Using a mobile app as Bitcoin wallet on your Android phone or tablet has many advantages:
- You can take it with yourself and use it anywhere.
- It's easy to get. Just go to Google Play Store, pick one and tap install button.
- Most of them have a user-friendly interface so you will get used to it in no time.
But there is one important difference between these apps which some people don't realize. Basically, they fall into two categories: apps that run on your device and web apps.
An app that runs on your device is locally run software that downloads its code on your device. Web apps use Androids "WebView" framework to access the web-hosted services. And that explains why the difference is so important.
Using a locally run app means that you store your data locally on your device and you are responsible for the safety of your wallet.
Using web app means that you trust your wallet to the third party.
Here is some of the popular Bitcoin wallets approved by bitcoin.org:
Bitcoin Wallet - over 1 000 000 downloads, the most popular. Runs locally.
Simple Bitcoin - over 10 000 downloads. Runs locally.
Coinbase - over 500 000 downloads. Web app.
Circle Pay - over 100 000 downloads. Web app.