According to GSM Arena, Apple has just revealed which apps and games were downloaded the most by iPhone and iPad users in the United States throughout 2025. For free iPhone apps, the top spot was taken by ChatGPT, followed by Threads, Google, TikTok, and WhatsApp. On the paid iPhone side, HotSchedules led the list, with Shadowrocket, Procreate Pocket, AnkiMobile Flashcards, and Paprika Recipe Manager 3 rounding out the top five. For games, BlockBlast! was the top free iPhone download, while Minecraft: Dream it, Build it! led paid games and NFL Retro Bowl ’26 topped Apple Arcade. On iPad, YouTube was the most downloaded free app, Procreate was the top paid app, Roblox led free games, and Minecraft again won for paid iPad games.
The ChatGPT Revolution is Real
Look, the biggest story here is ChatGPT sitting at number one for free iPhone apps. It’s not just an AI story; it’s a usage story. It beat out the Google app, which is basically your phone’s front door to the internet. It beat TikTok, the ultimate attention sinkhole. That tells you something massive about how integrated generative AI has become in daily life in just a couple of years. People aren’t just curious—they’re actively choosing it as a primary tool over search and social media. That’s a seismic shift in user behavior that every other tech company is scrambling to address.
The Paid App Anomalies
Now, the paid app lists are always where things get weird and wonderful. HotSchedules at number one? That’s a workforce management app for shift workers. Its dominance speaks volumes about the gig economy and service industry reliance on mobile tools. Then you have Shadowrocket, a utility for advanced network configurations, sitting pretty at number two. It’s a niche power-user tool, but its high ranking suggests there’s a huge, persistent demand for circumventing… let’s call them “network restrictions.” These aren’t flashy consumer hits; they’re essential utilities people are willing to pay for. That’s the real backbone of the App Store economy.
Games Still Rule, But Differently
So what about games? The charts are a mix of hyper-casual (BlockBlast!), evergreen titans (Minecraft, Roblox), and retro-style sports (NFL Retro Bowl ’26). It’s not a list of shiny new AAA titles. It’s comfort food. Minecraft, in particular, is a fascinating case—topping both iPhone and iPad paid charts over a decade after its release. It shows the incredible staying power of a creative platform, especially on iPad, which is basically the perfect Minecraft machine. The Arcade chart being led by a retro football game also hints that Apple’s subscription service is a haven for specific, polished nostalgia trips.
What It All Means
Here’s the thing: these lists aren’t about revenue; they’re about raw adoption and cultural footprint. For developers, seeing ChatGPT and Threads at the top is a stark reminder that riding a massive platform wave (AI, Twitter’s collapse) can drive installs like nothing else. For Apple, it reinforces the iPad Pro’s identity as a creative and gaming device—Procreate and Minecraft aren’t just apps, they’re reasons to buy the hardware. And for users? It confirms we’re in a hybrid era. We’re splitting our time between powerful new AI agents and deeply familiar, reliable tools that just work. The future isn’t a clean break; it’s ChatGPT on your home screen, right next to your old, trusted recipe manager. You can check out the full, region-specific breakdowns on Apple’s App Store stories for iPhone and iPad.
