Best Alternatives To Chinese Apps (In My Opinion)

Aravind A

We all know that the govt. of India has banned close to 59 apps made by Chinese companies that use shady practices that invade the user's privacy and thereby “threatening the national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India.” (as per the ministry of IT). The list of banned apps includes TikTok, which is one of the most popular apps used by Indians.

The list of the 59 apps includes various popular apps, to even ones that come preinstalled on some phones these days. The list includes:

So here are some alternative apps from non-Chinese companies that are more secure and private than the apps that the Govt. has banned.

So... Let's check it out

P.S:

• I'm not showing an alternative to apps like helo, as there is Sharechat for that but personally I wouldn't pull the trigger on that one as it's mostly owned by Chinese firms and personally, I don't find any use for such apps.
• All the links provided are Google Play Store links. However, these apps are available on the iOS App Store as well.
• All apps listed are free to use but some do rely on in-app purchases to use the full functionality of the apps.

1.Triller(TikTok/Likee/Vigo)

Being one of the popular apps, let's address TikTok first. Apart from the fact that it is made by the Chinese firm ByteDance, it has also had its fair share of privacy and security problems(Which is a theme among these banned apps). So an alternative was likely in order. Happily, though there are alternatives out there. And one of the most popular ones is Triller.

Triller is made by a California based company and it's the closest thing to TikTok you can get. It has pretty much the same features and the community is fairly large. Plus you can do things like add filters and collaborate with other people. And it does not ask unnecessary permissions or data. Which is nice. So I'd highly recommend using Triller instead of TikTok if you want to showcase your talent (or to just goof around like most TikTokers).

And yes, there are Indian apps like Chingari and Roposo. But they do not provide the same level of polish or features as Triller and even TikTok, for that matter. You can use either one if you want an alternative to TikTok.

2.Microsoft Office(Cam Scanner / WPS office)

Another popular app that was banned by the govt. was CamScanner. And while it was one of the most useful tools around, it had its fair share of problems. One of which is the fact that it injected malware to phones in which it was installed. Which is not cool at all.

And though the WPS office is not on the list, you probably shouldn't use it as it is, in fact, a Chinese app but also it also had its fair share of shady practices in the past like asking for unnecessary permissions, sending personal data to Chinese servers, etc. So a good alternative to both of these is the new Microsoft office

This app which not only comes from a reputable maker can open almost any document file and you can also create and edit documents, sign PDFs, annotate documents, etc. So it already blows WPS out of the water.

But what makes it unique, is the built-in document scanner. Like Cam Scanner can automatically crop and capture docs, ID cards, etc. Plus there are also options to annotate and edit the PDFs after the fact. And it also supports OCR. So for a good alternative for Cam Scanner, Microsoft office is a go-to.

And with its full suite of office functionality, it is an app that legitimately kills two birds with one stone.

Other viable alternatives to Cam Scanner are Adobe Scan, Microsoft Lens, and Notebloc.

3.Firefox(UC browser, DU browser and other browsers)

UC is another very popular browser popularised for its speed and for people who "travel a lot..."(if you know what I mean...). But what you don't know, is that UC was banned from the play store a couple of times in recent years because of the sending data to Chinese servers thing which let's face it... All Chinese apps do. Happily... there is an alternative that is fast and respects your privacy. Yup, I'm talking about Firefox.

Firefox has had a long reputation for being one of the most secure and private browsers in the market. And well, the mobile version is no exception. It has all the usual security features like tracker protection, cookie blocking, and a true incognito mode that is more secure than the one in these Chinese browsers.

But the biggest thing for me is the ability to add extensions. You heard me... The extensions that you use in your desktop firefox, well they all work on the mobile version as well. This is a killer feature that frankly most people don't know about. in conclusion, a good alternative to these Chinese browsers indeed.

4.Candy Camera(You Cam and other Beauty Apps)

You Cam... the free alternative to fair and lovely...(I know it's a bad joke). In my opinion, started this trend of beautifying apps that lets you make your face more beautiful(or like you've whitewashed your face) is also on the list of banned apps. The reason... Same as every other app in this list... Privacy and security breaches. So if you want a good alternative, check out Candy Camera.

This is one of the most fully-featured beautifying apps out there. From changing the colour of your skin tone to changing the shape of your body... You can do it all in this app... Add to the fact that it doesn't send your data to random Chinese servers, and you've got a pretty good package in the form of Candy Camera.

5.SD Maid(Clean Master, DU Cleaner and other cleaner apps)

Clean master is from Cheetah mobile... Which if you are a follower of tech may ring some bells. That's because this company is one of the most notorious companies out there in the play store. And in my opinion, it should've been banned a long time ago. These cleaner apps were a disaster to use. Not only did they bombed us with adware, but they didn't even do the thing that they claimed to do. Which is actually cleaning the phone. Well, a more secure and just a better option is SD-Maid.

Not only does it not contain any ads or asks for unnecessary permissions, but unlike the apps like clean master... It just works. Not only does this take care of the usual stuff like app cache, but it also has extra functions like corpse finder(remains of uninstalled apps) duplicate cleaner, etc...

So if you want an alternative to Clean Master that actually does what it says, then SD Maid is for you.

6.Greenify(DU battery saver and other related battery saver apps)

Another bloated, Ad filled privacy-intrusive "utility"(using the term sarcastically), battery-saving apps like DU battery saver not only invade your private data but contrary to what it says, it actually reduces battery life by just running in the background. And if you want to do what DU battery saver does, just clear the recent apps. That's it! However, if you want a battery-saving tool that actually works, try Greenify.

Just like SD Maid, Greenify just plain works. It's open-source which makes it a secure offering, and it also puts the app in a hibernated state which prevents the app from doing background tasks until the app is opened. This actually improves battery life by reducing the background usage. And the 'set it and forget it' nature makes it super easy to use.

So for an Alternative to these scam battery savers, Greenify is the best choice out there.

7.Myntra(Shein/Clubfactory )

Shein and Club factory are one of the most popular fashion stores in the play store, but the privacy concerns surrounding these apps is not something to be ignored. So the best alternative for these apps is Myntra.

Apart from being a reputable retailer, it is based on India which is a good thing. Another alternative worth considering is Ajio.

Its a clothes shopping site(it doesn't get more self-explanatory than that)... So consider Myntra and Ajio over their Chinese counterparts.

8.Telegram(WeChat)

This is an obvious one. WeChat has been in several privacy breaches and its banning couldn't have been sooner. It's one of the staple Chinese messaging apps and hence comes with its fair share of data issues(sending data to the Chinese govt. among them). So for a secure and feature-rich alternative, Telegram is the way to go.

It's one of the few open-source messengers out there which makes it very secure, but it's also one of the most widely used messenger services out there.

There are so many features in telegram which frankly, warrants an article in itself. And since it is a cloud-based messenger, your data is safely stored outside the device so your data is automatically synced to wherever you log in. No need to take backups and such... So... Check it out for a secure, private messaging service.

9.Keepsafe (DU privacy, Vault-Hide and other 'vault apps')

DU privacy is a file vault where you can hide your sensitive photo and video files to prevent snoopers from seeing them.

Well apart from being an ad abomination, DU privacy wasn't all that secure as the info can be easily accessed by the file manager itself. Happily, though, there are much more secure and reliable alternatives out there. And one in particular that I found very good is Keepsafe.

Keepsafe is one of the best implementations of a media vault out there. For starters, it only uses a PIN or Password for authentication which helps you to make the vault more secure, but it also hides the files from the file manager. meaning you can't access the file directly from the file manager. And the password recovery if you accidentally forget it is as seamless as it gets. So for a well-rounded media vault, Keepsafe is the way to go.

10.Norton App Lock(App Lock and similar ones)

While app lock is technically in the play store, it's a Chinese app and well... It won't be the most secure app locker out there. Plus it asks for permissions like location and contact info... Like... Why does an app locker need these stuff!? So basically an alternative is needed for this and one of the best ones out there is Norton App Lock.

Apart from the fact that it comes from a reputable developer, Norton app lock doesn't invade the user's privacy by asking for unnecessary permissions. It also has support for fingerprint unlock which makes accessing apps as easy as it is secure. So check out Norton App Lock for a reliable, safe app locker.

11.Files By Google(ShareIt/Xender)

ShareIt and Xender are one of the most popular apps when it comes to sharing apps from device to device. I personally have used Xender to transfer files between phones. Bou recently, both Shareit and Xender have become bloated and in the case of Shareit, filled with vulnerabilities that allowed a person to access the phone by bypassing device security. Happily, however, there's Files by Google to the rescue...

This is kind of like the jack of all trades when it comes to file-managers. At heart, it is a simple file manager with all the features you'd expect for a file manager. secondly, its a cleaner app that allows you to remove unnecessary files thus saving space. And finally, it's a very good file sharing app that can share files between devices via WiFi. So the speed is very good. Plus coming from Google, you know it's going to work well. So here you go an alternative to not only ShareIt and Xender, but also for cleaning apps and file managers. That's killing 3 birds with one stone, my friends.

12.Malwarebytes(Virus cleaner apps)

In my opinion, most virus cleaning software out there are just in place to serve you ads and take your data and selling it on the dark web. And now that the popular among them like 360 security and other "Antivirus apps" are removed, it's time to use a proper antivirus app. And the one I like the most is Malwarebytes.

I personally use Malwarebytes for my PC and it has never disappointed. Similarly, on mobile, Malwarebytes is a full-featured antivirus app that blocks malware and viruses from creeping into your phone. And it is one of the most lightweight antiviruses that offer great security.

It also has a privacy audit feature that helps to assess your privacy settings to make sure that no personal data is being sent out to the public.

However, If you want an alternative, I'd highly recommend checking out Bitdefender as it has been one of the top antivirus providers for quite a while now.

13.Screen Recorder-No Ads(DU recorder Alternative)

One of the banned apps that were very popular among Indians was DU recorder. It was a feature-rich screen recorder that provided a good quality screen recording but was filled with adware that made the user experience be like covering a minefield. As for an alternative to this horrific mess, the best one out there is Screen recorder-No Ads.

The name doesn't get much self-explanatory than that. It's a screen recorder with no ads. But don't let the plain-jane name fool you, because it's one of the most full-featured screen recorders out there. With the ability to select a ton of resolutions to record, what codec to use, record audio from the internal mic, etc. So, if you want a good alternative for DU recorder, This is for you.

For the iOS users out there, I'd recommend using 'Record it!'.

14.Amaze File Explorer(ES File Explorer)

Another very popular App that got banned from use is ES File Explorer. As it was one of the most feature-rich file explorers out there. But it was far from the most secure. From being an app filled with adware, but also exploiting system tweaks if you were rooted. So a good alternative is Amaze File Explorer.

It's a light and open-source file manager. So it is a secure one and it doesn't ask for unnecessary permissions. The design is clean and the performance is very smooth. Plus, there is a built-in root explorer. Which is nice. The file is only 8megabytes in size. So it doesn't carve up unnecessary space. So in conclusion, a good alternative for ES File Manager indeed.

For iOS users, I'd say use Files By Google as an alternative.

15.Google Duo(Mi Video Call Alternative)

Mi video call is also a very popular app partly because it becomes preinstalled in all Xiaomi phones and partly because the people who use these phones probably told their friends to install them. While a good app in its own right, Xiaomi hasn't been in a very good position when it comes to software as their Ad strategy is well... not family-friendly to say the least...

But there does exist a much better alternative out there in the form of Google Duo.

Being from Google, expect a high level of polish throughout the app. And the video quality is one of the best out there, even while on sketchy networks where speed isn't all that great. And as a bonus, NO ADS!!!

Give it a go if you want a high quality easy to use video calling app.

16.Google News(NewsDog/UC news and other news apps)

The news apps banned by the Govt. include UC News and NewsDog among many other popular news apps. Which is a good thing as these apps were mostly used for serving ads than serving actual news. Happily, there are many alternatives out there and one of the big ones is Google News.

Not only it gives you the latest news, but its news recommendation is the best I've seen of all the news apps out there. And it doesn't serve ads like the banned apps. Plus if you use the web app, it takes up practically no space.

If you prefer to curate your own resources for your daily news I'd recommend using RSS readers like Inoreader.

17.Kinemaster(Viva Video and other video editor apps)

Viva video was a popular video editor app that many of us have used. But it's a minefield of vulnerabilities and in fact, it was banned by google back in 2017 for spying. And it asks for too many permissions like... Why does a video editor need access to your contacts and location!?

But just like others in this list, there is a great alternative out there and for VivaVideo, there is KineMaster.

Kinemaster is a full-fledged, pro-level video editing tool that boasts many features you get in many paid apps like video and audio editing, multiple timelines, LUT filters, the list just goes on...

But if you want a more simple to use video editor, I'd suggest you use Quik by GoPro. It doesn't have as many features as Kinemaster but the UI is simple and easy to use and you can get high-quality edits if you put the work into it. So I highly suggest to try out these apps for the budding cinematographer in you.

18.Island(Parallel Space/Dual Apps etc.)

Parallel space was one of the most popular apps for creating multiple instances of the same app so that you can... for instance run 2 WhatsApp accounts on the same phone. But since it has been banned by the govt. a good alternative would be Island.

A lot of people don't know this... But there is a built-in work profile in android that allows you to isolate 2 instances of the same app. And Island is a simple open-source tool that lets you easily use this capability by cloning the apps that you use(the mainland) to a completely separate work profile which is separated from the mainland(the island). This means that the apps have their own separate data but runs on the same base and libraries. This means you effectively use one app for both accounts. And since it is a built-in feature of android, there is no data collection by a 3rd party.

So For an alternative to parallel space, Island is the way to go.

19.Proton VPN (Turbo VPN)

While Turbo VPN isn't banned from the Play Store, the foundation of Turbo VPN is a Chinese firm which raises a few questions regarding its security and privacy. But there is a more secure alternative to Turbo VPN, and that is Proton VPN.

Proton VPN is created by the same makers as the very secure ProtonMail, which is based out of Switzerland. That means it is one of the most secure options out there thanks to the very strict privacy protection laws implemented by the Swiss Govt. Adding to the fact that Proton VPN is the first private VPN service provider to make their code opensource, further enhances the security aspect of this VPN.

While the free plan does give you unlimited data, it limits you to 3 servers. US, Japan and the Netherlands. But in my opinion, it's a fair trade-off for what is arguably the best security provided in the market today. So if you want a very secure, private free VPN, Proton VPN is the way to go.

20.Google Services(QQ Services)

All apps from QQ international were banned by the Indian Govt. As they were one of the sketchiest app devs out there. They've been removed from the play store many times before and this ban by the govt. was long overdue. So if any of you are using QQ apps, just switch to Google apps as they provide almost all the alternate apps that QQ provides but which are actually reliable. Some alternatives are:

• Gmail(QQ Mail)
• Chrome(QQ Browser)
• Google News(QQ Newsfeed)
• Play Music(QQ Music)
• Google Maps(QQ Maps)
• Google(QQ International)

Non-Google Alternatives:

• VLC(QQ Player)
• Malwarebytes(QQ Security Center)
• Lawnchair (QQ Launcher)

Let's Wrap Up

So hope this article has helped you to find some alternatives to your favourite apps that got banned by the Govt. So what do you think... Are there better alternatives out there... Let me know. Till next time, Stay Safe and Goodbye.