It’s hard to choose the best apps of the year, since the Google Play Store contains millions of apps, with new apps and games added daily. But as we approach the end of 2023, Google has narrowed down the list, with the Best Play Apps of 2023 showcasing the best Android apps on the Google Play Store.
I’ve been reviewing apps and games for over a decade, and while I’m interested in knowing which apps have risen to the top, I’m also picky about the titles I choose to keep on my devices. After reviewing our award winners, these are the five I recommend downloading.
Best App: Fingerprint: Learn Visually
Imprint is an innovative app that leverages visual learning methods to make complex topics easier to understand, from high-concept philosophy about the meaning of life to practical technical knowledge about how blockchain works. It’s a more engaging approach to learning than traditional textbooks: its courses are divided into short, easy-to-understand lessons, packed with visuals to help you quickly grasp concepts.
Cost: Free to download; Subscription required for $15.99 per month or $99.99 per year
Download Imprint: Learn Visually from Google Play Store
Best for Fun: Bumble for Friends
Bumble may be better known as a dating app, but Bumble for Friends focuses on making meaningful friendships rather than lasting romance. But it shares its DNA with Bumble BFF, the original app’s friend mode, and Bumble users will find the new app very familiar. Create a profile and connect with people in your area with similar interests and goals – then swipe right (potentially) to start chatting.
Cost: Free to use; Subscription prices vary depending on duration and location
Download Bumble for Friends from the Google Play Store
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Best for Personal Growth: Voidpet Garden: Mental Health
Voidpet is one of many mental health apps that encourage self-care and reflection through a virtual pet or plant that you can take care of. But the theme of the app is a bit unusual: the pet you’re interested in is a colorful bubble called a Voidpet, each one representing a different emotion. The app goes further than others in giving a gaming feel to mental health, with a Pokemon-like focus on collecting a wide range of pets, leveling them, and fighting negative emotions. It’s a mental health novel that pushes you to focus on your mental health through meditation, journaling, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) activities in order to care for the strangely charming Voidpets.
Cost: Free, subscribe for $3.99 per month or $3.99 per year for more features
Download Voidpet Garden: Mental Health from Google Play Store
Best game: Honkai: Star Reel
Honkai: Star Rail is the latest game from Genshin Impact developer HoYoverse, and it shares a lot of DNA with its predecessor: the game features a cinematic story (which also won Best Story Game of the Year) with plenty of heroes to recruit and fight with. . But unlike the fantasy-themed Genshin, Star Rail is set in a sci-fi world with more strategic turn-based combat, and the story and character depth really shine. But before downloading, be aware that this is your standard gacha game. Although it’s technically free to play, you’ll be given plenty of opportunities to make leaps in progression and collect additional characters by paying money. However, you can enjoy the story without spending a dime.
Cost: Free to play with microtransactions
Download Honkai: Star Rail from the Google Play Store
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Best games for good: Pokémon Sleep
Pokémon Sleep continues the trend of helping you form healthy habits by playing with this sleep tracking app. Go to sleep alongside the always sleepy Snorlax, and when you wake up in the morning, you’ll find a lot of Pokemon napping next to it, depending on how long you’ve been asleep and how well you’ve slept. Maintain your streak by going to bed on time and reaching your sleep goals each night to collect and level up Pokemon, each of whom have multiple sleep styles. Although there aren’t any of the traditional Pokemon battles, the app does a great job of using game mechanics to encourage you to create and maintain a healthy sleep schedule.
Cost: Free, subscribe for $9.99 per month or $49.99/six months for additional features
Download Pokémon Sleep from the Google Play Store
These are the apps that stood out the most to me from the Play Best of 2023 awards, but if you’re looking for more great apps, check out the Play Store for the full list of winners.
[Image credit: Google]
Elizabeth Harper is a writer and editor with more than a decade of experience covering consumer technology and entertainment. In addition to writing for Techlicious, she is managing editor of Blizzard Watch and is published on sites across the web including Time, CBS, Engadget, The Daily Dot, and DealNews.