The 10 Best Chromebook Apps For 2018

A long-running favorite in the Web Store, Chrome Remote Desktop lets you access any other computer using Google's browser (with permission, of course) or vice versa. The app comes in very handy for providing support to a colleague, friend or relative no matter if they're right around the corner or halfway around the world. It's also helpful for accessing your own files from a remote location. 

What We Like
Allows cross-platform, secure access for Chrome OS, Linux, macOS and Windows users as long as they're both running the Chrome browser.

What We Don't Like
Connection stability can be shaky at times, especially during lengthy sessions.

Adding your John Hancock to a contract or other type of document used to mean physically putting pen to paper and then either handing it to its recipient or dropping it in the mail. With eSignatures now serving as legally binding in most scenarios, you can sign and submit documents in mere seconds right from your Chromebook.

Integrated with Google Drive and Gmail, the DocuSign app lets you sign PDF documents instantly from right within your email interface.

DocuSign's feature set is even more robust when it comes to configuring your own documents for others to sign, allowing you to specify locations that require a signature and send it right to the recipient's email address. In just a couple of clicks, they'll be able to fully execute a document and send it right back to you–with DocuSign's real-time status letting you know when they've viewed and signed on their end. 

What We Like
DocuSign takes what used to be a timely and inconvenient process and makes it simple, even for non-technical folks.

What We Don't Like
There is a fee when sending more than three documents to be signed.

Spotify provides access to a vast music library containing millions of titles, searchable by song, album or artist name as well as by genre. The app transforms your Chromebook into a compendium of beats that no deejay can match, letting you sing along to your favorites while discovering tunes that you've never heard before.

What We Like
The ability to create and store playlists as well as Spotify's enhanced search engine.

What We Don't Like
Many Chromebook users complain about the in-app advertisements getting priority over the actual music playback, causing a poor user experience on slower connections.

This is a fantastic app if you want to catch up on email at times when you don't have an internet connection available, such as on an airplane or in the subway. Your messages are synchronized with Gmail Offline while connected so that they're ready and waiting when you're no longer online. You can even craft replies, which are stored by the app and sent the next time your Chromebook has an active connection.

What We Like
Besides the obvious, Gmail Offline's easy-to-use interface provides a slimmed down experience that makes reaching that elusive "Inbox Zero" goal much more realistic.

What We Don't Like
Tends to drain battery life at a much quicker rate than most apps.

One of the more frustrating aspects of modern-day messaging is that it sometimes feels like everyone is using a different communication method, making it hard to avoid the clutter of multiple programs if you want to stay in touch with those in your circle. All-in-One Messenger goes a long way in solving that problem by letting you access over two dozen chat and messenger services from a central location, including popular options like WhatsApp and Skype as well as some lesser-known alternatives. Installing this app provides the ability to reach virtually anyone from your Chromebook, no matter their service of choice.

What We Like
The app's underpinnings take full advantage of your Chromebook's technology, resulting in a seamless and fast user experience on newer models.

What We Don't Like
If you're running one of the earlier Chromebooks, the memory usage of All-in-One may cause noticeable slowdowns on your system.

Many Chromebook users tend to own other devices as well, such as smartphones or tablets and even additional computers running a different operating system like Windows or macOS. This means that their files are usually all over the place, and having one repository that supports all platforms is important.

Enter the Dropbox app, which provides access to a cloud-based repository for all of your photos, videos and any other file types through an intuitive interface that fits right in on your Chromebook. You can access or store anything using the app and your free Dropbox account, which allows a significant amount of storage space before you have to pay a fee.

Speaking of free space, that's another issue that Chromebook users often encounter with smaller hard drives–a situation that can also be resolved with Dropbox. The app is also useful for sharing larger files or groups of smaller files with people other than yourself, and allows them to share with you as well.

What We Like
That Dropbox offers a suitable alternative to Google Drive, and the amount of free space available is more than reasonable.

What We Don't Like
While Dropbox is a great service to have for Chromebook users, the app itself is really nothing more than a redirect to the website. It would be nice if there was an integrated UI, like most other Chromebook apps.

While this app is fun like its moniker suggests, Webcam Toy is also a pretty powerful addition to your Chromebook's built-in camera. Snap groups of photos in a flash and choose from almost a hundred effects to apply to them. You can also share directly to Facebook or Twitter with just one click.

What We Like
Webcam Toy's keyboard shortcuts allow for quick and easy control when working with a large number of images.

What We Don't Like
No integration with Instagram.

Sticking with the webcam theme, Clipchamp helps you record HTML5 videos like a professional–converting and compressing on-the-fly when needed for quick, secure uploads to Facebook, Vimeo and YouTube. The app also serves as a standalone converter for videos created by someone other than yourself, and even provides several editing features.

What We Like
Supports well over a dozen video formats including MOV, AVI, MP4, DIVX, WMV, MPEG and M4V.

What We Don't Like
Local processing time with larger files can be slower than expected, so you'll need to exercise some patience.

One of the nice features about most Chromebooks is their relatively lightweight body, allowing for easy transport no matter where you are. Another positive is that Chrome OS is a minimalist operating system, with its main focus on browsing the web.

As you browse and come across an article or other piece of content that you're interested in but simply don't have time to read or view at the moment, the Pocket app lets you save it for later and access it from anywhere–even without an internet connection. In that sense, it's the perfect Chromebook companion.

What We Like
The layout is clean and simple, encouraging you to clip and store as much content as you like for future ingestion.

What We Don't Like
Hasn't been updated in years while the service's apps on other platforms continuously get upgrades.

This app offers a significant upgrade over Chromebook's default calculator, covering the basics but also supporting advanced conversions and functions. Its creators boast that it's the top calculator solution in the Web Store, and I haven't found any evidence to contradict that claim.

What We Like
Works offline, and even lets you access custom functions and previous history while doing so.

What We Don't Like
It's a stretch to call this an app (even though the developers do) as it simply links to a hosted calculator.