Game Mode by Devayu Labs is a clever single-app overlay for game brightness, touch lock, FPS counter, and net optimization. The free tier shows ads in the launcher, the Pro upgrade nag sits at the top of every screen, and a few of the cleaner features (Net Optimizer profiles, advanced crosshair, sound visualizer) hide behind the In-App Purchase. The app works, but the friction is real once you use it daily.
If you want Game Mode alternatives that ship cleaner FPS overlays, dedicated network optimization, or built-in vendor game launchers without the ads, the field has a few good picks. We tested seven and ranked them on what they actually deliver during a real gaming session.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Game Booster Plus | Built-in on Samsung devices | Yes, free with Samsung | Free | DND, performance modes, Game Plugins |
| ExitLag | Network optimisation only | 3-day trial | $6.49/mo Standard | Routes traffic through low-ping regions |
| Game Booster 4x Faster | Generic free booster | Yes, ad-supported | Premium for ad removal | RAM clear, FPS counter, brightness lock |
| Achrafdev Game Booster | Lightweight free booster | Yes, ad-supported | One-time purchase for ad removal | Minimal install, toggle on or off |
| GFX Tool | Graphics tweaks for shooters | Yes | $4.99 one-off Pro | Per-game render quality and FPS unlock |
| DevCheck Pro | Hardware monitoring overlay | Yes, with limits | $1.99 Pro one-off | Real-time CPU, GPU, FPS overlay |
| Gaming Mode (Game Launcher) | Game launcher with overlay | Yes, ad-supported | Premium for full features | Per-game toggles and DND profile |
Why people leave Game Mode
Ads inside the launcher. Free Game Mode shows an interstitial ad between launches and a banner under the brightness controls. The frequency increases as you open the launcher more often.
Pro upgrade banner is everywhere. The Pro promo sits at the top of every settings screen and inside the Game Launcher itself. Some features genuinely need Pro; the marketing is louder than the gating.
Net Optimizer is a local DNS swap. The “Net Optimizer” feature sets a local VPN interface to change the DNS server. That helps for some workloads but is not the same as a real network-route optimiser like ExitLag.
Battery drain from the overlay. Users on Reddit and the Play reviews report the overlay running in the background and draining battery between sessions when not closed cleanly.
The best Game Mode alternatives
Samsung Game Booster Plus (Game Launcher), best built-in on Samsung
Samsung Game Launcher is the native game manager on every modern Galaxy device. It groups installed games into a single dashboard, blocks notifications during play, locks brightness, and integrates with Game Plugins for FPS counters and key-mapping. Performance modes (Standard, High Performance, Battery Saver) tune the SoC.
Samsung Game Booster Plus vs Game Mode on a Galaxy S device is one-sided. The vendor integration tunes the actual hardware and survives reboots cleanly without an overlay sitting on top of every game.
Where it falls short: Only available on Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets. Some advanced features need One UI 6 or later. Game Plugins are sideloaded.
Pricing:
- Free: All features included with Samsung devices
- vs Game Mode: Free with deeper hardware integration on Samsung; not available on other brands
Migrating from Game Mode: Open Samsung Game Launcher (Settings > Advanced features > Game Launcher) and toggle on. Add games to the launcher; uninstall Game Mode after to free RAM.
Bottom line: The default pick if you own a Samsung device. Nothing third-party matches the hardware integration.
ExitLag, best for network optimisation
ExitLag is the dedicated network-optimisation app. Instead of a local DNS tweak, it routes your game traffic through a global edge network with low-latency paths to the game’s actual servers. Supported titles include Mobile Legends, PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty Mobile, Free Fire, Genshin Impact, and most major mobile shooters.
ExitLag vs Game Mode on a real ping problem is one-sided. ExitLag changes the network path; Game Mode’s Net Optimizer only changes the DNS resolver. For competitive players in regions with poor routing to game servers, the difference is real.
Where it falls short: Subscription-only after a 3-day trial. Adds VPN overhead. Requires picking the right route per game; auto-routing is decent but not perfect.
Pricing:
- Trial: 3 days free
- Standard: $6.49 a month or about $59.99 a year
- vs Game Mode: Paid with real network routing instead of a DNS swap
Migrating from Game Mode: Install ExitLag, sign in, pick your game from the supported list, and let it auto-select the route. Disable Game Mode’s Net Optimizer to avoid VPN conflicts.
Bottom line: The pick if your problem is genuinely network ping rather than device performance.
Game Booster | 4x Faster Pro, best generic free booster
Game Booster | 4x Faster Pro by UltraStudio is the ad-supported alternative that mirrors most of Game Mode’s feature set: FPS counter overlay, RAM cleaner, brightness lock, DND toggle, and a per-game launcher. The Pro upgrade removes ads.
4x Faster vs Game Mode on a budget Android phone is competitive. Both run an overlay; both clear background apps before launch. The interface is closer to a stock game launcher and less cluttered with crosshair and sound-vis features.
Where it falls short: Free tier shows ads. Some “boost” claims are placebo (RAM clearing rarely lifts FPS materially on Android 12+). Pro upgrade prices vary by region.
Pricing:
- Free: Ad-supported, full toolkit
- Pro: One-time payment for ad removal (price varies by region)
- vs Game Mode: Comparable ad load and feature set
Migrating from Game Mode: Add games to the 4x Faster launcher; keep Game Mode disabled to avoid two overlays at once. Pay for Pro to drop the ads.
Bottom line: The pick if you want a Game Mode-style launcher with a slightly cleaner interface.
Achrafdev Game Booster, best lightweight free booster
Game Booster by Achrafdev is the no-frills alternative for users who want a tiny install. The app focuses on essentials: kill background processes, toggle DND, and lock brightness when launching from its game list. No crosshair, no sound visualiser, no overlay clutter.
Achrafdev Game Booster vs Game Mode on an entry-level Android device is the clearest comparison. The smaller install and lighter overlay run smoother on phones with 3GB RAM where Game Mode’s Game Launcher animation stutters.
Where it falls short: Free tier shows ads. Limited feature set compared with vendor launchers. No FPS counter overlay.
Pricing:
- Free: Ad-supported, full toolkit
- Pro: One-time payment for ad removal (price varies)
- vs Game Mode: Lighter and smaller; fewer extras
Migrating from Game Mode: Add games to the Achrafdev launcher; uninstall Game Mode to free RAM.
Bottom line: The pick for older Android phones where a lighter launcher matters more than feature breadth.
GFX Tool, best graphics tweaks for shooters
GFX Tool by Shreyansh Srivastava unlocks per-game graphics settings beyond what the in-game menu exposes. For PUBG Mobile, BGMI, and similar shooters, GFX Tool lets you set custom render resolution, FPS cap (60/90/120), shadow detail, and graphics API. The Pro upgrade adds Vulkan toggling and unlocks 90-FPS modes on devices the game would otherwise lock to 60.
GFX Tool vs Game Mode on a competitive shooter is one-sided. Game Mode runs an overlay; GFX Tool actually rewrites the game’s graphics config to push higher FPS.
Where it falls short: Effective only on supported shooters (PUBG Mobile family, Free Fire, COD Mobile). Some game updates reset the tweaks. Aggressive settings can cause crashes on lower-tier hardware.
Pricing:
- Free: Basic settings unlocked
- Pro: One-time $4.99 for advanced toggles
- vs Game Mode: Different niche; pair them rather than replace
Migrating from Game Mode: Install GFX Tool, pick your shooter from the list, set FPS to your device’s max, save and launch. You can keep Game Mode for non-shooter titles.
Bottom line: The pick if you play PUBG Mobile, BGMI, Free Fire, or COD Mobile and want to push FPS beyond the in-game cap.
DevCheck Pro, best hardware monitoring overlay
DevCheck Hardware and System Info by flar2 is the most accurate FPS, CPU, GPU, RAM, and temperature overlay on Android. The free tier covers system info; the Pro upgrade unlocks the floating overlay that runs on top of any game.
DevCheck vs Game Mode on the FPS counter alone is one-sided. DevCheck reads kernel data directly and reports real-time clocks, GPU utilisation, and thermal state alongside FPS. Game Mode’s overlay is closer to a UI element than a performance instrument.
Where it falls short: Not a launcher or booster; it does not “boost” anything, just measures. Pro upgrade is needed for the floating overlay. Some metrics need root on certain devices.
Pricing:
- Free: System info viewer
- Pro: $1.99 one-time for the floating overlay and live monitor
- vs Game Mode: Different role; pair them or use it alone
Migrating from Game Mode: Install DevCheck, buy Pro, enable the floating overlay, and launch your games as normal. You can disable Game Mode’s FPS counter to avoid duplicate overlays.
Bottom line: The pick if you actually want to know your hardware’s behaviour during a game session.
Gaming Mode (Game Launcher), best per-game toggles
Gaming Mode by Devappstr is a competing game-launcher app with per-game profiles. Each game can be configured for DND, brightness lock, screen rotation, and notification block separately. The launcher itself is light and skips the social-feed clutter some vendor launchers ship.
Gaming Mode vs Game Mode is a near-direct competitor. Both ship overlay toggles and a launcher. Gaming Mode’s per-game profile system is the differentiator for users who want different settings for racing games versus shooters.
Where it falls short: Free tier shows ads. Some profile features need Premium. The Net Optimiser is the same DNS-swap approach as Game Mode.
Pricing:
- Free: Ad-supported, basic launcher and profiles
- Premium: In-app purchase for ad removal and advanced profiles
- vs Game Mode: Comparable feature set with stronger per-game profiles
Migrating from Game Mode: Add games to Gaming Mode and configure a profile per game. Uninstall Game Mode to free RAM.
Bottom line: The pick if you want different gaming settings per title rather than one global profile.
How to choose
Pick Samsung Game Booster Plus if you own a Samsung Galaxy device. Nothing third-party matches the hardware integration.
Pick ExitLag if your gaming problem is network ping in a competitive title rather than device performance.
Pick Game Booster | 4x Faster if you want a generic launcher with a slightly cleaner interface than Game Mode.
Pick Achrafdev Game Booster for older Android phones where install size matters.
Pick GFX Tool if you play PUBG Mobile, BGMI, Free Fire, or COD Mobile and want to push FPS beyond the in-game cap.
Pick DevCheck Pro if you want accurate FPS, CPU, GPU, and thermal monitoring rather than a placebo booster.
Pick Gaming Mode if you want different game profiles for different titles.
Stay on Game Mode if you actively use the crosshair overlay, sound visualiser, or screen recording features Devayu Labs ships and you have already paid for Pro.
FAQ
Do game booster apps actually improve FPS?
Most “boost” apps clear background processes and lock brightness, which has a small effect on Android 12+ where the OS already manages RAM aggressively. Real FPS gains come from per-game graphics tweaks (GFX Tool) or from vendor performance modes (Samsung Game Booster Plus).
Is ExitLag better than a free game booster?
ExitLag solves a different problem. It optimises the network route to game servers; free boosters mostly clear RAM. If your ping is high and your FPS is fine, ExitLag is the right tool.
What is the cheapest Game Mode alternative?
Samsung Game Booster Plus is free on Samsung devices. Achrafdev Game Booster, 4x Faster, and DevCheck have free tiers; DevCheck Pro is a one-time $1.99 purchase.
Is there a free game booster without ads?
Samsung Game Booster Plus is the only free option without ads. Other third-party boosters ship ads on the free tier and remove them with a paid upgrade.
What do Pixel users use instead of Game Mode?
Pixel devices ship Game Dashboard built into Android, which provides an FPS counter, screen recording, DND toggle, and screenshot shortcut. It covers most of Game Mode’s overlay features without an install.
Which Game Mode alternative monitors hardware temperature?
DevCheck Pro reads kernel sensors directly and reports CPU and GPU temperature in real time. It is the most accurate option for tracking thermal throttling during a long gaming session.
