The best dialers for Android phones. Why is it worth changing the standard one? The best dialer for Android
Not all users like the standard form of the phone book interface in smartphones. Some people are not satisfied with the boring appearance, others with limited functionality. The diverse world of applications on the Android platform allows you to choose an individual “dialer” that will satisfy every user, even the most selective and picky.
Drupe It is attractive, first of all, because it combines in one program window a contact book of phone numbers, perhaps with all known instant messengers. Two swipes add convenience - to call or write to a contact, just drag the icon of the selected interlocutor to the icon of the desired application. With Drupe, you don't need to keep multiple programs running. You can write to a colleague on Facebook, reply to a friend on WhatsApp, or stay in touch with your boss or loved ones on Skype with just one active application.
Another not unimportant and pleasant nuance. Drupe displays a single feed with the latest events - finally, you can track communication history with all contacts in one place: call log, SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and much more. You can “attach” a reminder to a specifically selected contact, and on the appointed day and time the application will remind you of an important event. Of course, Android already has a calendar. But tell me honestly, are you comfortable using it? In addition, Drupe provides the entire history of communication with a specific person. It reflects not only calls and SMS, but also mail and WhatsApp, including communication in groups. Now there is no need to look for where exactly this contact person wrote important information. It's simple - everything can be found in the history (sms, chats, correspondence).
What else? The program offers about twenty free themes that are downloaded via the Internet. Changing the background, contact design, transparency - everything is to the user’s taste. It is also possible to sort contacts by frequency of communication with them. There is support for two SIM cards.
2GIS Dialer is not only a replacement for a standard dialer, but also, at the same time, a telephone directory for legal entities. The application database has 75 million numbers in 200 cities from the CIS. Of course, all the information is not stored on your phone. To receive it, you need an Internet connection - the database is virtual. But no unknown numbers! Now, no matter who calls (bank, social survey service, ticket office, store), the screen will display not only the numbers of the phone number, but also the name of the company, as well as all data about it. But this is not the only convenience. With this 2GIS Dialer, the addresses and telephone numbers of various companies are always at hand: taxis, pharmacies, cafes, restaurants, banks and other organizations that are located nearby.
The appearance of 2GIS Dialer is as simple as possible and not overloaded with “decorations”, so the application is not much different from a standard Android dialer. Swipe operation is supported, with transition to several “working” zones and two SIM cards. In addition, the program can analyze the most popular contacts, taking into account frequently dialed numbers and scheduled meetings in the calendar.
PixelPhone At first it may not seem as convenient as it actually is. The application creates three shortcuts on the desktop at once (Contacts, Favorites, Phone), but all parts interact with each other and moving from one window to another is easy. The dialer supports gestures and up to 3 SIM cards, blocks spammers, telemarketers and unwanted people through caller ID and blocking, merges repeated calls into the call history, functions with 9 and QWERTY keyboards. If you wish, you can configure a search by name, contact number, position, and so on. The number identifier is available - the user always knows from which region or country the call is coming.
PixelPhone is optimized for all display sizes, so it can be used even on a tablet or an old smartphone - not all applications can boast of this. Changing themes is also available.
Contacts + can confidently be called the most adapted and beautiful dialer available. The program supports over 80 themes and an endless number of wallpapers for contact screens, SMS, calls and even for a specific contact. The display of the contact book can be configured in the form of a grid or a familiar list, there is a quick search using T9, intelligent sorting of contacts, merging duplicate contacts and a birthday reminder. Having opened a specific contact, you can call/send SMS in the usual way, log into WhatsApp to write a message/make a call, or, after viewing the last e-mail, send an e-mail.
What else? Contacts+ is an all-in-one app for managing calls, contacts, messages and call list, making it easy to connect with the people you want and block unwanted people, spammers through Caller ID and blocking. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s calls or SMS messages - identification (with caller identification) and blocking works the same for both types of communication.
Another important advantage of this call manager is the integrated service for backing up contacts, SMS and call lists. So, even if you lose your phone or damage it, the most important information will still remain with you.
RocketDial Dialer & Contacts . This application offers a slight departure from the usual type of control, as it pays more attention to gestures. In addition, a huge number of plugins are offered that can expand the functionality of the application. For example, the Black List function is supported. T9, group actions by contacts.
When viewing information about a contact person, you can make a call, send a text message (sms), add a number to favorites or a group, and also create an event in the calendar linked to this person - sometimes this is necessary. When there is an incoming call, the photo uploaded to the contact is displayed in full without cropping or blurring.
For those who like to customize the appearance of the program window, there are many shells available. The only limitation that will prevent you from drowning in countless skins is that most of them are paid.
The standard interface and design of the application for making calls on Android is quite monotonous in different operating systems, and is not always convenient for some users.
But this problem is easily solved, since there are many applications and software shells for the operating system that allow you to change not only the appearance, but also the functionality of the application.
Which dialer for Android (Android) is the most convenient and functional?
It is very important to choose a program that is right for you, because be that as it may, the main function of a smartphone remains making calls. For most users, this is also the most frequently used feature, so it is important that it is as convenient as possible. Such a dialer can solve a number of problems and eliminate several shortcomings of the standard application, for example, simplifying the call log.
Characteristics and selection
If your work is directly related to calls, then the first thing you should pay attention to is the stability of the program and its ease of use.
Also, for many people, additional functions are important, such as the presence of a contact database.
The table below shows the main characteristics of programs that can play an important role in your choice.
| Application Name | License type | Customization options | Gesture control | Interface | Design | Availability of a contact database | Operation stability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RocketDialDialer & Contacts | Free (has paid content) | Wide | Yes (wide possibilities) | Complicated | Standard | No | High |
| 2GIS Dialer | For free | Narrow | Yes (wide possibilities) | Simple | Material Design | Contact database of organizations and companies | |
| ExDialer | Free and paid (230 rubles) | Very narrow | No | Simple | Modern | High | |
| PixelPhone | Free and paid (189 rubles) | Narrow | No | Complicated | Ability to vary graphic design (there are themes, wallpapers) | There is no built-in one, there is a created one | Very high |
| Dialer+ | For free | Narrow | No | Complicated | Material Design | No, but can be created based on data from social networks | High |
| True Caller | For free | Narrow | No | Simple | Modern | The search is carried out online | Depending on the device model |
| Frank's Friends | For free | Narrow | No | Complicated | Standard | No | Depending on the device model |
In addition, it is worth considering that paid programs are not always significantly better than free ones.
RocketDialDialer & Contacts
The developer of this program is Christophe Nys.
The main difference between this shell and all the others is the great attention to gesture control - many types of gestures work in this application, which may be a plus for some users and a minus for others.
Distributed free of charge.
In this program you can create “black lists”, switch to full-screen mode for displaying the photo of your interlocutor, etc.
The contacts menu is well optimized (especially compared to Android 5.0), it is possible to write an SMS message, send a message to or call directly from a contact card, etc.
You can also create groups, add contacts to favorites, create an event with a specific contact).
- Inconvenient controls for those who are not used to actively using gesture functionality;
- Various interesting, unusual and non-standard skins can be downloaded for an additional fee, which deters some users;
- It has a certain tendency towards “excessive” functionality - a lot of buttons and functions. Displayed on the screen may interfere significantly.
Here's what users who actively use this application say:
Various personal settings are also possible, but only for its external design.
Users include the following benefits of this application:
- Wide functionality combined with ease of management;
- Beautiful graphic design (design) of the application;
- Allows you not only to make calls, but also to write messages, while it has a really convenient T9 assistant with support for more than 30 languages.
- The free version only works for 7 days, after which a banner appears insistently asking you to pay for a license (it does not prohibit you from using the program, but it is quite annoying and distracting);
- Not too extensive opportunities for customization and personal fine tuning;
- It is not always possible to understand the functionality and guess the presence of some shortcut keys, although the program gives hints at the beginning of use.
What opinion do users have about this application?
“Excellent application, stable operation, sufficient functionality”, “Easy to use”, “Good application, but there is a flaw - it is inconvenient to place shortcuts on the desktop.”
PixelPhone
An application from the trusted developer Pixel Rush.
It is distributed free of charge, but for the full version of the application without advertising you will have to pay 189 rubles.
It is not just a utility for making calls, but is a full-fledged communication manager.
A fairly simple and intuitive interface, although more complex compared to the previous version, since it uses not so much hidden shortcut keys as a large number of buttons.
It has good optimization characteristics - it works properly both on and on the most modern tablets, which makes it different from other programs on the list.
It has all the necessary functions, although in general the functionality is a little narrower than the previous version.
- Good compatibility with any devices and high stability;
- Capable of working with two SIM cards, unlike other applications in the list;
- Its price is significantly lower than the previous program in the TOP.
- Slightly more confusing and complex interface;
- Slightly narrowed functionality with no possibility of significant customization;
- Paid distribution (after seven days an intrusive banner appears asking you to pay for using the program).
Users highlight other features:
“I’ve been using this dialer for more than two years - it’s always stable and in good working order,” “Very good application, I’ve been using it for more than one year,” “Sometimes it takes a very long time to make a call.”
Dialer+
This is a fairly simple application from the developer Contacts Plus Team, which is completely free.
It is easy to use, beautifully designed and quite functional.
Helps build a database using information from social networks and.
It features a stylish design with Material Design elements.
In addition to the standard functionality, it has an additional function - to notify friends about birthdays on social networks with which it is synchronized.
Offers different contact sorting systems depending on user preferences.
- Good compatibility and high stability;
- Free distribution of the version with full functionality;
- The ability to create widgets on the home screen to simplify call processes.
- Narrower functionality than other listed applications;
- Small possibilities for customization and customization;
- The interface is not always obvious and understandable, sometimes the controls are confusing.
What do users say?
“Inconvenient program”, “Works unstable”, “Quite a wide database”.
True Caller
A completely free application from the trusted developer of the same name, True Caller.
This program is significantly different from those described above.
While the main advantages of the first five options were convenience with a beautiful design, this program is quite complex, multifunctional and unusual.
It is in many ways similar to the 2GIS system, but has the main difference - it shows data not only about organizations, but also about people.
All data used in it is in open sources.
Thus, when there is an incoming call from an unfamiliar number, you will be able to immediately see the photo of the caller and his name, if there is data about him.
At the same time, the database is constantly expanding and replenished.
- Searching for information about the caller and deanonymizing;
- The ability to search and view information about a person before making a call to an unfamiliar number;
- Simple but extensive functionality.
- Full functionality is implemented only if the Internet is available and its speed is good;
- Searching for information about a person can sometimes take up to 20 seconds; when working over a mobile network, when working over a wireless network it takes only 1-2 seconds;
- Stable operation, optimized for many device models;
- Accurate and correct statistics with correct data;
- Wide functionality, especially suitable for those whose work involves making phone calls.
- The ability to interact only with those smartphones on which the same program is installed;
- Quite narrow functionality for making direct calls and working with contacts;
- Almost complete lack of customization and even design changes.
<Рис. 8 PhoneDeck>
Free application from Phonedeck GmbH.
This is the same app that was previously called Phonedeck Contacts.
This program can both make calls and analyze all contacts and call logs.
The peculiarity of the program is that it stores data on incoming and outgoing calls, messages, etc.
Based on this data, it can create visual, user-friendly statistics.
Among other things, it allows you to automatically notify your friends from your contact list about a change in number or other contact information.
Here's what users say about the program:
“Works stably”, “Narrow functionality”, “High speed”.
Greetings, Habrapeople! We decided to continue the story about software that can replace the not-so-convenient and functional standard Meizu MX2 applications. As I said in a previous article on keyboard reviews, it is important to acknowledge the shortcomings of your products and offer adequate solutions to the problems that arise, rather than sitting back with cliched phrases. This time too, we are forced to admit that the phone application included in the Flyme kit is suitable only for the most undemanding users. For the rest, we invite you to get acquainted with five third-party “dialers” that can easily replace the standard one.
Go Dialer & Contacts
Go Dev Team “lit up” in almost all the most popular application categories; of course, they could not ignore programs for calling contacts. The Go Dialer application has been on Google Play for a long time and at the time of its appearance it had many interesting features that other “dialers” now have, which does not make this program worse.Traditionally, let's start with the appearance. When you first open it, a numeric keyboard appears in front of you with Latin and Cyrillic letters printed on it. If desired, the keyboard can be minimized, then a list of all calls will open in chronological order on the entire screen. If more than one call was made to the subscriber, they are all hidden under the contact card; to view them, just click on the arrow to the right of the number.
The keyboard supports Smart Dial - when you type letters or numbers, contacts whose names or numbers contain these combinations are displayed. Interestingly, unlike most other programs, Go Dialer searches not only by the first letters of a word.
Using the buttons located at the top of the screen, you can quickly navigate to incoming, outgoing and missed calls. The lower buttons are responsible for switching to other tabs; it’s interesting that in addition to the usual pressing of the button, switching using left/right gestures is also supported (the flipping animation is also customizable).
The “Contacts” tab is quite ascetic - you can quickly view a contact card, and clicking on the avatar opens a small window with quick actions (call, SMS or view a contact).
The main feature of Go Dialer is a huge number of themes (as in other Go Dev Team products), I personally really like the “icy” theme, many people prefer dark themes.
Pros:
- Smart Dial support
- Availability of many topics
- Convenient transition between dialer and contacts
- Free
- Mediocre translation into Russian
- Small (compared to competitors) number of settings
Rocket Dialer
Another famous “dialer”. When you first open the program, it includes a small training mode consisting of six slides. Then the usual digital block and a list of recent calls appear in front of you. Rocket Dialer paid a lot of attention to gestures. You can see the full list of supported gestures in the screenshots below. I was pleasantly surprised by so many gestures.If you hide the keyboard, then at the bottom of the screen you can see two rows of buttons - the first allows you to quickly navigate to incoming/outgoing/missed calls, and the second opens tabs with contacts, favorite numbers and groups.
The address book is presented as a list of contacts with thumbnails of their photos. You can quickly call the desired subscriber using the button on the right, or by swiping from left to right. By the way, “swiping” from right to left opens a conversation with a contact.
When you open a contact, you are shown detailed information about it, and from here you can quickly edit its data. An interesting item is HD Photo, it allows you to assign a high-quality photo that will not deteriorate after synchronization. However, in the case of Flyme OS this is irrelevant, since this function is provided initially.
The dialer has many different themes that change its appearance, however, unlike Go Dialer, most of them are paid.
Pros:
- Gesture support
- Availability of Smart Dial
- HD Photo (not relevant for Flyme)
- Russian letters in dialer
- Paid themes
- Errors in translation
Dialer One
Users who have been familiar with Android for a long time have probably heard about this “dialer”; for about a year and a half it was one of the best, and at the moment it’s quite good.The home screen greets us with a numeric keypad and a list of recent calls. In the upper right corner there are buttons for quickly moving to contact groups, searching and sorting calls by category (incoming/outgoing/missed). The program supports Smart Dial; the search is carried out not only by the first letters/numbers, but by the entire number/first name/last name of the contact.
Using “swipe” on the number pad, you can quickly switch between the call list and the address book. The application has many settings: you can change the sorting of calls, change the color with which a contact is highlighted when searching, change the dialer theme, and much more.
Pros:
- Smart Dial support
- Third party theme support
- Detailed call sorting settings
- Many display-related settings
- Appearance
- No calling using swipes
DW Phone
I knew nothing about this application until recently. I came across it literally a week ago in the market and after testing it I also decided to add it to the article.The initial screen is presented with a list of calls and a numeric keypad. The application supports Smart Dial, the search is carried out using the entire first name, last name and number, Russian letters are present.
At the bottom of the screen you can see buttons responsible for quickly jumping to the corresponding tabs. The Toolbar key allows you to change the shortcuts found on the bottom panel. Each tab has its own settings. The application supports displaying "Favorites", a list of all contacts and groups.
Despite the support for many functions and the possibility of detailed configuration, the DW Dialer application seemed to me overloaded with settings and completely ugly in appearance.
Pros:
- Smart Dial support
- Detailed settings for each tab
- Multifunctional bottom panel
- Unintuitive menu
- Mediocre appearance
exDialer & Contacts
I saved the best caller for last. What is exDialer? To put it simply, this is a dialer from custom MIUI firmware, available as a separate application. I think many of you have heard about MIUI, the programs from this firmware look great and have many functions, in fact, exDialer was no exception to the rule.The start screen greets us with a traditional numeric keypad and a list of recent calls. Neat arrows indicate the type of call (incoming/outgoing/missed); by the way, missed calls are highlighted in red. Swiping down hides the keyboard.
Swiping right/left allows you to quickly call a subscriber or send him an SMS. If a contact has several numbers, then when you call you are offered to set the main one or select them manually each time. In the program settings, you can change the language, enable landscape orientation, set the action when you click on a contact, and also change the height of the numeric block.
Separately, I would like to note the support for themes; there are few of them, but they are all very beautiful; personally, I like the ICS dark theme the most.
Pros:
- Appearance
- Theme support
- Calling using gestures
- Lots of settings
- Gesture support isn't as good as Rocket Dialer
Although modern smartphones have long ceased to be simple phones, in terms of functionality they have become much closer to some laptop models, nevertheless, the ability to make voice calls is still a priority. To ensure the interaction of the owner with the gadget's transceiver device, a special software module is used - the so-called dialer, or, in simple terms, a dialer.
On the one hand, this is a regular application with a graphical interface through which the desired number is dialed, and on the other, a special interpreter that converts the numbers and symbols entered by the user into modem control commands. In general, the dialer for Android from Google, from the point of view of the principle of operation, is completely identical to the solutions used in devices from other manufacturers (the same Apple).
Modular principle
As mentioned earlier, the dialer is a regular program that runs on one or another operating system. Thanks to this, it can be easily replaced with an alternative. True, this is only true for Android.
Apple's iOS operating system is closed, so any changes/modifications to software modules are carried out only through official updates provided by the company itself. But replacing the standard dialer in Android is possible even for a novice user. Perhaps the main difficulty that you will have to face is the abundance of proposals. It is important to understand that the vast majority of third-party dialers are essentially an add-on to a basic software solution. That is, only the user interaction changes in them, and the command converter for controlling the transceiver unit remains the same. Thanks to this, 100% compatibility is achieved and, as a result, the absence of any problems. Thus, replacing a dialer on Android consists of installing the desired software solution from a third-party developer, while maintaining the basic dialer. It is impossible to make a mistake and somehow disrupt the functioning of the gadget with such an operation.
The best dialer for Android
Experienced users know how difficult it is sometimes to choose one program or another. The reason for this lies not in excessive demands, but in the abundance of solutions.
For example, a user may like the calling interface in one of the dialers, but the way of working with contacts implemented in it is inferior in convenience to some other. How can one not remember the famous film in which the main character, choosing a robe, was looking for “the same one, but with mother-of-pearl buttons.” Thus, we can rightfully say that the best dialer for Android, alas, does not exist. Each person has his own opinion about convenience, his own requirements for the interface. Next, as an example, we will look at some popular applications of this class.
Source selection
Thus, if for some reason the owner of a smartphone decides to replace the dialer offered by the manufacturer, then the first thing to decide is to choose where exactly the corresponding software modules will be downloaded from. At the moment there are two of them - the official source provided by the Google store, to which everyone who has registered with PlayMarket has access, as well as many third-party resources on the Internet.
The advantage of the first is the guarantee of the absence of viruses in applications, which is ensured by Google itself, as well as the ease of selection and installation. You just need to type in the Market search box the words: “Dialer application for Android.” Having decided to use the second option, the smartphone owner can even select programs that are distributed on a paid basis, which for many is undoubtedly an advantage, although not entirely legal. True, in this case the question arises of how to replace the dialer with Android. In this case, the user must find a resource on the Internet, download the desired APK file from there to the gadget and install it. Since such an installation is disabled by default, you must first activate it. In the popular version of Android 5.1.1, to do this, you need to go to the main menu, select the “Security” section there and find the “Unknown sources” item.
Here you need to move the switch to the “Allowed” position and confirm your choice. After these steps, the installation of the downloaded APK file will be allowed. Thus, there is nothing complicated about how to replace the standard dialer with Android. This is a regular program designed to work under the control of the Google system.
Program selection
In order for a third-party dialer for Android to register correctly in the system, you need to activate it after installation. To do this, click on the handset image, as if you were making a regular call. Depending on the installation method (Market or third-party sources), you may need to select the desired one from the displayed list of installed dialers, additionally checking or ignoring the item responsible for its constant use. If such a menu does not appear, then the Android dialer must be called up manually by launching the installed program through the appropriate shortcut. Subsequently, you can simply replace the main launch icon so that the desired dialer immediately turns on.
True Phone program
Perhaps this dialer for Android can rightfully be called one of the best, if only because its discussions take up hundreds of pages. It is worth noting the high speed of operation, low consumption of smartphone resources, the ability to work with the contact book, correct processing of requests on devices with 2 or more SIM cards, etc. After launch, the user sees a list of calls on the screen. If you swipe any of them to the left (perform a swipe action), a window for dialing SMS will open, and if you swipe to the right, the call menu will open. This principle is very convenient, as it allows you to easily operate the interface with one hand. If the firmware does not provide a mechanism to ignore unwanted calls, then True Phone has a built-in “black list”. Sometimes this opportunity is in demand. This dialer has one drawback - the need to contact the developer 7 days after the start of use (possibly for payment). If you do not do this, then unobtrusive advertising links will be shown, which can easily be closed immediately. It's completely unobtrusive, so True Phone is actually free. Support is provided in full, as is the release of new versions.
Miniature dialer
Another project with the memorable name Pixel Phone is no less interesting. The principle of interaction is almost completely similar to the previously reviewed True Phone application. The difference lies in a more convenient display, which allows you to immediately see the number of calls, their date and direction. It is also worth noting the support for plug-in software modules that expand the basic capabilities. Anyone who is seriously thinking about how to change the dialer on Android and decides to go with the Pixel Phone needs to remember that in this case you need to pay for the application or stop using it after 7 days. You won't be able to find free versions of new versions anywhere.
"Apple" laurels
Not all owners of devices running Android voluntarily buy them. Sometimes a person simply does not have enough money to purchase fashionable iPhones that cost much more. However, one of the positive aspects of the Google system is its openness and flexible configuration, which makes it easy to modify the graphical interface, turning it into a copy of iOS. In particular, the iPhone dialer for Android can be easily found and installed on the system. There are many similar proposals. So, fans of the Apple interface should try Hi Contacts, iOS 7 Dialer, or look in the modules of the Espier project, which was created to replace the shell.
Summing up
Perhaps only the lazy owner of an Android smartphone has not tried installing third-party dialers. Still, the basic functionality implemented in the “native” dialer cannot be considered the height of perfection and requires improvement. Continue to use it without worrying about fees, advertisements or possible compatibility problems, or choose something more convenient - it’s up to the user to choose.