Top Practical Apps Banned On Google Play Store

The vast majority of Android users only ever install applications from Google Play. It is not the first time for apps to be banned from the Google Play Store. It has happened before and usually. There's a plethora of APKs that Google doesn't offer, and I've prepared a list of the best Android APKs and apps you can't find in the Play Store.

The 10 Most Controversial Apps Removed from the Google Play Store

Now, let's take a look at the best apps you won't find in the Play Store.

1. Amazon Underground

The official Amazon app is one of the most popular shopping apps on the Play Store, with tens of millions of downloads. But if you're still using it instead of the Amazon Underground app, you're missing out lots of chances to get paid games for free. Legally!

2. TubeMate

TubeMate enabled users to directly download YouTube videos on their smartphones. What made TubeMate better was the fact that you didn't even have to watch the video to download it. However, TubeMate was taken down from the Play Store because apparently Google wasn't too happy with users downloading videos from YouTube.com

3. CyanogenMod Installer

CM Installer or CyanogenMod Installer was an app that allowed users to install CyanogenMod ROMs on their devices without having to root them. The app was removed from Play Store for unknown reasons.

4. Flappy Bird

The wildly popular Flappy Bird was pulled not just from Google Play Store, but also from Apple App store from its developer himself. Before taking the game down, its creator Dong Nguyen explained on Twitter that he was pulling Flappy Bird from the app store(s) as it was ruining his simple life.

5. Grooveshark

This has got to be one of the most controversial bans from the Play Store in recent memory. Grooveshark has been allowed into the Play Store and then removed multiple times for some reason. This is a good option for those of you outside the US. Grooveshark works pretty much everywhere and is one of my favorite music streaming apps. If you need an alternative to Pandora, look no further.

6. Humble Bundle

Another way to get paid games on the cheap, Humble Bundle offers regular bundles of games at a price that you set yourself. Each bundle consists of ten games. You get three if you pay more than a dollar; seven if you pay more than the average price across all users; an eighth for paying more than $6; and two more get unlocked once the total revenue for the bundle reaches a certain level.

7. TV Portal

Think of this app as Hulu for those of you who live in an area where Hulu is not supported. TV Portal has a wide range of Movies and TV Shows available to be streamed to your Android device. The app is free, but if you spend three bucks you can get rid of in-app advertisements forever. I think it's safe to a.ssume that Google banned this app because of copyright related issues.

8. Popcorn Time

Popcorn Time allows you to watch movies and TV Shows on your Android device either by streaming or downloading to watch offline. There are literally thousands of high-quality movies here, and you can either search for specific titles or browse the available collections. We have also debated the legality of this app, so you may want to use it with caution.

9. XPosed Framework Installer

Installing a custom ROM is one way to modify your Android device, but you don't really need to do so if you just want to modify a few things here and there. The XPosed Framework allows you to modify your existing system without going through the hassle of installing a custom ROM. It is for root-level users only, and there is a wide range of mods and tweaks that can be applied to your device, but be careful. I'd recommend making a full backup before using the Xposed Framework or its components.

10. Transdroid

For all the keen torrenters out there, Transdroid provides a great way to manage your torrents remotely. It supports home servers and seedboxes. From within the client, you can, among many other things, add torrents, start and stop them, and set priorities. It supports all the big torrent clients out there, including uTorrent, Deluge and Vuze. You can download a cut-down version from the Play Store, called Transdrone, but, to get the full experience, including integrated torrent search and RSS feeds, make sure to grab the Transdroid APK. Again, be aware of the laws surrounding torrenting in your country.

These banned apps can be downloaded from AIO Downloader, a third party app market which has hosted all apps that appeared on Google Play Store once, no matter the apps are removed or not. Just remember that downloading from unofficial sources doesn't give you the protections you get when getting apps from the Play Store, and if you venture too far from the mainstream, you should be sure you know exactly what you're downloading and where it came from.