ChatGPT Was the World’s Most Downloaded App in March

In March, ChatGPT became the most downloaded non-gaming app worldwide for the first time, surpassing longtime leaders Instagram and TikTok. According to Appfigures, the app saw a 28% increase in downloads from February, reaching 46 million new installs—marking its biggest month yet. Instagram slipped to second place, with TikTok landing in third.

ChatGPT Downloads Spike Following Major March Upgrades, Viral Ghibli-Style Image Craze

ChatGPT saw a surge in downloads in March, likely helped by major updates, including its first significant image-generation upgrade in over a year. This sparked viral buzz as users created Studio Ghibli–style images and memes. OpenAI also relaxed some image content moderation rules and improved the app’s AI voice capabilities.

Appfigures reports that ChatGPT’s Q1 downloads rose 148% year-over-year compared to 2021. Still, the firm believes the boost wasn’t just about new features.

“It’s starting to feel like ChatGPT is becoming a verb, much like Google did in the 2000s,” said Appfigures CEO Ariel Michaeli. He noted that while interest in AI is rising broadly, many users gravitate toward ChatGPT by default due to its brand dominance.

This strong name recognition may pose a challenge for competing AI apps. Anthropic’s Claude, for instance, has lagged behind, while Grok—boosted by Elon Musk’s name and its integration with X—has more potential to catch on, even if it’s not superior in functionality.

TikTok’s Download Surge Fueled by Ban Fears, While Instagram Maintains Stronghold in Early 2025

Instagram had consistently held the No. 2 spot on both the Apple App Store and Google Play in January and February, with TikTok topping the charts. Part of TikTok’s earlier growth this year was fueled by fears of a potential U.S. ban, prompting users to download the app while they still could. That ban is now on pause as former President Trump works on a possible deal with China, where TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is based.

Before this, Instagram often outpaced TikTok to become the most downloaded non-gaming app worldwide throughout 2024. Its popularity in the U.S. continues to grow, particularly among teens. A recent Piper Sandler survey shows 87% of U.S. teens use Instagram monthly, compared to 79% for TikTok and 72% for Snapchat.

In March, other Meta-owned platforms also ranked highly, with Facebook and WhatsApp rounding out the top five. Apps like CapCut, Telegram, Snapchat, Threads, and Temu filled the rest of the top 10.

Collectively, the top 10 apps reached 339 million downloads in March—up from 299 million in February.

Read the original article on: TechCrunch

Read more: ChatGPT Doubled Weekly Users in Under Six Months Due to Updates