10 Globally Most Downloaded Apps of All Time

Learn

Everyone wants their app to be successful, like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, or Uber. However, no one has a clue about how to do it. They make assumptions and create something that’s either a horrible replica of these successful mobile apps or a mobile app that completely misses the mark.

So, how do you learn from these successful apps and apply those learnings to build a mobile app that users download and love to use? You can start by analyzing the latest mobile app trends or studying popular apps to learn why they stand out. To make this easier for you, we list the top 10 global most-downloaded mobile apps and what makes them stand out. Let’s begin:

Contents

1 Top 10 most downloaded apps of all time
2 Conclusion

Top 10 most downloaded apps of all time

TikTok

TikTok’s popularity is rising despite the ban across several countries, and it is the most downloaded mobile app, with over 2 billion downloads globally. Especially during the pandemic, it became an escape, a medium of entertainment, and a source of income for many people.

Here is what makes TikTok a favorite among the masses:

Creating and uploading videos on TikTok is easy. Unlike YouTube, you don’t have to be an expert in video editing. Instead, you can shoot the videos from your phone, apply effects and filters, and upload it.
TikTok uses an advanced artificial intelligence mechanism for video recommendations. It means after every 15 seconds; you get new videos on your feed based on ones you watched in the past. It keeps users hooked for hours.
The content creation platform lets anyone with talent become a content creator and start earning. As a result, many people choose TikTok as a source of income.
TikTok lets you easily integrate social media accounts. This way, you can share content across your social media and boost your reach.

Instagram

Instagram was launched in 2010 as a photo-sharing platform. Two years later, Facebook acquired it, and now it is one of the biggest social media platforms, with over 1.4 billion monthly users.

Instagram offers content creators and brands a platform to promote themselves through Instagram Lives, IGTV, and stories.

Here’s why Instagram is so popular:

Instagram makes the world easily accessible on your smartphone. You can find about everything on it educational content, entertaining videos, or information about your favorite celebrities.
Innovative features like live broadcasting, IGTV, and Instagram stories allow you to promote your business and sell products.
The reels feature of Instagram lets you create and share short creative videos. It is so popular that it is giving tough competition to TikTok.
Instagram is a blessing for content creators. They can share content, interact with others, or even collaborate with brands to earn.

Facebook

When Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook in 2004, he had no idea how big it would become. Today, it has over 2.9 billion active users, and last year 416 million people downloaded the Facebook app on their phones. It helps people stay connected to people with similar interests and allows businesses to create a customer base, advertise, and grow.

Here’s why Facebook is a favorite of the masses:

Facebook is one of the largest and oldest social media platforms. Hence, most people find it reliable over others.
Posting on Facebook is easy. You can type a text and share your status. It also lets you upload your photos and videos.
Facebook lets you easily interact with others by reacting to posts and leaving comments.
Groups and communities are other brilliant advantages of Facebook. It makes you feel connected to others on social media.

Ex-Yahoo employees Brian Acton and Jan Koum launched WhatsApp in 2009. Today, it is a widely used messenger service with 1.5 billion global users. People across the use WhatsApp for chatting, voice calling, and video calling on the Internet.

Here’s why WhatsApp is so popular:

WhatsApp lets you video or voice call a person or a group for free. It means you can even call a friend or relative internally without paying a single cent as a fee.
You can easily send documents, live locations, videos, and contacts in a few seconds, making it one of the best media and document-sharing apps.
WhatsApp has also integrated UPI payments, which means you can now seamlessly send and receive payments without using a payment wallet.

You can chat with friends and share attachments like photos, videos, and documents on the Telegram app. While you can’t do video and voice calling, you can do many other things in Telegram, like creating huge groups and public & private channels.

Many people use Telegram as a WhatsApp alternative. The messaging app has over 500 million active users.

Here’s why Telegram is a favorite among the masses:

Telegram has many unique features up its sleeve. You can do much with it, such as editing sent messages, locking the conversation, or even sending auto-disappear messages.
You can also join public and private channels to receive regular updates or learn something new. You can also create your channels to build a loyal user base.

Zoom

Zoom’s video conferencing and chatting app was a lifesaver for many businesses working from home during the pandemic. In April 2020, over 300 million people downloaded it, while the number was 38 million in January 2021. Many people also use Zoom to stay in touch with family and friends.

Here are a few impressive features that make people love Zoom:

You can have group calls and record sessions for future reference. As a result, many people prefer it for meetings and other purposes.
Zoom also allows features like Salesforce integrations, call monitoring, and call delegation that makes calls and business meetings a breeze.
The pricing plans for Zoom are affordable. You can enjoy the basic version for free and upgrade to a pro version for a $149/year license.

Snapchat

Snapchat is especially popular among youngsters who share photos and videos with special filters. However, businesses also use it to create location-based ads to target demographics based on demographics quickly. As of 2022, Snapchat has been downloaded 200 million times.

Here’s why Snapchat is so popular:

Filters, lenses, and other effects make Snapchat a wonder to use. These effects are so popular that even apps like Instagram have started integrating them.
The amount of privacy and security that Snapchat offers is something you’ll rarely find on other social media platforms. You get a notification if someone even takes a screenshot of your messages.

Spotify

Streaming music was no less than a dream a few years back, and today, it’s a reality, all thanks to everyone’s favorite Spotify. It has over 320 million monthly users and over 144 million premium subscribers.

Here are a few exciting features that make Spotify everyone’s favorite:

Spotify uses an advanced artificial algorithm to recommend songs to listeners based on their interests. It keeps them hooked for hours.
You can create your playlist on Spotify, collecting your favorite songs and streaming them anytime.
Spotify also lets you listen to podcasts and enhance your knowledge.

You can use Spotify for free, but there will be ads. For an ad-free experience, you can upgrade to the premium version for $9.99/month.

Uber

Travis Kalanick and Garret Camp launched Uber in 2009 after realizing how expensive and disappointing it was to hail cabs in San Francisco. As of 202, it has 118 million monthly active users and a strong network of 3.5 million drivers worldwide.

Here are a few exciting things that make Uber so popular:

Uber is highly convenient. Users no longer have to stand by the roadside sticking their thumbs out and spend 10 minutes bargaining with the driver to hail a ride. Instead, they can book the ride directly from their phone.
This ride-hailing app also takes care of your security by letting you share your location throughout your ride with your friends and family. Moreover, Uber has a panic button to call 911 if the user faces any problem.

Uber has also recently released a new feature called Uber Eats, using which you can request food delivery at your doorstep. It’s as easy as ordering a ride.

Amazon

No list of the most downloaded apps is complete without the Amazon shopping app. It has redefined how we shop and become an integral part of our lives. Most of us can’t even imagine online shopping without Amazon.

Amazon has over 100 million downloads on Google Playstore. Here are the reasons why it is so popular:

Amazon has a long catalog of products. It means you can buy anything on it, from diapers to drones.
Cashbacks, rewards, and offers make users keep coming for more.
Amazon has a solid algorithm to recommend products based on your preferences. They are always on point with their recommendations.
The Amazon app offers the best user experience that keeps you hooked.

Conclusion

So these were the 10 most downloaded apps for 2023. Hopefully, you learned what makes these apps so tempting. Now you can apply these learnings to your clients’ mobile apps. Best of luck!