In 2023, mobile apps continue to be one of the most common ways we use technology and media.
According to TechCrunch, people spent nearly $135 billion on apps and games for iOS and Google Play in 2022, an 11% increase from 2021. This growth is expected to continue, with projections saying spending could surpass $270 billion by 2025.
We will look at the most popular apps so far in 2023, seeing which top the charts in categories like social media, messaging, entertainment, productivity, and more.
For example, TikTok continues its fast growth, reaching over 1 billion monthly active users in 2022.
Instagram still leads as the top social media app with over 2 billion downloads globally.
For productivity, Microsoft Office rules, with its Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps averaging over 1 billion downloads each according to Microsoft.
Not only this, Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to make a big impact in the app landscape in 2023.
Major technology companies like Meta and Google are preparing to integrate AI chatbots and other tools into their mobile apps.
If the viral chatbot ChatGPT from OpenAI ever becomes available as a standalone iOS and Android app, it could potentially be one of the most popular apps of the next year.
According to a survey by TechJury, over 63% of mobile app developers are planning to implement AI features in their apps in 2023.
We have compiled data and statistics to highlight the most popular mobile apps both globally and within various categories.
The sections below will provide an in-depth look at which apps currently dominate the market in countries around the world as well as in key segments like social media, messaging, productivity, and more.
The information is intended to give readers a data-driven perspective on the current state of the mobile app industry and which services are leading the pack when it comes to users and engagement.
Most Popular Apps Key Stats
1. TikTok
- Over 1 billion monthly active users as of September 2022
- Avg user spends 95 minutes per day on TikTok
- Has over 5 billion global downloads to date
- Top countries by user base: China (over 240 million), USA (over 65 million), Indonesia, Russia, Mexico
2. Instagram
- 2 billion monthly active users as of January 2023
- Over 2.5 billion downloads worldwide
- 500 million users use Instagram Stories every day.
- Avg user spends 30 minutes per day on Instagram
- Highest usage among 18-29 yr olds at 81%
3. Facebook
- 2.96 billion monthly active users as of Q4 2022
- 69% of U.S. adults use Facebook
- 1.98 billion daily active users on average for December 2022
- Users spend an average of 44 minutes per day on Facebook
4. WhatsApp
- 2 billion monthly active users as of February 2020
- Provides 65 billion messages per day
- Most popular in India (530 million users), Brazil (130 million), Indonesia (100 million
Most Popular Apps by Country
Apps have become an integral part of our daily lives. In this section, we examine the most popular apps across several major countries.
We take a closer look at the top apps globally, as well as those in Brazil, China, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
By analyzing app trends in these key markets, we gain insight into what users want and need from their mobile devices. Understanding regional
Most Popular Apps Worldwide (By Downloads)
TikTok leads with 672 million downloads, followed by Instagram at 548 million. Facebook and WhatsApp are next with around 450 million each.
CapCut, a video editor, surprised with 357 million, beating Snapchat and Telegram.
In games, Subway Surfers and Stumble Guys both crossed 250 million. Spotify closes the list with 238 million downloads.
Most Popular Downloaded Apps Worldwide
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| TikTok | 672 million |
| 548 million | |
| 449 million | |
| 424 million | |
| CapCut | 357 million |
| Snapchat | 330 million |
| Telegram | 310 million |
| Subway Surfers | 304 million |
| Stumble Guys | 254 million |
| Spotify | 238 million |
Source: Apptopia
Most Popular Apps in the United States
In the United States, TikTok leads the app download chart at #1 with 99 million, followed by Instagram at #2 with 72 million.
Cash App, a financial tool, impressively secures the #3 spot with 64 million, slightly ahead of WhatsApp with 63 million.
Snapchat remains popular with 54 million downloads.
In the gaming domain, Subway Surfers and Roblox are neck-and-neck with 51.4 million and 50.9 million respectively.
E-commerce giant Amazon has 47 million downloads, while Messenger and Facebook round off the list with 46.3 million and 45.5 million downloads respectively.
Most Popular Apps in the United States
| App | Downloads (in mm) |
|---|---|
| TikTok | 99 Million |
| 72 Million | |
| Cash App | 64 Million |
| 63 Million | |
| Snapchat | 54 Million |
| Subway Surfers | 51.4 Million |
| Roblox | 50.9 Million |
| Amazon | 47 Million |
| Messenger | 46.3 Million |
| 45.5 Million |
Most Popular Apps in the UK
Here is one way to add some rankings to that paragraph:
In the UK, TikTok leads the pack at #1 with 17 million downloads. WhatsApp is next at #2 with 9.8 million, closely followed by BeReal at #3 with 9.7 million.
The NHS and Vinted apps are also quite popular.
ASDA Rewards and Google Maps come next with 7.8 million and 7.2 million respectively. Microsoft Teams and Mcdonald’s are tied with 6.9 million, while Instagram rounds off the list at 6.4 million downloads.
Most Popular Apps in the UK
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| TikTok | 17 |
| 9.8 | |
| BeReal | 9.7 |
| NHS App | 9.6 |
| Vinted | 9.3 |
| ASDA Rewards | 7.8 |
| Google Maps | 7.2 |
| Microsoft Teams | 6.9 |
| McDonalds | 6.9 |
| 6.4 |
Most Popular Apps in China
With over 1 billion users, WeChat dominates the app landscape in China. This super app is on the home screen of most Chinese smartphone users, offering messaging, social media, payments, e-commerce, and more in one place.
WeChat also provides access to thousands of “mini-programs” – lightweight apps that live within WeChat.
This allows major platforms like the e-commerce sites JD and Pinduoduo. It has become an indispensable part of daily life for most people in China.
Douyin, known as TikTok outside China, follows with 759 million users. QQ is close to 750 million. AliPay, a payment platform, boasts 680 million users, while Baidu, a search engine, has 607 million users.
Kwai, a social media app, and Tencent Video, a streaming platform, round out the list with 491 million and 480 million users respectively.
Most Popular Apps in China
| App | Users (mm) |
|---|---|
| 1008 | |
| Douyin | 759 |
| 750 | |
| AliPay | 680 |
| Baidu | 607 |
| Sogou | 561 |
| Taobao | 521 |
| Gaode Map | 503 |
| Kwai | 491 |
| Tencent Video | 480 |
Source: Statista
Most Popular Apps in India
In India, Instagram is the most popular app with 327 million downloads, followed by Facebook at 193 million.
On the other end, Ludo King and WhatsApp Business have the fewest downloads from the list, both hovering around 124 million.
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| 327 million | |
| 193 million | |
| Snapchat | 188 million |
| Meesho | 163 million |
| Shopsy | 140 million |
| Flipkart | 139 million |
| PhonePe | 133 million |
| Truecaller | 124 million |
| Ludo King | 124 million |
| WhatsApp Business | 122 million |
Sources: AppMagic
Most Popular Apps in Brazil
When it comes to the most downloaded apps in Brazil, the e-commerce apps Shein and Shopee top the rankings.
Shein takes the #1 spot with 52 million downloads, followed by Shopee at #2 with 51 million.
Further down the list, Instagram occupies around 47 million downloads, while digital bank NuBank has around 39.1 million downloads.
Rounding out the top 10 is WhatsApp with 33 million downloads.
These popular apps highlight how Brazilians are leveraging mobile apps for shopping, banking, social media, and beyond.
Most Popular Apps in Brazil
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| Shein | 52 million |
| Shopee | 51 million |
| gov.br | 49 million |
| 47 million | |
| Mercardo Libre | 41 million |
| TikTok | 39.9 million |
| NuBank | 39.1 million |
| CapCut | 35 million |
| CAIXA Tem | 34 million |
| 33 million |
Total Mobile App Downloads by Country
Between 2021 and the end of 2022, China far surpassed all other countries in terms of mobile app downloads.
In 2022 alone, smartphone users in China downloaded approximately 111 billion apps, marking a significant increase from previous years.
While China led by a wide margin, India took second place globally with around 29 billion mobile app downloads in 2022. This also reflects substantial growth compared to prior years.
The United States ranked third worldwide for app downloads in 2022, with users downloading about 12.24 billion apps over the course of the year. However, this pales in comparison to the download figures seen in China and India.
Overall, most of the countries analyzed have experienced positive growth trends in terms of annual mobile app downloads over recent years.
China and India have seen particularly noteworthy surges in-app download volumes, cementing their statuses as the top two global markets for mobile apps.
| Country | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| China | 98.39 | 111.11 |
| India | 26.70 | 28.89 |
| United States | 12.20 | 12.24 |
| Brazil | 10.32 | 10.61 |
| Indonesia | 7.31 | 7.70 |
| Russia | 5.59 | 5.48 |
| Mexico | 4.81 | 5.08 |
| Turkey | 3.55 | 3.73 |
| Vietnam | 2.61 | 3.52 |
| Philippines | 3.37 | 3.49 |
| Egypt | 3.02 | 3.28 |
| Pakistan | 2.66 | 2.65 |
| Japan | 0 | 2.55 |
| Thailand | 2.56 | 2.43 |
| United Kingdom | 2.44 | 2.27 |
| Germany | 2.22 | 2.24 |
| France | 2.22 | 2.21 |
| South Korea | 2.08 | 2.13 |
| South Arabia | 0 | 1.96 |
| Colombia | 1.89 | 1.79 |
| Worldwide | 229.70 | 254.94 |
Most Popular iOS Apps
On iOS, TikTok is the most downloaded app with 212 million downloads. At the bottom of the list, Snapchat and Facebook are tied with 75 million downloads each.
Most Downloaded iOS Apps
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| TikTok | 212 |
| YouTube | 133 |
| 127 | |
| CapCut | 113 |
| 103 | |
| Google Maps | 98 |
| 89 | |
| Kwai | 78 |
| Snapchat | 75 |
| 75 |
Sources: AppMagic
Most Popular Google Play Apps
TikTok reclaimed the title of most downloaded Google Play app in 2022, with 15 million more downloads than 2021 winner Instagram.
Most Downloaded Google Play Apps
On the Play Store, TikTok stands out as the leader with 460 million downloads, setting the pace for social media apps.
Instagram trails closely behind with 445 million, showcasing its continued popularity.
Facebook, despite being a veteran in the social media space, has 223 million downloads.
Subway Surfers, a beloved game, has entertained 198 million users. Lastly, Stumble Guys, a fun multiplayer game, has been chosen by 158 million users.
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| TikTok | 460 |
| 445 | |
| 297 | |
| Snapchat | 255 |
| CapCut | 244 |
| Telegram | 244 |
| 223 | |
| Subway Surfers | 198 |
| Messenger | 167 |
| Stumble Guys | 158 |
Most Popular App by Category (Worldwide)
When analyzing the most popular apps globally, certain categories stand out. For social interaction in 2022, top apps include Meta’s Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger.
Leading business apps feature Microsoft Office, LinkedIn, Microsoft Teams, Quickbooks and Evernote. Gaming charts are dominated by titles like Candy Crush Saga, Pokémon GO, Roblox, and Subway Surfers.
Top music platforms include Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music and SoundCloud. Preferred shopping apps are Amazon, eBay, Alibaba, Walmart and Wish.
Food & drink leaders include DoorDash, Uber Eats, McDonald’s, Starbucks and Grubhub.
We will take a look at each of these categories separately.
Most Popular Games 2022
Subway Surfers continued to dominate as the #1 most downloaded game worldwide in 2022 with 304 million downloads.
The new arcade multiplayer game Stumble Guys made impressive gains in 2022, breaking into the global top 10 in its first year after launch.
While Subway Surfers held onto the top spot, viral hits like Stumble Guys are on the rise.
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| Subway Surfers | 304 |
| Stumble Guys | 254 |
| Roblox | 208 |
| Candy Crush Saga | 138 |
| Race Master 3D | 128 |
| 8 Ball Pool | 120 |
| FIFA Mobile | 111 |
| Merge & Fight | 110 |
| Garena Free Fire | 109 |
| Bridge Race | 107 |
Source: Apptopia
Most Popular Social Apps 2022
The most downloaded social app in 2022 was Instagram with 547 million. This shows it was the most popular app for sharing photos and videos.
Far behind in second place was Facebook with 449 million downloads. WhatsApp came next with 424 million.
Even though WeChat and Pinterest are popular, they trailed far behind Instagram’s huge number of downloads.
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| 547 | |
| 449 | |
| 424 | |
| Telegram | 310 |
| Messenger | 210 |
| 159 | |
| Discord | 105 |
| 96 | |
| BeReal | 91 |
| 90 |
Most Popular Business Apps 2022
Among business apps, WhatsApp Business topped the rankings with 198 million downloads globally.
Microsoft Teams took third place with 111 million downloads, while Tencent Chat came in at 75 million.
At the bottom of the list were LinkedIn and Indeed Job Search with 48 million and 44.3 million respectively.
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| WhatsApp Business | 198 |
| Zoom | 163 |
| Microsoft Teams | 111 |
| Tencent Chat | 75 |
| Google Meet | 66 |
| Adobe Acrobat | 65 |
| Microsoft Authenticator | 55 |
| 48 | |
| Indeed Job Search | 44.3 |
| DingTalk | 44 |
Most Popular Entertainment Apps 2022
TikTok was the most downloaded entertainment app in 2022. It had 672 million downloads, way more than any other app.
Netflix was second with 165 million downloads. Even though Netflix had way fewer downloads than TikTok, it is still the most used video subscription service.
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| TikTok | 672 |
| Netflix | 165 |
| YouTube | 154 |
| Disney+ | 147 |
| Amazon Prime Video | 123 |
| YouTube Kids | 99 |
| HBO Max | 87 |
| MX Player | 74 |
| Hotstar | 64 |
| Pluto TV | 61 |
Most Popular Music Apps 2022
Spotify had the most downloads of any music app with 238 million. Far behind in second place was StarMaker with 96 million.
At the bottom of the list were Music & MP3 Player and Beat Maker Pro. They had just 35 and 36 million downloads respectively.
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| Spotify | 238 |
| StarMaker | 96 |
| Shazam | 71 |
| YouTube Music | 65 |
| Resso Music | 61 |
| SoundCloud | 49 |
| Amazon Music | 45 |
| Wynk Music | 43 |
| Beat Maker Pro | 36 |
| Music & MP3 Player | 35 |
Most Popular Shopping Apps 2022
The top 3 most downloaded shopping apps were Shein, Meesho, and Shopee. Shein led with 229 million downloads, leveraging fast fashion and social media to attract Gen Z users.
Meesho took second place with 210 million downloads, facilitating social commerce in India through its seller marketplace.
Singapore-based Shopee rounded out the top 3 with over 203 million downloads.
With over 200 million downloads each, these 3 apps dominated the online shopping space in 2022.
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| Shein | 229 |
| Meesho | 210 |
| Shopee | 203 |
| Amazon | 195 |
| Shopsy | 141 |
| Flipkart | 115 |
| Pinduoduo | 79 |
| Alibaba | 66 |
| Lazada | 64 |
| Mercado Libre | 58 |
Most Popular Food and Drink Apps 2022
McDonald’s led food and drink apps with 127 million downloads, beating out dedicated food delivery services like Uber Eats with 60 million and DoorDash with 42 million.
At the bottom of the list were Swiggy and Foodpanda with 18.6 million and 19.5 million downloads respectively.
Despite being popular food delivery apps in their own rights, Swiggy and Foodpanda’s download counts lag far behind category leader McDonald’s.
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| McDonalds | 127 |
| Uber Eats | 60 |
| DoorDash | 42 |
| Starbucks | 34 |
| Grab | 31 |
| Zomato | 29 |
| Too Good To Go | 27 |
| Ele.me | 23 |
| foodpanda | 19.5 |
| Swiggy | 18.6 |
Most Popular Travel Apps 2022
Google Maps led travel apps with 113 million global downloads. Uber followed closely behind with 107 million downloads, reflecting the popularity of its ride-hailing app for transportation.
Booking.com rounded out the top 3 with 80 million downloads.
At the bottom of the list were AutoNavi and FlightRadar24 with 37 million and 28 million downloads respectively.
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| Google Maps | 113 |
| Uber | 107 |
| Booking.com | 80 |
| Airbnb | 52 |
| Google Earth | 51 |
| Where is my Train | 46 |
| inDrive | 41 |
| AutoNavi | 37 |
| Bolt | 36 |
| FlightRadar24 | 28 |
Most Popular Education Apps 2022
The language learning app Duolingo led the education app category with 98 million globally. Toca Life World was a distant second with 72 million, followed by Photomath with 42 million.
At the bottom of the list were Baby Panda’s Playhouse and PictureThis with 28 million and 27 million respectively.
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| Duolingo | 98 |
| Toca Life World | 72 |
| Photomath | 42 |
| Google Classroom | 40.4 |
| Brainly | 39.8 |
| Baby Panda’s Supermarket | 36 |
| Toca Kitchen 2 | 33 |
| Coloring Games | 31 |
| Baby Panda’s Playhouse | 28 |
| PictureThis | 27 |
Most Popular Dating Apps 2022
Tinder was the most downloaded dating app worldwide with 64 million downloads. Bumble took second place with 28 million downloads.
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| Tinder | 64 |
| Bumble | 28 |
| Badoo | 26 |
| Tantan | 24 |
| Grindr | 13.6 |
| Hinge | 13.4 |
| Plenty of Fish | 11.3 |
| Happn | 9.8 |
| MOMO | 9.3 |
| JAUMO | 8.6 |
Most Popular Fitness Apps 2022
Sweatcoin leads the list with 52 million downloads, making it the most popular fitness app.
On the other end, Zepp rounds out the list with 24 million downloads, being the least downloaded app.
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| Sweatcoin | 52 |
| Blood Pressure App | 51 |
| PeduliLindungi | 43 |
| Home Workout | 34 |
| Flo | 33 |
| Lucky Step | 29 |
| Da Fit | 27.8 |
| Six Pack in 30 Days | 27.3 |
| FitCoach | 26 |
| Zepp | 24 |
Most Popular Money Transfer Apps 2022
PhonePe tops the chart with 94 million downloads, making it the most preferred money transfer app. PayPal follows closely with 92 million downloads.
On the opposite end, Airtel Thanks and Caixa Tem are at the bottom with 41 million and 38 million downloads respectively.
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| PhonePe | 94 |
| PayPal | 92 |
| Google Pay | 69 |
| Cash App | 66 |
| Paytm | 60 |
| Alipay | 59 |
| NuBank | 49 |
| DANA Dompet | 42 |
| Airtel Thanks | 41 |
| Caixa Tem | 38 |
Most Popular Apps of Previous Years
Most Popular Apps (2021)
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| TikTok | 656 |
| 545 | |
| 416 | |
| 395 | |
| Telegram | 329 |
| Snapchat | 327 |
| Zoom | 300 |
| Messenger | 268 |
| CapCut | 255 |
| Spotify | 203 |
Most Popular Games (2021)
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| Subway Surfers | 191 |
| Roblox | 182 |
| Bridge Race | 169 |
| Garena Free Fire | 154 |
| Among Us | 152 |
| Hair Challenge | 138 |
| Join Clash | 136 |
| 8Ball Pool | 130 |
| Ludo King | 125 |
| Candy Crush Saga | 119 |
Most Popular Apps (2020)
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| TikTok | 850 |
| 600 | |
| 540 | |
| 503 | |
| Zoom | 477 |
| Messenger | 404 |
| Snapchat | 281 |
| Telegram | 256 |
| Google Meet | 254 |
| Netflix | 223 |
Most Popular Games (2020)
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| Among Us | 264 |
| Subway Surfers | 227 |
| Garena Free Fire | 218 |
| PUBG Mobile | 175 |
| Among Us | 171 |
| Hair Challenge | 158 |
| Join Clash | 155 |
| 8Ball Pool | 151 |
| Ludo King | 149 |
| Candy Crush Saga | 138 |
Most Popular Apps (2019)
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| 769 | |
| TikTok | 727 |
| Messenger | 723 |
| 682 | |
| 438 | |
| Likee | 327 |
| SHAREit | 321 |
| Snapchat | 275 |
| Spotify | 226 |
| Netflix | 225 |
Most Popular Games (2019)
| App | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| Garena Free Fire | 327 |
| PUBG Mobile | 268 |
| Subway Surfers | 227 |
| Fun Race 3D | 210 |
| Color Bump 3D | 205 |
| My Talking Tom 2 | 162 |
| Run Race 3D | 158 |
| Sand Balls | 154 |
| Homescapes | 153 |
| Stack Ball | 152 |
Source: AppMagic
