a slow and bulky user interface, with so many ads is really a disappointment to me and other users. ES File Explorer, without the ads, and unnecessary features is still undoubtedly the best file explorer app that you can use, but the reality is far bitter, and thus, finding an alternative is the only solution left.

As I have discussed in the last point, Files by Google can also be the best file manager for you, however, if you are looking for a dedicated File Manager with extra features, not available in Files by Google, Amaze File Manager can be the best file manager that you can download. Amaze File Manager is completely free to download and use, and it comes with the most useful features that ES File Explorer had to offer and you can also access files on the local server using the app. The best part is, Amaze File Manager is not Chinese. The user interface is very simple, and you can always expand the capability of the app with some in-app purchases, which can be worth every penny if you are looking for some extra features within the app.

Brave Browser – Alternative to UC Browser, APUS Browser

There was a time when UC Browser used to be the best web browser for low-end handsets, however, as time went on UC Browser made its presence on the Google Play Store and now it is still one of the most popular web browsers that you can find on the Google Play Store. Most Chinese handsets also come with UC Browser or any other version of the app pre-installed, and the browser offers a number of useful features, which a number of users can find in handy. But the problem is, the app comes from Alibaba Group, and it comes with a hell lot of ads making the experience of using the browser worse. Moreover, just like most other Chinese Apps, UC Browser also has allegations that it send private user data to the Chinese servers, which is not something most users take for granted. UC Browser was also under Indian Governments scan for data theft allegation in 2017, and it was in the same year that the app was removed from the Play Store, however, it was reinstated.

All said, UC Browser is not trustworthy. So, if you want to get rid of UC Browser, actually there is a number of cool alternatives available to that web browser, and my choice in this aspect will be Brave Browser which values your privacy. Brave Browser is built on Chromium, which means the user interface is very close to Google Chrome and you can access almost all the tools that are available on Google Chrome. Brave Browser also blocks ads which eventually makes your experience of web browsing much better and it also comes with additional features, which you will come to know once you start using it.

Candy Camera – Replacement to BeautyPlus and other similar apps

If you are a selfie-maniac, you might already have some selfie app install on your handset and one of the most popular among them is BeautyPlus. What these apps do is, add a number of real-time effects to the selfies so that you look better and the captured photo becomes upload-ready and you don’t have to make any more edits before you share the photo on several social networking platforms. However, most of these apps require permission, which a camera app never actually needs and there is any proper privacy policy about, what this app can do with the photos that are captured with the apps. Last but not least, all these apps come with a ton of ads which eventually makes the experience of using the apps very bad. That’s when you should definitely search for an alternative.

Most popular Camera apps already have several effects to make your selfies look better than normal and you can also use the beauty mode on your default camera app to look beautiful in the selfies. However, if you really count on selfie apps, Candy Camera is the best app that you can go for. Well, Candy Camera is not from ads, and the user interface is not going to be revolutionary if compared to other selfie apps. But the good side is, Candy Camera is not a Chinese app, which is what reason you can count on this app.

If you have really made your mind to get rid of Chinese apps completely, and you need a selfie app Candy Camera should be your choice right now. But I will still strongly recommend that you use your stock camera app, Google Camera, or any other trusted photo editing app to beautify your selfies and other photos.

ShareChat – Alternative to Helo

Helo is a popular Chinese social networking app quite popular in the Indian market, for obvious reasons. On Helo, you can find photos and videos, and share the same with your friends. Most contents also go viral through Helo. The specialty of Helo is, it emphasizes more on regional content and local users, making it a top app on the Google Play Store. But, just like most other Chinese apps, Helo asks for exaggerated permission from the users, like the permission to use the microphone, camera, and others, which is not always necessary.

The app also pays on usage basis to make the users more interested and intrigued within the app. So, this isn’t an app worth-using, and you can better switch to the Indian version of it, i.e ShareChat. With ShareChat too, you can view and share regional content, and the app is also available in 15 local languages unlike just 14 for Helo. The privacy policy of ShareChat is better than Helo, and if you are looking for an alternative to Helo, support Indian apps, and download ShareChat.

Microsoft Office – Substitute to WPS Office

Microsoft Office is the application of choice for most PC and Mac users, but when it comes to Android or other mobile platforms, it is primarily dominated by other applications, and one of them is WPS Office by Kingsoft. WPS Office is a single app, where you can edit documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and read PDF files. But just like most other apps in the list, WPS Office is a Chinese app, however, there aren’t any security issues that have been discovered so far. But, if you use the app extensively, you might already know, the app is filled with ads, and that might stop you from doing your work at ease.

If you want a better app and do not want to use WPS Office just because it is a Chinese app, you can download Microsoft Office. Unlike a few years ago, Microsoft Office is a single app, where you can create and edit documents, spreadsheets, presentations, or read PDF files. So, you will not have to dedicate a lot of space to use this app, and it is free from ads at the same time. Microsoft Office will be integrated with OneDrive, and if you use OneDrive on your computer, you can access all your files on the go. The app comes with an uncluttered user interface, which means, you can use the app without any difficulties at all.

Triller – Similar to TikTok, Likee, etc.

TikTok doesn’t require an introduction and this short-video platform is immensely popular among the youngsters. But TikTok by ByteDance, a Bejing-based company, isn’t free from allegations either. As per FTC, TikTok didn’t protect the privacy of minors, and just like most other apps, TikTok also has allegations that it share private user data with China. Moreover, the users upload videos, which disclose a lot of facial data about the users, and most users doubt, the company might be using the facial data inappropriately. Other similar short-video platforms like Likee, Vigo Video are also Chinese, and very little control is there for minors on all the platforms.

I personally do not like short video platforms, but, if you are looking for an alternative to TikTok, Triller is the best alternative to TikTok that you can go for. It is developed by an American company, and you can get almost everything on Triller that you can get on TikTok. You can create music videos, do lip-sync, collaborate with other creators, and a lot more on the platform. You will never miss TikTok by using Triller, as it has all. The platform is also highly popular among American celebrities. If you just enjoy videos on TikTok, you might not get the Indian creators on Triller as of now, but once the platform becomes popular, you can see your every favorite creator of you, land on Triller. Well, we can just hope. However, the quality of videos on Triller is much better than those on TikTok or other similar Chinese apps.

Google News – Similar to UC News

UC News is a popular news aggregating app used by the Indians, and just like the UC Browser app, UC News is also a Chinese app that comes with ads. Additionally, most news that you will get on UC News might not be those that most people look for. UC News mostly has to offer celebrity gossips, viral videos, and those aren’t something you should keep yourself updated about. However, you can move to the specific sections to see news about your interesting subjects. If that all doesn’t matter to you, UC News is among the list of apps that were released by the Indian Intelligence agencies and was flagged harmful. Thus, you should choose a different News app to keep yourself updated about things that matter to you.

There are several news apps you can count on, however, I personally prefer Google News due to its user interface, and the cool set of unique features it has to offer. Google News brings news in a single app from several sources, and you can get the same news from several sources to know a particular story in deep. You can see this story to know about, which can be the best news app, among different types of news apps, depending upon your requirements, and how exactly you want to keep yourself updated about all the things trending around you.

Greenify – App like DU Battery Saver

DU Battery Saver is a popular app among those who want a faster Android phone, but don’t get exactly the same in return. What these battery saver apps simply do is, close the apps running in the background. However, after a short while, most apps start again, which eventually consumes more battery as loading the apps all over again requires additional processing power, and that not only sucks more juice from the battery but also makes your phone slow again. Additionally, the app is not good for your privacy, as well. So, I personally never recommend anybody to use some sort of battery saver app.

However, if you are still concerned about saving battery, use some app that does the job correctly, and hence, I recommend using the Greenify app. Greenify recognizes those apps that are consuming battery for a long time and kill those apps using the aggressive doze mode available on Android. Additionally, if you are not using an app for long, the apps will automatically be put to hibernation to save battery life. Greenify is the best battery saver app that you can count on, and the app can run without root access, as well.

When it comes to privacy, it is one of the most important elements in life, most people do not realize, and that’s the only reason people start using those apps that lure them with features, affordability, etc. If you really need to accomplish something on your phone using some app, first try to find the alternatives that are not made in China, and it is only after that, you should afford to do the compromise. I just discussed the most popular Chinese apps that most people use. However, if you are using some other app, you better find an alternative.

So, that was my list of top alternatives to Chinese apps that you start using. Do you have a question on any other popular Chinese app? Feel free to comment on the same below.

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