Google Play picks Eternal’s District as best app of 2025 in India: Check full list here

Its going-out business posted a 22.7 per cent jump in revenue to Rs 189 crore, compared to Rs 154 crore in the year-ago period, though still short of the Rs 207 crore reported in Q1 FY26.

However, Google said that District has become the go-to social utility app in India, which made it a clear winner. On the other hand, CookieRun India has been named as the best gaming app of the year for building “strong connections with local players”, while invideo AI has been declared by Google as the best app for personal growth because it helps people create videos directly from text prompts.

Others on the list of best apps for 2025 include Toonsutra: Webtoon & Manga App (Best Hidden Gem) Goodnotes: Notes, docs, PDF (Best App for Large Screens) Luminar: Photo Editor (Best Multi-Device App), and Free Fire Max (Best Ongoing Game).

“The year has seen apps and games on Google Play chart new frontiers in creativity and daily impact for users in India. And our winners are engaging Indian users in ways they truly value, with experiences built on deep local and cultural connections as well as a bold embrace of AI,” Google said in a blog post.

“The Google Play and Android ecosystem has enabled over 3.5 million jobs across India, and supported the Indian economy with over INR 4 trillion in revenue,” it added.

The Android-maker further highlighted AI-powered features and tools as becoming foundational to Indian apps. Over 69 per cent of Indian users said that their first interaction with AI came through an app on their Android device, Google said.

It pointed out that District, the overall winner, also uses AI to analyse individual taste profiles and real-time local dining trends to provide each user bespoke, hyper-local recommendations for nearby activities and events.

Alle, an app that uses generative AI to provide personalised fashion tips to users, was named by Google as the ‘Best App of the Year’ in India last year. Its picks for the Best Apps and Games of 2024 also included Headlyne, which uses AI to deliver personalised news, and Indus Battle Royale as the Best Made-in-India gaming app.

This year, the company announced a new collection called Top Trending to spotlight apps that have grown in popularity over the year and have had a notable impact on their ecosystems. For instance, Swiggy’s Instamart highlights quick commerce’s rapid growth while Seekho and Adobe Firefly showcase the rise of gamification in learning and the ongoing transformation in art and design with generative AI, respectively.

Best Apps of 2025 in India

– Best App – District: Movies Events Dining
– Best Hidden Gem – Toonsutra: Webtoon & Manga App
– Best Everyday Essential – Daily Planner: To Do List Task
– Best for Fun – Edits, an Instagram app
– Best for Personal Growth – invideo AI: AI Video Generator
– Best for Watches – SleepisolBio: sleep, alarm
– Best for Large Screens – Goodnotes: Notes, docs, PDF
– Best Multi-device – Luminar: Photo Editor (New category) Top Trending Apps:
– Instamart: 10 Mins Grocery App
– Seekho: Short Learning Videos
– Adobe Firefly AI Image & Video

Best Gaming Apps of 2025 in India

– Best Game – Cookie Run India
– Best Multi-device Game – Disney Speedstorm
– Best Multiplayer – 8 Pool Fever – Billard City
– Best Pick Up and Play – Cookie Run India
– Best Indie – Kamala – Horror Exorcism Escape
– Best Story – Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
– Best Ongoing – Free Fire Max
– Best Made in IN – Real Cricket Swipe
– Best on Play Pass – Dredge
– Best for GPG on PC – Whiteout Survival

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