According to MacRumors, Apple has released its official lists of the most downloaded U.S. App Store apps and games for 2025. ChatGPT was the number one free iPhone app download, followed by Meta’s Threads, the Google app, TikTok, and WhatsApp. Google’s Gemini chatbot was the only other AI app to crack the top ten free list, landing at number 10. On the paid side, the top iPhone apps were HotSchedules, Shadowrocket, and Procreate Pocket. For games, free downloads were led by Block Blast, Fortnite, and Roblox, while Minecraft, Balatro, and Heads Up topped the paid game charts. The full lists, including iPad and Apple Arcade rankings, are available on Apple’s App Store pages.
The Free Vs. Paid Divide
So, the free list is basically a snapshot of our digital obsessions: AI, social media, and utilities. No shock there. But here’s the thing—the paid app list is way more fascinating. It’s not about fleeting attention; it’s about specific, high-value utility. HotSchedules is for shift workers. Shadowrocket is a utility for power users. Procreate Pocket is for artists. People are paying for tools that help them work, create, or control their experience. It shows a clear split: we’ll dabble for free with the big platforms, but we open our wallets for apps that solve a concrete problem or enable a passion. That’s a much tougher market to crack.
AI’s Dominance Is Clear, But Narrow
ChatGPT at number one feels inevitable, right? It’s the defining tech story of the decade. But look at the rest of the list. Gemini squeaking in at number 10 is telling. It suggests that for the average person downloading an AI app, there’s really only one name that comes to mind. The “AI app” category, for now, is being overwhelmingly won by OpenAI. Everyone else is fighting for scraps. This is a huge challenge for Google, Apple, and every other contender. How do you make people want to download *another* chatbot when the first one they got seems to do everything? User inertia is a powerful force.
The Subscription Model Ghost
Now, these charts have a massive, glaring omission: they only track downloads, not revenue or active usage. And in 2025, the real money is in subscriptions. Netflix and Disney+ are high on the iPad list, but that’s just the initial download. The ongoing $15-$20 a month is what matters. ChatGPT itself likely has millions of its downloads converting to paid Plus subscriptions. So while this list shows what’s capturing initial interest, it completely misses the apps that are successfully monetizing our attention and workflows month after month. The most “successful” app might not be on this list at all—it could be something with a smaller, fiercely loyal paying userbase.
What The iPad List Really Says
The iPad rankings are perhaps the purest signal. YouTube, Netflix, Disney+? That’s the “content consumption” tablet. But then look at the top paid apps: Procreate, Procreate Dreams, forScore, ToonSquid, Nomad Sculpt. It’s a powerhouse list of professional and prosumer creative tools. The iPad, more than the iPhone, is where people invest in serious software. It’s seen as a legitimate creative and productivity device. This duality is Apple’s entire iPad strategy in a nutshell: it’s your TV and your studio. And the app download data proves both use cases are thriving. You can check out the specific iPad and Apple Arcade lists to see the full breakdown.
