7 Best APK Decompilers in 2026 (Ranked and Reviewed)

These are the top APK decompilers 2026 has to offer, and we tested the field hard to land on them. Two things decided the ranking. First, how clean the output is. A decompiler that spits out mangled code wastes your time. Second, whether it can rebuild your edits into a working APK, because half the point of decompiling is changing something and signing it again.

The best APK decompilers 2026 splits into two camps. Some run on a desktop, where serious reverse engineering happens. Others live on your phone and let you edit an APK without touching a computer. A developer auditing an app wants one thing. Someone just swapping an icon wants another. You'll find a tool for both below.

Our Top Picks

Before we dig into each tool, here's the full list at a glance with the developer and what each one does best.

jadx

• The cleanest Java output you'll get from any APK decompiler

JaDX - Decompiler

Nick Software

JaDX is a decompiler app that processes APK, DEX, JAR, and CLASS files into readable Java classes.

Tools

Tools

Download (775.4 KB)

jadx is the default answer when someone asks how to read an Android app's source. It's open source, built by skylot, and it turns DEX bytecode straight into readable Java. Drop an APK into jadx-gui and the whole package tree appears in seconds, with AndroidManifest.xml decoded along with it.

What sets it apart is the quality of the output. Plenty of decompilers produce code that technically works but reads like a wall of noise. jadx is the opposite. Variable names and structure come out clean enough that you can follow the logic, which is exactly what you want when you're tracing how an app checks a license or builds a network request.

The GUI covers the basics you'd expect: syntax highlighting, jump to declaration, find usages, and full text search across the project. There's a command-line version too if you want to script it. Know the limit up front: jadx is read-only. You can't rebuild your edits into a new APK, so it's for understanding code, not modifying it.

Pros

• Clean, readable Java output
• Decodes AndroidManifest and resources
• Full search and cross-references
• Free and open source

Cons

• Can't rebuild modified APKs
• Desktop only, no Android app
• Struggles with heavy obfuscation

APKTool

• The standard tool for decoding resources and rebuilding APKs

APK Tool

Spatialia

Simple application which allows you to easily manage Android Package (APK) files

Tools

Tools

Download (2.2 MB)

If jadx is for reading, APKTool is for doing. It's the tool the whole Android modding scene is built on. APKTool decodes an APK's resources back to nearly their original form, so XML layouts, strings, and images become editable again. For code, it converts DEX into smali, the human-readable assembly format.

The real strength is the full loop. You decode an app, change what you want, then build it back into a signed APK you can install. That's why people reach for it to translate apps, swap themes, or tweak a layout. Most other APK editors call APKTool under the hood, so learning it pays off everywhere.

The catch: it's command-line only. No pretty interface, just a terminal and a jar file. You need Java installed and a basic comfort with running commands. Not hard to learn, but it's not a click around tool either.

Pros

• Decodes resources to near original form
• Full decode and rebuild loop
• The engine behind most APK editors
• Free and open source

Cons

• Command line only
• Requires Java
• No graphical interface

Bytecode Viewer

• Six decompilers bundled into one window

Bytecode Viewer

Leonhard08kl

With this tool you can view and analyze the bytecode of java jar / class files.

Tools

Tools

Download (951.7 KB)

Bytecode Viewer is what you reach for when one decompiler isn't enough. It bundles six of them: CFR, Procyon, FernFlower, JADX, JD-GUI, and Krakatau. Load a JAR or APK and you can flip between engines to see which one renders a given class cleanest.

That matters more than you'd think. Obfuscated code trips up every decompiler in a slightly different way, so comparing three panes side by side saves a lot of squinting. It also does bytecode editing, whole-project search, and basic malware scanning, which is why security researchers like it.

It's a Java desktop app, so it runs anywhere Java runs. The interface is a little dated and can feel heavy on older machines, but for analysis work the flexibility is hard to beat.

Pros

• Six decompilers side by side
• Edit bytecode directly
• Search and malware scan built-in
• Free and open source

Cons

• Dated, cluttered interface
• Can lag on older hardware
• Desktop only

MT Manager

• The strongest all-in-one APK editor for your phone

MT Manager

Lin Jin Bin

MT Manager is a file manager and APK editor app that lets you edit and manage apps on Android.

Tools

Tools

Download (30.5 MB)

MT Manager is where things get interesting for Android. It's a dual pane file manager wrapped around a serious APK editing toolkit, so you can decode resources, edit smali and dex files, change XML, and re-sign the app, all from your phone.

The smali editing is the killer feature. On a computer that's routine. On a phone it used to be painful, and MT Manager makes it actually usable. That's why it's the default choice in the Android modding community. The built-in file manager also handles archives, so you can zip and unzip without a second app.

The tradeoff is cost. Advanced features need the paid VIP upgrade, and the interface has a learning curve. It's also distributed more through Chinese app channels, so it's not always on every Western store. Still, if you edit APKs on your phone, this is the one to beat.

Pros

• Edit smali and dex on your phone
• Decode resources and XML
• Built-in file manager
• Sign APKs directly

Cons

• Advanced features need VIP
• Busy interface
• Availability varies by store

Apktool M

• APKTool, ported to Android

Apktool M

maximoff

Apktool M is a mobile APK editor app that lets you decompile, modify, and rebuild Android apps on your device.

Tools

Tools

Download (15.5 MB)

Apktool M takes the desktop APKTool and puts it on your phone. It's a free, open-source port that does the same two core jobs: decompile an APK into smali and resources, and rebuild it when you're done. It signs the output too, so the result is ready to install.

The app handles the whole loop in a clean mobile interface, no terminal required. Pick an APK, decompile it, edit the files, and rebuild. It's not as feature-rich as MT Manager, but it's free, and it covers the fundamentals, which is enough for anyone who just wants to tweak a resource or two.

Because it's a port, it inherits APKTool's strengths and limits. Heavily obfuscated apps still give it trouble, but that's true of every tool on this list.

Pros

• Full decompile and rebuild on Android
• Free and open source
• Signs the output APK

Cons

• Fewer features than MT Manager
• Struggles with obfuscation
• Slower on large APKs

Apktool M

maximoff

Apktool M is a mobile APK editor app that lets you decompile, modify, and rebuild Android apps on your device.

Tools

Tools

Download (15.5 MB)

Show Java

A real Java decompiler that runs on Android

Show Java - A Java Decompiler does something rare: it turns APK and DEX files into Java source right on your device. It bundles CFR, dex2jar, and a couple of other engines, so it's doing genuine decompilation rather than just showing smali.

You point it at an APK on your phone and it walks you through the decompiled classes in a reader with syntax highlighting. It's the closest thing to jadx on Android, and it's completely free, supported by ads.

The catch is performance and output quality. Decompiling a big app on a phone takes longer, and the results aren't always as clean as a desktop jadx run. For a quick look at how a small app works, it's still a handy tool to keep around.

Pros

• True Java decompilation on Android
• Free
• Reads APK, DEX, and JAR files

Cons

• Ad supported
• Slower on large APKs
• Output less clean than desktop jadx

Show Java - A Java Decompiler

Niranjan Rajendran

A decompiler to extract the source code of an APK (android app), jar & dex file.

Tools

Tools

Download (6.9 MB)

APK Editor Pro

• Edit an APK's resources and smali without a PC

APK Editor Pro by SteelWorks is the paid sibling of the free APK Editor, and it unlocks the deeper edits. The free version handles the basics like changing an app's name, icon, and version. Pro adds smali editing and more control over the manifest and resources.

The workflow is beginner-friendly. Open an APK from your phone, pick between a common edit like swapping an icon and a full edit that exposes the files, and make your changes. Pro is where you can actually get into the code instead of just the surface.

It's not as powerful as MT Manager or a desktop setup, but it's the gentlest on ramp. Some advanced operations ask for root access, so keep that in mind on a locked down device.

Pros

• Easy name, icon, and version edits
• Smali editing in Pro
• Simple for beginners

Cons

• Advanced features are paid
• Less powerful than desktop tools
• Some features need root

How to Pick the Right APK Decompiler

APK decompilers aren't all the same tool with a new coat of paint. Some are built for reading code, some for editing and rebuilding it, and a few do both on your phone. The Android tools below are all available to download safely from APKPure. The desktop ones you'll grab from their official sites.

Decompiling an APK is less mysterious than it sounds. The hard part isn't the tool. It's knowing what you're looking at once the code is on screen.

• If you just want to understand an app, a source viewer is all you need.
• If you want to change it, you need something that rebuilds too.

Start small: decompile an app you actually use, skim the manifest, and follow one network call end to end. You'll learn more in an afternoon than from any tutorial. The tools above are free to start, so there's no reason to keep guessing.