On average, each person has more than 20 apps on their smartphones. People enjoy finding interesting and useful apps to use in their free time. Thousands of new apps are launched daily, but only those with exceptional user experiences remain installed on phones. By early 2023, app downloads, spending on apps, and active users have significantly increased. Over 37 billion apps were installed in the first quarter alone, with about 28 billion on Android and 8 billion on iOS devices. 

Businesses are putting more effort into having apps because more people like to shop, order food, and watch shows online on apps. This has made more people use apps. So if you are curious about the most used app in the world in 2023, we’ve prepared a list below packed with data for you.

And while there are many mobile applications out there, we’ve only selected the most popular apps of 2023. Using Statista and other trusted sources of the most downloaded apps data in 2023, we’ll discuss the overall usage ranks of them to find out what is the most popular app in 2023.

17 Most Used Apps in the World (2023)

The overall usage rank of any number for an app means that among all the apps tracked, that app is the nth most used app in the world in 2023. This indicates that the app is quite popular and widely used worldwide compared to other apps. A lower number is generally better which indicates high popularity and widespread usage compared to many other apps.

On the other hand, if the overall usage rank is high, it suggests that the app is less popular or less frequently used compared to others and indicates lower levels of usage and popularity.

17. Shopee

As of Monday, April 15, its overall usage rank is 35188. In 2023, Shopee was the most popular shopping app in Malaysia, with over 4.4 million downloads. Lazada was second with around 2.78 million downloads. Shopee is a popular online marketplace owned by Sea Group. Founded in Singapore in 2015, it's now one of Southeast Asia's biggest e-commerce platforms. Shopee is available in countries like Singapore and Indonesia.

16. Tiktok

As of April 15, 2024, its overall usage rank is 239. TikTok was one of the most downloaded apps in 2023 and topped the list for consumer spending. Although initially seen as a space for Gen Z, TikTok has gained many new users since the global lockdowns in 2020. In March 2023 alone, TikTok had over 7 million downloads in the US which was good for marketers, as TikTok offers various marketing opportunities, from organic content to paid ads. However, concerns about the app's safety in the United States are growing, and it will be interesting to see how this impacts download numbers going forward.

15. Tinder

As of April 15, 2024, its overall usage rank is 187. In 2023, Tinder made $1.91 billion in revenue, a 6.9% increase from the year before with its 75 million monthly active users, including 10.4 million subscribers, with most users under 35 and mostly male. With Tinder, the world's top free dating app, you can connect with millions of other single people who are ready to meet someone you like.

14. CapCut

As of April 15, 2024, its overall usage rank is 106. In March 2023, CapCut received over 6 million downloads. By August 2023, CapCut had 490 million users on iPhones and Android phones combined. CapCut, TikTok's video editing tool, ranked third among the most downloaded apps in 2023. With the increasing popularity of video marketing, CapCut offers tools for both casual users and professionals.

13. Zoom

As of April 15, 2024, its overall usage rank is 103. Zoom has about 2 million users, with the highest number (29.71%) in the 25 to 34 age group. The U.S. accounts for 37% of Zoom's traffic and the Americas generate 71% of its revenue. However, in 2023, Zoom revealed its first net loss after 2018. COVID-19 made Zoom popular for online meetings and was one of the most downloaded apps. It became well-known for video conferencing and was easy to use for remote work. Now, with more options for calling, Zoom is famous for virtual hangouts to compete with Microsoft, Google, and others.

12. SHEIN

As of April 15, 2024, its overall usage rank is 85. SHEIN-Fashion Shopping Online had a total of over 53 million downloads across all app stores in 2023, with most downloads coming from users in Brazil. The United States ranked second with over 36 million downloads, and Mexico followed with over 27 million downloads. SHEIN sells clothing, jewelry, and home goods from China at low prices. It became popular because of its affordability and gained attention on TikTok through viral videos showcasing its cheap products.

11. Roblox

As of April 15, its usage rank is 80. In 2023, Roblox earned $2.7 billion, a 25% increase from the previous year. Roblox is extremely popular, especially among kids. It had over 300 million users in May 2023. This platform lets users play games and create their own. It's a prime example of successful user-generated content. Although most Roblox users are under 13, it's still an intriguing advertising opportunity for marketers, who can create branded games or experiences within the platform.

10. Temu

As of April 15, 2024, the app Temu ranks 45th in overall usage. In 2023, the top 4 most downloaded apps were all from China. Temu, a Chinese app, was at the top. It's a marketplace app that sells a wide range of products, from home goods to jewelry and kitchen supplies, all at very low prices compared to Amazon. Some users worry about the quality of the products. But still Temu got over 31 million downloads in the US in March 2023. The app launched in September 2022, so it's still new.

9. Netflix

As of April 15, 2024, Netflix is the 38th used app. It still has a lot of people using it regularly. In 2023, Netflix had about 270 million subscriptions worldwide making it one of the most used apps in 2023. Each paying subscriber paid around $11.64 per month on average in 2023, which is 7.58% more than in 2019. In the US and Canada, the average monthly payment per subscriber was $16.28 in 2023, which is 87.99% higher than in Latin America. 

8. Twitter (X)

As of Monday, April 15, 2024, Twitter's overall usage rank was 29. In 2023, Twitter had about 421 million people using it every month and around 220 million people using it daily. According to Elon Musk, who owns Twitter now, the platform reached a record high of 550 million monthly active users worldwide in 2023. Elon Musk made significant changes to Twitter (now called X) such as releasing Twitter files, giving more importance to community notes, and challenging California's strict laws. These actions show his focus on being open, involving the community more, and questioning rules that limit free expression..

7. Cash App

As of Monday, April 15, 2024, Cash App is ranked 27th in terms of usage. In March 2023, Cash App was downloaded over 50 million people were active users of it, making it the most popular apps 2023. The app's revenue for 2023 increased to $14.3 billion, which is 34.9% higher compared to the previous year, with a gross profit of $4.32 billion. It lets users send and receive money directly through the app. Users can also use banking services provided by the app and even buy stocks or bitcoin.

6. Snapchat

As of Monday, April 15, 2024, Snapchat is ranked 21st in overall usage. In 2023, it had 414 million active users daily. Snapchat is popular among young people, especially in the United States. Since 2019, Snapchat's daily users have been steadily increasing. Snapchat is not only for fun but also for business. It has a feature called Instant Create that allows you to quickly create ads and share them based on location to target specific audiences. This makes Snapchat a useful tool for marketing purposes.

5. Spotify

As of Monday, April 15, 2024, Spotify is ranked 20th in overall usage. In 2023, its revenue grew to €13.24 billion, a 12.9% increase from the previous year. However, Spotify has never made a net profit. The platform has 551 million monthly users, including 220 million subscribers by offering 100 million songs and five million podcasts. Spotify is a digital service for music, podcasts, and videos that allows you to access content from creators around the world. You can use Spotify for free to play music and podcasts, but upgrading to Spotify Premium offers additional features. 

4. Whatsapp

As of Monday, April 15, 2024, WhatsApp is ranked 15th in overall usage. In 2023, WhatsApp was the top messaging app worldwide and started gaining popularity in the United States. In March 2023 alone, it was downloaded nearly 6 million times. Businesses use WhatsApp to keep in touch with clients and customers by sending personalized messages, special offers, and more. WhatsApp offers various marketing opportunities as its use for marketing continues to expand.

3. Instagram

As of Monday, April 15, 2024, Instagram is ranked in the top 10 apps in overall usage. Alongside WhatsApp, another popular Meta app in 2023 was Instagram. This app, loved by Gen Z and Millennials, allows users to share photos and videos. Although Instagram doesn't share all its stats, it had over 768 million downloads in 2023 in the United States alone. Instagram is particularly useful for marketing purposes. With features like Instagram Reels, Lives, and Stories, marketers have various ways to engage their audience.

2. Facebook

As of Monday, April 15, 2024, Facebook is ranked 4th in overall usage. In 2023, Facebook reached 3 billion monthly active users. By the fourth quarter of 2023, the monthly active user count grew to 3.065 billion, following the milestone achieved in the second quarter of 2023. On average, American users spend about 30.9 minutes on Facebook every day, which is more time than they spend on other top platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Facebook, along with WhatsApp Messenger and Snapchat, was among the most downloaded apps in 2023.

1. YouTube

As of April 15, 2024, YouTube is ranked 3rd most used app worldwide. In 2023, YouTube had 2.7 billion active users, making it hugely popular, just after Google and Facebook. YouTube Shorts, which are videos under 15 seconds, got over 70 billion views daily in 2023. A survey from 2023 found that 48.6% of YouTube viewers are men and 51.4% are women.

Final Thoughts

Mobile apps are becoming increasingly important, with lots of people using them every day. The most used apps in 2023, whether IG for reels, Shopee for shopping or TikTok for videos, show what people like. If you want to make an app that does well in 2024 and beyond, and join the list of most used apps, talk to our expert app developers at Maven Digital. We can help you make an app that people will love to use.