Tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) and molybdenum-doped tungsten trioxide (WO 3 :Mo) films were deposited on stainless steel surface by a chemical aqueous solution approach using dip-coating technique. The deposited 5, 10 and 15-layer films were homogeneous and continuous. The surface morphology and crystallinity of the produced films were dependent on the metal cation species and concentration of PVA in the solution. FE-SEM analysis revealed the formation of textured WO 3 film surfaces having spike-like nanostructures. The values of the static water contact angle measured on the film surface showed that deposited WO 3 films can exhibit both hydrophilic and hydrophobic nature, while WO 3 :Mo films showed hydrophilic behavior. Tribological properties of the deposited films were evaluated in deionized water. All three coatings retained a lubricating layer much better than original steel, demonstrating major reduction in friction and wear. Particularly effective were PVA-free WO 3 films, whose friction coefficient stayed under 0.2 for over 2000 cycles. Excellent tribological, hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties along with simple deposition methods suggest very promising potential of WO 3 and WO 3 :Mo coatings in industrial applications.