It’s clear that Gen Z has an influence on app consumption. Known as the “mobile-first generation,” they make up about 40% of all mobile users worldwide. Curious about their preferences, we recently contacted the app intelligence firm Appfigures, which provided an overview of the 50 most downloaded apps by Gen Z this year.
Due to privacy rules, we were unable to obtain data for users aged 13 to 17. The firm only shared total download numbers for users aged 18 to 24, and the data is limited to users in the U.S., so it doesn’t provide a complete picture. Even so, this gives us an idea of the preferences among the older segment of this generation.
From popular e-commerce and social media platforms to photo editing tools, let’s take a closer look at the apps that have resonated with this demographic in 2024.
Based on data from iOS and Android users in the U.S., the most downloaded app from January to October was Temu, the popular online marketplace that offers nearly every type of product you can think of at heavily discounted rates.
Gen Z young adults have downloaded the app 41.98 million times, indicating that the vast selection of affordable items is highly appealing to this particular group despite their dedication to sustainability and the ongoing debates around fast fashion. Temu also bets on gamification strategies to motivate shoppers, such as coupons, rewards, and free gifts.
In contrast to Temu, its competitor, Shein, managed to garner only 14.68 million new downloads. The figure doesn’t necessarily reflect a dwindling interest in the app. Instead, it suggests that this specific demographic of young adults may have already installed it on their devices.
Not surprisingly, TikTok is in second place next to Temu with 33.23 million downloads. The short-form video app is popular among users aged 18 to 24 for several reasons, the most obvious being that it serves as a go-to source for fast-paced, easily digestible content. Interestingly enough, the Gen Z-dominated app is also preferred as a search engine over Google.
Another major video platform, YouTube, remains popular among Gen Z young adults. Over a span of around 10 months, the mobile app amassed 14.03 million new installs, Appfigures noted. While this number is not as high as TikTok’s, it still indicates significant engagement among this group.
They also seem to be driving growth in the short drama app industry. One of the latest apps gaining attention is ShortMax, which features about 1,000 short films across various genres, including drama, romance, and mysteries. Data shows that 18- to 24-year-olds have installed the app over 10 million times so far in 2024.
In addition to their spending and streaming habits, Gen Z young adults have also been downloading Meta’s family of apps. Threads tops the list at 32.32 million installs, followed by WhatsApp at 28.42 million, Instagram at 26.29 million, Facebook at 20.58 million, and Messenger at 17.63 million.
Since Threads was the most recent to launch, it makes sense that it has more new downloads. Additionally, there seems to be renewed interest in Facebook following the redesign aimed at engaging this social media-savvy generation. (While we cannot definitively determine whether the update directly influenced the spike in downloads, it’s worth noting the potential correlation.)
Google, another tech giant, has also amassed a decent amount of downloads so far this year. The search engine app saw 17.65 million installs, whereas other Google-owned products Chrome and Meet saw 10.19 million installs and 9.63 million, respectively. Meanwhile, Google Drive garnered 7.22 million downloads, and Google Photos had 6.79 million.
Another not-so-shocking discovery was that OpenAI’s ChatGPT continues to be favored among 18- to 24-year-olds, gaining 24.63 million app installs. With many Gen Z young adults either starting college or entering the early stages of their careers, ChatGPT has emerged as a favored resource for educational purposes and career guidance. A survey conducted by Best Colleges revealed that 43% of college students have admitted to using ChatGPT or similar AI tools.
Another AI-powered app getting traction was AI study companion Gauth. The app, developed by TikTok parent company ByteDance, achieved 8.37 million new installs. While it has existed since 2021, Gauth saw a surge in downloads earlier this year, becoming the second most downloaded education app for iOS devices in the U.S. in April.
For Gen Z, photo sharing and social media apps are integral to their daily lives. So it’s safe to say that a lot of these types of platforms would make it to the list.
In addition to Threads and Instagram ranking highly, ByteDance’s CapCut is another platform favored by Gen Z young adults. The video editing app is known for its range of effects and filters, making it easy to upload edited content to TikTok and other compatible platforms. Data indicates that the app saw 21.72 million new downloads.
Another app from ByteDance, Lemon8, has also gained some traction among this age group, with 7.7 million downloads. Although this Instagram copycat has been slow to grow in the U.S., it seems to be making progress with its target audience.
Others on the list include Snapchat with 19.16 million installs, followed by Telegram with 13.12 million, Pinterest at 8.23 million, Reddit at 8.06 million, and X at 7.58 million.
So far this year, Netflix has been the top streaming service to attract the most 18- to 24-year-olds with 15.67 million installs. Prime Video and Disney+ are not far behind, with 12.86 million and 11.68 million downloads, respectively. Max, Peacock, and Tubi each have around 7 million downloads or more.
And it appears the music streaming app capturing lots of interest among Gen Z young adults is none other than the leading platform, Spotify. This app has attracted 10.45 million downloads, highlighting its significant appeal to this age group.
Lastly, we took a look at download data for payment apps to determine which platforms are most popular among young adults for making purchases, splitting bills, and sending tips. PayPal, an established player in the market, experienced a jump in new downloads, totaling 13.92 million. Venmo followed with 7.8 million downloads, while Cash App recorded 6.9 million downloads.
