The Chromecast is probably the most popular video streaming device of all time. Even though it's a small piece of hardware, it allows you to connect your TV to practically anything else in the house with a processor in it and that includes your Android phone. In most cases, it's easier to use a Chromecast than it is finding a way to hook your devices up to your TV individually and its cheap price point makes it almost universally accessible. If you have a Chromecast, you'll want to check out the best Chromecast apps for Android.
BubbleUPnP is an application that allows you to float your media literally all over your house. It's compatible with most current game systems, Roku, Chromecast, mobile devices, tablets, and more. That means you'll be able to cast your photos, TV shows, movies, and music to virtually any WiFi connected device in your home. It also comes with cloud support. That means you can cast things from your Google Drive, etc to your Chromecast. It's one of the must-have Chromecast apps. You can download it for free to check it out before forking out $4.69 for the pro version.
Crunchyroll is considered one of the premiere anime streaming apps around. It features hundreds of titles, some of which are updated within hours of the show airing. Typically, you can pick it up for individual devices like Xbox One, PS4, Roku, etc. However, the official Android app also has Chromecast support. You can watch for free. However, the ads are fairly terrible for free viewers. The official subscription cost is $6.95. The other, more expensive subscription adds perks like convention benefits and store discounts. Really, that's only needed if you're a super huge fan of the service.
Google Home is sort of the catch-all for Chromecast apps. It's the app you'll need to download in order to set up your Chromecast. Additionally, it helps you find other Chromecast apps and content. You can also use Google Home to cast your entire phone screen to the TV. This lets you use apps or games that normally aren't Chromecast compatible, including browsers. You'll already have this to set up and configure your Chromecast. You might as well keep it around for those other potential uses as well! It also works with Google Home, hence the name.
Google Play Music is another Google app that works very well with the Chromecast. This one allows you to upload up to 50,000 songs to their servers that you can stream to your Chromecast (and other places). You can also purchase their $9.99/month subscription and that gives you access to Google Play Music radio stations and all the songs on the service along with YouTube Red. The $14.99 plan is a family plan that can include up to six people. Finally, the app can also access and cast your locally streamed music to your Chromecast. This is a one-stop shop for music, even if the app still needs some work.
Hulu is one of the better movie and TV streaming services out there and yes, it does have Chromecast support. It boasts a large library of TV shows and movies and is one of the few services that lets you watch currently running TV shows in the same season they're airing. It also has a healthy supply of older movies and shows along with a decent selection of anime. It's a good choice for Chromecast owners. You can get a limited commercials subscription for $7.99 or plop down the $11.99 per month for no commercials at all.
iHeartRadio is a streaming service. It operates a lot like Pandora. There are stations that you can listen to that play certain types of music. There are also real radio stations that you can tap into. Of course, it also has Chromecast support. iHeartRadio is particularly great around the holidays as their holiday stations are second to none in most cases. It's completely free to use as long as you can tolerate some advertising. It's one of the better Chromecast apps for streaming random music.
LocalCast is another great option for those who want to cast their locally stored media. It supports music, TV shows, movies, and images stored on your device. It works with Chromecast along with any other DLNA supported device. Like other options, it has cloud storage support so you can cast your cloud saved media as well. It can even cast PDF files if you need it to. It's ad supported, but you can donate an amount you choose to get the pro version. The rates are between $0.99 and $21.30.
Netflix is definitely one of the must-have Chromecast apps. Everyone knows what Netflix is, what it has, and what it costs so there really isn't much new information here. It has been continuously updated and improved over the years and the developers have done well with keeping with the latest design trends. Streaming is almost flawless as long as your connection holds out. Their selection is among the best and their original programming is considered on par with the best out there. It's worth a shot since you can usually get a free trial for signing up.
Pandora Radio is one of the most popular Chromecast apps out there. People have been using it for years to discover new music, listen to random radio stations based on their tastes, and more. It's simple, it works well, and it's compatible with virtually everything. You can pay $4.99 per month to get rid of advertisements. Alternatively, you'll soon be able to get Pandora Premium for $9.99 per month. That will allow for on-demand streaming of any song in their library. It's a heavy hitter and it's a must for Chromecast owners.
Plex has consistently been one of the best Chromecast apps available. It's an app that lets you stream video from your phone or computer to your TV via the Chromecast. It takes a bit of time to set up, but it works great once you do. You'll be able to use most of the features with the free version. However, you will need to fork out a small, one-time fee to use the Android app. You can also get Plex Pass for $3.99 per month. That adds more services and features on top of what you can already do. It's powerful and the best way to get video from your computer to your TV without a bunch of cables.
Pocket Casts is probably the best out there for listening to podcasts. As it turns out, it also has Chromecast support. There are a ton of podcasts that you can subscribe to. It also supports video and audio podcasts. There are also some other features, including a dark theme, syncing support, playlists, auto-downloading, and more. There isn't a free version to try out. Thus, you'll need to buy it and test it out inside of the refund time. Otherwise, it's an exceptionally well done app and one of the must-get Chromecast apps for podcast fans.
Solid Explorer is one of many file explorers out there. However, this one comes with Chromecast support. It's also pretty awesome. You'll get a Material Design interface, dual pane support, and all of the basic features you'd expect from a file manager. It even supports FTP, SFPT, WebDav, and SMB/CIFS protocols along with cloud storage support. You can pick up a 14-day free trial by downloading the app. After that, it's $1.99 to keep it for good. It's a great way to stream your locally stored content and cloud storage content. It's also great for file management. Obviously.
Spotify took its sweet time getting on the train when it came to Chromecast support. However, it finally did and now it's one of the best Chromecast apps out there. The streaming service itself has over 30 million tracks along with various radio stations, video content, podcasts, and more. It's currently the reigning king when it comes to popularity in the streaming business. It's also compatible with most devices. The $9.99 per month plan gets you in the door while the $14.99 per month plan is their family plan (supports up to six people). They also offer discounts for college students.
TuneIn Radio is a different kind of streaming app. It supports music like most do. However, you can directly stream tons of AM and FM radio stations, and even podcasts. It's mostly for fans of talk radio, although there is a little something in there for everybody. Those who go with the premium subscription can get live sports games (NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL), 80,000 audiobooks, and access to 600 radio stations that don't have advertising. It also removes the ads from the app. It's arguably one of the best Chromecast apps for fans of talk shows, radio, podcasts, and similar content.
YouTube is pretty much where it's at for video streaming. You can find tons of channels (including ours!) that cover and show all kinds of content. You can find educational stuff, music, tech, entertainment, news, and all kinds of other stuff. The app is free to use although you can pick up a YouTube Red subscription for $9.99 per month. That also gives you access to Google Play Music's premium features and that makes them a one-two punch that's tough to beat. Everyone knows YouTube and it's definitely among the best Chromecast apps.
10 best Android TV apps
August 15, 2016If we missed any of the best Chromecast apps for Android, tell us about them in the comments!
from Android Authority http://ift.tt/1vSp0vE
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