Best car audio apps for Android Auto in 2018: Stream music, podcasts, and audio books

by Peter Kostadinov / May 29, 2018, 6:59 AM

Best car audio apps for Android Auto in 2018: Stream music, podcasts, and audio books

One of the indisputable strengths of Google's Android Auto platform versus Apple's CarPlay is the simple fact that you don't explicitly need a compatible vehicle in order to use it. See, you can actually use your smartphone as a dedicated, fairly distraction-free smart interface dashboard for you device that gives you easy access to Google Maps, Spotify, Play Music, and most importantly, the Google Assistant itself. The requirements? Any relatively contemporary phone that's running Android 5.0 or newer, preferably a car stereo with Bluetooth, and a handy phone mount for your car. That's all it takes, no USB cables and whatnot are required for the task.

To summarize it all, Android Auto is a great solution bringing Google-powered navigation and your favorite music playlists to your car without the potentially distracting interface of Android itself. You get larger, simplified menus, integration with core phone functions, and less-distracting text notifications. Best thing, however, is Android Auto's protection - if you use it too much for a short period of time, it will automatically disable itself for a while, urging you to keep your eyes on the road.

There are tons of apps that work quite well with Android Auto already, but as usual with anything Android-related, the selection is super big. Nauseatingly big, even.

So, we decided to sift out some of the best Android Auto apps that could brighten up your daily commute while maintaining a distraction-free atmosphere.

Music

In case you're driving some older wheels or simply can't enjoy the sound of a V8 engine, your single entertainment during longer rides is most certainly music. Here are the best music-streaming apps that seamlessly work with Android Auto and flaunt simplified car mode interfaces. Note that all of them are similarly-styled, with the only differences being a couple of colors here and there as well as the items in the overflow menu, housing your music library and playlists.

Music apps for Android Auto

Google Play Music

VLC

Amazon Music

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Music apps for Android Auto

One of the most-popular music streaming services out there integrates beautifully with Android Auto. From the get-go, you are presented with an interface that requires a bit of getting used to, which is bad if you're driving, but once you master it, you will be able to navigate through your playlists without even looking at your device. We recommend familiarizing yourself with the interface while stopped. Have in mind you won't be able to look for new music when the app is in Android Auto mode - all you get are your own and Spotify's numerous stations and radio playlists, which is not bad at all!

Podcasts

Okay, why listen to music when you can entertain yourselves other ways and even learn a thing or two while doing that? Podcast apps are a grand staple of the Android Auto experience and deserve their own gallery selection. Boasting the same general interface as music apps, the only differences are hidden into the overflow menu and, of course, your content.

Podcast apps for Android Auto

Podcast Republic

Castbox

Podcast Addict

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Podcast apps for Android Auto

Possibly the most popular item on this list, this one is often lauded for its super-intuitive interface. While all podcasts app are forced to conform to the same interface in Android Auto mode, you're still quite likely to use PocketCasts if you've grown accustomed to it.

Audio books & Radio

Thanks to the wondrous magic of technology, you no longer need to read books, you can simply listen to them while you're commuting! Or, you know, you could just listen to a particular radio station by simply installing its app. There's a slew of apps for Android Auto that let you do just that, here are our favorites.

Audio book apps for Android Auto

LibriVox

TuneIn Radio

Rainwave Radio

Audio book apps for Android Auto

Amazon-owned Audible is possible the most popular audio book service right now, and as such, it's our go-to recommendation for listening to audio books with your Android Auto app.

Options

8 Comments

1. RebelwithoutaClue

Posts: 5485; Member since: Apr 05, 2013

Still waiting until they open up the nav part of Android Auto. Currently, only Google & Waze are allowed.

posted on May 29, 2018, 7:26 AM 0

3. nikhil23

Posts: 414; Member since: Dec 07, 2016

Atleast waze is allowed. I'll be happy to see here maps on Android Auto

posted on May 29, 2018, 10:01 AM 1

5. RebelwithoutaClue

Absolutely, I use Waze since it offers speed control checks so I can speed without thinking too much of it

posted on May 29, 2018, 1:21 PM 0

2. Landon

Posts: 1232; Member since: May 07, 2015

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay should come standard in all new cars. The proprietary navigation systems from almost every car manufacturer are horrendous.