Joe Maring / Android Authority
In September 2024, tech YouTuber MKBHD made headlines for launching the Panels wallpaper app. It was initially met with backlash due to concerns around ads, permissions, and the subscription cost, but MKBHD and his team were quick to get things back on track and set Panels up for success.
However, a little over a year later, Panels is being killed. MKBHD recently announced that the app will shut down on December 31 due to challenges with the development team. While you’ll retain access to any wallpapers you purchased/downloaded, you soon won’t be able to use Panels to find new wallpapers.
While the news about Panels is disappointing, there are plenty of other excellent wallpaper apps out there. If you’re now looking for a Panels replacement, here are five other wallpaper apps you should check out.
What wallpaper app do you think is the best Panels alternative? 47 votes Backdrops 43 % WallsPy 6 % Tapet 6 % Pix Wallpapers 11 % Google Wallpapers 21 % Other (let us know in the comments) 13 %
Backdrops
I’ve used a lot of wallpaper apps over the years, but the one I always come back to is Backdrops. It has a great UI design, isn’t riddled with annoying ads, and — most importantly — has high-quality wallpapers.
The Backdrops team regularly adds new wallpaper creations of their own, and there’s also a Community page where you can upload your own wallpaper designs. Backdrops’ collection of abstract wallpapers is one of the best I’ve found, and it’s also one of the easiest places to find wallpapers from recently released smartphones. Combined with solid search tools and a gorgeous Material 3 Expressive app design, I really don’t have anything negative to say about Backdrops.
Backdrops is free to download, although I’d argue that it’s well worth paying a couple of bucks for Backdrops Pro to remove ads, sync your settings across devices, and unlock a few Pro-exclusive wallpaper packs.
WallsPy
... continue reading