Best Android Managers: Our Top Picks for Windows and macOS
Mobile • Sept.8, 2020
Compared to iPhones, Android smartphones offer so much control and room for customization. However, it does not mean that you don’t need a dedicated Android manager for PC or Mac. A robust manager can help you manage different aspects of your Android smartphone more effectively and quickly.
This comes in handy primarily when you have to move between devices or extract some data from a device.
However, since there are thousands of Android smartphones from hundreds of manufacturers, you cannot find an official Android manager from Google. While some manufacturers may have a device management suite, the overall experience with such tools has not been great so far.
In that case — in that case alone —, the iPhone has an upper-hand. Simply connecting your iPhone to a Mac or a PC with iTunes can solve this.
Well, the lack of an official Android manager from Google should not hold you back. On the bright side, you can choose from a variety of third-party Android managers from the market. But, how do you find an Android manager that is powerful, feature-rich, and reliable? Well, that’s what we thought.
Finding the best android manager
Almost every Android user can benefit from a robust Android manager, as we said. However, there are a few factors that make the best Android manager for PC or Mac.
- Compatibility: The first thing you need is an Android manager that works with a variety of devices in the current Android ecosystem. This means you shouldn’t have to seek other options when you shift from a Samsung Note 10 to the upcoming Pixel device.
- Integration: The manager should integrate well with not only your Android phone but also the Mac or PC in question. Only then will you be able to enjoy high-speed data transfer or smooth options for data backup.
- Control: Through proper integration, the Android manager should allow at least some level of control over the Android device. This does not necessarily mean advanced options like rooting or bootloader management, though.
- Backup: Data backup is one of the must-have features that we need in an Android manager. In that way, if you prefer having a local backup instead of Google servers, you can do that with ease. More than one option is also nice to have.
- Connectivity: Multiple connectivity options can improve how you use your Android smartphone and managethe content. We had set a high-speed USB connection as the standard and had given bonus points for wireless options.
Besides, we had to look at the basic pointers like pricing, customer reviews, and our user-experience with the popular Android content managers in the market.
Without further ado, let’s explore the best Android managers that you can get in 2020.
Note: We had tested all the tools recommended here using a OnePlus 7T, running Android 10. Although the recommended tools work on both Windows and macOS, we were using a 13″ MacBook Pro, running macOS Catalina. Some features may or may not be present if you use another smartphone or a computer.
The best pick: AnyDroid
AnyDroid, previously known as AnyTrans for Android, is one of the trusted Android managers that you can get for Windows and macOS. You can use this utility to transfer data between a variety of devices, including your Android, iPhone, PC, and Mac.
We think it’s the overall best Android manager in the market right now. You could rely on this tool to transfer data between your computer and Android, but also if you are planning to shift to a new phone. And, there’s an impressive set of features in the package.
What’s Great about AnyDroid?
- Straightforward Connection
Connecting your Android devices via AnyDroid is easy as a piece of cake. The best part is that it lets you select between Wi-Fi and USB options. You can enjoy the same set of content management features regardless of the channel you use. To do this, you will have to install the AnyDroid app on your Android and Mac/PC. Once this is done, you can enjoy uninterrupted data transfer between these devices.
- Intuitive User Interface
Managing between sections and transferring data is easier than ever when using the AnyDroid UI. We also noticed that the app has an intuitive way of displaying content from your Android. In sections like Contacts, Photos, and Videos, you can have an organized yet direct manner. Transferring these files, individually or in bulk, is an easy task.
- Dedicated Moving Options
It is very impressive that AnyDroid comes with a dedicated section for enabling device upgrades. If you want to shift from your old Android or iOS device to a new Android, AnyDroid can do this in seconds. There are a few advanced options as well. For instance, we loved how AnyDroid allows us to transfer data from iTunes, iCloud, iCloud Backup, and iTunes Backup to your new Android phone.
- Additional Features
iMobie was nice enough to add some additional features in the package. For instance, the full version of the AnyDroid app comes with a built-in media downloader. It lets you download videos from popular sites such as YouTube and Vimeo without needing another app. You can ask AnyDroid to save the downloaded video to your device as well.
What Could Be Better?
Here are a few factors that can make AnyDroid a near-perfect Android manager.
We would love to see more device management-focused features in the package. As of now, the tool mostly focuses on data transfer. We are talking about features like data backup. These additions can make it more appealing to more users as well.
It is kind of disappointing that you have to keep the device screen on to manage the device, at least if you’ve connected via Wi-Fi. This means you can’t use your Android phone for other purposes while AnyDroid clients are running.
Again, we have to consider that AnyDroid does a great job of what it is supposed to.
Availability and Pricing
AnyDroid is currently available for both macOS and Windows.
There are a few pricing plans in the package. The yearly license of AnyDroid will set you back at $29.99, but you can explore family/enterprise options if you want to save money.
Upgrade pick: Dr.Fone
If you think you need more features than what AnyDroid is offering, you can consider Wondershare Dr.Fone as an adequate upgrade solution. Compared to our top pick, Dr.Fone brings a number of features that make Android management more comfortable than ever.
For this entry, we have considered Dr.Fone as an entire package, which comes with a modular design. So, it is more about how you can seamlessly manage your Android device on your Mac or PC using this well-crafted set of utilities.
What’s Great about Dr.Fone?
- It’s Modular
The entire package of Wondershare Dr.Fone is modular in design. This means you can download and install apps that you want. For instance, if you wish to back up everything from your Android, you have an option to download just that module. This helps you in two ways: first, the app has a lower footprint, and second, it keeps things neat overall.
- Advanced Transfer Options
In addition to regular file management between your Android and computer, Dr.Fone brings some advanced data transfer options as well. Some of them are WhatsApp Transfer and Phone Transfer. Both these features come in handy when you want to move to a new phone completely. The IM message transfer, in particular, is going to help many to shift from iPhone to Android or vice versa.
- Device Control Features
Unlike our top pick, Dr.Fone allows you to make core-level changes to your Android smartphone. Most of its options are available as utilities. For instance, the Data Recovery module and the Screen Unlock module can be a lifesaver at times. In case you have an iOS device alongside, you can use Dr.Fone for repairing the system as well.
- Comprehensive Control
Wondershare Dr.Fone can easily become the one-place destination for managing your Android phone. Sure, it does not show you the information in the same way iMazing for iOS does. However, the fact that you can open individual modules and enjoy seamless device management is more than satisfactory. We loved the package.
What Could be Better?
Despite being feature-rich, Wondershare Dr.Fone isn’t the perfect Android manager for PC or Mac. It needs improvement in some areas.
The biggest let-down we found with Dr.Fone is the User Interface itself. True, it comes with a well-organized modular design. However, we found that some parts of the UI look irritatingly rudimentary. So much so that we may have to compromise performance once in a while.
Another issue is that Dr.Fone does not allow you to connect your Android wirelessly. This is a huge problem since you always have to carry a USB cable with you. We also noticed that even when connected via USB, its speeds aren’t up to the mark.
The versatility of the package is unparalleled, though.
Availability and Pricing
Wondershare Dr.Fone is also available for both macOS and Microsoft Windows.
You can enjoy the basic set of features with the free version of the program. However, if you need unlimited access, you have to pay $79.95 per year for the full Android toolkit. However, if you are looking for just the Android Manager, you can get it for $29.95, but you would miss features like data recovery.
We think this is reasonable pricing when considering the number of features that you get.
The competition
Now, let’s have a look at some other worth-checking-out desktop Android managers out there. These tools didn’t make the final cut, but you can check them out.
Wondershare MobileGo
Another product from Wondershare, MobileGo, is a worth-considering option when you want an advanced toolkit to manage your Android device. Compared to other tools on this list, there are more sections as well as features in this package. In the Manage section alone, you can find options to find data like contacts, files, photos, videos, etc.
The Android toolkit also offers options like root management and screen mirroring. These are options we’ve not found in other apps. You can also enjoy additional features like data recovery and file erasure for better security. The desktop app can be combined with the Android and iOS app to get the best out of your device. The problem is that it hasn’t been receiving frequent updates for a while.
Wondershare MobileGo is available only for Windows. Its pricing starts at $29.95 per year.
AirDroid
AirDroid isn’t the typical desktop Android manager for PC and Mac. Nevertheless, you can use this tool if you want to control your Android phone from your Mac, PC, or some other devices. The best part is that it does not require any cables. All you need is a strong-enough Wi-Fi connection, which can also improve the transfer speeds.
It should be noted that there are so many additional features in the package. For instance, you won’t need most of the remote-control options from the package. At the same time, the well-built web app and feature-rich clients can make Android management more effortless than ever before. You may have to upgrade to the Premium to access full features.
You can use AirDroid for free, but the full version (Personal) costs you $2.99 per month.
AirMore
Let’s just say you don’t want to manage your Android phone without the hassle of cables or installations. In that case, you should check out AirMore, which is a completely wireless device manager for Android as well as iOS. You can use this web-based service to wirelessly manage the contents inside your Android as long as your devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
While we loved many aspects of AirMore, speed/performance seems to be the main concern. Even when it is compared to other wireless device managers, the access/transfer speeds are very low. On the bright side, the app shows so much information about your device and its status. Despite all these, AirMore is a superb choice if you want to transfer some data from your Android to Mac quickly.
AirMore is completely free to use but it has some ads disguised as native buttons.
MacDroid
MacDroid is a lightweight app to connect Android to Mac. You can transfer photos, videos, music and folders between your Mac computer and Android devices.
No need for special cables or complicated solutions, MacDroid will work seamlessly whenever you connect your Android device to your Mac via USB. As soon as the device is plugged in, you’ll get access to its content directly in the Finder. When you don’t really feel like moving files around, you can edit your Android files with your favorite Mac app without actually saving them to your computer.
The app requires macOS 10.10 or newer; compatible with all Android and MTP devices; costs $19.99 per year.
FAQs
Are Android managers safe?
As long as you choose an Android manager app from a trusted developer, everything is secure. Because the tools use USB connection or local Wi-Fi for data transfer, you don’t have to worry about security either. We have included only the most trustworthy options on this list.
How are Android managers and Android file managers different?
Android managers allow you to manage multiple aspects of your Android device. For instance, you can have control over how the device and insider processes work. Instead, Android File Managers focus on the data transfer/management aspect. They also have options like data migration as well as comprehensive backup.
Are there any free Android managers?
Most of the tools we have recommended above come with a limited free version. This means you can use any of these apps for basic needs like file transfer and media access. You can also check out the official apps like Android File Transfer app for Mac.
The bottom line
So, we think these are your best options when it comes to choosing a third-party desktop Android manager for PC and Mac. We strongly believe our top pick, AnyDroid, is the easiest option in the market. It checks all the boxes when it comes to seamless file management on Android. However, if you are looking for a better set of utilities, you may be better off with Dr.Fone. Just in case you need to see some other options before making the final decision, you can have a look at the competition as well.
Disclosure: We sometimes use affiliate links which means that, at zero cost to you, we may earn a commission if you buy something through our links.
