Google Play has now officially announced its Best of 2025 winners, highlighting those apps, games, and books that captured users’ attention and set new benchmarks for quality and creativity this year. The annual awards are widely followed by users and developers of Android devices around the world, as this selection points to platforms that provided exceptional experiences on phones, tablets, PCs, wearables, cars, and even XR headsets.
This year’s winners reflect Google’s ongoing mission to transform Play into a personalized, frictionless and rewarding digital ecosystem. Over the past year, Google has focused heavily on improving discovery, enhancing gaming, unifying multi-device use and supporting developers with better tools and visibility. According to Google, Play thrives when developers thrive-and these awards serve to honor the creators responsible for shaping an app marketplace enjoyed by billions.
At the center of the celebration are winners of the top two honors: Best App and Best Game. The title of Best App went to Focus Friend by Hank Green, an adorable, calming companion designed to help users disconnect from digital noise and stay centered. That is where its charm lay: in simple ways, users are guided to keep themselves present through the gentle interaction with a friendly character, an idea that really resonated with the world that was busy and full of distractions.
The Best Game award went to Pokémon TCG Pocket, a mobile re-imagining of the iconic Pokémon trading card experience. The game brought in great reviews for its authentic feel-from the excitement of opening booster packs to the thrill of collecting beautifully illustrated cards-delivering both nostalgia and innovation in equal measure.
The awards also highlight apps and games that excelled across more than one device. Luminar: Photo Editor was declared the Best Multi-device App for effortlessly bringing advanced AI editing capabilities to your phone, tablet, and PC. Meanwhile, Disney Speedstorm moved at a very fast pace to win Best Multi-device Game since its fast, responsive gameplay and polished visuals remained consistent whether played on mobile, PC, or tablet.
A number of other apps also shone brightly in their respective categories in 2025: Instagram’s Edits app won as the Most Fun for its creativity in making social content playful, while learning and self-growth had a good run with Wiser – 15 Minute Audio Books as the Best Everyday Essential and Pingo AI Language Learning as this year’s best-hidden gem. Families gravitated toward ABCmouse 2, while smartwatch users found SleepisolBio, which blends sleep tracking and alarms with AI insights, to be a standout. Goodnotes was exceptional on large screens, SoundCloud delivered a much better in-car audio, while Calm extended its presence into XR headsets with immersive meditation sessions.
The competition for gaming awards was on par. Dunk City Dynasty dominated the multiplayer categories, Candy Crush Solitaire became the most accessible game to instantly pick up and enjoy, while indie masterpiece Chants of Sennaar impressed with its unique storytelling and design. Narrative excellence belonged to Disco Elysium, and Wuthering Waves was celebrated for maintaining an engaged gaming community throughout the year. On Play Pass, the fishing adventure DREDGE took the top spot, and PC-focused fans found their winner in Odin: Valhalla Rising.
Google also paid tribute to the year’s most loved books, which included fiction, nonfiction, and children’s literature that left a mark on readers. On the fiction front, titles such as The Raven Scholar, Famous Last Words, Promise Me Sunshine, and The Emperor of Gladness enthralled readers in fantasy, thrillers, romance, and contemporary stories. Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zheng was Read by fans of horror, while Herod the Great was a top history read. Remember You Will Die provided science fiction readers with their choice, and visual readers enjoyed graphic novels and manga like Buddha Jumps over the Wall and The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t a Guy at All.
Of the nonfiction, her top picks included Zarna Garg’s memoir This American Woman; for business readers, Amina AlTai’s The Ambition Trap; and in self-help, Caroline Fleck’s Validation. Yet the best in nonfiction had to go to Bridget Read’s Little Bosses Everywhere for its critical look at how pyramid schemes shaped American culture. Kids and teens also had their share of winners, with Wind Watchers, Very Bad at Math, and Sisters in the Wind emerging as the top picks among picture books, middle-grade stories and young adult fiction, respectively.
With such a diverse and vibrant lineup of winners, Google Play’s Best of 2025 awards showcase a year of incredible digital creativity. As developers continue to push boundaries and users do even more across devices, Google Play says it is committed to ensuring the platform becomes not just a marketplace but a deeply personalized and inspiring place to learn, play, and discover.
Prasad aka PD is an automotive enthusiast from Mumbai who splits his time between his corporate sales job and his love for motorcycles. He covers bike launches, engine tech, and the evolving EV space with genuine curiosity and excitement.