Nova Launcher: An update | Nova Launcher

Nova Launcher: An update
January 20 2026
Hi everyone. We want to share a clear update directly with the Nova community.
Instabridge has acquired Nova Launcher. We are a Swedish company building products that help people get online, used by millions of people worldwide.
What this means right now
Nova is not shutting down. Our immediate focus is simple: keep Nova stable, compatible with modern Android, and actively maintained.
We also know many of you have lived through a long period of uncertainty. Nova has a strong identity and a community that still cares deeply. We take that seriously.
How we will approach stewardship
Our job is not to reinvent Nova overnight. Our job is to be responsible owners.
That means:

Keeping performance and customization at the core
Fixing bugs and keeping pace with Android changes
Listening carefully before making big product decisions

We will be reading and collecting feedback from Reddit, Play Store reviews, email, and other community channels. We will not be able to respond to every post, but we will be paying attention. For support related issues, we will share a clear contact channel shortly.
FAQ

Why acquire Nova Launcher?
We have long admired what Nova represents: speed, customization, and user control. When we saw how much the community still cares, it was clear to us that Nova deserved a stable future with active maintenance.
Will Nova still feel like Nova?
Yes. Nova’s identity is the point. Performance, flexibility, and user control stay at the center of the product. Any future changes will be evaluated through that lens.
Are you going to add ads?
Nova needs a sustainable business model to support ongoing development and maintenance. We are exploring different options, including paid tiers and other approaches. As many of you have already anticipated, we are also evaluating ad based options for the free version.
If ads are introduced, Nova Prime will remain ad free. Our guiding principles are clear: keep the experience clean and fast, avoid disruptive formats, and provide a straightforward way to keep the experience ad free.
Is the goal just to keep Nova alive?
No. Sustainability is not just about survival. A healthy business model allows us to invest properly in Nova over time.
That investment enables deeper work on performance, more powerful customization, better long term compatibility with Android, and thoughtful features that require real engineering effort. Our ambition is for Nova to remain a launcher that power users choose because it continues to do things exceptionally well and evolves with the platform.
We will move deliberately and prioritize quality over rushing features out the door.
What about existing Nova Prime users?
We respect everyone who has supported Nova over the years. We intend to honor existing Prime purchases, and Prime features will continue working for existing Prime users. Nova Prime will also remain ad free.
What about the price of Nova Prime?
Some of you noticed that the price of Nova Prime increased shortly before the app was transferred to our account. We have now changed it to 3.99 USD, effective immediately, and we apologize for the timing and the confusion it caused.
As we explore a sustainable long term model, we may evaluate other pricing options or tiers. If we do, we will aim to keep it fair and communicate clearly ahead of time.
Will Nova become open source?
We know this matters to many of you. It is something we are actively evaluating. Open sourcing a product responsibly involves licensing, security, build tooling, contribution workflow, and trademark stewardship. We do not have a decision to share yet, but we will be transparent once we do.
What about privacy?
We will keep data collection minimal and purpose driven, and we will be clear about what is collected and why. We do not sell personal data.

Closing
We are here for the long term. Trust is earned through consistent maintenance and clear communication, not big promises. We will take this step by step.

Instabridge’s acquisition of Nova Launcher represents a deliberate shift in ownership focused on the launcher’s established community and future potential. The immediate announcement clarifies several key aspects of the transition, prioritizing stability, compatibility, and ongoing maintenance – factors central to the launcher’s existing value proposition. The core intent is not a radical overhaul, but rather a responsible stewardship of a product deeply appreciated by a dedicated user base.

Instabridge's rationale for acquiring Nova Launcher centers around recognizing the launcher's existing strengths: its recognized speed, customizable features, and emphasis on user control. This mirrors a commitment to upholding these characteristics as the foundational elements of the product's continued development. The company acknowledges a significant portion of the user base's ongoing engagement and expresses a dedication to maintaining Nova Launcher as a user-centric tool.

The strategy moving forward involves a phased approach characterized by attentive listening and careful consideration. Instabridge intends to gather feedback from diverse channels, including Reddit, Play Store reviews, and email correspondence, while emphasizing that a comprehensive response to every individual post is not feasible. A designated support channel will be established for addressing technical issues, indicating a recognition of the community's need for efficient assistance.

The intention to explore sustainable business options highlights Instabridge's commitment to Nova Launcher's long-term viability. This exploration includes investigating paid tiers for Nova Prime and evaluating advertising as a potential revenue stream for the free version. Critically, Instabridge assures users that Nova Prime subscribers will continue to enjoy an advertisement-free experience. The adjustment in Nova Prime pricing to $3.99, implemented shortly before the transfer of ownership, has been addressed with an apology and a commitment to transparent future pricing strategies.

The consideration of open-source development demonstrates Instabridge’s openness and responsiveness to community desires. However, the company admits this is an active area of evaluation, explicitly outlining the complex factors involved in such a decision, including licensing, security, and trademark stewardship. Instabridge stresses its commitment to transparency regarding this matter, demonstrating a process of thoughtful deliberation.

Furthermore, the company’s policies regarding data privacy are clearly defined, specifying minimal data collection, emphasizing purpose-driven strategies, and a firm commitment to not selling personal user data. The overall tone of the communication indicates a long-term perspective and a dedication to fostering trust through consistent maintenance and transparent communication. Instabridge’s focus on quality over volume of features underscores a strategic ambition to maintain Nova Launcher as a preferred choice among power users, continually evolving with the Android platform while retaining its core strengths.