Google Play Best of 2025: Top Trending Apps, Winners Explained

Date: 5 April 2026

Author: Nikhil R

So every year, Google basically sits down and decides which apps actually mattered that year. And honestly, it is one of those announcements people in the Android world genuinely wait for.

The Google Play Best of 2025 awards are out. And this time, things got a little more interesting than usual. Google did not just stick to the same old categories. They introduced a brand new one called Top Trending. And for India, the names on that list are pretty exciting.

One of them is Seekho, a short video learning app that has been quietly growing a massive user base across India. And boom, it lands right in Google’s Top Trending list for 2025. Kind of a big deal for Indian edtech.

In this article, we are covering everything. What these awards are, who picks the winners, how apps get selected, the full winners list globally and in India, and a proper look at Seekho. Let’s get into it.

What Is Google Play's "Best of" Awards?

Basically, Google Play runs this annual awards program every November to celebrate the best apps, games, and books of the year. Think of it like the Oscars for Android apps, you know, minus the red carpet.

Google’s editorial team handpicks winners across multiple categories like Best App, Best Game, Best Hidden Gem, Best for Families, and more. These are not based purely on download numbers. It is a curated list made by actual humans who spend the whole year evaluating apps.

The awards also cover both global and regional winners separately. So what wins in the US can look completely different from what wins in India. That is by design. Google wants the list to reflect what is actually relevant to users in each market.

What Is the "Top Trending App" Award?

Okay so this is where things get interesting. The Top Trending award is new. Google introduced it for the very first time in the Best of 2025 edition. And it works differently from every other category on the list.

Most categories are about quality. Best App means the most polished, most well-designed app of the year. But Top Trending? That is about growth and cultural impact.

This new collection spotlights apps that grew significantly in popularity over the year and had a notable impact on the ecosystem.

So basically, an app can make this list without being the most technically perfect product on the Play Store. What matters is whether it changed how people behave, learn, shop, or create something. That kind of impact is honestly harder to fake than download numbers.

Who Curates This List?

Good question, and I feel not enough people actually ask this. The Google Play Best of awards are decided entirely by Google Play’s in-house editorial team. These are editors and product specialists whose job is to evaluate apps throughout the year.

There is no public nomination form, no user voting, no algorithm doing the work here. It is purely human curated. And that is actually what makes it meaningful. It is not whoever spent the most on ads or had one viral week.

Developers also cannot apply or nominate their own apps. The editorial team finds and evaluates everything on their own. So when an app lands on this list, it genuinely earned it.

On What Basis Is a "Top Trending App" Decided?

Well, Google has not published an exact scoring formula. But based on their official statements and the apps that actually made the list, here are the key factors that seem to matter:

Download Growth. Not just the total number but the rate of growth. An app going from 1 million to 10 million users is way more “trending” than one going from 100 million to 110 million. The momentum is what counts.

User Engagement and Retention. How often people open the app, how long they stay, and whether they keep coming back the next day. Downloads without usage basically mean nothing.

Cultural Relevance. This one is harder to measure but honestly the most important. Did the app reflect a bigger trend happening in society? Did it change how people learn something, buy groceries, or create content?

Ratings and Innovation. High ratings signal the product is delivering real value. And doing something genuinely new, or executing an old idea far better than anyone else, gets noticed by editors.

Ecosystem Impact. 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. Apps that contribute meaningfully to this get extra attention.

Google Play Best of 2025 — Global Winners

Let me quickly run you through the big global picks from November 2025.

Best App: Focus Friend by Hank Green.

Okay so this one surprised quite a few people. Focus Friend is a simple gamified focus timer built around a cute little avatar called a Bean Friend. You set a focus session, put the phone down, and the bean focuses with you. Interrupt it and the bean gets sad. Complete it and you earn rewards. In my opinion, it is the kind of app that sounds almost too simple until you actually use it. Clearly struck a chord globally.

Best Game: Pokémon TCG Pocket.

I mean, was there any doubt? It brought the classic trading card game to mobile in a way that felt genuinely authentic, from satisfying pack opening animations to beautifully designed cards. Well deserved.

Best Multi-Device App: Luminar Photo Editor.

AI powered photo editing that works seamlessly across phones, tablets, and desktops. A solid pick that reflects how people actually use multiple devices now.

Best Multi-Device Game: Disney Speedstorm.

A Disney themed racing game optimised to run smoothly across every screen size. Fun, polished, multi-device done right.

Other notable global winners include Dunk City Dynasty for Best Multiplayer, Candy Crush Solitaire for Best Pick Up and Play, and Wuthering Waves for Best Ongoing Game.

Google Play Best of 2025 — India Winners

Now this is where it gets really relevant. India’s list looks very different from the global one, and that is the whole point.

Best App: District Movies Events Dining by Zomato. District took the top spot in India for 2025. It provides AI powered hyper local recommendations for entertainment, dining, and events. Basically the go-to social utility for urban India. Makes a lot of sense given how popular it got in 2025.

Best Game: CookieRun India Running Game. CookieRun India won both Best Game and Best Pick Up and Play, using simple one touch controls and India flavored content. A great example of a global franchise being smartly localized.

Other India winners include InVideo AI for Best Personal Growth, Toonsutra for Best Hidden Gem, Free Fire Max for Best Ongoing Game, Real Cricket Swipe for Best Made in India Game, and 8 Pool Fever for Best Multiplayer.

Top Trending Apps in India — The New Category!

Okay so this is honestly the most exciting part of the whole awards for an Indian audience. Google’s new Top Trending category for India had three names, and together they tell you a lot about where India’s digital habits are heading.

Swiggy Instamart. Quick commerce. Groceries at your door in 10 minutes. The category absolutely exploded in Indian metros in 2025 and Instamart was right at the center of it.

Seekho Short Learning Videos. Gamified, short form education in Hindi. A fast growing edtech platform that made learning feel less like homework and more like scrolling through Reels.

Adobe Firefly AI Generator. AI powered creative tools going mainstream. The fact that this made India’s trending list shows how quickly Indian creators adopted generative AI tools in 2025.

These platforms demonstrate rising demand for instant delivery, micro learning, and generative AI tools, three of the biggest trends shaping India’s digital economy right now.

Spotlight: Seekho — India's Top Trending Learning App

What Is Seekho?

So Seekho is basically India’s short video learning platform. Think YouTube Shorts meets an online course app, but in Hindi and focused on practical topics. It was founded in 2020 by IIT Kanpur alumni and offers content on online earning, business growth, share market basics, English speaking, and more, all delivered by 250 plus expert creators called Seekho Gurus.

The app has crossed 160 million downloads and 2 million paid users as of early 2025. (Source: AppBrain, Inc42)

Why Did Seekho Win?

A few things stand out here. The short video format already works. People are conditioned to watch short content and Seekho just redirected that habit toward actual learning. It is also Hindi first, which directly serves the huge chunk of Indian internet users who are more comfortable in their native language than in English.

Gamification is a big part of it too. Streaks, rewards, leaderboards, these things make users want to open the app every single day. And the content is practical. Courses on online earning, investing, and business are things people can apply to their real life immediately. That combination is honestly hard to compete with.

Final Words

A Google Play award is basically a huge trust signal for any app. Winners get featured prominently on the Play Store through banners, curated collections, and editorial spotlights, which drives a solid spike in organic downloads. For developers, it brings media coverage and investor attention. And there is no prize money involved. The recognition itself is the reward, and it is a genuinely powerful one.

So the Google Play Best of 2025 awards, especially India’s Top Trending list, are more than just a rankings exercise. These apps speak to the significance of the digital economy in India’s growth story. Seekho landing on that list is not just a win for one app. It is a signal that short form, Hindi language, practical learning has genuinely arrived in India.

Go check out the full Best of 2025 collection on the Play Store.

FAQ's

Q1. What is Google Play’s “Top Trending App” award?

It is a brand new category introduced in 2025 that recognises apps with significant growth and cultural impact during the year. It is different from Best App, which focuses on overall quality and design.

Q2. Who selects the Google Play Best of 2025 winners?

Google Play’s in-house editorial team. Entirely human curated, no user votes, no algorithm involved.

Q3. On what basis does Google decide a Top Trending App?

Rate of download growth, user retention, cultural relevance, ratings, innovation, and overall ecosystem impact.

Q4. Which apps won Google Play Best of 2025 in India?

Best App went to District, Best Game to CookieRun India. The Top Trending category featured Swiggy Instamart, Seekho, and Adobe Firefly.

Q5. What is Seekho and why did it win?

Seekho is a Hindi language short video learning app focused on practical topics like online earning and business. It won for its rapid growth and role in making gamified micro learning mainstream in India.

Q6. Does winning a Google Play award affect Play Store ranking?

Google has not officially confirmed a direct ranking boost. But winners get prominent editorial placement on the Play Store, which drives a significant increase in organic downloads.

Q7. Is the Top Trending award different from Best App?

Yes. Best App is about quality and design excellence. Top Trending is about rapid growth and cultural impact during the year. An app can trend without being the most polished product out there.

Q8. Do developers get prize money for winning?

No. It is an honorary recognition with no cash prize. The real value is in visibility, credibility, and the organic download spike that follows.

Q9. Can you earn money using the Seekho app?

To know this you have to read my recently published blog to get detailed insight on this seekho app.

Q10. Where can I see the full winners list?

Search “Best of 2025” directly in the Google Play Store app, or visit blog.google/intl/en-in/ for India’s complete list.

Sources:

Google Blog India (Official)
Google Blog Asia Pacific
Inc42 — Seekho growth story
Android Central — Global Best of 2025 winners coverage