Just a few weeks ago, the Indian government banned 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, CamScanner and more because of ongoing border disputes. This directly led to an anti-China sentiment in India. The dispute also led to a call to boycott other Chinese apps as well. But, worry not as there are a ton of cool and useful apps right here in India. These Indian apps have all come out from the imagination and ideas of our own countrymen. So, check out some of the most essential Indian apps for Android smartphones and tablet in the list below. These apps include Zomato, Swiggy, Ola, Cricbuzz, Makemytrip and more.
Zomato
Looking for a lip-smacking meal or just a nice place to have drinks with your friends? Check out the Zomato app which gives you the best insight into all the popular and even the not so popular restaurants and eateries in town. The app includes user reviews, ratings, menus and a lot more.
Bookmyshow
This is the perfect app to book tickets for almost anything that is happening in town especially if you love watching movies. The Book My Show app allows you to book tickets for movies, plays, concerts and many other events happening in your city. You can also check Movie Show Timings, Showtimes, Schedule, Reviews and News.
Flipkart
India’s biggest online e-retailer, Flipkart has a very intuitive app that not only helps you buy stuff, but also compare, check reviews, and more. There are also some exclusive discounts if you buy your product via the app.
JioSaavn
This is one of the best internet radio apps for the Hindi music buff. The app offers a large database of songs which you can search via movie, singers and even music directors. Apart from Bollywood music, the app gives you access to regional as well as some English music.
Ola
Ola has transformed how people travel in India. The option to just download an app and hail a personalised taxi has literally transformed the way people look at public transport in India. Ola gives users the option to choose a car or even a bike and auto-rickshaw to get you where you need to go.
Swiggy
Stay up to date with the News Hunt app, a useful news aggregator providing the latest news from national and regional newspapers, websites and other various news sources. The app has support for 12 Indian languages and apart from news you can read eBooks and magazines.
Paytm
One of the largest UPI apps in the country Paytm allows users to transfer money from any bank account and thus has made life a lot easier for the people of India. It has also given Indians the option to go cash-free and move towards a digital wallet.
Cricbuzz
Need that Cricket fix for the day? Cricbuzz is here to give all your Cricket fans your daily dose of Cricket news and even pre and post-match coverage of all your favourite teams. There’s even world-class commentary from figures such as Harsha Bhogle, Zaheer Khar and host Gaurav Kapoor.
RedBus
Rated as the best app to book bus and Volvo tickets, the Redbus app lets you search and book more than 10,000 routes included buses like KSRTC, VRL, SRS, KPN, Orange Tours, Neeta,etc. It also enables you to locate and navigate to your boarding point on a map as well as track your bus on a map using real time location updates.
OLX
Want to sell your old stuff? Or want to buy used stuff? Get it all on the OLX app. The popular classifieds app includes a variety of used items and it can locate them according to your geo-location as well. The best part is that you can directly get in touch with the seller without having to go through an intermediary.
Makemytrip
Even though this isn’t the best time to book travel tickets, Makemytrip should probably be your best and most convenient stop to book train or flight tickets from. You can even book certain bus tickets on the app as well. The app also provides online travel services including flight tickets, domestic and international holiday packages, hotel reservations and more.
Gaana
Need a bit of music in your life? Look no further than Gaana. The app comes with a large selection of local, international and even regional music on it and should have whatever you’re looking for. It even comes packed to the brim with all your favourite Bollywood songs as well.
Hotstar
Catch all the latest Hollywood shows from channels like HBO, Showtime and more right after it airs in the US. Hotstar has now partnered with Disney to bring a whole bunch of new content to India.
InShorts
Founded by Azhar Iqubal, Deepit Purkayastha, and Anunay Arunav, Inshorts is a news app that delivers the news in less than 60 words. It’s quick, doesn’t take up too mich f your time and usually has the latest news as well.
MapMyIndia
As an alternative to Google Maps, MapMyIndia digital map data, telematics, location-based SaaS and GIS services to give you precise locations and directions.
Zee5
Catch 90+ channels of English, Hindi and regional content on the Zee5 app. Check out ZEE5 original shows, World Digital Premieres of blockbuster movies, TV shows, News, Music Videos and more. channels.
Wynk Music
If you’re someone who loves music then Wynk Music is the one-stop music app for the latest to the greatest songs you love. From trending Bollywood hits to popular International artists, Wynk music has it all.
PhonePe
PhonePe is one of India's better Payments Apps and aims to provide a cashless and seamless payment experience.
ShareChat
ShareChat, is an Indian regional social media platform, developed by Mohalla Tech Private Limited. The great thing here is that the app comes in various regional languages which helps it reach a large user base.
BigBasket
One of the better online grocery stores in India, Big Basket is great for people who do not have the time to go grocery shopping. You can find grocery goods found in convenience stores, home essentials and more.
Chingari
Billed as a Tik-Tok alternative, Chingari is a homegrown, short video sharing app founded by two Bengaluru-based software engineers Biswatma Nayak and Siddharth Gautam. It’s free to download and offers a TikTok like interface to consume and upload content. Creators can also upload their own short videos.
Dailyhunt
Formerly known as Newshunt, Dailyhunt is a Bangalore-based Indian News and content aggregator application that provides local language content in 14 Indian languages from over 3000+ content providers.
Myntra
Looking for great deals on clothes and fashion items? Well, look no further as the Myntra app has got some great deals for people looking to shop online. You can choose from a vast collection of over 5 Lakhs styles for men, women, teens & kids on the app.
Snapdeal
Find a range of men's clothing, women's clothing, kids clothing, fashion accessories, electronics, home kitchen essentials, gadgets and more on Snapdeal. Snapdeal is one of India’s largest online marketplaces and usually has what you're looking for.
1mg
1mg is an online pharmacy that covers doctor consultations on chat to online medicine delivery & lab tests at home. If you’re unwell and can’t bring yourself to leave the house for medicines, you can order whatever you need from 1mg.