Now that Google has made it possible for people to install Android apps on their Chromebooks, we wanted to see which were the best Android apps for Chromebooks in 2017.
This particular announcement coming from Google was one of the most exciting the community had heard in a while. Chrome OS could already run Chrome browser extensions, web apps, and even Chrome apps, but it couldn’t access the millions of apps available for Android.
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Even now, it’s not possible to install Android apps on just any Chromebook, and Google has a full list of devices this feature works on, including the Asus Chromebook Flip, or the Acer Chromebook R11/38T-132T, as well as the Chromebook Pixel, to name just a few. If your Chromebook was introduced this year, then it’s almost certain that it can run Android apps.
If you’re interested, you 10 best Android apps to install on Chromebook, to get even more ideas.
In order to create our list today, we checked the Internet for recommendations on which Android apps were best for Chromecasts, which performed well and which didn’t. In the end, we came up with a lengthy list of over 30 apps. To narrow things down, we went straight to the Play Store and noted the rating users gave them, the number of reviews and the number of 5-star reviews they received, as well as the estimated number of installs. We handed out points based on the rating and the number of reviews, as well as for the number of downloads and the percentage of 5-star reviews out of the total. In the end, we tallied up the numbers and came up with the list of the best Android apps for Chromebooks.
The truth is that there are loads of tool out there that can fill up lists of the best Cromebook offline apps, for instance, or of best Chromebook apps for education. There are certainly loads and loads of items that can fill up a lis tof the best Chromebook extensions, but the truth of the matter is that everyone has different needs when they work on their computers. Some use them more for school, others for work, others for leisure. So, in the end, we wanted to make this list as objective as possible by incorporating ratings people handed out, and the number of downloads. Hard numbers are, in the end, easier to handle than people’s opinions expressed in public forums. We also took into consideration what percentage of people bothered to leave a rating out of the whole number of people who downloaded the app and had it installed on their devices.
That being said, here are the 11 best Android apps for Chromebooks in 2017.
11. Microsoft Powerpoint
Score: 27
With 4.4 stars, the famous Microsoft Powerpoint is certainly a success on mobile devices too. The app has between 100 and 500 million downloads, Google Play data shows, and people seem to be overwhelmingly satisfied with the app, with over 63% offering it 5 stars.
You can use the tool to create, edit, view, present, or share PowerPoint presentations with anyone. The great part is that you’ll be able to continue working on your presentations, or add last touches everywhere you go, even if it’s a last minute adjustment you need to make before you reach a meeting.
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10. Snapchat
Score: 28
Snapchat is clearly an app that’s extremely popular, especially with the younger crowd, as it has some 800 million monthly users. The app has a rating of 4.1 stars and between 500 and 1 billion installs. Over 14 million people bothered to leave a review, which is a spectacular number. Furthermore, over 61% of them offered the app 5 stars in their reviews.
Snapchat, as you may have heard already, is an app that allows people to send out messages that have an expiration date. Of course, the messages can still be screenshotted, but that’s a risk no matter what app you use.
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9. Gmail
Score: 29
Up next in the list of best Android Apps for Chromebooks of 2017 is one of the few apps on our list that scored between 1 and 5 billion downloads, but since this is a Google app that comes pre-installed on Android devices, that wasn’t that much of a surprise.
The app also has a rating of 4.3 stars and over 4 million reviews, most of which were of 5 stars (64.5%). The tool is used to access both Gmail accounts, as well as any other email account you may want to add.
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8. Quik
Score: 29
Despite the fact that it only has between 10 and 50 million downloads, Quik is the app on our list with the highest rating – 5.7 stars out of over 480,000 reviews. Furthermore, it also has the highest percentage of 5-star reviews on our list – 85.87%.
Created by GoPro, the app allows you to create videos from clips and photos, and to add music and text to them, depending on your needs. Not only will you be able to use footage from your GoPro Plus and GoPro Quik Key, but also from your phone’s Gallery, Albums, Google Photos, and even Dropbox.
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7. Netflix
Score: 29
Netflix is clearly one of the most popular movie and series streaming service in the world, which is no small feat considering the fact that this is a subscription-based tool. The Android app has between 100 and 500 million downloads, according to the Google Play page, and a score of 4.4 stars from over 4.6 million views.
The app allows you to watch footage available on Netflix, whether we’re talking about movies, cartoons, documentaries, or the latest Stranger Things series. The great thing about the service is that you can binge watch wherever you go, even if you switch between devices.
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6. Skype
Score: 30
Up next is yet another app that has between 1 and 5 billion downloads. The remarkable fact, however, is that this is not a Google app, so it’s not pre-installed on Android devices, which makes it a bit more special than the others.
Despite the popularity when it comes to the number of downloads, Skype isn’t doing too well, as it has a 4.1 score, the lowest on our list, from over 10 million reviewers. Furthermore, it has the lowest percentage of 5-star reviews – only 60%.
The app can be used to make calls over the Internet, including video chats, and to send messages to your friends.
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5. Microsoft Excel
Score: 30
Next up among the best Android apps for Chromebooks of 2017 is another Microsoft app – namely the Microsoft Excel. With somewhere between 100 and 500 million downloads and a score of 4.5 stars from over 758,000 people, we’d say this is a great app to have.
Excel will help you do exactly what you’d expect from it and what you’ve grown accustomed to over the years using Microsoft’s app on your PC. You can create, view, or edit any spreadsheet you have stored, but you can also share it with whomever you need it to, including as an attachment to email messages.
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4. Microsoft Word
Score: 31
Up at number four we have perhaps one of the best appreciated Microsoft apps ever made – Word. The tool also has between 100 and 500 million installs on the Google Play and a score of 4.5 stars from over 1.4 million people.
The app allows you to create, edit, view and share documents on the go, including as an email attachment. Word is known as one of the best apps in which you can write and edit texts, whether we’re talking about a school essay, an article for work, or a report you have to complete before your next meeting. Furthermore, you can also check out PDFs with Microsoft Word, so you won’t have to install additional apps on your device.
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3. Evernote
Score: 31
If you’re one of those people who enjoy adding notes all the time, then Evernote is for you. With somewhere between 100 and 500 million installs, Evernote is a great addition to any device, including your Chromebook. The app has a 4.6-star rating from over 1.4 million people, out of which over 1 million chose to give it 5-stars.
Evernote helps you get organized, whether that’s by helping you write, collect, or capture notes, notebooks, checklists and to-do lists. You can also use the app to scan pieces of paper with the help of your Chromebook camera. Naturally, it should be a lot easier to handle Evernote on a Chromebook than it is on a smartphone given all the extra room.
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2. YouTube
Score: 32
YouTube, our next app, may be a Google app that comes pre-installed on many Android devices, which naturally boosts its numbers, but the fact that the service has some 1.5 billion monthly users is the best explanation to the fact that there are between 1 and 5 billion installs of this tool.
The YouTube app has 4.3 stars from nearly 22 million users, 14.7 million of whom offered it 5 stars.
The app allows you to browse videos on whatever topic you may want and to check out the latest posts from your favorite channels. You may also leave out comments and share the content you want.
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1. Spotify
Score: 34
And finally, at the top of this food chain we find Spotify, the music-streaming app that has between 100 and 500 million installs from the Play Store. The tool also has a 4.6 score from some 9.8 million people. Over 7.3 million of them, or nearly 75%, offered it 5-stars, making it the second app on our list when it comes to the percentage of maxed reviews.
The app allows users to play any artist, album, or playlist on shuffle mode, enjoy Premium features, of applyable to the account, share music and more.
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Overall, these have been the 11 best Android apps for Chromebook and we hope you’ve enjoyed the list.
