These are the top apps Gen Z young adults downloaded this year

It’s clear that Gen Z has an affect on app consumption. Often called the “mobile-first technology,” they make up about 40% of all cellular customers worldwide. Interested by their preferences, we not too long ago contacted the app intelligence agency Appfigures, which supplied an outline of the 50 most downloaded apps by Gen Z this yr.

Nevertheless, because of privateness guidelines, we have been unable to acquire knowledge for customers aged 13 to 17. The agency solely shared complete obtain numbers for customers aged 18 to 24, and the info is proscribed to customers within the U.S., so it doesn’t present an entire image. Even so, this provides us an thought of the preferences among the many older section of this technology.

From well-liked e-commerce and social media platforms to picture modifying instruments, let’s take a better have a look at the apps which have resonated with this demographic in 2024.

Picture Credit:Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto / Getty Photographs

Primarily based on knowledge from iOS and Android customers within the U.S., probably the most downloaded app from January to October was Temu, the favored on-line market that gives practically each sort of product you possibly can consider at closely discounted charges. 

Gen Z younger adults have downloaded the app 41.98 million instances, indicating that the huge number of reasonably priced objects is extremely interesting to this specific group regardless of their dedication to sustainability and the continuing debates round quick vogue. Temu additionally bets on gamification methods to encourage customers, comparable to coupons, rewards, and free presents. 

In distinction to Temu, its competitor, Shein, managed to garner solely 14.68 million new downloads. This determine doesn’t essentially mirror a dwindling curiosity within the app. As an alternative, it means that this particular demographic of younger adults could have already put in it on their gadgets. 

A laptop keyboard and TikTok logo displayed on a phone screen are seen in this multiple exposure illustration.
Picture Credit:Jakub Porzycki / NurPhoto / Getty Photographs

Not surprisingly, TikTok is in second place subsequent to Temu with 33.23 million downloads. The short-form video app is well-liked amongst customers aged 18 to 24 for a number of causes, the obvious being that it serves as a go-to supply for fast-paced, simply digestible content material. Apparently sufficient, the Gen Z-dominated app can also be preferred as a search engine over Google.

One other main video platform, YouTube, stays well-liked amongst Gen Z younger adults. Over a span of round 10 months, the cellular app amassed 14.03 million new installs, Appfigures famous. Whereas this quantity will not be as excessive as TikTok’s, it nonetheless signifies important engagement amongst this group.

Apparently, additionally they appear to be driving progress within the short drama app industry. One of many newest apps gaining consideration is ShortMax, which options about 1,000 brief movies throughout varied genres, together with drama, romance, and mysteries. Knowledge reveals that 18- to 24-year-olds have put in the app over 10 million instances up to now in 2024.

Meta social media icons including Threads are displayed on a smartphone
Picture Credit:Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto / Getty Photographs

Along with their spending and streaming habits, Gen Z younger adults have additionally been downloading Meta’s household of apps. Threads tops the listing at 32.32 million installs, adopted by WhatsApp at 28.42 million, Instagram at 26.29 million, Fb at 20.58 million, and Messenger at 17.63 million.

Since Threads was the newest to launch, it is sensible that it has extra new downloads. Moreover, there appears to be renewed curiosity in Fb following the redesign geared toward partaking this social media-savvy technology. (Whereas we can’t definitively decide whether or not the replace immediately influenced the spike in downloads, it’s price noting the potential correlation.)

Google, one other tech big, has additionally amassed an honest quantity of downloads up to now this yr. The search engine app noticed 17.65 million installs, whereas different Google-owned merchandise Chrome and Meet noticed 10.19 million installs and 9.63 million, respectively. In the meantime, Google Drive garnered 7.22 million downloads, and Google Photographs had 6.79 million. 

ChatGPT app
Picture Credit:CFOTO/Future Publishing / Getty Photographs

One other not-so-shocking discovery was that OpenAI’s ChatGPT continues to be favored amongst 18- to 24-year-olds, gaining 24.63 million app installs. With many Gen Z younger adults both beginning faculty or getting into the early phases of their careers, ChatGPT has emerged as a well-liked useful resource for instructional functions and profession steerage. A survey carried out by Best Colleges revealed that 43% of faculty college students have admitted to utilizing ChatGPT or related AI instruments. 

One other AI-powered app getting traction was AI examine companion Gauth. The app, developed by TikTok guardian firm ByteDance, achieved 8.37 million new installs. Whereas it has existed since 2021, Gauth noticed a surge in downloads earlier this yr, changing into the second most downloaded training app for iOS gadgets within the U.S. in April. 

CapCut logo
Picture Credit:CapCut

For Gen Z, picture sharing and social media apps are integral to their every day lives. So it’s protected to say that a number of a lot of these platforms would make it to the listing. 

Along with Threads and Instagram rating extremely, ByteDance’s CapCut is one other platform favored by Gen Z younger adults. The video modifying app is understood for its vary of results and filters, making it simple to add edited content material to TikTok and different suitable platforms. Knowledge signifies that the app noticed 21.72 million new downloads. 

One other app from ByteDance, Lemon8, has additionally gained some traction amongst this age group, with 7.7 million downloads. Though this Instagram copycat has been slow to grow within the U.S., it appears to be making progress with its audience.

Others on the listing embody Snapchat with 19.16 million installs, adopted by Telegram with 13.12 million, Pinterest at 8.23 million, Reddit at 8.06 million, and X at 7.58 million.

To this point this yr, Netflix has been the highest streaming service to draw probably the most 18- to 24-year-olds with 15.67 million installs. Prime Video and Disney+ will not be far behind, with 12.86 million and 11.68 million downloads, respectively. Max, Peacock, and Tubi every have round 7 million downloads or extra.

And it seems the music streaming app capturing a lot of curiosity amongst Gen Z younger adults is none aside from the main platform, Spotify. This app has attracted 10.45 million downloads, highlighting its important attraction to this age group.

Lastly, we took a have a look at obtain knowledge for fee apps to find out which platforms are hottest amongst younger adults for making purchases, splitting payments, and sending ideas. PayPal, a longtime participant available in the market, skilled a bounce in new downloads, totaling 13.92 million. Venmo adopted with 7.8 million downloads, whereas Money App recorded 6.9 million downloads.

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