GO SMS Pro for Android openly calls itself the single best app for Android. That’s a bit of a stretch, but it offers decent messaging options over the stock messaging apps. However, it’s also buggy and not entirely free.

GO SMS Pro has a lot going for it. This is basically a text messaging app with a host of additional features like themes, extra emoji and messaging backup to a free cloud service. There’s over 200 personalized themes, over 800 emoji and animations, privacy controls and free blocking. I like the auto reply and scheduled outgoing message features. The pro version adds advanced privacy options, gesture unlock, and unlocks all the paid themes.

The biggest downside of this app is it’s terribly glitchy and bogged down. I suspect the culprit might be the themes and emoji. Messaging is nothing complicated or resource intensive, so the only thing that makes sense to me is all the added bells and whistles in the graphics department are holding this app back. Or perhaps it's the ads. Either way, it’s a conundrum, because those goofy and fun tweaks are the only thing that make this app unique; take that away, and all you’re left with is a sluggish messaging app.

GO SMS Pro is a decent but it appears to have shot itself in the foot by overloading itself with too many redundant abilities. Customization and emoji is fun; I love a good smiley as much as the next guy. But I prefer glitch free functionality more. This one is decent, but hardly ‘the best app ever made for Android.’