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.
Techcrunch event
San Francisco
|
October 13-15, 2026
The full list of top apps and games is below:
Top Free iPhone Apps
ChatGPT
Threads
TikTok – Videos, Shop & LIVE
WhatsApp Messenger
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+
