Andy Walker / Android Authority
When I wrote about Nova Launcher’s demise nearly six months ago, I never imagined it would be revived in 2026. Yet, here we are — somehow, Nova Launcher has returned.
After the app was sold by its founders to the analytics firm Branch in 2022, it remained under a thin veil of dust for years. In 2025, the developers confirmed that the app would no longer receive updates. It was, for all intents and purposes, presumed dead. However, in recent months, we noted a steady stream of patches rolling out. Something was happening.
Then, last month, some good news arrived. Nova Launcher was bought by Swedish developer Instabridge, which “long admired” the launcher and was intent on being “responsible owners.” After years of decay, it sounded too good to be true.
Are you using Nova Launcher in 2026? 102 votes Yes, and I have no plans to ditch it. 31 % Yes, but I’m growing concerned about recent developments. 23 % I use it on and off with other launchers. 8 % No, I ditched Nova Launcher when it was first sold in 2022. 18 % No, but I only ditched Nova Launcher after the recent updates. 12 % I’ve never used Nova Launcher on my phone. 9 %
Welcome to the era of ads and trackers
Andy Walker / Android Authority
Nova Launcher has a slew of legacy users who grew accustomed to one of Android’s best ad-free apps for years. However, it’s clear that things need to change to keep the app relevant and, more importantly, financially viable.
After Nova update 8.2.4 was issued on the day of Instabridge’s purchase announcement, users discovered several ad- and tracker-related strings added to the app’s codebase. Then, a flurry of grabs from Reddit users’ home screens offered visual indications of how these changes would affect Nova — ads on the home screen and in the app drawer.
Instabridge did hint that it was “evaluating ad-based options for the free version,” but that’s a lot more ponderous and pandering than “The free next version of Nova will be the first to include ads.” This surprise development was the first blow to fans who’ve already been burned once before.
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