Official Lite alternative to most popular apps on Android

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Apps are growing with features with every update. With less optimization, but more features. These features are often not used by the majority of people and mostly remain dormant. But they do take up resources, CPU cycles and drown your battery. Companies create a lite alternative version of their apps to penetrate new markets where the internet has just begun to gain traction. The apps noticeably have less features and bloat to reduce data usage. While they are mainly targeted to use less data, fewer features mean less processing and more battery life. This battery saving side effect makes it popular among people who want to maximize their battery usage.

Facebook Lite

Facebook is used the world over as a social network. Facebook Lite is more focused on people of countries with lower internet speeds and data caps. While Facebook lite doesn’t have much fancy stuff from the original app, it will still keep you updated with your friends and family for more time than the original app.
Facebook Lite - Lite alternative to Facebook

Messenger Lite

Messenger Lite, also from Facebook to talk with your facebook friends and family. Less resource intensive, and fewer features, albeit without chat bubbles but it still keeps your friends close and battery usage happy. Facebook claims it can run in very slow data networks as well and it still supports Android Gingerbread (Android 2.3 and up). That’s a huge plus for people with budget phones who never receive OS updates

Messenger Lite - Lite alternative to Facebook Messenger

Linkedin Lite

A faster Linkedin app that is less than an MB in size that still keeps you connected with your work or look for work network. Meant for use in low and sloppy internet speeds, you still can connect with people, get notifications, find and filter jobs, and also with privacy.
The app isn’t available globally but you can download it on safe third-party app providers.

LinkedIn Lite - Lite alternative to LinkedIn

Skype Lite

Skype is still mostly used for work chat around the world. With so many other alternatives, people first expect you to have Skype than anything else. Given its age, it’s synonymous to video chat but with the acquisition of Microsoft, some people might not find it comfortable they snooping on your private chats. Skype Lite is a very basic version of Skype without news and other fancy feature from the main app. You can still chat, video, and set your online status within the app. It also has a dark theme which makes it comfortable in low light situations.
Skype Lite - Lite alternative for Skype

Instagram Lite

From Facebook to new markets for less data consumption. You will be able to share your photos and stories with your followers. Follow every food your friends and celebrity you follow eat and every damn thing they share. Video sharing and messaging are expected to come soon on Instagram Lite.

Instagram Lite is not available in all markets and you might need to download it from a safe alternative source.

Instagram Lite - Lite alternative to Instagram

Spotify Lite

Spotify Lite is one of the latest projects from Spotify. After making their company public they have run modded Spotify apps to the ground but also made many features available to the free users. With the interest in gathering more user base from competition like Pandora, Google Play Music, they have released a Lite version to select markets on the Play Store.
You can still check your Daily, Weekly, and Discover Playlist. There is no podcasts and videos in Spotify lite to save you the bloat. Spotify Lite actually feels smoother and light as a music player is supposed to be.

Spotify Lite - Lite alternative to Spotify

Twitter Lite

As with Facebook, Twitter aims to raise their active users by attracting users from countries with limited or slow internet access. This is mostly a web wrapper for the mobile twitter. You can access basic Twitter features like Timeline, like retweet, follow, and message. You will also be able to customize your profile and get prompt notifications about different activity on Twitter.

Twitter Lite - Lite alternative to Twitter

Google Assistant Go

A smaller, lighter version of Google Assistant for people with slow or limited access to the internet. Unlike other lite apps, this app only runs on devices with Android 8.0 and up. So you’ll need a recent phone to use this to save data. You can still use voice commands to make quick phone calls on the go, send text messages, play music on media apps or youtube, navigate places with google maps, preview your upcoming events, weather information, and other general google query answers. You will not be able to control Google home products or use reminders with the lite app.

The app is also available on the Indian market and will need to look for it on an alternative source.
Google Assistant Go - Lite Alternative to Google Assistant

Maps Go

The lite version of the Google Maps to get to places on devices with budget resources. This is a progressive web app and you can find almost all features you can with the web version of Google Maps. You can find places of interest, get live traffic details. You can also explore new places, read their reviews and save places for effortless access in the future.
As a progressive web app, it will require the chrome app on your device. The Maps Go app is available almost everywhere in 70 different languages.

Google Maps Go - Lite alternative to Google Maps

LINE Lite

The lite version of the popular Asian messenger client. You will find essential features to text, video chat with your friends. You will however not be able to receive group voice calls and also no background customization and themes. You will not be able to mention “@” people on chatrooms and also not use animated stickers. You will also likely not get notifications unless you open the app which was probably intentional to save data usage in the background. And last but not the least, you won’t be able to backup your chats on the lite app.

LINE Lite - Lite alternative to LINE

Uber Lite:
We included Uber Lite to our list as a bonus because it is a work in progress. The Uber Lite app is specially built for the Indian users so it will most likely only be available on the Indian Play Store.
And as with other lite apps, it will include core features except fancy features to save resource and processing.
Uber Lite - Lite alternative for Uber

These were the apps we could find in our search. If you use any other popular app with a standalone app as an lite alternative, please let us know in the comments.

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