Every year, just a handful of apps dominate global download charts, capturing our attention and influencing digital trends.
We'll go over the most downloaded mobile apps and what their success says about where they’re heading and what trends developers and marketers should jump on next.
The Most Popular Apps: Key Findings
- 149 billion new app downloads worldwide, marking 0.8% YoY growth across iOS and Google Play
- ChatGPT overtook TikTok and Instagram to become the world’s most-downloaded app
- India led mobile downloads with 25B, followed by the U.S. (12B) and Brazil (9B)
The Most Downloaded Apps of 2025
In 2025, the most downloaded apps include a wider range of categories, with AI, social media, retail, and video streaming all playing major roles in influencing mobile usage worldwide.
According to Sensor Tower’s State of Mobile 2026 Report, OpenAI’s ChatGPT ranked as the most downloaded app globally in 2025.
This surge in downloads was driven by the rapid adoption of AI technologies in both personal and professional contexts, as users increasingly sought automated and conversational tools to improve productivity and simplify many tasks.
The biggest story was also AI assistants stepping into the spotlight, capturing everyday users while social and messaging giants held their ground at the top.
Here are top 10 apps worldwide:
- ChatGPT
- TikTok
- WhatsApp Messenger
- CapCut
- Temu
- Google Gemini
- Telegram
- Snapchat
Most Downloaded iPhone Apps
ChatGPT soared to the number-one spot among free iPhone apps in 2025, signaling a change toward AI-driven daily habits. Temu, last year’s leader, dropped out of the top ten, making way for AI and social apps.
Top Apps:
- ChatGPT
- Threads
- TikTok
- WhatsApp Messenger
- YouTube
- Google Maps
- Gmail
- Google Gemini
What stands out is ChatGPT overtaking Google. Also, in 2024, Temu led the list, and now it’s not even there, showing a move from bargain hunting to smarter tools.
Yet, some things stay the same. Google’s apps remain iOS must-haves. In short, 2025 was the year AI became as routine as checking your email.
Most Downloaded Android Apps
In 2025, Android’s global download charts showcased the platform’s vast reach, with social, messaging, and AI-driven apps thriving.
Compared to 2024, the list shows continuity in core social platforms, alongside a noteworthy rise in AI assistants.
Top Apps:
- ChatGPT
- TikTok
- Google Gemini
- CapCut
- WhatsApp Business
- Telegram
- Snapchat
ChatGPT reached the top position on Google Play, following a year when AI tools were already gaining traction but had not yet led Android downloads.
Social platforms remained highly stable year over year, with Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook continuing to attract hundreds of millions of installs globally.
Messaging apps retained a strong presence, with WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business, and Telegram appearing in the top ten in both 2024 and 2025.
Also, Google Gemini’s inclusion among the top five emphasizes increasing in AI assistants built by platform-native providers within the Android ecosystem.
Top Apps by Country
App favorites changed significantly from country to country, determined by local culture, rules, and the nature of each market.
United States:
- ChatGPT
- TikTok
- Threads
- CapCut
- Temu
- Google Gemini
India:
- ChatGPT
- KuKuTV
- Meesho
- JioHotstar
- Seekho
- PhonePe
- Flipkart
Brazil:
- TikTok
- ChatGPT
- Temu
- Gov.br
- Mercado Libre
- Nubank
- Kwai
- Shopee
Canada:
- ChatGPT
- Temu
- Threads
- TikTok
- CapCut
- Google Gemini
- Amazon Prime Video
- Microsoft Teams
United Kingdom:
- ChatGPT
- Temu
- Ticketmaster
- Vinted
- TikTok
- GOV.UK One Login
- CapCut
- GOV.UK ID Check
- Tesco Grocery
- Threads
China:
- Doubao
- 红果短剧
- 汽水音乐 - 随时听好歌
- 夸克-AI旗舰应用
- TikTok Shop
- DeepSeek
- UnionPay APP
- 中国移动（手机营业厅
- 京东
- 元宝
While AI assistants and social apps dominate in the U.S., UK, and Canada, countries like India, Brazil, and China show stronger demand for local commerce, entertainment, and government-backed apps.
Top Apps by Industry
Here are the most downloaded apps throughout different industries:
AI Apps
AI defined mobile growth in 2025. Downloads doubled YoY to 3.8B, while IAP revenue more than tripled to over $5B. AI Assistants dominated the category, with ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and DeepSeek leading global adoption.
AI’s growth was fueled by:
- Image and multimodal generation features
- Expanded productivity use cases
- Aggressive ASO and paid acquisition strategies
By 2025, OpenAI and DeepSeek accounted for nearly 50% of AI app downloads, while Big Tech publishers continued gaining share, crowding out smaller competitors.
Top AI apps by downloads:
- ChatGPT
- Google Gemini
- DeepSeek
- Doubao
- Perplexity
- Grok
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Nova
- Meta AI
- Microsoft Copilot
Social Media Apps
Social media stabilized after years of rapid growth, but remained one of the largest driver of mobile attention.
- Total time spent rose slightly to ~3.4T hours in 2025
- 60%+ of all mobile app time occurred within social and messaging apps
- Social ranked #1 by IAP revenue, growing 16% YoY to $15B
Monetization approaches evolved as ad growth slowed, with platforms leaning into:
- Subscriptions (Snapchat+)
- Virtual currencies (TikTok coins)
- Premium content and creator tools
Top social apps by downloads:
- TikTok
- WhatsApp Messenger
- Telegram
- Snapchat
- Threads
- Messenger
- X
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Retail Apps
Retail apps faced market saturation and regulatory pressure in 2025, particularly from U.S. tariffs impacting Chinese-based platforms.
Global downloads declined, but engagement held steady.
Key dynamics:
- Time spent grew 1% YoY, signaling stabilization
- General shopping apps continued to dominate downloads
- Grocery (+5%) and Buy & Sell (+4%) were prominent growth exceptions
While Temu led downloads, Amazon remained the usage leader, averaging 685M MAUs in Q4 2025. Temu rapidly closed the gap, surpassing 530M MAUs after a 48% YoY surge.
Retail leaders increasingly leaned on:
- AI-driven product recommendations
- Live shopping and interactive discovery
- Market-specific expansion strategies
Top retail apps by downloads:
- Temu
- SHEIN
- Amazon Shopping
- Meesho
- Shopee
- Alibaba.com
- Flipkart
- AliExpress
- Mercado Libre
- Myntra
A Look at the Hottest App Downloads: 2024 vs. 2025
Between 2024 and 2025, the app market shifted from rapid expansion toward stability, monetization, and greater engagement.
Most categories saw flatter download trends, while time spent and revenue became the primary growth levers.
- Where Downloads and Usage Shifted
- How User Engagement Deepened
- Why Monetization Outpaced Growth
- Which Categories Saw the Biggest Changes
Where Downloads and Usage Shifted
New app downloads reached 149 billion in 2025, up 0.8% YoY, showing continued growth at a slower pace. 284,000 apps were downloaded per minute in 2025, reinforcing how entrenched mobile apps remain in daily life.
Growth was uneven across markets. India and Pakistan were the only top markets with positive YoY download growth, with India rebounding after a sharp decline in 2024.
In most other major markets, downloads and time spent held steady or declined slightly, suggesting category saturation rather than a loss of interest.
How User Engagement Deepened
Total time spent reached 5.3 trillion hours in 2025, a 3.8% YoY increase.
Users spent an average of 3.6 hours per day in apps, equivalent to more than 600 hours per person annually.
The number of apps used per user continued to rise, averaging 34 apps per month, with 10 unique apps used daily. These figures suggest engagement is being distributed across more apps instead of being concentrated in fewer platforms.
Why Monetization Outpaced Growth
In-app purchase revenue reached $167 billion in 2025, growing 10.6% YoY, surpassing download growth.
For the first time, non-game apps generated more consumer revenue than games, driven by AI, social, video streaming, and productivity apps.
Monetization plans shifted toward subscriptions, premium features, and one-time purchases, particularly in social and AI categories.
As Luca Mastrorocco, Co-Founder & Head of Growth at REPLUG, notes:
"Apps that sustain growth understand that the real value comes after the install. They prioritize onboarding, personalized messaging, and re-engagement campaigns to keep users active and engaged over time."
Which Categories Saw the Biggest Changes
AI Assistants and Short Drama were clear outliers, having exceptional YoY growth in both downloads and revenue. AI assistants became one of the most downloaded subgenres globally, with sustained increases in time spent.
@jordizeevi 5 apps to have if you love shopping, browsing and curating
♬ original sound - jordi zeevi
Established categories such as Social Media, General Shopping, OTT Streaming, and Music and Podcasts experienced YoY download declines, indicating that these markets are largely saturated.
Final Thoughts on the Most Downloaded Apps
In 2025, AI assistants overtook download rankings while social and retail apps still continued to shine. Downloads grew modestly compared to recent years, but time spent and in-app spending rose faster, showing a shift toward subscriptions and ongoing engagement.
If you’re building or marketing apps in 2026, success will increasingly depend on creating value after the install.
Our team ranks agencies worldwide to help you find a qualified partner. Visit our Agency Directory for the top mobile app development companies, as well as:
- Top Product Design Companies
- Top UI/UX Design Agencies
- Top Software Testing Companies
- Top AI Companies
- Top Market Research Companies
Most Downloaded Apps FAQs
1. What was the most downloaded app in the world in 2025?
ChatGPT was the most downloaded app globally in 2025, overtaking long-time leaders such as TikTok and Instagram. Its rise indicates increasing demand for AI-powered tools that support productivity, learning, and everyday tasks.
2. Are app downloads still growing in 2026?
Yes, but at a slower pace.
Global app downloads grew by less than 1% year over year, proving that most major markets are mature and that growth is now driven more by engagement and monetization than by new installs.
3. What types of apps are seeing the fastest growth right now?
AI assistant apps are experiencing the strongest growth in both downloads and revenue.
Categories like short-form video, social media, and retail remain widely used, but AI apps are gaining ground faster as their use cases expand and time spent increases.
