Best Free NCAA March Madness Apps for iPhone, Android & iPad

Here's a rundown of the best free NCAA Tournament applications for iPhone, Android and iPad, which provide all the mobile live streams, bracket information, scores and commentary you need as you get ready for the Final Four in New Orleans.

March Madness is the most wonderful time of the year for basketball fans, but this year it's even better as you can follow all the action while you're on the go just by downloading an app to your cell phone or other mobile device.

This breakdown is your one-stop shop to decipher just what the differences are between all the best March Madness apps so you can decide which one(s) you should use this year:

1. CBS Sports: The official CBS Sports March Madness app is thought of by many basketball fans as the very best one out there. Its most-beloved feature is the free live stream it provides of every second of NCAA Tournament action, from the lopsided round of 64 matchups to the Final Four and the championship game. This year, for the first time it allows you to manage your bracket right from your phone. The app, which looks best on the iPad but also works on smartphones, also provides users with a live feed of scores, commentary and other information for basketball fans who want to stay up to date on all the freshest news about the tournament. This is the best one-stop shop for all your NCAA Tournament needs.

2. ESPN Bracket Bound: ESPN has been in the bracketology game for a long time, and the 2012 ESPN Bracket Bound apps are packed with more features than ever. This year's ESPN Bracket Bound apps are already available here to be downloaded onto your Android smartphone, iPhone or iPad, and they're packed with cool features. They include access to your ESPN.com bracket, an aggregated Twitter feed, live commentary, video highlights and more.The ESPN interface also is smooth and easy to use, so this is another must-have app.

3. Yahoo Sports: The Yahoo Sports NCAA Tournament app is a great way to keep track of all the NCAA action, and to see if you're still in the running for the $5 million grand prize for having a perfect bracket on the site. The person behind the best bracket, if it's not perfect, will win $10,000, so make sure everyone you know creates a Yahoo Sports bracket, and download the app for their iPad, iPhone or Android smartphone so you maximize your chances of winning. The Yahoo app allows you to create your bracket, edit it, track your picks and Yahoo bracket points as the tourney progresses, and also to view live score results. It's a must-have for any basketball fan.

4. NCAA: The NCAA's official March Madness app is another amazing app. It not only provides all the official commentary, news and analysis from the National College Athletics Association, but is also another great spot to catch all 67 NCAA Tournament games in their entirety via live stream. But the app does cost $3.99, which is a major drawback of the NCAA's app.