Andy Walker / Android Authority
It never fails to amaze me how bad Google is and continues to be at search. For a company that made its bones in this category, its apps lack the ability to adequately help me find what I’m looking for, and I can’t think of a worse example than the Google Play Store.
I’ve mentioned several of the Play Store’s flaws in a recent feature, but its search functionality — or lack thereof — is still one issue I can’t seem to shake. Thankfully, others have noticed this problem and developed their own pioneering solutions. Recently, I discovered an app that makes discovering Android apps so much easier; it’s called App Finder.
What do you think of the Play Store's search functionality? 5 votes It's effective. Google doesn't need to change anything. 0 % It's good, but it could benefit from more advanced settings. 0 % It's fine, but it's only adequate for basic searches. 20 % It's lacking in functionality, and I often struggle to find specific apps. 60 % I think it's terrible, and I try to avoid it as much as possible. 20 % I have a more complicated opinion (elaborate in the comments). 0 %
Take notes, Google: This is Play Store search done right!
Andy Walker / Android Authority
Beyond offering a smattering of “sponsored” apps at the top of the search results page and ads wherever there is room, the Play Store’s search results lack fine-tuning. You get what Google wants you to get. It’s not about searching for a specific app, but about prompting Google to suggest what it believes you want. One can understand how this can lead to plenty of annoyance.
App Finder takes a different approach by handing back control to the user. It’s a third-party search engine that reliably sniffs out Play Store apps based on user-defined criteria. It’s effectively the Advanced Search tool in Google Search for the Play Store, and pulls details from an app’s title, package name, summary, description, and even the changelog. This makes it farther-reaching than the solution baked into Google’s own app.
After installation, you’ll notice one glaring issue with App Finder; it’s by no means a Material 3 Expressive-adhering app. The best way to describe App Finder’s UI is to say it’s aesthetically humble. Its home screen heavily privileges function over form, but I soon realized this is a positive decision. After all, it’s a search tool not an app beauty pageant entrant. It’s user-customizable too, allowing me to select which search modifiers I want readily available.
Find apps easily using filters, modifiers, and scales If I want to search for a specific app, I can type my query into the search bar — just like the Play Store. However, unlike Google’s surface-level solution, I don’t receive a screenful of ads masquerading as results. Despite this advantage, I don’t use App Finder this way, at least if I’m searching for a popular or major app. Instead, its real strength is in its search modifiers, filters, and sliding scales.
... continue reading