In 2019, while Google is watching us every moment through our Android phones (without which life has become difficult) and recording our digital footprints, the users are becoming aware of how precious privacy is.

Android has grown from an OS meant for cameras to being on literally almost everyone’s hands. And this growth means there are millions of people who risk having their personal details leaked off to the internet. However, privacy apps are here to help you stay private.

We’ve seen many innovative companies flood the Play Store with Privacy-centric apps, and the list keeps growing even in 2019. More people now understand the importance of privacy, and the benefits of these apps, especially with the now frequent data breaches for example; 4 million accounts, were taken over by hackers in 2015 (where access is gained and the password changed) leading to identity theft and losses of over $2 billion.

Read on to see our top picks amidst the heaps of privacy apps for your android phone.

SmartApp lock

Remember the times you hand your phone over for someone to see a picture, and they start sifting through the contents of your phone? SmartApp will keep those pesky beings at bay. It individually locks every application on your phone with wiggly patterns or numeric PIN codes. Mostly, you customize a different code for every other app and can escape those embarrassing situations where you have to watch people go through your personal information like no one’s watching.

Blur from Abine

For the security freaks who tend to get worried every time they put their emails, cards and contact details on the internet, Blur from Abine is a blessing from up above. With Blur, you can block ads, stop leaving a digital footprint everywhere and above all, prevent data theft.

The paid version of the app, at 3 USD per month ends the running transcripts, auto-fills forms in a jiffy and offers backup and synchronization with no hassles. For the security freaks out there, this app also generates secure passwords which make it impossible to hack your systems.

Wickr

For all the entrepreneurs and owners of small and medium-sized enterprises, Wickr is their one-stop solution to prevent data breaches. With Wickr, all communication is correctly encrypted and only reaches the rightful recipients of the communication. It lowers the chances of an invasion of privacy, leakage of plans, which in turn can lead to successful businesses.

MyPermission

Admit it, we all need an application that can detect possible threats while running seamlessly in the background. You only notice it when a threat is detected.

The most significant unique selling proposition is how it alerts the user immediately if a new app or a recent upgrade in any of your existing apps is trying to access any new forms of data. With a premium account, it becomes even more accessible to understand the sources of these threats and simultaneously block or limit their access to your data including your location and relationship history.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is giving numerous Virtual Private Network applications a run for its money with a nominally charged use. With ExpressVPN, you can encrypt multiple devices and block the signals to and from your devices.

It also allows its users to override the geographical barriers and access prevented content on Hulu, Netflix, Dailymotion and much more. The complimentary 30-day access can give you a thorough overview of this app’s capabilities at erasing your data. It does not engage in any unethical means of data mining.

Moreover, it allows you to access three months of free usage on buying the annual plan. At any point in time, if you are not satisfied with their services, you are entitled to a no-questions-asked refund policy.

DuckDuckGo

In the age of digital evolution, where everyone is being watched, you can easily dodge the bullet with DuckDuckGo.

This secure application is a web browser that keeps no record of your browsing data, does not store passwords and gives you the freedom that you are entitled to.

It blocks ads and ensures that the websites you access use an encrypted connection wherever and whenever applicable.

Hushd

Hushd is that brilliant application which can serve the purpose of a burner phone without investing in them. The application generates random numbers from ninety plus countries.

Now you can give those pesky sales guys your number and not worry about the relentless calling where suddenly everyone wants to sell you things that you do not want to buy.

Numbers generated on Hushd can be destroyed at will whenever the purpose of the number has been served. It can also allow you to make private calls and send anonymous messages.

While these apps are available at our disposal, there is no real alternative to choosing strong, alphanumeric passwords and protecting your data by limiting your application’s permissions.

These apps are meant to target a specific group of users or add an extra layer of protection so that you can live and enjoy your life on the internet without the constant fear of divulging private information.