The best Android apps of 2015, according to Google

People visit an Android stand at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona March 4, 2015. REUTERS/Gustau Nacarino

Every year, the editors at Google hand-select a list of the best Android apps of the year.
They take a bunch of criteria into consideration, including number of installs, which apps have high star ratings, and whether an app either launched or had a big update in 2015.
We've collected all of Google's top picks in one neat place so you can learn more about each one and download your favorites.

Jet

Jet

Jet launched its ecommerce site (and corresponding app) earlier this year to take on Amazon by offering lower prices, thanks to its dynamic pricing engine, which gives shoppers additional discounts based on their location, payment choices, other basket items, and more.
Touting itself as "the biggest thing in shopping since ... shopping," it promises savings on just about anything.
Price: Free (Android, iOS)

Microsoft Word

Matt Weinberger/Business Insider

It's kind of funny to see Google selecting another mobile word processor other than Docs for its "best of" list, but it's with good reason that Microsoft Word made the cut.
The app connects to the cloud and lets you reap many of the benefits of Word free of charge: you can read, edit, and create your own documents, complete with charts and images.
Price: Free, although to use all of the features you need an Office365 subscription (Android, iOS)

Doodle: Schedule Maker

Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Forget about relying on one of these

Doodle will make planning your next meeting or group dinner date a cinch.
Instead of starting an email or text chain where everyone throws out their free time and unavailabilities willy-nilly, you can use Doodle to make everyone mark up a shared calendar. That way, it's simple to see when everyone can meet.
Price: Free (Android)

Attack the Light

This easy-to-learn roleplay game takes you on a magical adventure through the world of Cartoon Network show "Steven Universe."
Collect treasures, fight bad guys, and, best of all, don't worry about running into in-app purchases because this game doesn't have any.
Price: Free (Android)

Netflix

Myles Aronowitz/Netflix

We've heard "Jessica Jones" is worth a holiday binge watch

If you pay Netflix's monthly fee, downloading the companion app is a no-brainer.
You can watch all your favorite TV shows and movies on the go and switch seamlessly between desktop and mobile without losing your spot.
Price: Free to download, need a subscription (Android)

ZEDGE Ringtones and Wallpapers

Zedge

If you're going to spend a ludicrous amount of time staring at your smartphone, you might as well have a wallpaper background that you're obsessed with.
This app lets you deep-dive into a comprehensive selection of customizable backgrounds and ringtones, so you can tailor your Android until you feel like it really reflects "you."
Price: Free (Android)

YouTube Gaming

YouTube

YouTube really committed to supporting the gaming world earlier this year when it released this gamer-focused app.
Although YouTube has long been chock-full of gaming videos, YouTube Gaming puts all that content in one place, giving more than 25,000 games their own branded channels. More importantly, it gives users a simple way to stream their gameplay live or chat with other viewers.
Price: Free (Android)

Twitch

Google may have gone hard into gaming this year, but Twitch is the incumbent that gamers have long been obsessed with.
Twitch also hosts both live-streamed and video-on-demand (VoD) content, and lets users chat with each other live. At this point, it has been downloaded about 10X more than YouTube Gaming.
Price: Free (Android)

Khan Academy

Khan Academy’s app is designed to help the masses learn for free.
There are more than 10,000 videos that cover topics such as math, science, economics, and more – all of which can be bookmarked to watch offline. You can even sync your app with www.khanacademy.org to easily switch between a mobile device and desktop to pick up where you left off.
Price: Free (Android, iOS)

Action Launcher 3

Action Launcher

One of the best things about Android is you can download "launchers" like this one, which are essentially home screen replacements that let you customize and personalize the look and feel of your phone as much as you want.
Android Launcher 3 plays real nice with material design, the sleek, bright aesthetic that Google released last year.
Price: Free, with in-app purchases (Android)

VSCO

Brooks Hassig

Someone edited this photo using VSCO

Sorry Instagram: VSCO now reigns supreme among artsy youth who want to make their normal pictures look like mini-masterpieces.
This is a seriously great photo editing app that adds filters far more subtle than Insta's Valencia or Hefe. Learn how to use it with our handy guide.
Price: Free (Android)

My Very Hungry Caterpillar

Hungry Catepillar

Based on the classic children's book by Eric Carle, the My Very Hungry Caterpillar app lets kids feed their own little pet insect, while also completing other tasks like watering the flowers and growing fruit.
Its gorgeous graphics and educational challenges have clinched it a spot as the #1 kids app in more than 20 countries.
Price: Free (Android)

Inside Out Thought Bubbles

Pixar/"Inside Out"

Disney-addicts will love this movie-inspired twist on a classic bubble-shooter game.
The movie "Inside Out" personifies a girl named Riley's emotions, and this game lets players target bubbles color-coded according to each one. And you won't get bored anytime soon: the app comes with over 200 levels.
Price: Free (Android)

Cleo

Whether you pronounce GIF as "Jiff" or with a hard G, Cleo will let you create fun ones to send to your friends via text.
It's seriously easy-to-use and endlessly entertaining for anyone who has a penchant for making funny faces.
Price: Free (Android)

EyeEm

This camera app is more than just another filter tool.
EyeEm is designed for photographers who are looking for exposure past Instagram. It connects individuals with a community of 15 million similar-minded people to help them gain exposure and sell their work.
Price: Free (Android, iOS)

We Heart It

We Heart It is like Pinterest, but with younger users and more of a "visual diary" feel.
Use it to find inspiration or follow celebrities to see what they "heart" these days.
Price: Free (Android)

Colorfy

Sarah Schwartz/The Paper Chronicles

Reconnect with your inner child.
This free coloring book lets you explore "coloring therapy" as a way to decompress when you just want to do a mindless task. You’re never too old for a coloring book.
Price: Free (Android, iOS)

Snowball

Snowball brings together all of your conversations into one place.
By pulling in the information from all the messaging apps on your phone, Snowball makes sure you'll never lose track of a convo.
Price: Free (Android)

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

Screenshot

With Adobe Photoshop Lightroom in your pocket, you have access to some of the best photo editing tools out there.
Named the best photo app this year by the Professional Photographer Hot One Awards, Lightroom includes everything from one-tap presets to manual advanced adjustments. Save your favorite edits and upload your pictures to your social media accounts.
Price: Free (Android, iOS)

Kitchen Stories

Kitchen Stories / YouTube

Kitchen Stories is designed for amateurs and professional chefs. It helps you discover new, easy recipes, which are accompanied by pictures, step-by-step instructions, and video and how-to guides.
Price: Free (Android, iOS)

theScore

iTunes

Never miss the latest sports updates with theScore.
You can follow the NFL, NCAA Football, MLB, NBA, NHL, EPL, and more while receiving customizable stats, scores, and news alerts. theScore even has an app for your Android Wear device or Apple Watch.
Price: Free (Android, iOS)

Google Photos

Google

If you take a lot of pictures on your phone, prepare to fall in love Google Photos.
The app has free, unlimited storage, and automatically organizes (and even edits) your photos, while simultaneously making them searchable by specific image or geography (for example, you could search "tacos in Hawaii") thanks to Google's machine vision chops.
Price: Free (Android)

Robinhood

Robinhood wants to turn you into a stock trader. For free.
The app lets you buy and sell stocks without a trading fee, while also giving you access to real-time market data, personalized watchlists, and historical charts.
Price: Free (Android)

Star Wars

Disney/Lucasfilm

Every Star Wars nerd should have this app on their phone.
As your "official mobile connection to a galaxy far, far away," it keeps you up-to-date with all the breaking news, social updates, and special events happening with the series.
You can even get a Star Wars-themed five-day weather forecast or, if you have the cheap virtual reality headset Google Cardboard, immerse yourself in space.
Price: Free (Android, iOS)

Office Lens

Office Videos / YouTube

Created by Microsoft, Office Lens is “like having a scanner in your pocket.”
You can snap a picture of a whiteboard, receipt, business card, and more, then the app will digitize all the notes for you. Office Lens then allows you to convert images to PDF, Word, or PowerPoint files and upload notes to your OneNote or OneDrive account.
Price: Free (Android, iOS)

SwiftKey Keyboard

SwiftKey

SwiftKey is a digital keyboard powered by artificial intelligence and designed to “kill your typos.”
Over 250 million people have downloaded the customizable swipe-to-type app, which can autocorrect in over 100 languages and even offers an emoji keyboard.
Price: Free (Android, iOS)