Most popular apps of 2025

From shifting user habits to the rise of AI and ecommerce, this breakdown of the most popular apps of 2025 shows which platforms dominated downloads and what that means for mobile app trends moving forward.

Every year brings new shifts in mobile app usage, and 2025 was no different. App downloads don’t always grow year over year, and after a slowdown following the pandemic surge, the landscape began to level out. In 2025, we saw some familiar names at the top of the charts along with a few notable changes, especially in regional preferences and emerging categories like AI. TikTok returned to the top spot for most downloaded app globally in 2024, with 773 million installs. It narrowly beat Instagram, which saw 759 million downloads. Rounding out the global top five were Facebook (571 million), WhatsApp (527 million), and ecommerce app Temu (438 million). These numbers came from platforms like Appfigures and AppMagic, and they represent both iOS and Android installs. CapCut, a video editing app by ByteDance, continued to grow with 361 million installs, showing how people are still invested in creating and editing video content for social media platforms. Meta apps were heavily represented, with Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Threads, and Messenger all appearing in the global top rankings. OpenAI’s ChatGPT also made its way into the top 10 with 278 million downloads, reflecting the growing demand for AI tools. On iOS, TikTok led the way with 186 million downloads. It had strong numbers from China in particular. Temu, Threads, ChatGPT, and Google followed. Instagram and YouTube also remained strong performers on the App Store.

Most popular apps of 2025: What people are downloading and using

On the Google Play Store, Instagram held the lead with 657 million downloads, largely due to its strength in India. TikTok had 587 million downloads, with Facebook, WhatsApp, and Telegram trailing behind. Meesho, a commerce app, also showed strong performance on Android, especially in markets like India. Different countries had different download leaders, often reflecting regional usage patterns and preferences. In the United States, Temu stayed on top for a second year with 64 million installs. TikTok and Threads followed, with ChatGPT also seeing significant adoption. India leaned heavily into Instagram with 341 million installs. Facebook, Meesho, and WhatsApp also had major traction. In China, where Android data is dominant, WeChat remained the largest app with over 1 billion users. AliPay, Taobao, and Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) also stayed popular. European countries like Germany, France, and Italy had similar patterns, Temu often led the pack, with ChatGPT, TikTok, and Threads rounding out the top five. In Brazil, Instagram took first place. Shein, which had led previously, fell out of the top 10. Japan and South Korea both showed TikTok and Temu among the top apps. South Korea also had a couple of government apps in the top 10, highlighting localized use cases. Indonesia was a clear TikTok market, with 88 million installs, followed by CapCut and WhatsApp.

Looking at specific categories provides more insight into what kinds of apps people are spending time with. TikTok and Instagram were the leaders here, each with over 750 million downloads. Facebook, WhatsApp, and Telegram also held strong. Threads, Meta’s newer social app, managed 322 million downloads, and Snapchat remained relevant with 302 million installs. WhatsApp Business led this category with 271 million downloads. It had strong growth in India and South America. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and LinkedIn followed, with varying levels of engagement depending on region. Temu’s success was one of the biggest stories of 2025. With 438 million downloads, it more than doubled its closest rival, Shein (211 million). Meesho and Flipkart were especially strong in India, while Mercado Libre had good traction in Latin America.

Gaming downloads were lower overall than in previous years, with no games cracking the top 10 global apps. Still, Roblox led the way with 205 million installs. Subway Surfers (203 million), Block Blast (198 million), and Pizza Ready (169 million) followed. These games have different appeal across markets, but casual gaming still held strong. ChatGPT marked the biggest leap in AI apps with 278 million downloads globally. It also ranked highly on both iOS and Android. In many countries, it was among the top three or five apps downloaded in 2024, showing how AI usage is becoming mainstream. Netflix kept its place as the top entertainment app globally with 161 million installs, just ahead of YouTube (145 million). Other apps like YouTube Kids, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ also showed strong numbers. Regional players like JioCinema and Max made the list in certain markets. Duolingo led education apps again, with 175 million installs. Other education apps like Seekho, Brainly, and Google Classroom also held steady, depending on the market and language support.

Spotify was way ahead of the competition in music and audio apps with 239 million downloads. YouTube Music, Shazam, and regional music apps like Wynk and JioSaavn were also popular in various regions. McDonald’s had the most downloads in the food and drink category. However, the rise of Indian delivery apps like Zepto, Swiggy, and Blinkit marked a shift in how users are ordering food. Google Maps and Uber led the travel app category. They were followed by apps like Airbnb, Waze, and Booking. Regional travel services like Grab and Bolt also saw millions of downloads. India’s PhonePe remained the most popular money transfer app for the third year in a row, with 150 million downloads. Google Wallet, PayPal, and NuBank also saw wide usage depending on the country.

Flo, a health tracking app focused on female health, led with 53 million downloads. Sweatcoin, a step counter that pays users, came in second. Apps like Strava, Da Fit, and Mi Fitness made the list as well. Tinder kept its lead in dating apps with 60 million downloads. Bumble and newer apps like LitMatch and SweetMeet are attracting users with different social and dating features. Most of the apps at the top of the charts in 2025 aren’t new. What’s changed is how people are using them, and where growth is happening. Shopping and AI are two major trends to watch. Apps like Temu and ChatGPT have become must-haves in many countries, while social media apps continue to evolve to stay relevant. App developers looking to break into the top ranks need to pay attention to regional preferences, platform differences, and changing user habits. The data shows clear trends, but also plenty of opportunities for disruption.

If you're thinking about building an app that fits into one of these fast-moving categories, or trying to reach the kind of download numbers these top apps are seeing, Moonbeam Development can help. We work with businesses to design, build, and launch mobile apps that actually get used.

Top games

Roblox - Game - 205M
Subway Surfers - Game - 203M
Block Blast - Game - 198M
Pizza Ready - Game - 169M

Top business apps

WhatsApp Business - Messaging/Business - 271M
Zoom - Video Conferencing - 137M
Microsoft Teams - Collaboration - 103M

Top shopping apps

Temu - Ecommerce - 438M
Shein - Fashion - 211M
Meesho - Marketplace - 188M

Top AI app

ChatGPT - AI Chat Assistant - 278M

Top entertainment

Netflix - Streaming - 161M
YouTube - Video - 145M
Amazon Prime Video - Streaming - 113M

Top music

Spotify - Music Streaming - 239M
YouTube Music - Music - 65M
Shazam - Audio Recognition - 53M

Top health

Flo - Health Tracking - 53M
Sweatcoin - Fitness/Rewards - 38M

Top travel

Google Maps - Navigation - 120M
Uber - Rideshare - 115M

Top dating

Tinder - Dating - 60M
Bumble - Dating - 35M

Whether you're starting from scratch or need help improving an existing app, get in touch with Moonbeam Development. We build apps people download and keep using.