In addition to compiling the most highly recommended apps, we've organized all the information to make it easy for you to choose and get started right away. If you're thinking about making beats with a Chromebook or looking for an app for your classes, here you'll find real options that work on ChromeOS and that you can use from your browser or via Google Play.
Beautiful Audio Editor
Despite its name, it truly shines as a browser-based audio editor with multiple tracks, pinpoint zoom, and the ability to duplicate audio clips. It features effects, offline support, and compatibility with various formats, allowing for easy editing without cumbersome installations . If you're just starting out in production, it's perfect for recording and polishing your first beats on ChromeOS.
WeVideo: Video Editor and Creator
A cloud-based editing platform designed to be intuitive, highly visual, and suitable for young users. It allows you to assemble projects like storyboard panels and, being cloud-based, saves clips and progress even if you don't finish the work immediately. Perfect for school videos or collaborative projects.
storybird
A proposal for creative, collaborative writing. It offers a vast catalog of illustrations categorized by topic to inspire stories and enables the collaborative creation of tales that can be kept private or published online. It's ideal for developing reading, writing, and imagination skills in young children through a friendly and motivating experience.
Tiki-Toki Timeline Software
A 100% web-based tool for building interactive timelines, complete with a stunning 3D view. It allows you to add images and videos, share via your own URL, and differentiate events by color, with a free plan and paid options. It's incredibly convenient for history or science projects, and since it doesn't require a download, it works directly in Chrome.
Socrative Teacher
One of the best-known platforms for active learning through quizzes, games, and formative assessment. It allows teachers to monitor progress and results in real time, with rooms and activities that encourage students to learn through play. It's a sure bet if you want to measure comprehension and boost class participation .
Productivity and work: the essential package
ChromeOS excels in productivity thanks to its integration with Google Workspace and its compatibility with Android apps. These are the essential tools you need for your daily routine if you want efficiency and organization.
Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms and company
Google's office suite is the foundation of cloud-based work: real-time collaborative editing, version control, commenting, and access from any device. With professional accounts, you get advanced security and management options, but even the standard version makes it easy to create and edit almost any type of document without installing anything.
Microsoft Office and the Office Online extension
If you still rely on Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, ChromeOS won't let you down. You can open and edit Office files using the Microsoft extension or the official Android apps. Premium features require a Microsoft 365 subscription, but the free options are more than sufficient for basic tasks.
Slack
For channel-based communication with your team, file sharing, tool integration, and reducing emails, Slack is a perfect fit. It organizes topics into rooms, allows you to add external collaborators, and lets you easily search history. If you need clear and traceable communication, this app makes all the difference on Chromebooks.
Google Keep
A super-fast notepad and list app for capturing ideas, checklists, and voice reminders that automatically transcribe. It also saves images and links from its Chrome extension and instantly syncs with your account. It's a very practical way to keep everything organized and never forget important tasks.
Adobe Android Suite (alternative: Lucidpress)
While not the full Creative Cloud suite, Adobe's Android apps can be a lifesaver when you need to edit or create simple graphics on your Chromebook. If you're looking for another option, Lucidpress is a user-friendly and accessible alternative for designing and creating visual documents.
Google Drive
The heart of cloud storage for your Chromebook: save, share, and collaborate without worrying about local space. With Google Workspace plans, storage can range from tens of gigabytes to unlimited, depending on the plan and number of users. It's the perfect complement to Docs, as everything is centralized and secure.
Google Calendar
Shared calendars, meeting invitations, integration with other apps, and a clear interface. You can sync it with task management tools and see deadlines and appointments at a glance. It's one of those apps that, once integrated into your routine, helps you keep your schedule under control.
Asana
A team task and project manager with flexible views, assigning responsibilities, deadlines, and Calendar synchronization. Ideal for organizing workflows, breaking projects down into phases, and maintaining traceability. If you're looking for coordinated productivity, it fits perfectly into the ChromeOS ecosystem.
Cloud9
An online development environment with support for languages ​​like JavaScript, Python, and PHP. It allows you to program in the cloud , collaborate, and expand your stack without installing bulky IDEs locally. If you use a Chromebook for programming, it's a reliable option for coding anywhere.
gmail
Google Mail, with its powerful search engine, labels, filters, and a very mature interface. In professional environments, you can use your own domain and maintain complete control over access and security. It's the natural partner for Calendar and Drive for centralizing communication and files.
Organization and resources for students and teachers
In the educational environment, in addition to core tools, there are applications that enrich the classroom experience and help to better organize study time. These options are especially useful in both distance and face-to-face learning.
myHomework
A digital planner for classes, assignments, exams, and projects. It lets you register subjects, receive reminders, and view everything by date so you never forget deadlines again. It's a simple way to keep your course organized and up-to-date.
Google voice recorder
Perfect for reviewing lessons: it records in high quality and allows you to search for keywords within the audio. It's not available on Google Play for all countries or devices, so you may need to install the APK from reliable sources compatible with ChromeOS. If it fits into your workflow, it's a powerful tool for reviewing explanations.
Adobe Reader (PDF)
Open, annotate, and work with PDFs effortlessly. It works well on Chromebooks, even using the touchpad, and is a great option if you're constantly receiving documents. Being able to comment and fill out forms saves you time and avoids unnecessary printing.
Pixton
A fun way to teach or create stories: generate comics and graphic novels for class or student creative projects. It's ideal for developing narrative skills and adding color to complex topics with a more engaging visual approach.
3D Human Anatomy App
A biology resource for exploring the human body with 3D models, diseases, and treatments. It easily integrates with other educational platforms and allows for a better understanding of physiology through immersive visualization.
Mind map and organization of ideas
Mind mapping tools help you organize concepts and prepare presentations. On Chromebooks, you'll find options to group, connect, and prioritize ideas to improve productivity and learning effectiveness.
Drawing and Creativity on Chromebook: 10 Apps Worth Trying
A Chromebook can also be used for illustration, painting, and sketching with web and Android tools. Depending on your needs (quick sketches, vector graphics, advanced layers, infinite canvas), there are free and paid options that will allow you to unleash your creativity.
1. Limnu (web)
Unlimited online whiteboards with high-quality brushes and pens. It allows for real-time collaboration and team sharing (even with Slack), and while it offers a free trial, paid plans unlock more features. If you need brainstorming with virtually unlimited space, it's a very solid and flexible option.
2. Sumo Paint (web)
It offers around 300 brushes, layer effects, a text editor, and even 3D animated brushes. You can customize rotation, spacing, gravity, and speed up your workflow with tools like gradients and a color picker. It saves to the cloud or locally in a variety of formats and is a great alternative to browser-based digital painting.
3. Sketch.io (web)
This app features 18 brushes, line and path tools for precise outlining, and a library of over 5.000 pre-designed vector images. It includes more than 800 fonts and a text blending system, and allows you to save or print directly from the website. It's perfect for quickly creating compositions with a vast set of resources.
4. Infinite Painter (Android)
Over 160 preset brushes, the ability to create your own, unlimited layers, symmetry tools, and advanced guides (line, ellipse, ruler, etc.). It includes perspective guides for 3D scenes and cloning to turn photos into paintings. It's free with in-app purchases if you want to unlock its full potential.
5. ArtFlow (Android)
It allows you to work at resolutions up to 6144x6144 pixels, with over 100 brushes, blurring, and gradient fills. It supports up to 50 layers, depending on the canvas size, and exports to JPEG, PNG, or PSD. The Pro version expands the range of features, making it a very capable tool for high-resolution painting.
6. Gravit Designer (web and ChromeOS)
A professional vector app for creating shapes with anchor points, applying effects, and working online or offline. The learning curve is a bit steeper, but it's very powerful for design work. The free version is limited, and the annual subscription unlocks advanced features for professional workflows.
7. Chrome Canvas (web)
Quick sketches with pencil, pen, marker, chalk, and eraser. Allows you to adjust color, size, and opacity, but doesn't work with layers or support advanced stylus features. Ideal for visual notes or fleeting ideas in your browser with a simple and straightforward interface.
8. Boxy-SVG (web)
SVG editor with Bezier tools and predefined shapes (square, circle, ring, triangle, etc.). It handles thousands of fonts and allows you to adjust line thickness and transparency. Although its interface is classic, it's very capable for vector graphics, and with an account, you can save to the cloud or download your work.
9. SketchBook by Autodesk (Android)
Compatible with styluses and packed with over 190 customizable brushes, it supports large canvases and multiple layers. You can scan paper drawings with your camera and enhance strokes with its predictive stroke feature. It's one of the best free options for serious illustration on Chromebooks.
10. Concepts (Android and ChromeOS)
A professional tool with an infinite canvas, brushes that react to speed, tilt, and pressure, and a limitless layer system with blending modes. Being vector-based, it's easy to reposition and scale elements. It offers in-app purchases to unlock expert-level features.
Android apps that work great on ChromeOS
Many Android apps run on ChromeOS, greatly expanding the range of possibilities. Here's a tried-and-tested selection covering communication, photography, multimedia, organization, and more—all with a seamless experience on your Chromebook.
Discord
Server-based chat with text, voice, video, and screen sharing. It's widely used in gaming, but it's equally useful for online communities and study. You can join multiple servers and private rooms simultaneously, which is incredibly convenient for quiet conversations.
Facebook Messenger
Messaging and video calls with extras (payments, minigames, contact with businesses). The app offers more features than the web version, and you don't even need a Facebook account: just your name and phone number to start chatting instantly.
Adobe Photoshop Sketch
Focus on simple sketching with brush selection, pre-sized artboards, and layer support. Includes basic shapes (squares, circles, triangles) to speed up drawing. A good entry point to digital drawing if you want something straightforward and easy to use.
Snapseed
A photo editor with filters and 28 tools such as cropping, rotation, and lens blur. It allows fine adjustments (brightness, contrast, saturation) and exports in various formats and sizes. If you prefer, the app can automatically optimize the image with very decent results.
RetroArch
An all-in-one retro emulation center. With the right setup, you can manage cores for different consoles and keep your classic game library in one place. The default interface can be a bit cluttered, but it's customizable, and once you adjust it, it will enhance your Chromebook gaming experience .
Spotify
The Android app organizes music into carousels, similar to video platforms, with access to Home, Search, and Your Library. The free plan is sufficient for testing, and a paid subscription includes ad-free playback and downloads. It's convenient to have your music control readily available while you work.
Evernote
Powerful, cross-platform note-taking with text, tasks, photos, audio, video, and web clippings. Its key strength lies in its seamless synchronization across devices, along with its sharing options. The free version is quite capable, and if you need more, the paid plan adds features that scale with your usage.
Microsoft Office (Android)
Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook in mobile versions for creating and editing basic documents for free. With a Microsoft 365 subscription, you unlock premium features and OneDrive storage (also available as an Android app). If you're coming from the Microsoft ecosystem, you'll feel right at home.
Google files
Storage management with categories (downloads, images, videos, audio, documents, and apps) and cleanup tools. Since ChromeOS doesn't offer such an accessible uninstaller for Android apps, Files makes it easy to uninstall and delete large, duplicate, or junk files to reclaim space.
Netflix
The app offers a clean and organized interface, categorized by type, unlike a web browser. You can explore your list, new releases, or genres from a compact menu and watch your shows and movies with ease. It's the perfect companion for breaks, providing a smooth experience on ChromeOS.
A note for the curious: ChromeOS Flex
If you're interested in ways to revitalize your computer, ChromeOS Flex lets you run an official version of ChromeOS on compatible devices. It's useful for workshops, classrooms, or testing the system without buying new hardware, and it allows you to use many of your previous apps with minimal resource consumption.
With all these features, a Chromebook becomes a versatile device for schoolwork, office tasks, creativity, and leisure. If you're starting from scratch (even with the idea of ​​producing basic music), you already have a clear roadmap: combine web apps for editing and collaboration with the Android apps that perform best on your model, take advantage of features like unlocking your Chromebook with your phone , and prioritize those that simplify your life with cloud features, offline work, and cross-device synchronization.
