For months, it looked like Nova Launcher’s story was coming to a quiet end. After its founder stepped away in late 2025, development stalled, updates slowed, and longtime users began preparing for the worst.
Now, there’s a twist: Nova Launcher has a new owner — and the app may still have a future.
Nova Launcher Gets a New Owner
Nova Launcher has been acquired by Instabridge, a Sweden-based company focused on connectivity and consumer-facing apps. According to the company, the immediate goal isn’t a major redesign or feature overhaul. Instead, Instabridge says it wants to keep Nova stable, compatible with modern Android versions, and properly maintained.
This maintenance-first approach suggests that Nova won’t suddenly change what made it popular in the first place: speed, customization, and reliability.
No Big Features — At Least for Now
If you’re hoping for a dramatic reboot, you may need to lower expectations. Instabridge has made it clear that:
Nova Launcher will not receive rapid feature expansion
Bug fixes and performance improvements come first
Updates will prioritize stability over experimentation
For many longtime users, this may actually be good news. Nova’s strength has always been polish, not flashy features.
Ads Could Be Coming to the Free Version
While the acquisition brings some reassurance, there’s also a downside.
Instabridge has hinted at the need for a sustainable business model, which strongly suggests that ads may appear in the free version of Nova Launcher in the future. Higher pricing tiers are also being explored as another option.
Nova Prime, the paid version, is expected to remain ad-free. Its price has reportedly dropped to $3.99, and existing licenses will continue to be honored.
However, there’s no firm promise that Prime users will receive major new features going forward.
Why Users Are Concerned
Some users have already noticed the addition of advertising-related trackers inside recent builds of Nova Launcher. While this doesn’t confirm that ads are live yet, it reinforces concerns that monetization changes are on the way.
For a launcher long praised for being lightweight and privacy-friendly, this shift could be controversial.
What This Means for Nova Users
If you’re a long-time Nova Launcher fan, here’s the short version:
The good news
Nova Launcher isn’t shutting down
Compatibility updates should continue
Core experience remains unchanged (for now)
The trade-offs
Ads may arrive in the free version
Premium tiers could become more expensive
Feature development may slow further
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Final Thoughts
Nova Launcher’s future may not be as exciting as it once was, but it’s no longer uncertain. The app is alive — just evolving into a maintenance-focused product rather than a fast-moving innovation platform.
Whether that’s enough will depend on how much users are willing to tolerate ads or higher prices in exchange for familiarity and stability.
