This independent Android launcher is still owned by its creators, and it's one of the best around

Smart Launcher, an independent Android launcher developed by Vincenzo Colucci and his team, stands out as one of the best in the market. Unlike most stock launchers, it is still owned and maintained by its original creators, having avoided becoming a casualty of larger corporations like Microsoft Launcher or Nova Launcher. The launcher remains actively developed, adding useful features over time and is worthy of consideration.

Smart Launcher begins its process by grouping apps into categories such as Contacts, Utilities, Games, and Settings. Users can customize these categories further by reorganizing apps and setting custom sorting methods based on usage frequency, recency, or icon color. This efficient system allows users to navigate to their desired apps more quickly than with traditional stock or custom launchers.

While Smart Launcher maintains a UI reminiscent of stock Android, it offers extensive customization options without excessive setup time. Users can modify the icon appearance, system-wide theme, and more, with some features available through in-app purchases. The launcher also supports customizable gestures, enabling users to adapt the interface to their muscle memory.

Additional features include customizable animations, widgets, launcher font, and more. The Smart Launcher team has developed a matching widget pack and an icon customizer, offering professional design tools such as corner radius, shape, color scheme, etc. These tools, combined with the clean custom widgets, create a powerful productivity setup.

Smart Search, a notable feature, allows users to perform various functions like looking up contacts, files, calculations, unit conversions, app lookup, or even perform a plain Google Search. Smart Launcher isn't designed for newcomers or heavy theming enthusiasts but provides a solid foundation for those seeking a fresh experience on their Android devices.