As it does every year, tech giant Apple honored the best in its ecosystem. Following the announcement of the finalists last month, the highly anticipated 2025 App Store Awards winners have been officially announced. The list includes 17 different titles that stand out for their technical creativity, design, and cultural impact.
2025 App Store Awards Winning Apps
App Store editors considered exceptional innovation, user experience, and design criteria when selecting the winners. Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that they were inspired by how developers transform their ideas into innovative experiences. According to Cook, this year’s winners represent the creativity and excellence that define the App Store.
Here are the best apps of the year, by platform:
- iPhone App of the Year: Tiimo (tiimo)
- iPad App of the Year: Detail (Detail Technologies B.V.)
- Mac App of the Year: Essayist (Essayist Software Inc.)
- Apple Vision Pro App of the Year: Explore POV (James Hustler)
- Apple Watch App of the Year: Strava (Strava, Inc.)
- Apple TV App of the Year: HBO Max (WarnerMedia Global Digital Services, LLC)
In the gaming category, strong productions on both mobile and desktop platforms stand out. The award-winning AAA-quality titles, especially on the Mac side, demonstrate Apple’s vision for gaming. The winners are as follows:
- iPhone Game of the Year: Pokémon TCG Pocket (The Pokemon Company)
- iPad Game of the Year: DREDGE (Black Salt Games)
- Mac Game of the Year: Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition (CD PROJEKT S.A.)
- Apple Vision Pro Game of the Year: Porta Nubi (Michael Temper)
- Apple Arcade Game of the Year: WHAT THE CLASH? (Triband ApS)
Apple focuses not only on popularity or technical achievement, but also on social impact. In the Cultural Impact category, six apps that provide helpful tools to users and foster an inclusive world were recognized.
The winners of this special category are:
- Art of Fauna: Transforms wildlife illustrations into relaxing puzzles.
- Chants of Sennaar: Celebrates the power of language with a thought-provoking adventure.
- despelote: Tells the story of a nation through the love of football.
- Be My Eyes: Helps the visually impaired by combining artificial intelligence and volunteers. Focus Friend: Gamifies the process of focusing to combat digital distractions.
StoryGraph: Creates an inclusive, discovery-focused space for the book community.
So, what are your thoughts on the apps on the 2025 App Store Awards list? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
