ChatGPT tops US iPhone free app downloads in 2025

ChatGPT was the most downloaded free iPhone app in the US in 2025, according to Apple’s annual rankings released on December 10.

It topped other popular apps, including Threads, Google, TikTok, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Google Maps, Gmail, and Google Gemini.

Last year, ChatGPT ranked fourth, while Temu held the top spot.

On iPad, YouTube led among free apps, with ChatGPT in second place.

For games, Block Blast! was the most downloaded free iPhone game, and Minecraft was the top paid title.

Apple also shared lists for the most downloaded paid apps and games on both iPhone and iPad, as well as top Apple Arcade titles.

The rankings reflect downloads in the US during 2025.

🔗 Source: TechCrunch

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

ChatGPT moved from fourth to first, but rank misses scale 1. It reached 1 billion downloads by July 2025 and 500 million monthly active users, excluding pre-installs, which made it the fastest to both marks 1.
Weekend slowdowns have shrunk, so people now treat it like a general-purpose tool similar to Google 1.
Lifestyle plus entertainment prompts now lead growth, while coding help with writing assistance take a smaller share 1.
ChatGPT and Google Gemini (Google’s AI assistant app) both sit in the top ten, so conversational AI is splitting old search habits 2.

AI app downloads have spiked, which gives mobile marketers a chance to reach shoppers on Apple Search Ads (ASA), Apple’s platform for ads in App Store search 3.
Apple’s Maximize Conversions automated bidding is an algorithm that adjusts bids to get the most installs within a set budget 4. It can uncover new keywords and intent clusters, groups of related searches that signal similar goals 4.
Use Custom Product Pages that are alternate versions of an App Store listing with tailored screenshots, copy and previews to lift conversion rates by up to 6% 3.
Move fast because larger budgets speed the learning phase, the period when the bidding algorithm gathers performance data 4. Early teams can stake profitable keyword ground before auctions crowd and costs rise.