Top Apps in the USA

Whether it’s shopping online, listening to music, or keeping in touch with friends and family, there’s no denying the uses of the internet are wide and varied. As it stands, the average person spends over six hours a day online. 

Research also shows that mobile users in the USA spend at least four hours on apps alone. But what is the most used app in America? Here’s a breakdown of the most popular apps in the USA across various categories and operating systems.

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Most popular apps in the USA by monthly users: 2023

According to a recent study, YouTube is the most used app in America. This ranking is determined by the combined monthly active users across iPhones and Android phones. YouTube’s top position should come as no surprise, considering its widespread popularity as one of the leading social media platforms globally, boasting more than 933 million people worldwide. 

Second on the list of the top apps in the USA is Facebook. The number of Facebook users in the USA has also been increasing. In 2024, this figure is projected to rise by 1.1%, to 246.3 million. 

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Followed closely are four Google-developed apps, mainly Google, Gmail, Google Maps, and Google Chrome. Facebook Messenger, ranking seventh, boasts a user base exceeding one billion globally.

All of the seven most popular apps in the USA are developed by either Google or Meta, showcasing their dominance in the app industry.

ByteDance’s TikTok ranks next. The video-sharing app is especially popular among young adults worldwide, which make up more than one-third of its user base.

TikTok is followed by ecommerce giant Amazon, in ninth place. Amazon is also among the largest retailers in the USA, second only to Walmart, and ranks among the top brands in the country. Instagram, another Meta-owned social media network, completes the roster of the 10 most popular apps in the USA.

Notably, five out of the ten most popular apps in the USA are social media platforms, underscoring consumers' heavy reliance on them and their pivotal role in enhancing businesses' brand awareness.

Most popular apps in the USA by total downloads: 2023

Social media networks also feature heavily among the most popular apps in the USA ranked by total downloads. But a closer look reveals that shopping and video streaming apps have also made the list.

For instance, Temu, a China-based online shopping platform, is the most downloaded app in the USA. Its competitor, SHEIN, is also on the list, but ranks further down in sixth place. Meanwhile, Max, a video-streaming app, ranks fourth.

Top apps in the USA by consumer spend: 2023

Social media platforms and video-streaming apps aside, dating apps like Tinder and Bumble also feature on the ranking of the top 10 apps in the USA sorted by consumer spend.

This list also includes music-streaming app Pandora and Google One.

In the subsequent sections, we look at the lists of the most popular apps in the USA by category and operating system.

Top shopping apps in the USA: (Mar 2024)

Top apps in the USA: social media (Mar 2024)

Top 10 dating apps in the USA: Google Play Store (Mar 2024)

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Want to learn more?

• Top Shopping Apps in 2024
• Most Downloaded Social Media App
• How Much Time Does the Average Person Spend on Social Media? (2013–2023)
• Average Time Spent On Social Media in 2023 (by Platform)