Victor is a Features Author at Android Police with several years' experience in writing about tech. His focus is on Android, apps, software and Google products. He's particularly interested in how smartphones and the software that runs on them impact our day-to-day lives. He likes to look at new features, find out how the apps work and then explain the technology in an accessible way.
Outside writing, he enjoys playing FPS games, going for runs and catching up with his favourite series.
I get why free Android apps use ads. Developers have to earn money somehow, and ads let them offer features without everyone paying upfront.
But I can only put up with so much advertising. Some apps make even simple things hard because of promo screens, subscription pop-ups, or ads that break my focus.
I know that free apps usually have ads, but I still want their main features to be simple to use.
When ads get in the way of what the app is supposed to do, I lose interest.
That's why I deleted these apps that ended up being more annoying than helpful.
CCleaner made a simple cleanup more frustrating
I wanted to free up storage without the extra prompts. I used CCleaner to free up storage on my Android phone and delete files I didn't need.
It showed me what was taking up space and what I could safely delete. But over time, the ads and upgrade prompts became more frequent and started to interrupt the cleaning process.
I know CCleaner needs to promote its page features.
The problem is how frequently tool promotions appear when I'm trying to do a basic cleanup.
It makes me wonder whether I even need a separate cleaning app. Android's default storage tools let me see what I have and remove the files I don't need.
When an app makes a simple task harder, it's hard to see its value, since it's working against its own purpose.
CCleaner can still be useful for people who want its extra features, but I prefer Android's built-in tools and to avoid the constant prompts.
Truecaller turned call identification into another interruption
I wanted to identify callers, not navigate promotions
I love that Truecaller helps me identify calls from unknown numbers. The caller ID and spam detection make it easier to decide whether to answer or decline.
But it gets annoying when ads pop up everywhere and distract me from what I wanted to check.
Promo screens and upgrade prompts constantly interrupt app use. They're meant to prompt users to upgrade, but they can be distracting when they pop up at random.
I don't expect a caller ID app to be completely ad-free. What I do expect is to look up a number or manage a call without first sitting through a sales pitch.
Truecaller offers both free and paid versions, with the paid version adding more features. The paid version is usually ad-free.
Still, not every useful feature is behind a subscription. Video caller ID was introduced in Truecaller 12 and call recording is now free for all users.
But for me, the caller ID is the app's primary function, so it should be either ad-free or limited to non-intrusive ads.
UC Browser puts too much between me and the web
A browser should make websites easier to reach
A good mobile browser should make it easier to open sites, switch tabs, and find what you're after.
The UC Browser has various features to make browsing on your Android phone easier. The problem is that it is riddled with intrusive ads and custom promotions, which ultimately make the experience poor.
My biggest issue with the app is the default ads that pop up right after I open it, because ads from a website are different from ads from the browser itself.
I want a browser that helps me access a website easily, not one that adds extra steps before I can access the site.
If I'm closing promotions to achieve my goals, I lose convenience because it takes longer.
Muzio Music player made listening to music less enjoyable
I just wanted to play music without constant interruptions
I use an offline music player as it's just plain convenient. I can save music on my phone and listen without the internet or a streaming service.
Muzio Music player lets me organize and play music files stored on my phone (very useful if you have several playlists). The issue is that too many ads ruin the simple music experience.
When ads pop up while I'm trying to pick music, or even before I start playing, they make the listening experience awkward.
What gets me every time is how often the ads appear. I don't expect a free music player to be ad-free, but there should be a limit.
When I compare the app with streaming platforms like Spotify and compare their benefits, I have no reason to continue with a lower-quality app.
If ads get in the way of picking a song or enjoying a playlist, an offline playlist doesn't seem all that useful anymore.
MX Player made watching local videos less convenient
I simply want to watch videos without breaking the flow
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MX Player has been a good way to play video files on my Android device. A dedicated player gives me more control over playback than just using a file, but that convenience disappears when ads break the flow.
These ads are particularly annoying in a video player because they pull my attention away from what I am watching. Sometimes I open the player to watch a short clip, then have to watch an ad before I can move to the next one.
It gets worse when I pause a video, and ads pop up. If ads keep interrupting and showing up literally all the time, the player starts to feel less helpful.
A good local video player should make it as simple as possible to watch files on my phone. If I spend more time clicking through ads than actually watching videos, the app is no longer useful.
I won't keep apps that frustrate me
Android apps need to make money, and advertising is one of the best methods. I don't expect developers to provide all the features for free.
What I do expect is that ads respect the app's purpose.
When advertising starts to get in the way of the core function, I start to wonder if the app is worth having.