One great thing about Android is that you can customize it more than you can on iOS and iPadOS. Launchers are an easy way to do it, changing the way you primarily interact with your phone and launch apps. But once again, you come across too many choices, namely customization and simplicity. You may understand this well if you have to choose between Nova Launcher and Niagara Launcher.
Here’s a quick guide to pick the best one.
Choosing Between Nova Launcher and Niagara Launcher
You should choose Nova Launcher if you prioritize customization options over a preset design. Doing so also gives you additional features. But if you need a well-optimized Android launcher for taller smartphones and foldable devices, Niagara Launcher is the better choice.
Nova Launcher vs. Niagara Launcher: The Basics
Nova Launcher, as you may know, is a champion of customizability. For years, Android users have relied on Nova Launcher to create a personal Android experience. It is often simpler than many built-in Android skins on many devices and offers gestures and more. You also get some integration options, which I will cover in a bit.
Niagara Launcher is a relatively new player in the world of Android launchers. However, it has been an excellent option for those who need a simpler Android experience while engaging with apps and the home screen. It is not to say that Niagara Launcher does not have customization options. It’s just that the launcher tends to prioritize simplicity.
We shall now see how these two Android launchers compare in some critical areas.
Customization Features
Most people would like to make their smartphone home screens their own. Here’s what you can do with Nova and Niagara.
Nova Launcher
Nova Launcher is the clear winner if you are looking for a highly customizable Android launcher. This popular launcher app has celebrated customizability from the very beginning. You get to control different aspects of your Android home screen without disrupting the usual experience.
But you can go all the way in with the help of icon packs, grid layout control, and gestures. You get to enable all these features one by one. So, if you simply need a multi-grid structure for your home screen, you get to turn on just that.
Niagara Launcher
Niagara Launcher, despite being one of the best choices out there, does not offer a lot on the customization front. Instead, you need to live with a fresh and simple user interface design. For instance, the launcher has been heavily optimized for one-handed use.
I should also say that some may not like the minimalistic design of Niagara Launcher. If you want to change the layout, you should look for other options. In short, you have to live with the preset designs if you choose Niagara Launcher over Nova.
Overall, Nova Launcher is almost unbeatable when it comes to customization options.
User Experience
Nova Launcher
In terms of user experience, Nova Launcher brings the best of both worlds. One, users can customize Nova Launcher however they like. They don’t have to stick to anything predefined. For instance, one can go for a full-blown customization with icon packs and backgrounds.
But if you want to keep things minimal, you can use Nova Launcher as is. Either way, Nova Launcher offers a superior Android experience compared to the many built-in Android skins I have seen, especially on low-end smartphones.
Niagara Launcher
As I mentioned, Niagara Launcher does not leave much for customization. Therefore, you get a pretty standard minimalistic user experience from the launcher. I found Niagara Launcher to be fresh and clutter-free.
As the developers claim, Niagara Launcher offers a better user experience if you have a large-sized, taller smartphone. For instance, you get easy access to notifications and frequently used apps. It’s something I’d easily recommend if you feel like you need a break from your typical launcher.
Overall, both launchers offer a decent user experience. However, if you need something unique, you should go for Niagara.
Performance
I’d like to provide a few insights about Nova Launcher and Niagara Launcher in terms of their performance, battery efficiency, and impact on multitasking.
- Both Android launchers are battery efficient in that you would not notice a difference. I compared them with Pixel Launcher, and the experience was faster for the most part.
- The performance also seemed impressive, considering the number of apps I had on my device. Even when using integration options like Sesame Search, Nova Launcher remained fast. It did not have much of an impact on multitasking, either.
- I should remind you that a launcher does not control many aspects of your smartphone. Instead, it offers a smoother way to interact with applications. In many ways, an Android launcher is another app. So, you don’t have to worry about the impact of device-level performance.
Overall, there is no difference between Nova Launcher and Niagara Launcher in terms of performance. Both perform well and have minimal impact on battery and multitasking.
It also means you can choose between these two based on other aspects that matter to you the most.
Which One Should You Choose?
Now that I have discussed the common aspects of both Android launcher apps, we shall see how the two launchers compare at critical junctures.
Customization vs. Simplicity
I have already seen that Nova Launcher and Niagara Launcher offer competitive performance for a variety of tasks. You also get some standard features, including integration with third-party apps. Therefore, picking one from these two choices comes down to choosing between customization and simplicity.
When you choose Nova Launcher over Niagara Launcher, you get some impressive customization options. It is a simple option and offers a minimal user interface design for the most part. The customization features are practically endless, especially if you purchase the paid version. For instance, I love the custom gestures option, which can offer one of the best Android home screens.
On the other hand, Niagara Launcher offers a better deal for those who need an install-and-forget launcher for their Android smartphone or tablet. You don’t have to try a lot to get a decent outline. Because it is well-optimized from scratch, the setup is easy and impressive. For instance, if you have a foldable phone with a taller display, Niagara Launcher offers an optimal experience out of the box.
Therefore, the final decision comes down to how much time you would like to spend on setting up the home screen the first time.
Which is Safer?
You don’t have to worry about safety while choosing between these two Android launcher apps.
I have tested both of them for their fundamental privacy concerns. They do not require any permissions that a standard Android launcher app would need. It means the application does not have access to any sensitive information on your devices.
The actual privacy experience from these apps would also depend on the integrations that you need.
For instance, when you install Nova Launcher, you can integrate something like Sesame Search, which requires access to your file system contacts and system settings for the whole experience. But in itself, these Android launchers are safe and privacy-friendly.
Also, both Android launchers are from reputed developers who maintain an active community. So, in addition to being confident about the features you use, users can interact with the community and request many desired features.
Frequently Asked Questions
The fastest launcher for you depends on your requirements. But if you are looking for a simple and resource-friendly Android launcher, you can check out Nova Launcher or Niagara Launcher. Microsoft Launcher is also a great option in this category.
You can choose between a few safe Android launchers from the Play Store alone. The priority is to pick the launcher from a reputed developer. For instance, options like Nova Launcher and Microsoft Launcher are options you can confidently go for.
App launchers, in general, do not affect multitasking performance. However, if you want to choose a launcher that prioritizes performance, you can go for Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher. Both are designed to offer the best speed, even with some customization options enabled.
Android launcher apps are not that big when it comes to battery drain. However, you may lose a considerable amount of battery backup if you enable some features or integration. Even then, these apps do not drain as much battery as games or heavy-duty apps.
Conclusion
As you can see, I recommend choosing between Nova Launcher and Niagara Launcher based on how much time you would like to spend setting things up. Let me simplify the scenario.
If I come across an Android smartphone and want a quick way to get rid of the default launcher, I can go for Niagara Launcher.
If you don’t mind spending some time setting up your Android home screen, you can go for Nova. Doing so will give you a more customized experience as well.
1 Comment
I’ve been using Niagara since it’s early beta. I love the minimalist look and it helped me be more productive. The music apps feature is also unbelievably handy. But would love to see the folder support soon.