According to data from app intelligence firm Appfigures, OpenAI’s ChatGPT became the most downloaded non-gaming app worldwide in March 2025, displacing long-time leaders Instagram and TikTok.
The AI chatbot recorded 46 million new downloads during the month, a 28% increase from February, marking its highest monthly performance to date.
This is the first time ChatGPT has claimed the top position in global app downloads.
Instagram and TikTok dropped to second and third place, respectively, signalling shifting consumer preferences in the competitive landscape of content and productivity apps.
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AI image features drive viral growth
ChatGPT’s surge in popularity followed several key updates in March, most notably a major enhancement to its image-generation capabilities.
For the first time in over a year, OpenAI introduced new features allowing users to create images and memes in the style of Studio Ghibli, the acclaimed Japanese animation studio.
This innovation sparked widespread engagement across social media in late March and early April.
Additional improvements, including upgrades to its AI voice assistant and relaxed image moderation policies, further expanded the app’s creative and conversational utility.
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While product updates contributed to ChatGPT’s growth, Appfigures suggests that brand dominance played a more significant role.
Ariel Michaeli, CEO of Appfigures, noted that ChatGPT is increasingly becoming a household name and the default choice for users exploring AI tools.
ChatGPT is starting to resemble what ‘Google’ became in the 2000s—a verb synonymous with AI interaction
Even with competing AI tools like Grok or DeepSeek gaining attention, many users still turn to ChatGPT due to its strong brand recognition
This brand advantage presents challenges for competitors.
Emerging alternatives like Anthropic’s Claude and Manus AI have struggled to gain comparable traction, while Grok, backed by Elon Musk and integrated into X (formerly Twitter), may have a stronger position due to its high-profile support and distribution network.
Year-over-year growth
ChatGPT’s success aligns with broader trends in AI adoption.
Appfigures reported a 148% year-over-year increase in downloads when comparing Q1 2021 to Q1 2025, indicating growing mainstream acceptance of AI tools.
Despite ChatGPT’s rise, Meta’s apps maintained a strong presence in the top rankings.
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Alongside Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp remained in the global top five, while Threads and CapCut also secured spots in the top 10.
TikTok’s earlier growth in 2025 was partly driven by concerns over a potential U.S. ban, which prompted a surge in downloads.
However, these concerns have eased as negotiations between U.S. authorities and ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, continue.
Overall, the top 10 non-game apps amassed 339 million downloads in March, up from 299 million in February, reflecting heightened global app engagement.
Other leading apps included Telegram, Snapchat, Meta’s Threads, and e-commerce platform Temu.
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