Our top 5 Android and iOS apps of the week

Every week, we will try to sieve through the mountain of available apps and curate the very best of the lot - those that are not secretly mining your data or being a microtransaction hell. In addition to our finds, we have also included gems unearthed by the NextPit Community which was shared on our forum, of which we invite you to check out.

• New apps found by the NextPit community in May

Skippy

Skippy is an application that proposes to press or click on the "skip" buttons automatically for you. As soon as a virtual button to skip an ad appears, like on YouTube for example, the application "presses" it and skips the ad without you having to do anything. But it can't skip an ad before the skip button appears.

The app works like a screen recorder. To do this, it requires a very intrusive permission to access your screen content and perform actions. The kind of permissions I would never normally grant to a little-known developer. But the privacy policy assures in black and white that no data is connected and that all operations are performed locally.

• Price: Free / Ads: No / In-app purchases: No / Account: No.

• You can download the Skippy application from the Google Play Store.

Is it time yet?

Is it time yet? is a productivity app that displays your upcoming Google calendar events as a countdown. Google Calendar already sends you reminders before an event, but here you have an overview at any time to anticipate your planning.

Actually it's especially useful because most of the time I want to know how much time I have left to finish an article before a meeting rather than just knowing what time the meeting is. The app is free but contains ads that can be gotten rid of with the one-time purchase.

• Price: Free / Ads: Yes / In-app purchases: Yes / Account: Yes (Google account).

• You can download the app Is it time yet? from the Google Play Store.

Watomatic

Do you remember the famous new WhatsApp T&Cs that would have almost cataclysmic consequences for our privacy and that nobody talks about anymore since they came into force on May 15th?

Well, if you haven't moved on yet, if you left WhatsApp for one of its alternatives and would like to encourage your contacts to do the same, Watomatic is for you. This application that the NextPit Community made me discover allows you to set up automatic replies for WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

So, every time one of your contacts on WhatsApp sends you a message via this messenger, you can automatically send them a reply explaining that you're now on Signal, Telegram or Threema (or Viber, yes, let's not forget Viber) and that he or she better join you there.

• Price: Free / Ads: No / In-app purchases: No / Account: Yes (WhatsApp account).

• You can download the Watomatic app from the Google Play Store.

LinkMe

"Hey Antoine, would you like to pick up the Redmi Note 9T from my place for your test, we don't live too far from each other". If I'd had LinkMe when Ben texted me that a few months ago, I could have saved myself a trek.

LinkMe is a mapping application that finds places - cafes, restaurants, etc. - that are halfway between you and where the person you want to meet is. Just enter the two starting points, your location and that of your friends/neighbors, and the app will highlight several places of interest equidistant within a radius of 1 to 10 km according to your choice.

• Price: Free / Ads: No / In-app purchases: No / Account: None.

• You can download the LinkMe app from the Google Play Store.

Clubhouse for Android (just kidding) Rip Them Off

Rip Them Off is a game originally released on PC. It's a tower-defense and management game in which you have to set up your stores and shops in town while maximizing your profits by attracting as many customers as possible.

In concrete terms, you are placed in a diorama in which the inhabitants move in a linear and constant manner in one or more directions. You must therefore manage your expenses and carefully select your shops and their locations.

The jazzy atmosphere and the very aesthetic graphics seduced me. If you are a fan of accessible management games, which are not too demanding, I recommend Rip Them Off.

• Price: $3.99 (Android); $3.99 (iOS) / Ads: No / In-app purchases: No / Account: None.

• You can buy the game Rip Them Off from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.

What do you think of this week's selection? Have you tried out any of the apps on this list? What would be your apps of the week? Share your opinions and your tips in the comments!

If you're looking for a particular type of application, don't hesitate to let me know, so I can orient my research and selection according to your needs! All input is very much appreciated.