Best .apk decompilers
.apk files are very common for all android users, as they are the very essential part of the whole existence of an app on your smartphone. Sometimes, as a developer you may come across some circumstances where you need to decompile or get the source code of the .apk file for further use; and in this blog post, we are going to discuss the same topic. What are .apk decompilers and What are the Best .apk decompilers out there.
So, first, let’s get to the point of what are the .apk decompilers.
.apk decompilers :
The term decompiler is most commonly applied to a program that translates executable programs into source code which when compiled, will produce an executable program, whose behavior is the same as the original program. It is basically the opposite of a compiler, which takes a source file and makes an executable program. So hence,
.apk decompiler is nothing but a program that can obtain the source codes from the pre-created android programs.
As a Developer or just a curious mind, you may come across some apps or games on the play store that you almost fall in love with, and wonder what could be the amazing source code of the .apk file of that application. And if this is you, the .apk decompilers are made for you!
So, now as we are talking about .apk decompilers let’s give you some information about their pros and cons…
As they are the .apk file decompilers, it’s really easy that you can’t use them for any other type of files like .jar, .exe or any other to decompile. They are strictly used for .apk files which are made to work with android; and they only support that system. Of course, there is an exception for this when it comes to online services, but this one is specifically for downloaded versions of .apk decompilers, which most of the peoples prefer to use.
Now, another point as an advantage is as we mentioned earlier you can actually view source codes of one of your favorite apps without any more wondering, it makes you a better developer in general; and to be honest all decompilers play a very important role in a developers life, .apk decompilers are a great addition to that!
Now, we really hope that you know a little bit more about the .apk decompilers now; so let’s move on to our main topic that is;
The Best .apk decompilers are available right now.
Here in the list below, we are mentioning some of the top .apk decompilers available in the market with a little bit more information about each of them including its availability, system type, and many more! So, stay tuned for the best one.
Best .apk decompilers :
Now, first of all, let’s differentiate them on the basis of the user interface, so you understand better. Let’s start with the ‘Open source .apk decompilers’…
- Open source .apk decompilers
As per name you can use them for any device for any source code.
- JADX - Dex to Java compiler
Jadx decompiles .class and .jar files, but also it produces Java source code from Android Dex and .apk files. According to us, JADX can be one of the most trusted .apk decompilers in the market right now. When it comes to .apk decompilers in open source you can definitely count on JADX for sure.
- Bytecode tool
Bytecode tool is another good example of an open-source .apk decompiler. Bytecode tool is quite new but if we rate it on reliability it will definitely come as one of the top .apk decompilers. you can definitely think about giving it a try.
- Apktool
Apktool is a free and open-source APK builder software app filed under programming software and made available by Brut for Windows. It also has an inbuilt feature of .apk file decompiling for the convenience of developers. So, if you are a developer creating an app Apktool can be a better .apk decompiler for you.
- ApkToolPlus
ApkToolPlus is a visual cross-platform and an .apk file analysis tool. It can decompile, compile, and also sign an .apk file. It also has features for your code protection like; Dex encryption, anti-reverse, preventing secondary packaging, etc. It can also be a great .apk decompiler for you.
- Androguard
Androguard is a tool and python library to interact with Android Files. As Android files come in the form of Android Packages (.apk files) or Dalvik Executable (.dex) files, Androguard is a perfect .apk decompiler. Androguard has tools to read Android’s binary format for .xml files (axml) and is also suited with a decompiler for .dex. If you are going to experiment with a few, you should definitely give it a try.
- APK studio
APK Studio is a renowned open-source .apk decompiler. It is a cross-platform Qt-based IDE for reverse-engineering Android application packages. It features a friendly IDE-like layout including a code editor with syntax highlighting support for ‘.smali’ extension code files. It definitely completes the criteria to be recommended.
Now, let’s move on to the next type of .apk decompilers, ‘Online .apk decompilers’…
II. Online .apk decompilers
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- APK DECOMPILER APP
This website decompiles the code from .apk files and extracts all the other assets in the file. This site uses open-source .apk decompilers called JADX and Apktool, which we mentioned in the previous type for this extraction. Good thing is, as it’s online you don’t need to download any major thing for this operation. If you are looking for a quick on the spot solution, it can be a good option for you.
- APK Decompiler Tools
APK.Tools is a website providing smartphone software downloads; it also includes an .apk decompiler tool. Similar to APK DECOMPILER APP it also works on some open-source .apk decompilers and you just need to drag and drop your available .apk file and you will get a quick solution handy; worth giving a try right?
- Apktool – Reverse engineer Android apk files
In this platform, they state that ‘The resources in any Android APK file are compressed and stored in the binary format’; which is good in sense of retrieving it back. Apktool is an instrument for reverse engineering used by developers. It can be used for closed, binary Android apps. It can decode resources to their original form.
You can use this website to extract and research assets and the manifest file. It is one of our recommended ones.
- Decompiler
Similar to the other this one is also an online .apk decompiling service. This is sponsored by redhat. It decompiles all types of files like Python, Java, and of course .apk. You can see that on their website. Like the others in this list, it also has all the basic ‘Online .apk decompiler’ features and you can easily use it. It is a simple yet quite useful website for many reasons; as a developer, you should definitely put it in your bookmarks. Must give it a try.
- Android APK Decompiler
This site uses a perfect open-source .apk and .dex decompiler called JADX, which we discussed in the previous types of decompilers. As JADX decompiles .class and .jar files, but also it produces Java source code from Android .dex and .apk files. As this site uses the JADX for this decompilation, you can expect quite good results from it. When it comes to the online .apk decompilers, the ‘Android APK Decompiler’ is worth giving a shot!
- Online Apk decompiler
This website will decompile the code embedded in .apk files and extract all the other assets in the file. This site provides a user interface to extract source code from .class and .jar ‘binary’ files. It is the last and definitely not the least option in the online .apk decompilers list as it also works pretty well in terms of decompilation purpose. You should think about it by visiting the website itself.
Now, as we are all done with the online .apk decompilers let’s move on to the .apk decompilers you can download for your PC permanently. Let’s check them out…
III. .apk decompilers for PC: Windows, Mac, or Linux.
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- APK Easy Tool 1.56 / 1.57 beta-1
Apk Easy Tool is a lightweight application that enables you to manage, sign, compile, and decompile the APK files for the apps you are working on. It is an offline, downloadable tool for your PC to work effectively as an app developer. If you wanted to download software for .apk decompilation APK Easy Tool 1.56/1,57 beta-1 is a good tool for you. Give it a try, and tell us about it in the comments!
- Android App Decompiler
Android App Decompiler is a useful tool to extract and decompile Android .apk files on your PC offline; as you can download it. Just like the APK Easy Tool 1.56, you can use it effectively on any PC. Now, as a decompiler it has all the necessary features; also the authority is updating the versions frequently, so if you download it you can definitely expect some updates on the way. Still, it is worth giving a try as good work software.
- JEB Decompiler
If you want to cut down on costly reverse engineering time this one is definitely for you. With one of the fastest decompiling speeds, It decompiles obfuscated .apk, examines Java code, and debugs closed-source apps in minutes. It’s the modular back-end, coupled with a powerful UI front-end for desktop platforms which allow it to perform refactoring operations and scripting to automate complex tasks. We are definitely putting it in our recommended lists!
- AndroChef Java decompiler
AndroChef Java Decompiler is Windows and Mac decompiler for class, jar, apk. class files. As we have also introduced it in another blog post, we are quite sure about this one. AndroChef Java Decompiler is able to decompile the most complex code binaries, producing accurate source code, good for .apk files. This is effective to make your Mac work faster and clean the unnecessary files effortlessly. Because it’s available for Mac, Linux and Windows we definitely recommend giving it a shot!
IV. .apk decompiler apps for Android
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- APK DECOMPILER APP
In this application, as expected, we can decompile an .apk on our android supported smartphone. Due to the ability to get quite handy as it is a mobile app, it is definitely worth being on this list.
In this application, you will have permission to access photos, media, and files for your external storage if it is a case for you so. Just select .apk from your external storage and it will decompile the selected application when given a command. Then Abstract the .apk. The .zip file will be saved in your external storage.
From this application, you will see the decompiler .apk source code just on your smartphone. Cool right? It’s available on the Google play store.
- Show Java – A Java Decompiler
Show Java – A Java Decompiler is another easy to use source navigator with built-in media & code viewer for an .apk file; which comes in the form of an android app. It displays code in a clean-syntax-highlighted form with zoom & line-wrap. In this, the decompiled source can easily be copied from the SD card of your smartphone (source is stored in show-java folder in the SD card).
You can also share the decompiled source easily with the built-in archive and share mechanism present in this app.
Another good thing is it runs in the background easily without crashing. For the pro developers, it also has its own ‘Ad-Free Pro version’ available through In-App purchase. It is available on all major app stores and definitely cut through to come to this list.
- APK Extractor – Apk Decompiler
It is another android app version for an .apk decompiler named APK Extractor. Though it’s the last one and quite new, we should not underestimate it at all. It probably has one of the easiest user interfaces when it comes to comparing with other apps. It is used to decompile the source code back from .apk just like others but seems easier here.
The procedure for its work is like :
- Select the app from the installed list or select .apk file from the storage of the smartphone.
- Select the decompiler as editor.
- And it will decompile the selected .apk file right away, after the extraction you can get the source code of .apk file you have selected.
And, that’s it! You will have a decompiled code for the .apk file on your smartphone. Think about using it for your own!
And, now hence we are all done with the Best .apk decompilers; according to their types and usage! Which one do you think will suit you the best? Tell us in the comment box below! If you have any other suggestions, questions, queries, or even compliments you can definitely tell us there, we will love to hear from you! And on that note, we hope to see you in another blog post on our website Appscms.com. Until then, have good luck finding the best decompiler for you from these suggestions from us! Hope you will like other blog posts too! See ya!
