For humans with limited storage and smartphone reminiscence, apps may be difficult to navigate. Many of the most popular apps within the U.S. — Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat — are massive downloads and extremely annoying to run. A phone that has 16GB of storage and 1GB or 2GB of RAM will quickly run out of the area for new apps (or snapshots, tune, and so on.), and going for walks, those heavy apps will regularly result in crashes, overheating, and slowdowns.

What’s greater, those styles of apps consume a ton of records, which isn’t always ideal if you’re on a budget or use your smartphone as your number one access point to the internet (as is the case for 20 percent of Americans, in step with this Pew report). Thankfully, there is an alternative. Most of the most-used apps on the market offer “lite” variations that lessen the drain on your cell phone and month-to-month facts allotment. If a lite variant isn’t available, platforms often have Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), which provide primary capability through a mobile browser. PWAs don’t require a download and are an awful lot, much less processing-intensive. Often, agencies cover their bases by making their web app right into a lite app, imparting the same provider on each.

We’ve rounded up a comprehensive listing of the quality lite apps and PWAs for essential apps available today.

Maps Go is the mild model of Google’s navigation app. Google Maps is the go-to app for navigating through a selection of travel methods, from walking to riding to public transit, so using a lightweight model can greatly impact overall performance and record usage. Unfortunately, this app is only to be used for Android customers. However, it’s possible to attain a PWA version on iOS by following the hyperlink below inside the Chrome browser.

Facebook is the most important social media platform for cellular customers in the U.S. It’s additionally a hefty and traumatic app that requests quite a few information permissions from customers (for example, device region) — so it makes sense to remove it in the choice of a lightweight model. There’s Facebook Lite for Android; however, on iOS, the app is still trying out. For now, those with iPhone devices can simply go to the mobile model of the website in their browser of preference.

Spotify, the sector’s biggest song-streaming app with over 180 million monthly energetic customers, is still beta checking out a 15MB lite version of its approximately 100MB number one Android app. It’s possible to sign up for that beta; regrettably, the take-a-look is restrained regarding areas and compatible devices. Also, critics note that many key functions, like offline playback, are missing, leaving much to be favored. Android customers who really need it and are inclined to take a chance should strive to download an unofficial (and therefore probably unstable) app copy. Below is a link to the official beta Spotify Lite app. As for human beings on iOS, there is no lite app or PWA to be had for the time being.

Facebook’s chat device, Messenger, is massive in its own proper, with more than 1.3 billion monthly energetic customers. Facebook Messenger Lite strips down the messaging app to the naked essentials, bringing the app length down to 5MB. However, following a not-unusual subject, it’s the handiest to be had for Android. The correct news is the lightweight app is in testing. The terrible information is that it’s only out of the doors of the U.S. For now. Plus, there doesn’t appear to be a PWA option. Looks like the use of iPhones will just wait a bit longer.

YouTube Go, the miniature version of Google’s large social video platform, launched in 2016 and is to be had in more than a hundred thirty international locations, though now not in any Western markets. The simplified platform offers minimal but powerful capabilities. When selecting a video, YouTube Go asks if you would like to download a low-high-quality version as an alternative, allowing for greater control over data utilization. Plus, you may send movies to your buddies through Bluetooth. If you’re in one of the markets in which it exists and own an Android telephone, you can grab it. Otherwise, you’re out of success for now.

Google Go is a lighter and quicker version of the Chrome browser that promises forty percent information savings. Weighing in at simplest 5MB, it also barely takes up any area of your tool. For now, this accessible tool is only available in rising markets for Android customers — more often than not in nations in Asia and Africa. Those looking for an opportunity in the U.S. need to look no in addition to the following entry inside the listing.

Can’t search out Google Go?

Try the Opera browser’s lite offshoot, Opera Mini. This lightweight browser’s principal focus is retaining statistics for the budget-aware, plus it offers a built-in advert blocker. Other features include a download button for films — now not YouTube films, lamentably, but an expansion of others — and information tracking within the settings menu.