Google announces best apps and games in India

In an exciting announcement, Google has unveiled the leading apps and games on the Play Store in India for the year 2025. Through a recent blog post, the tech giant highlighted that the most popular applications and games resonated with Indian users by fostering strong local and cultural ties, as well as incorporating artificial intelligence technologies. Zomato's District: Movies Events Dining has emerged as the standout app of the year. Additionally, Toonsutra: Webtoon and Manga App was recognized as the best hidden gem, while Daily Planner: To Do List Task earned accolades as the best everyday essential app. Notably, Google reported that 69% of Indian users experienced their first encounter with AI via an app on their Android devices. The influence of AI was clearly evident across various categories, with invideo AI: AI Video Generator winning the award for best app aimed at personal growth, enabling users to generate videos from text prompts. Beyond AI innovations, applications promoting holistic well-being and seamless multi-device integration also received multiple awards. SleepisolBio was honored as the best app for wearables, assisting users in managing their sleep and stress levels, while Goodnotes was recognized for its AI-optimized note-taking capabilities on larger screens. In an effort to highlight emerging trends, Google introduced a new category called Top Trending, showcasing apps that surged in popularity over the past year. Among the winners were Instamart: 10 Mins Grocery App for its rapid ascent, Seekho: Short Learning Videos for gamifying education, and Adobe Firefly: AI Generator for its groundbreaking contributions to art and design through generative AI. Krafton's CookieRun India: Running Game was awarded the title of Best Game of 2025 and Best Pick Up and Play. Free Fire Max clinched the title of Best Ongoing Game thanks to its deep localization and meaningful connections with local players. This year, Google noted a remarkable embrace of genre diversity among Indian developers, with Kamala – Horror Exorcism Escape being named Best Indie Game for its captivating survival puzzle horror experience set in 1980s rural India. Real Cricket Swipe was recognized as the Best Made in India game, while Disney Speedstorm took home the award for Best Multi-device Game. As the Indian app ecosystem continues to evolve, these recognitions underscore the remarkable talent and innovation present within the country’s developer community.