Remember when we used to flip through physical photo albums or actually call people on the phone? Yeah, me neither. These days, our lives revolve around apps, those little squares on our screens that somehow manage to eat up hours of our time without us even noticing.
As we kick off 2025, let’s take a look back at the apps that dominated our phones – and our attention spans – in 2024. Some might surprise you, others… well, let’s just say some habits die hard.
These are the 10 most popular and downloaded apps of 2024:
1. Instagram:
Who would’ve thought the app that started as a hipster photo-sharing platform would become the digital town square? Instagram claimed the top spot in 2024, racking up a whopping 182.8 million downloads in just Q2 alone. The secret to its success? Reels. Lots and lots of Reels. The platform saw its downloads surge by 20% compared to the previous year, proving that Meta’s “anything you can do, we can copy better” strategy might actually be working.
2. TikTok:
Despite getting knocked off its perch by Instagram, TikTok isn’t exactly crying in the corner. The short-video sensation still boasts over 2.05 billion registered users worldwide. That’s basically like having a quarter of the planet doing dance challenges and watching cooking hacks. The app’s ability to keep users scrolling until 3 AM remains unmatched – for better or worse.
3. Facebook:
Mark Zuckerberg’s firstborn refuses to fade into irrelevance. Despite younger users claiming “Facebook is for boomers,” the app maintains its position in the top five most downloaded apps. It’s like that friend from high school who still manages to get invited to every party – nobody knows how, but they’re always there.
4. WhatsApp:
While everyone’s busy posting their best lives on social media, WhatsApp quietly keeps the world talking. By 2024, it reached over 2 billion active users globally. From family group chats that spiral into chaos to those work messages you pretend not to see at 10 PM, WhatsApp has become as essential as your morning coffee.
5. Threads:
Meta’s Twitter competitor might have had a rocky start, but it managed to crack the top downloads list. Whether it was genuine interest or just people hedging their bets against Twitter’s chaos, Threads proved there’s always room for one more social network.
6. Temu:
Plot twist – the shopping app nobody saw coming. Temu emerged as the most downloaded shopping app worldwide, giving Amazon a run for its money. Those oddly specific ads showing people buying entire wardrobes for the price of a sandwich? They worked.
7. Telegram:
As concerns about digital privacy grow, Telegram continues to attract users looking for a more secure messaging experience. The app’s combination of encrypted chats and feature-rich channels keeps it firmly in the top downloads list, proving that not everyone’s comfortable with Big Tech knowing their every move.
8. ChatGPT:
ChatGPT is a smart AI that helps answer questions, brainstorm ideas, and offer solutions, all while chatting casually. It’s like having a conversation with a tech-savvy friend who knows a lot about everything! Plus, its conversational style feels like chatting with a friend, making it fun and engaging!
9. CapCut:
CapCut made it into the top mobile apps, riding the wave of content creation mania. Turns out, everyone wants to be a video editor these days, and CapCut makes it possible to create social-media-worthy content without a film degree.
10. Snapchat:
Despite competition from literally every other social platform, Snapchat keeps its grip on younger users. Those filters that make you look like everything from a baby to a senior citizen? Still irresistible, apparently.
What This Means for 2025
Looking at these numbers, a few things become clear: social media isn’t going anywhere, shopping is increasingly mobile, and we’re all spending way too much time staring at our phones. But hey, at least we’re doing it with better video editing skills than ever before.
The real question isn’t which apps dominated 2024 – it’s whether any of us will remember how to maintain eye contact when this is all over. Until then, keep scrolling, swiping, and pretending you didn’t see that message from your boss at 9 PM.
Just remember to look up occasionally. You know, to make sure the real world is still there.
