ChatGPT is Apple’s most downloaded app of 2025 in the US | TechCrunch

Apple on Wednesday released its annual list of the most downloaded apps and games for the year. For the U.S. market, OpenAI’s ChatGPT topped the ranks of free iPhone apps (not including games) with the most installs in 2025.

The AI app was followed by Threads, Google, TikTok, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Google Maps, Gmail and then Google’s Gemini.

ChatGPT made it to No. 4 last year, but the top spot was taken by Chinese shopping app Temu. In 2023, the AI app didn’t make the top-ten list despite being released on the iPhone in May 2023 to a strong debut.

The fact that ChatGPT is outpacing social networking standbys, and much-needed utilities like Google Maps indicates how deeply AI has penetrated people’s everyday lives here in the U.S. It also demonstrates the potential for OpenAI to disrupt Google’s tight hold on the search market on mobile devices, as more people turn to a chatbot for answers first.

There were signs that ChatGPT was on its way to No. 1 earlier in the year — it became the most-downloaded app globally in March, outpacing other top apps like TikTok and Instagram.

Apple also released its list of the top paid apps, the top free and paid games for iPhone and iPad, as well as the top Apple Arcade games.

Block Blast! was the top free game this year, while Minecraft took the crown as the top paid game. On iPad, YouTube was the No. 1 free app, and users downloaded the creativity app Procreate as the top paid game on iPad. Roblox was the top free iPad game.

The full list of top apps and games is below:

Top Free iPhone Apps

1. ChatGPT
2. Threads
3. Google
4. TikTok – Videos, Shop & LIVE
5. WhatsApp Messenger
6. Instagram
7. YouTube
8. Google Maps
9. Gmail – Email by Google
10. Google Gemini

Top Paid iPhone Apps

1. HotSchedules
2. Shadowrocket
3. Procreate Pocket
4. AnkiMobile Flashcards
5. Paprika Recipe Manager 3
6. SkyView®
7. TonalEnergy Tuner & Metronome
8. AutoSleep Track Sleep on Watch
9. Forest: Focus for Productivity
10. RadarScope

Top Free iPhone Games

1. Block Blast!
2. Fortnite
3. Roblox
4. Township
5. Pokémon TCG Pocket
6. Royal Kingdom
7. Clash Royale
8. Vita Mahjong
9. Whiteout Survival
10. Last War: Survival

Top Paid iPhone Games

1. Minecraft: Dream it, Build it!
2. Balatro
3. Heads Up!
4. Plague Inc.
5. Geometry Dash
6. Bloons TD 6
7. Stardew Valley
8. Papa’s Freezeria To Go!
9. Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp C
10. Red’s First Flight

Top Free iPad Apps

1. YouTube
2. ChatGPT
3. Netflix
4. Disney+
5. Amazon Prime Video
6. TikTok – Videos, Shop & LIVE
7. Google Chrome
8. Goodnotes: AI Notes, Docs, PDF
9. Canva: AI Photo & Video Editor
10. HBO Max: Stream Movies & TV

Top Paid iPad Apps

1. Procreate
2. Procreate Dreams
3. forScore
4. ToonSquid
5. Nomad Sculpt
6. Shadowrocket
7. AnkiMobile Flashcards
8. Bluebeam Revu for iPad
9. Teach Your Monster to Read
10. Feather: Draw in 3D

Top Free iPad Games

1. Roblox
2. Block Blast!
3. Fortnite
4. Perfect Tidy
5. Magic Tiles 3: Piano Game
6. Mini Games: Calm & Chill
7. Goods Puzzle: Sort Challenge
8. hole.io
9. Subway Surfers
10. Township

Top Paid iPad Games

1. Minecraft: Dream it, Build it!
2. Geometry Dash
3. Stardew Valley
4. Balatro
5. Bloons TD 6
6. Plague Inc.
7. Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp C
8. Poppy Playtime Chapter 3
9. Purple Place – Classic Games
10. Papa’s Sushiria To Go!

Top Apple Arcade Games

1. NFL Retro Bowl ’26
2. NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition
3. Balatro+
4. Snake.io+
5. Sneaky Sasquatch
6. Hello Kitty Island Adventure
7. Fruit Ninja Classic+
8. Bloons TD 6+
9. PGA TOUR Pro Golf
10. Solitaire by MobilityWare+