Nova Launcher’s New Owner Wants to Sell You Stuff — and the Community Is Unhappy

Nova Launcher users are already seeing ads in their app, even as the new Swedish owner claims to be 'evaluating' monetization.

Instabridge acquired Nova Launcher after its parent company Branch Metrics laid off nearly all developers in 2024. The company states it is 'evaluating ad-based options' for the free version while maintaining an ad-free experience for Nova Launcher Prime subscribers. However, users report encountering ads in the latest update, with Facebook Ads and Google AdMob trackers detected in the code.

Kevin Barry, Nova’s founder, was asked to stop open-sourcing the launcher before his departure. Instabridge now says it is 'actively evaluating' open-sourcing but has no decision yet. This creates tension with users who valued the project’s previous open-source trajectory.

Instabridge noted:

'Our immediate focus is simple: keep Nova stable, compatible with modern Android, and actively maintained.'

User reactions highlight frustration over sudden ad placements and the lack of clarity around open-sourcing commitments. Some describe the ads as intrusive, while others question the abrupt shift from a community-driven model to a monetization-focused approach.