Recently the developers at Pushbullet decided to introduce a “Pro” version. For $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year, users can gain access to better features. Some were happy about this announcement, while others in the Android community were furious and started looking for a good alternative.
It is because of this we’ve decided to create a list of four great Pushbullet alternatives, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
1. AirDroid
If you’re looking for the same functionality as Pushbullet, look no further than AirDroid. It’s a little different in approach from Pushbullet. Instead of having a central hub in which you receive notifications from all connected devices, you get a nice interface to log into.
It’s better to think of AirDroid like a remote tool. You create an account, download the Android app and use a program on your Computer to directly interface with your Android smartphone. With it, you can send and receive text messages, view apps, contacts, notifications and just about everything in between. Those disenfranchised by Pushbullet’s new payment model should go to AirDroid first.
2. KDE Connect
If you’re a Linux user, you might have heard about KDE Connect. Brought to you by contributors to the K Desktop project, this program is designed to tightly integrate Android into the KDE desktop (and others, too). With it, users can directly interface with their Linux desktop to accomplish many things, including notification support, smartphone as a mouse/keyboard, wireless file transfer and clipboard and link sharing. KDE connect will also be including text message support in upcoming updates.
If you’re interested in moving on from Pushbullet and are a Linux user, look no further. You won’t find any other replacement on this list that will be as friendly to Linux as KDE connect.
3. Pushline
One part of the functionality that Pushbullet provides is asynchronous notification support. When you get a notification on your Android device, it’ll show it to you on whatever computer (or device) is also using the Pushbullet app.
If all you’re interested in is viewing notifications on your phone and maybe sending a few links back and forth, as well as clipboard sync, volume control, etc., this application is for you. It’s certainly not as feature-filled as Pushbullet, but maybe that’s its appeal.
4. MightyText
Pushbullet is one part notification center, one part link sharing mechanism, and one part messaging machine. Some like individual features more than others. MightyText is perfect for those who love Pushbullet’s ability to send texts through their smartphone. The app (in interaction with its desktop counterpart) can send MMS as well as regular SMS messages. As an added bonus, it also has the ability to save any video or pictures sent through it.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that these alternatives will never be able to measure up with Pushbullet in every way. It’s why it’s so popular. Still, many users are not happy with the introduction of this new paywall and have decided that any alternative will do.
Have you jumped ship from Pushbullet after it’s recent changes? Why or why not? Tell us below!
Image Credit: flickr
Derrik Diener is a freelance technology blogger.
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