The Most Downloaded Apps of All Time

Programmers and designers work hard to create products that are both valuable and widely adopted — though some are significantly more successful than others. Industry leaders know that the best app development software prioritizes early testing as a vital step in the development process.

At Kobiton, we support developers in building robust, cutting-edge apps every day. Contact us to learn more!

Now, let’s take a look at the apps that captivated the world in 2024.

1) TikTok

773 million downloads in 2024

TikTok reigns supreme — after a close battle with Instagram, TikTok came out on top this year. Even with the looming and then 12ish hour ban in the United States at the beginning of 2025, users were not afraid to download this entertainment platform. There were 13.5 percent more downloads in 2024 than in 2023 for the United States. China, Indonesia, and Pakistan also contributed to TikTok’s win. Short videos on the platform have evolved from simple entertainment to big business.

TikTok is easy to use: creators upload, edit, and easily share videos with users. The continued popularity of TikTok speaks to a universal desire for casual entertainment. Most users scroll through the site many times a day, seeking electrifying entertainment. 

TikTok has also garnered the attention of the celebrity world; global superstars took to the app, and their fans followed. Many of those accounts then became revenue streams for their owners. A heady combination of fame, fortune, and fun keeps TikTok at #1.

2) Instagram

759 million downloads in 2024

Instagram is also among the world’s most-downloaded apps. As talks of a TikTok ban in the United States continue, it will be interesting to see where Instagram continues to rank. Maybe 2026 will be the year it beats TikTok? This multi-functional social media app has been downloaded more than 3.8 billion times since its introduction in 2010, and shows no signs of slowing down.

This photo-sharing app offers fun and useful image filters, hashtags, and picture tagging features. In 2013, it added a short video option to compete with Vine, and later expanded to include longer videos and live streaming. Easy-to-use business tools also make it a favorite for small businesses.

Instagram has consistently upgraded and added new features to stay relevant; for the most part, those upgrades have been smoothly integrated into the app. Ongoing functional testing helps Instagram provide a stable, enjoyable experience for both users and creators.

3) Facebook

571 million downloads in 2024

Jumping up from 8th place in 2024, Facebook ranks 3rd in downloads in 2024. Meta had a good year with three of its apps ranking in the top four for 2024. Without a doubt, Facebook is one of the most popular apps of all time.

Facebook’s hallmark is connection; whether it’s looking at family pictures, finding old friends, or meeting people with shared interests, Facebook provides users with the ability to feel connected. Users can easily post pictures or text, share, and comment on others’ posts.

Facebook frequently innovates and does an excellent job of performance testing for stability before rolling out end-user upgrades.

4)  WhatsApp

527 million downloads in 2024

An early key feature of WhatsApp was the ability to message and call internationally, using Wi-Fi or mobile data; it served as a way to avoid the high cost of international calls via traditional phone networks. Free international calls, texts, and video chats are still the service’s most popular feature. Over 140 billion messages are exchanged every day.

Two other hallmark features of WhatsApp are its cross-platform functionality and its encryption services. It also offers a desktop platform and document-sharing functionality.

WhatsApp offers end-to-end encryption, and users can utilize a PIN for two-step verification; for security-minded users, these are important features.

5)  Temu

438 million downloads in 2024

Temu reported a 60% surge in monthly active users in 2024 compared to the previous year. This app is quickly changing the e-commerce landscape. Temu offers an expansive catalog of products at budget-friendly prices. Built under the umbrella of PDD Holdings, it quickly gained a reputation for flash deals, aggressive promotional campaigns, and simplified checkout processes.  The mobile-first approach has resonated with a global audience.

Temu’s user retention rates also saw a notable uptick, largely credited to ongoing functional testing. As it continues to refine its recommendation algorithms, secure payment integrations, and customer support channels, Temu positions itself as a serious contender in the global e-commerce space.

6) Telegram Messenger

409 million downloads in 2024

Telegram Messenger is a cloud-based instant messaging service, with optional end-to-end encrypted chat functionality. It also enables users to make voice and video calls, share files, and more. Telegram officially launched in 2013. In some parts of the world, Telegram has overtaken WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger as the most popular instant messaging application.

7) CapCut

361 million downloads in 2024

CapCut is the world’s most popular video editing app. Introduced in April 2020, CapCut saw a meteoric rise in popularity — in that first year alone, it was downloaded over 250 million times!

CapCut is designed so that even beginners can use it with ease; editing tools allow users to reverse a video, speed it up or slow it down, and the app even has a music library for users. CapCut is free and compatible with both Apple and Android devices.

8)  Threads

322 million downloads in 2024

Threads, the conversation side of Instagram, has quickly risen to prominence in the social media landscape. Released in July of 2023, threads surpassed 100 million downloads within its first week. Threads caters to users looking for concise, real-time conversations. Because of its seamless integration with Instagram, it has become a popular choice. It will be interesting to see how users respond in the next few years as Threads continues to roll out new updates and expand its capabilities. Where will this relatively new app rank in 2026? 

9)  Snapchat

302 million downloads in 2024

Snapchat encourages users to interact with virtual stickers and augmented reality; the American instant messaging app’s hallmarks are messages and stories that are only accessible for a certain period of time. It also allows users to store photos with password-protected access.

Snapchat was created by former Stanford University students Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown. Its creation marked a decidedly mobile-first preference among social media apps.

10)  ChatGPT

278 million downloads in 2024

Initially launched in 2022, ChatGPT continues to exponentially increase in popularity. Millions of users rely on this tool for drafting emails, brainstorming content, writing code snippets, and more. As businesses began incorporating the chatbot into customer service portals and productivity tools, the daily query volume continually increased. 

In 2024, ChatGPT introduced advanced plugins, voice interaction, and industry-specific modules for education, healthcare, and finance. These improvements were made possible by continuous testing and iterative feedback loops. The result is an AI-driven assistant that simplifies everyday tasks, pushing the boundaries of conversational computing further than ever before.

Other Popular Apps to Consider

Just because an app didn’t crack top-tier download numbers in 2024, doesn’t mean it’s out of the picture. A number of other popular platforms shaped the world around us and impacted the ways we communicate, work, and play. Below are a few of the other cool apps to have on your phone.

Zoom

137 million downloads in 2024

The pandemic saw the rise of Zoom as a dominant video conferencing app, and it had over 38 million downloads in January 2021 alone.

Zoom had some bugs to work out; in the early days of COVID, meetings weren’t secure, and “Zoom bombing” was common. The platform had grown so fast, so quickly, that they had little time for testing. To that point, Zoom’s story is a cautionary tale: Use a testing platform like Kobiton to check your code against the most stressful possibilities. Fortunately, Zoom managed to rein in their errant security, but not without losing the confidence of some users.

Zoom’s ability to host large meetings with functions like Salesforce integration allows it to remain relevant. It offers a free download, but businesses that want to achieve greater versatility usually have a paid subscription.

YouTube

More than 10 billion downloads

YouTube is installed by default on most Android devices, which contributes to its massive 10-billion-downloads count. As of 2023, it has 2.7 billion active users. It’s the second-most visited website in the world, bested only by its parent company, Google.

YouTube and Facebook share the distinction of massively popular apps that also have full desktop capabilities. Founded in 2005, YouTube made pivoting to mobile look simple.

Cash App

57 million monthly active users in 2024

PayPal broke ground as a means of allowing digital financial transactions between users, but it isn’t the most popular; that distinction goes to Cash App. With over 25 million downloads in 2024 and 55 million monthly users, Cash App is king. Simply put, Cash App makes it easy to send and receive money.

Advantages of Cash App are that users don’t have to link to a bank account; it can be used for direct deposits. Cash App also has features for buying Bitcoin and stock investments. Some users have found Cash App to be a bit more nimble than its rival Venmo.

Something in Common

So, what do all of these trending apps have in common? The path each one followed to success included bumps along the way, and investments had to be made in updating the products as they simultaneously grew by leaps and bounds. Even the best app development software has shortcomings, and – by partnering with a proven industry leader like Kobiton – apps can launch with a greater degree of confidence.

That’s where testing comes in; not only does it prevent dings to customer confidence and user faith in your product (when things go bad), but it can also present a more cost-effective manner of getting things right, the first time. 

At Kobiton, we understand how a robust testing platform can lead to efficient development, more user downloads, and happier end-users. Let’s make the connection today, and find out how we can help with the success of your app development.