It’s clear that Generation Z, the group of people born roughly between 1997 and 2012, is significantly shaping how apps are used today. This generation is often referred to as the “mobile-first generation” because they rely heavily on their smartphones for various activities. In fact, they represent about 40% of all mobile users around the globe.
To understand what apps they like the most, we reached out to a company called Appfigures, which specializes in tracking app trends. They provided us with a list of the 50 apps that Gen Z has downloaded the most this year.
However, there were some limitations in the information we received. Due to privacy laws, we couldn’t gather details about app downloads from younger users aged 13 to 17. Appfigures only provided download statistics for users aged 18 to 24, and this data was limited to users in the United States. So while we won’t have a complete view of all Gen Z preferences, this information does give us a glimpse into what the older part of this generation, particularly those in their early twenties, are interested in.
Now, let’s dive deeper into the types of apps that this age group enjoys in 2024. These apps range from popular shopping platforms and social media sites to photo editing applications—showcasing a variety of interests and activities that are meaningful to them.
From January to October this year, the most popular app downloaded by users on iOS and Android in the United States was Temu. This app is an online marketplace where you can find almost any product you can imagine, all at very low prices.
A significant portion of Temu’s downloads comes from young adults, particularly those from Generation Z, who downloaded it nearly 42 million times. This shows that these young shoppers are really drawn to the wide variety of affordable products available on the app. Even though many in this age group care about sustainability and are concerned about the impact of fast fashion, they still find Temu’s deals hard to resist. Additionally, Temu uses fun strategies to keep shoppers engaged, like offering coupons, rewards, and free gifts, which helps encourage people to keep shopping.
Read Also: Truecaller Brings Back Call Recording For Premium Users
On the other hand, Shein, a competing app that also sells trendy clothing and accessories, only saw about 14.68 million new downloads during the same period. This doesn’t mean that interest in Shein is fading; rather, it might suggest that many young adults have already downloaded the app and are not looking to install it again.
It’s no surprise that TikTok is doing really well, coming in second place behind Temu with an impressive 33.23 million downloads. This short video app is especially popular with young people aged 18 to 24. One reason for its popularity is that TikTok provides quick and entertaining content that is easy to consume. In fact, many users from Generation Z (those born roughly between the late 1990s and early 2010s) prefer using TikTok as a search engine instead of Google, which is quite interesting!
In addition to TikTok, another well-known video platform is YouTube, which also remains a favorite among young adults in the Gen Z age group. Over the last 10 months, YouTube’s mobile app gained 14.03 million new downloads. While this number is lower than TikTok’s, it still shows that many young people are actively using the platform.
Moreover, young adults seem to be influencing the growth of apps that focus on short films. One of the newer apps that is catching on is called ShortMax. This app offers about 1,000 short films in different genres, such as drama, romance, and mystery. So far in 2024, it has been downloaded over 10 million times by users aged 18 to 24, indicating that there is a strong interest in this type of content among young viewers.
Along with how they spend their money and what they watch online, young adults from Generation Z (often referred to as Gen Z) are also pretty active in downloading various apps made by Meta, the company that owns popular apps like Facebook and Instagram.
The app that is getting the most attention right now is called Threads, which has been downloaded about 32.32 million times. Following Threads, people are also eager to use WhatsApp, with around 28.42 million downloads, and Instagram, which has about 26.29 million downloads. Facebook, which is a bit older but still popular, has been downloaded around 20.58 million times. Lastly, Messenger, which is used for sending messages through Facebook, has around 17.63 million downloads.
One reason Threads has had so many downloads is that it’s the newest app among the group. New apps often attract a lot of users who are curious about the latest trends. Additionally, Facebook has made some changes to its design, which could be why some people are showing more interest in it again. While we can’t say for sure if the redesign is the reason behind the increase in downloads, it’s interesting to think about how it might have played a role.
On the other side, Google, a big name in technology too, has also seen a good number of people downloading its apps this year. The Google search app has been downloaded about 17.65 million times. Other popular Google apps like Chrome, which is a web browser, and Google Meet, a video conferencing tool, have also had a fair number of downloads, with Chrome seeing 10.19 million and Meet getting around 9.63 million downloads. Lastly, Google Drive, which helps people store documents online, has been downloaded about 7.22 million times, and Google Photos, which is used for storing and sharing pictures, has received around 6.79 million downloads.
A recent study revealed some expected findings about the popularity of various apps among young adults, particularly those aged 18 to 24. OpenAI’s ChatGPT remains a top choice for this age group, with an impressive 24.63 million people downloading the app. This trend can be attributed to many Gen Z individuals either starting their college education or beginning their first jobs. They are likely using ChatGPT as a helpful tool for studying and getting advice on their careers. In fact, according to a survey by Best Colleges, 43% of college students confessed to using ChatGPT or similar AI tools for help with their studies and career planning.
Another app that is gaining popularity is Gauth, which is an AI-powered study companion created by ByteDance, the company behind TikTok. Although Gauth has been around since 2021, it saw a dramatic increase in downloads earlier this year, reaching 8.37 million new installs. In April, it became the second most downloaded education app for iPhone users in the United States.
Photos and social media play a crucial role in the daily lives of Gen Z. As a result, several social media apps have become very popular among this age group. Besides Threads and Instagram, another app from ByteDance, called CapCut, is gaining traction. CapCut is a video editing app that offers many effects and filters, making it simple for users to create and share edited videos on TikTok and other similar platforms. This app saw 21.72 million new downloads recently.
Additionally, another ByteDance app named Lemon8 is making its way into the hearts of young users. Lemon8, which resembles Instagram, has secured 7.7 million downloads. Although its growth in the U.S. has been gradual, it seems to be steadily appealing to its intended audience.
Other popular apps among young adults include Snapchat with 19.16 million new installs, Telegram with 13.12 million, Pinterest at 8.23 million, Reddit with 8.06 million, and X (formerly known as Twitter) with 7.58 million downloads.
When it comes to streaming services, Netflix stands out as the most downloaded platform for young adults this year, with 15.67 million new installs. Prime Video and Disney+ are closely following, with 12.86 million and 11.68 million downloads, respectively. Also, other streaming services like Max, Peacock, and Tubi are doing well, each securing around 7 million downloads or more.
In the realm of music streaming, Spotify continues to reign supreme among young adults, attracting 10.45 million new downloads. This shows just how much Gen Z loves using Spotify for their music needs.
Lastly, we examined which payment apps are most popular among young adults for transactions, bill-splitting, and tipping. PayPal, a long-standing favorite in this category, gained a significant boost with 13.92 million new downloads. Venmo came next with 7.8 million downloads, while Cash App recorded 6.9 million downloads.
