Kick Off Your Week With Free iOS And Android Apps

We do our level best to ensure these apps are not scams or privacy traps but do not review them. This is a different article from our Top 5 Apps of the Week which is published once a week. Hence, some of these apps might feature more ads than usual, as well as in-app purchases.

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Tip: If you think there is an app you would like to use in the future but do not need it already, you can download and install it first before uninstalling it. Said app will be considered as "purchased" and available in your app library forever.

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Android apps that are free for a short time

Android apps for productivity and lifestyle

• Visual Acuity Charts ($2.99): Check out just how good your eyesight is, or how much has it deteriorated with this app! Do get a professional to prescribe your glasses, this is just to provide a clue.
• Equalizer & Volume Booster Pro ($2.99): Push your puny smartphone speaker to its limits with this unique app. 
• Image Cropper ($0.99): Do you need to crop images without using your phone's default gallery app? Try this instead.
• Website Shortcut ($0.99): Create website shortcuts with this nifty little app that makes it easier to share them later.

Android games

• Draw Love Dots ($0.99): Help two little dots meet each other by drawing lines at specific places. 
• Mystery of Blackthorn Castle ($2.99): Explore Blackthorn Castle in this adventure story game that requires you to solve puzzles along the way to progress.
• Mini Restaurant Premium ($0.99): Learn all about running a restaurant in this cute little isometric view game.
• Sky Hover: Space Racing ($0.49): Race in this pixelated space simulator where your skills and reflexes come into play as you avoid obstacles to reach the finish line.
• Minesweeper Pro ($1.49): Have you ever spent countless and mindless hours playing Minesweeper on Windows 3.1? Do it on your smartphone today!

iOS apps that are free for a short time

iOS apps for productivity and lifestyle

• myDream Universe ($14.99): A sandbox space simulation title where you begin small and end up as a solar system. Dream big!
• Remote, Mouse & Keyboard Pro ($10.00): Use your phone as a keyboard, mouse, or remote control, no matter where you are.
• Unit Converter ($0.99): Do you deal with unit conversions regularly? This app will certainly help you.  
• Analog Geek Clock ($1.99): This is an interesting clock to have on your phone. Non-geeks will certainly have a challenging time deciphering it.
• Hacker Clock ($1.99): Do you love a geeky-looking clock? This one comes in a shade of green that will certainly look great on your screen! 

Free games for iPhone and iPad

• SPHAZE ($0.99): A science fiction puzzle game with amazing graphics that will surely get your gray matter to work hard.
• Blackthorn Castle ($2.99): Explore Blackthorn Castle and all the secrets that it holds within this puzzle adventure game. 
• Fill Me Up ($1.99): A tile sliding puzzle game that is just begging to be solved. There are odd shapes to shift around, which makes it more challenging.
• Tiny Shapes ($1.99): Learn about shapes and colors in this educational app.
• Pocket Skate ($3.99): Tear up the ramps in amazing ways in this skating game that does not carry any risk of physical injury!

Before you download any of these listed apps, it would be great to take some time to check out the app’s details on the Play Store or App Store. The reason behind doing so? There are times when some of these free apps carry their own little quirks.

In-App purchases and ads: Don't be surprised!

Free apps as well as paid ones at times can be a front for in-app purchases and ads. This is something to keep an eye on, especially when you download games for kids. To avoid surprises, do consider the following:

• How to activate Parental Controls on the Google Play Store
• How to childproof your Android smartphone and tablet
• The Best Parental Control apps

App permissions: Read the fine print

Some apps have a sneaky method of making money by collecting and selling your data. To remain safe, only allow the required permissions for apps to function. An alarm clock app does not need your camera to work, right? Neither does it need to have access to your contacts. What about a flashlight app? Don't provide access to your location.

Hopefully, these few tips can help you enjoy these Android and iOS free app downloads.

What are your thoughts on this week's list of free apps? Are there apps on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store that interest you? Do let us know in the comments.