New to smart phones. Getting free apps free?

[MamaBear2014]

I'm totally new to smart phones, never had one before a week ago. I know what apps are, and know my way around PC's, just never had a smart phone.

Someone in another thread recommended that I get the FTPServer app, so I can see my phone on my PC through my home WiFi and be able to transfer files that way, instead of paying for bandwidth. ( I'm low income and got the 240 meg plan on Verizon, to start with. )

But I'm new to apps on a phone like this. The FTPServer app is apparently free, but how to I get free apps to my phone, without paying some site for them? For example, if I get this app at Play Store, won't they charge me for it? Or can I get free apps for free there? Some of this is kind of confusing to complete newbies.

 

[Jon Jackson]

If it says it's free it's free. Google Play Store doesn't charge you for using their "site", if you want to purchase an app, you need to register your credit card with them.

 

[bespinct]

Like Jon said, the Play Store won't charge you for apps that are free. That isn't to say that all Free Apps in the Play Store are free. Many "free" apps have in app purchases to implement specific features or get rid of ads.

 

[MamaBear2014]

Ah ok. What a mess.

Well I found that FTPServer app on the web and it says it's free, but I didn't see any way to get it to my phone, and didn't get far enough into it, to see if it has ads and all that.

Thanks guys.

 

[Jon Jackson]

Ah ok. What a mess.

Well I found that FTPServer app on the web and it says it's free, but I didn't see any way to get it to my phone, and didn't get far enough into it, to see if it has ads and all that.

The Play store app should be on your home screen, use that to download the apps. Works best if you are on WIFI.


Thanks guys.

 

[Jon Jackson]

It's a hot mess mamabear. Do you have a Best Buy in your area? They have Samsung employees to answer your questions as well, and can show you first hand using a S5 how to do some cool stuff with it. They typically are tech savvy cool people that love showing off what they know. And....it's free.

 

[NickA]

Do yourself a favor, just download apps from the Google Play Store. Do try to pirate, hijack, borrow, steal, FTP or anything else when it comes to putting software on your phone. While not 100% safe, the safest thing you can do to get apps on your phone is download them from the Play Store, or the Amazon App Store.

If you are trying to save data, go somewhere that has free wi-fi, and access the Play Store that way.

Another way is to access the Play Store via a web browser, and you can install the apps on your phone that way.

 

[winnersmw]

OP is trying to install an app from the Play Store on desktop to her phone, not from any other third party site.

MamaBear2014, if you're logged into the same google account on your desktop as you are on your Android device, you can click "Install" on the Play Store's app page and download the app right to your phone.

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Make sure your phone is connected to your home wifi when you do (to save carrier data usage)!

 

[MamaBear2014]

OP is trying to install an app from the Play Store on desktop to her phone, not from any other third party site.

MamaBear2014, if you're logged into the same google account on your desktop as you are on your Android device, you can click "Install" on the Play Store's app page and download the app right to your phone.

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Make sure your phone is connected to your home wifi when you do (to save carrier data usage)!

I have the app set up now, and assigned a name/pass/port, just cant figure how to get it "seen" now, through my home WiFi network, on my PC, as a device I can access on the PC.