Battlegrounds Mobile India, Clubhouse, Truecaller Guardians among Google’s best Android apps of 2021 in India

Google has picked its list of best Android apps for 2021 in India. This list is curated by Google Play editors and includes apps used for learning, fun, recreation, and games. Android app users also get to pick their winner for the Users’ Choice App of 2021.

Brett Bouchard, the Global Head of Editorial at the Google Play Store announced the list in a blog post on Tuesday.

“In India, once again, we saw a diverse range of apps help people across the country with relevant – and often unique – solutions to their daily needs. This year, we saw a distinctive rise in e-learning, with many winners finding creative ways to help India learn a range of skills online, be it mastering a passion through celebrity-led virtual classes with FrontRow, or using AI to scale student learning outcomes with EMBIBE,” Bouchard wrote.

“As always, winners were selected across the developer ecosystem to reinforce that a great app or game can come from anywhere, whether you’re a large or a rising developer,” he added.

The top winners of 2021 were Bitclass, Battlegrounds Mobile India, and Clubhouse. Bitclass, an app that enables cohort-based learning, was picked as the Best App of 2021, Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) was the winner of the Best Game of 2021 title, and Clubhouse won the Users’ Choice App of 2021.

“Our pick for the Best App of the year – Bitclass, a platform enabling interactive cohort-based learning – also reiterated the emergence of a digital learning culture in India fueled by innovative localized solutions. On the other hand, Clubhouse - the Users’ Choice app of the year, showcased India’s rising fondness for voice and audio-based platforms,” Bouchard wrote in the blog.

Google’s list of top apps also include the best apps for tablets and wearables along with hidden gems, best apps for for good, best apps for everyday essentials etc. Here’s the whole list:

Best App of 2021 (India)​

• Bitclass: Learn Anything. Live. Together!

Best Apps for Fun​

• FrontRow: Learn Singing, Music, Rap, Comedy & More
• Clubhouse: The Social Audio App
• Hotstep

Best Apps for Tablets

• Houzz - Home Design & Remodel
• Canva
• Concepts: Sketch, Note, Draw

​Best Apps for Wear

• My Fitness Pal
• Calm
• Sleep Cycle: Sleep analysis & Smart alarm clock

Best Apps for Everyday Essentials

• Sortizy - Recipes, Meal Planner & Grocery Lists
• Sarva - Yoga & Meditation
• Guardians from Truecaller

Best Apps for Personal Growth

• Bitclass: Learn Anything. Live. Together!
• Embibe: Learning Outcomes App
• Evolve Mental Health: Meditations, Self-Care & CBT

Best Hidden Gems

• Jumping Minds - Talk & Feel Better
• Learn Product Management & Marketing Skills @ FWD
• Moonbeam I Podcast Discovery

Best Apps for Good

• Evergreen Club - Health, Fitness, Fun & Learning
• Being: your mental health friend
• Speechify - text to speech tts

Best Game of the year (India)

• Battlegrounds Mobile India

Users’ Choice Game of the year

• Garena Free Fire Max

Best Competitive Games

• Battlegrounds Mobile India
• Summoners War: Lost Centuria
• Marvel Future Revolution
• Pokemon Unite
• Suspects: Mystery Mansion

Best Game Changers

• JanKenUP!
• Unmaze - a myth of shadow & light
• NieR Re(in)carnation
• Tears of Themis

Best Indie Games

• DeLight: The Journey Home
• Huntdown
• My Friend Pedro
• Ronin: The Last Samurai
• Bird Alone

Best Pick Up & Play

• Cats in Time - Relaxing Puzzle Game
• Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!
• Dadish 2
• Disney Pop Town
• Switchcraft: The Magical Match 3

Best Games for Tablets

• Chicken Police – Paint it RED!
• My Friend Pedro: Ripe for Revenge
• Overboard!
• The Procession to Calvary

“Gaming continued to gain significant interest in India, with many across the country enjoying a range of thrilling and imaginative gaming experiences,” Bouchard said.

The best games and apps Google Play has picked for India is region-specific and there are lists for other winners in other regions. For example, in the US, Balance is the Best App of the year for 2021 and Pokemon Unite is the Best Game for this year.

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