Best Android Apps and Games: Google Play’s Best of 2021

Google Play announced its Best of 2021 winners on November 29, 2021. The results were regional rather than global: in the United States, Balance was the editorial Best App and Pokémon UNITE was the editorial Best Game, while users chose Paramount+ and Garena Free Fire MAX. India had a different set of editorial winners, with BitClass and Battlegrounds Mobile India taking the top awards.

Google also expanded the awards beyond traditional phone apps to include tablets, Wear OS and Google TV. Because these are historical 2021 awards, current availability, pricing, features and support should be checked on Google Play before installing.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		Android 16 Tablet, 10.1-inch Electronics Tablets, 32GB RAM + 512GB ROM + 2TB Expandable Storage,...	$129.00	Buy on Amazon
2		Urao Tablet,11" Android 16 Tablet Octa-core 36GB+128GB Gemini AI	$109.99	Buy on Amazon
3		Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ 6GB RAM, 128GB Storage, Expandable Storage, Gray | Optimized Performance,...	$299.99	Buy on Amazon
4		Lenovo Tab One - Lightweight Tablet - up to 12.5 Hours of YouTube Streaming - 8.7" HD Display - 4 GB...	$158.00	Buy on Amazon
5		2026 Upgraded 12.2 inch Tablet, Android 16 Tablet with Keyboard, 2.5K QHD Display for High-Res...	$229.98	Buy on Amazon

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What Google Play’s Best of 2021 awards recognized

Google Play’s Best of 2021 combined two types of recognition:

• Editorial awards: Google Play selected the overall winners and category winners, considering factors reported at the time such as quality, ratings, distinctive use cases and innovation.
• Users’ Choice awards: Android users voted for these winners.

These awards were not a single objective ranking of every Android app or game, nor were they simply lists of the most downloaded or highest-grossing titles. Google localized the results by country or region, so a winner in the United States should not automatically be described as the winner everywhere.

#1 Best Overall

Android 16 Tablet, 10.1-inch Electronics Tablets, 32GB RAM + 512GB ROM + 2TB Expandable Storage, Octa-Core Gaming Tablet with Wi-Fi & GPS, Computer Tablet with Keyboard Case, Mouse, and Stylus

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Google’s official announcement is available on the Google blog, with the original apps and games collections on Google Play.

U.S. headline winners

Balance and Pokémon UNITE were Google Play’s editorial selections in the U.S.; Paramount+ and Garena Free Fire MAX were selected through the Users’ Choice process. The distinction matters: they represent different award systems.

Rank #2

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Complete U.S. app winners

Notable U.S. app winners

• Speechify is a text-to-speech and reading-accessibility tool.
• PhotoRoom focuses on image editing and background removal.
• Canva provides templates and tools for graphic design and content creation, including tablet workflows.
• Calm, MyFitnessPal and Sleep Cycle were recognized in the Wear category for meditation, fitness and sleep-related use cases.
• Disney+, ESPN and Tubi were recognized among popular Google TV apps. Their catalogs, advertising models and regional availability differ.

Complete U.S. game winners

What the highlighted games are like

• Pokémon UNITE is built around accessible team-based competitive matches rather than a traditional single-player Pokémon adventure.
• Garena Free Fire MAX is a battle-royale game, while Pokémon UNITE is a competitive arena game; they suit different multiplayer preferences.
• Bird Alone is a narrative indie game centered on forming a friendship with a bird.
• Donut County is a physics-based puzzle game about controlling a growing hole.
• My Friend Pedro: Ripe for Revenge is an action platform game.
• Chicken Police — Paint it RED! is a narrative detective adventure that was included in the tablet category.

The game list mixes free-to-play online titles, licensed games, indie narrative experiences, puzzle games and tablet-oriented releases. Some include in-app purchases, online accounts or continuing online services; the award itself does not establish current pricing or support.

India’s Google Play Best of 2021 winners

India’s headline awards

BitClass was an India-focused learning platform, while Battlegrounds Mobile India was an India-specific battle-royale title. Clubhouse was a social audio app at the time of the awards. Garena Free Fire MAX won the Users’ Choice Game award in both the U.S. and India lists covered here, but it should not be described as a universal global winner.

Rank #3

Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ 6GB RAM, 128GB Storage, Expandable Storage, Gray | Optimized Performance, Long Lasting Battery, Large Display, Dolby Atmos Speakers, AI Assist, Slim, Light, 2 Year Warranty

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India’s app categories

India’s game categories

U.S. versus India: the key differences

The tablet winners were the same in both regional lists, as were the Wear winners. Many phone-focused categories differed substantially, reflecting Google Play’s regional award pages and local audiences.

Which winners fit different readers?

• Meditation and sleep: Balance was the U.S. editorial Best App; Calm and Sleep Cycle were also recognized in the Wear category. These are consumer wellness tools, not medical treatments.
• Streaming: Paramount+ won the U.S. Users’ Choice App award, while Disney+, ESPN and Tubi were recognized on Google TV. Catalogs and sports coverage vary by market.
• Competitive multiplayer: Pokémon UNITE is a team-based arena game. League of Legends: Wild Rift and other competitive winners offer different match structures and requirements.
• Battle royale: Garena Free Fire MAX was a Users’ Choice winner in the U.S. and India; Battlegrounds Mobile India was India’s editorial Best Game. Both require online multiplayer services.
• Indie discovery: Bird Alone, Donut County, 7 Billion Humans and My Friend Pedro: Ripe for Revenge represent narrative, puzzle and action-focused alternatives to large competitive games.
• Tablet productivity and creativity: Canva, Concepts and Houzz were recognized in both the U.S. and India tablet lists. Canva emphasizes templates and content creation, while Concepts is more focused on drawing, sketching and visual notes.
• Accessibility and learning: Speechify was recognized in both regions’ Apps for Good lists, while BitClass, EMBIBE and related India winners focused on learning and personal development.

What to check before installing in 2026

The Best of 2021 label is historical. It does not guarantee that a winner is still available, supported or unchanged in 2026. Apps may have changed ownership, branding, features, permissions, monetization or regional availability.

Rank #4

Lenovo Tab One - Lightweight Tablet - up to 12.5 Hours of YouTube Streaming - 8.7" HD Display - 4 GB Memory - 64 GB Storage - MediaTek Helio G85 - Includes Folio Case

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• PORTABLE MEDIA CENTER - Enjoy vibrant visuals, immersive sound, and endless entertainment anywhere you go. The HD display has 480 nits of brightness for realistic graphics and dual Dolby Atmos speakers that provide impressive sound depth.
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• Open the current Google Play listing and confirm that the app or game is available in your country and supports your device.
• Check whether the listing includes advertisements, in-app purchases or a recurring subscription. The original award pages showed in-app purchases for entries such as Balance, Paramount+ and Pokémon UNITE, but current prices and trials are market-dependent.
• Review permissions and privacy information, especially for wellness, fitness, sleep, learning and social apps.
• Expect online connectivity, accounts and optional purchases in many multiplayer games.
• Do not treat current ratings, download counts or reviews as measurements from the 2021 award period.
• Check device requirements carefully for Wear OS, Google TV and tablet apps; an award in one device category does not guarantee an identical phone experience.

For current installation and listing information, use Google Play rather than relying on an archived awards article. The original U.S. apps and games pages remain useful for identifying the 2021 selections, but their present-day metadata may differ from what was shown when the awards were announced.

Final verdict

Google Play’s Best of 2021 was a regional awards program, not one definitive global list. The U.S. editorial winners were Balance and Pokémon UNITE, while users chose Paramount+ and Garena Free Fire MAX. India’s editorial winners were BitClass and Battlegrounds Mobile India, with Clubhouse and Garena Free Fire MAX taking the Users’ Choice awards. Use the category lists to discover the kinds of apps and games Google highlighted in 2021, but verify current availability, pricing, privacy terms and support before downloading.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

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SaleBestseller No. 2

Urao Tablet,11" Android 16 Tablet Octa-core 36GB+128GB Gemini AI

$109.99

Bestseller No. 3

Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ 6GB RAM, 128GB Storage, Expandable Storage, Gray | Optimized Performance, Long Lasting Battery, Large Display, Dolby Atmos Speakers, AI Assist, Slim, Light, 2 Year Warranty

$299.99

Bestseller No. 4

Lenovo Tab One - Lightweight Tablet - up to 12.5 Hours of YouTube Streaming - 8.7" HD Display - 4 GB Memory - 64 GB Storage - MediaTek Helio G85 - Includes Folio Case

SIZE (W x D x H) - 211 x 124.8 x 8.5 mm or 8.31 x 4.91 x 0.33 inches.

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SaleBestseller No. 5

2026 Upgraded 12.2 inch Tablet, Android 16 Tablet with Keyboard, 2.5K QHD Display for High-Res Gaming/Art/Productivity, Up to 48GB+256GB+2TB TF,Octa-Core/10000mAh/Widevine L1/GMS/GPS/4-year Warranty

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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.