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

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 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-10 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

ChatGPT

Threads

Google

TikTok – Videos, Shop & LIVE

WhatsApp Messenger

Instagram

YouTube

Google Maps

Gmail – Email by Google

Google Gemini

Top Paid iPhone Apps

HotSchedules

Shadowrocket

Procreate Pocket

AnkiMobile Flashcards

Paprika Recipe Manager 3

SkyView®

TonalEnergy Tuner & Metronome

AutoSleep Track Sleep on Watch

Forest: Focus for Productivity

RadarScope

Top Free iPhone Games

Block Blast!

Fortnite

Roblox

Township

Pokémon TCG Pocket

Royal Kingdom

Clash Royale

Vita Mahjong

Whiteout Survival

Last War: Survival

Top Paid iPhone Games

Minecraft: Dream it, Build it!

Balatro

Heads Up!

Plague Inc.

Geometry Dash

Bloons TD 6

Stardew Valley

Papa’s Freezeria To Go!

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp C

Red’s First Flight

Top Free iPad Apps

YouTube

ChatGPT

Netflix

Disney+

Amazon Prime Video

TikTok – Videos, Shop & LIVE

Google Chrome

Goodnotes: AI Notes, Docs, PDF

Canva: AI Photo & Video Editor

HBO Max: Stream Movies & TV

Top Paid iPad Apps

Procreate

Procreate Dreams

forScore

ToonSquid

Nomad Sculpt

Shadowrocket

AnkiMobile Flashcards

Bluebeam Revu for iPad

Teach Your Monster to Read

Feather: Draw in 3D

Top Free iPad Games

Roblox

Block Blast!

Fortnite

Perfect Tidy

Magic Tiles 3: Piano Game

Mini Games: Calm & Chill

Goods Puzzle: Sort Challenge

hole.io

Subway Surfers

Township

Top Paid iPad Games

Minecraft: Dream it, Build it!

Geometry Dash

Stardew Valley

Balatro

Bloons TD 6

Plague Inc.

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp C

Poppy Playtime Chapter 3

Purple Place – Classic Games

Papa’s Sushiria To Go!

Top Apple Arcade Games

NFL Retro Bowl ’26

NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition

Balatro+

Snake.io+

Sneaky Sasquatch

Hello Kitty Island Adventure

Fruit Ninja Classic+

Bloons TD 6+

PGA TOUR Pro Golf

Solitaire by MobilityWare+