ChatGPT Tops Apple’s 2025 App Charts, Signaling AI’s Mobile Takeover
Apple’s annual list of most downloaded apps and games reveals a significant shift in consumer behavior, with OpenAI’s ChatGPT claiming the top spot among free iPhone apps in the U.S. for 2025. This marks a dramatic rise for the artificial intelligence chatbot, which didn’t even crack the top ten in 2023 despite its initial iPhone release in May of that year.
The surge in ChatGPT’s popularity, as announced by Apple on Wednesday, underscores the deepening integration of AI into daily life. The app was followed in the rankings by Threads, Google, TikTok, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Google Maps, Gmail, and Google’s Gemini. According to a company release, this demonstrates a willingness among users to embrace AI-powered tools for a growing range of tasks.
“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.,” one analyst noted. The app’s ascent also raises questions about the future of the search market, with more individuals turning to chatbots for immediate answers. Earlier in 2025, ChatGPT became the most-downloaded app globally in March, surpassing even TikTok and Instagram in popularity.
Apple also released rankings for paid apps and games across both iPhone and iPad. Block Blast! emerged as the most popular free game, while Minecraft secured the top position for paid games. On iPad, YouTube led the free app category, and the creative application Procreate was the most downloaded paid app. Roblox proved to be the most popular free game on iPad.
The full list of top apps and games is as follows:
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+
The rise of ChatGPT to the top of Apple’s charts is not merely a reflection of a popular app; it’s a harbinger of a mobile landscape increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.
Keep reading
- Why Digital Downloads Matter (newsy-today.com)
