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I see some recommendations to switch to Niagara and smart launcher but do those not have trackers as well? Is FOSS the only way to go?
Switched a few months ago. I'm really happy with Niagara. Took a few days to get used to it but now it's so much nicer than the standard launcher.
This is the free version? Last I read the paid version is ad/tracking free.
The code is on the launcher itself. Prime is a separated app that is supposed to unlock paid features and disable the ads. I've seen some comments on Reddit of people claiming to have prime and seeing ads, so I don't know what's going on.
It's pretty common to have a free version with ads and a paid version/unlocked version. Are people just mad that the free version has more tracking/ad sources now?
I don't know what people are mad at. I assume that the users with Prime still seeing ads aren't happy, but I have no idea.
Me personally, I don't like to have my launcher selling data to Meta/Facebook. I also can see the change in strategy, from where a paid app supported development, to one where tracking and ads is at the centre of the monetization of the app. That's something I try to avoid these days. I prefer to pay or use open-source and donate, and have a clean app.
Sold in 2022, fired everyone in 2024: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branch_%28company%29
It was scummy for the past 3 years.
Anything after 7.0.57 never happened, that is the latest version
I just changed launchers on my Pixel 6 because I'm slowly degoggling and the google search bar on the default launcher was the last place that had Google as a default for search. I was thinking of going back to using Nova launcher since I had purchased it way back, but decided to give Lawnchair a try. Very happy with the change so far.
I finally switched from Nova to Lawnchair just a couple of months ago and I am also very happy with the result! I spent ~20 minutes customizing it to my liking and it has been working beautifully ever since. Can't believe I held out for so long!
I've tried Lawnchair. It's better than it used to be last time I tested it. With this said, I don't seem to be able to order folders by name, changed fonts (something more compressed) and half of the icons had the old font, and others had the new one (even after restarting the app)...
I think I could make it work, but like all open source launchers I try, there's always something half-backed or not polished enough.
were you trying a stable, beta or nightly build? I use the nightly and havent necessarily noticed anything looking old.
I used "Lawnchair 15 Beta 2", which was the latest available on their site and Github 4 days ago.
Not sure if you care to try but here's the Nightly link. Its updated daily
https://github.com/LawnchairLauncher/lawnchair/releases/tag/nightly
Kvaesitso is my favorite so far after using KISS for years. Simple, but very polished! I like the clean home screen with favorite bar and searching with a few taps, or scrolling the full app page.
Between Lawnchair Nightly and Octopi, I hardly miss Nova these days. Lawnchair is god-tier imo.
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I had purchased it several years ago, but this is at least the 3rd concerning headline in the past 3 years. If you're still on that boat, jump ship.
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Knew this sort of thing would happen eventually, glad I made the switch away a while back.
When Nova was bought out by Branch, we all knew it couldn't lead to anything good. But it sucks to switch away, and I know people kept using Nova because they could say "it's not doing anything sketchy yet."
With this news, seems safe to say that "yet" is finally "now." Tim to switch if you haven't already. I'm happily using Niagara now.
An ad company added trackers to an app they bought? Wow. Shocker.
Glad I ditched Nova when they were initially acquired.
Newest version of Lawnchair already way better than Nova
What's the version to use? The latest pre-release?
I installed it to test. Went to change the fonts, some apps had the old font, some had the new one (even after restarting the app). Couldn't organize apps inside folders by name. It doesn't seem to handle icon adaptation for old apps as well as Nova did.
I feel bad for saying this as it's free and open, but it doesn't seem to be as polished as Nova.
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I've been using Nova since Android 4.x and I am really did not want to switch, but it sounds like I have no other option now.
It's going to be a pain; multiple family members use Nova on their smartphones/tablets and they are used to the interface.
Can Lawnchair be customized to replicate Nova?
I've been using Nova launcher for just as long, and finally got off of it in November. First it was no updates, then whispers of ad injections, and now the ads are actually here.
With that said, I tried Lawnchair, and found it to be clunky, unintuitive, and either lacking the features that I wanted or I couldn't find them.
I ended up going with Smart Launcher, which has been a fantastic replacement. It's got everything that Nova Launcher has and more, and it's very easy to use.
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Glad I bailed, sad to see this from a launcher I used for years, but big Ole YIKES to everything since they were bought out.
Using AIO launcher now. Don't care for the chat gpt feature it's pushing. But when you ignore that it's just a nice slimmed down minimal utilitarian UI.
No Facebook Ads or Google Ads on that launcher, but there's the same Branch analytics stuff that made people leave when Nova was sold for the first time:
https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/com.qqlabs.minimalistlauncher/latest/
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Thats a big RIP. Though I never really liked Nova.
Switched over to Smart Launcher when Nova became abandonware.
Well, at least with Smart Launcher, they're actually trying to add useful features rather than just shoveling in ad-tracking.
They require a monthly subscription to "unlock" premium features. No thanks.
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Yeah, big new feature drop from them just this month, right? They added some features that I loved from Action Launcher (swipe to open folders).
I was using Nova until about a year ago I switched to Niagara launcher. The interface is clean, intuitive and fast
Lawnchair.
FOSS bros stay winning
Here's me using it on gOS with network deny permission (suck it assholes, also haven't updated since years? ago). I'd use something else but I use KLWP for my UI and it gives the least friction...
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Cheers OP for the heads up, sooooo glad I started blocking those domains a long while ago with OpenWRT > Tailscale exit node at home.
Frustrating sometimes since peeps link many charities and shit via FB, but easily circumvented via archive sites tor i2p etc.
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And then find the app in your installed app list in Google Play and untick "install updates automatically" in the three dot menu.
TIL Nova still exists...
Thanks for the heads up! End of an era. I've been dabbling in Lawnchair (the new update is an improvement but some bugs remain) and Niagara (great but lacks support for a widget page).
I've been using Nova for, gods, something like five years now or more.
What are some good ones these days? When I started using Nova, it was very highly recommended.
I use Niagara launcher now and while it takes some getting used to and doesn't have all the customization of Nova but I think I prefer how it streamlines phone interaction a lot of the time. At least for me.
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I really want to switch but I need a launcher that lets me swipe on the dock left and right like how I can with home screen pages
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I need a launcher that lets me make the icons bigger and in a 3x3 grid. Galaxy S10. What should I use instead?
Is it easy/possible to install older versions? I presume the APKs are backed up somewhere.
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this post was submitted on 19 Jan 2026
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