ChatGPT Becomes Most-Downloaded U.S. App of 2025

As we countdown 2025, Apple unveiled its yearly list, and this has been a normal for the company. The yearly list unveiled for the most downloaded games and applications on Wednesday. OpenAI’s ChatGPT was the most installed free iPhone app in the U.S. market in 2025 (not including games).

Threads, Google, TikTok, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Google Maps, Gmail, and Google’s Gemini all came after the AI app.

Temu, a Chinese shopping app, took the top spot last year, while ChatGPT came in at number four. Despite having a great debut on the iPhone in May 2023, the AI app did not place in the top 10 in 2023.

The rise to the top rank signifies and shows that there is a dramatic change in mobile usage as AI products become indispensable everyday tools for Americans. For two years in a row (2023 and 2024), the shopping app Temu held the top place. The dominance of ChatGPT over conventional search and social media platforms is seen by analysts as an indication that OpenAI may pose a growing threat to long-standing leaders in mobile search.

The fact that ChatGPT is surpassing most popular social networking sites and apps and essential tools like Google Maps shows how pervasive and more influencing AI has become in American society. Additionally, as more people turn to chatbots for answers, it shows how OpenAI has the ability to challenge Google’s firm grip on the mobile search industry.

Early in the year, there were indications that ChatGPT was headed for the top spot; at the end of the first quarter, precisely in March, it surpassed other popular applications like Instagram and TikTok to become the most downloaded program worldwide.

Additionally, Apple published a list of the best paid apps, the best paid and free games for the iPhone and iPad, and the best Apple Arcade games. 

Block Blast! emerged as the most popular free game of the year, with Minecraft taking the lead among paid games. On iPad, YouTube was the top free app, Procreate topped the paid app downloads, and Roblox was the most downloaded and popular free game.

Check out the top 5 list of top apps and games is below:

Top Free iPhone Apps

• ChatGPT
• Threads
• Google
• TikTok – Videos, Shop & LIVE
• WhatsApp Messenger

Top Paid iPhone Apps

• HotSchedules
• Shadowrocket
• Procreate Pocket
• AnkiMobile Flashcards
• Paprika Recipe Manager 3

Top Free iPhone Games

• Block Blast!
• Fortnite
• Roblox
• Township
• Pokémon TCG Pocket

Top Paid iPhone Games

• Minecraft: Dream it, Build it!
• Balatro
• Heads Up!
• Plague Inc.
• Geometry Dash

Top Free iPad Apps

• YouTube
• ChatGPT
• Netflix
• Disney+
• Amazon Prime Video

Top Paid iPad Apps

• Procreate
• Procreate Dreams
• forScore
• ToonSquid
• Nomad Sculpt

Top Free iPad Games

• Roblox
• Block Blast!
• Fortnite
• Perfect Tidy
• Magic Tiles 3: Piano Game

Top Paid iPad Games

• Minecraft: Dream it, Build it!
• Geometry Dash
• Stardew Valley
• Balatro
• Bloons TD 6

Top Apple Arcade Games

• NFL Retro Bowl ’26
• NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition
• Balatro+
• Snake.io+
• Sneaky Sasquatch