Mobile app rankings for August reveal a quieter month. According to Appfigures[1] data[2],[3] downloads fell compared with July, while revenues stayed firm. Market leaders held their ground, and streaming platforms gained more space in the earnings chart. The results underline seasonal shifts as users returned from vacations and spending patterns settled into late summer routines.
Downloads Slip as Vacations End
ChatGPT led global downloads in August with about 48 million installs across iOS and Android. Most of its growth came from Google Play, where it added 35 million downloads. Apple’s App Store contributed 13 million. TikTok followed with 38 million installs, supported by its Lite version on Android. Instagram remained close behind with 35 million. Facebook and WhatsApp completed the global top five with 27 million and 24 million installs.
The combined figure for the ten most downloaded apps reached 273 million in August. This marked a decline from July, reflecting reduced activity during the vacation period. Threads moved higher in the overall chart, and Uber entered the iOS top ten for the first time this year.
iOS Download Chart
On the App Store, ChatGPT led with 13 million installs. Threads ranked second with 11 million. Google Maps, CapCut, and Temu followed, each recording about 8 million downloads. Google’s search app and TikTok tied with 7 million. Telegram added 6 million. Uber and Google Chrome closed the list with 5 million each.
Google Play Download Chart
On Google Play, ChatGPT topped the list with 35 million installs. TikTok Lite came second with 32 million, while Instagram reached 30 million. Facebook and WhatsApp followed with 23 million and 19 million. Temu and Snapchat both added 15 million downloads. WhatsApp Business and Telegram each brought in 13 million. CapCut ranked tenth with 12 million installs.
Combined Global Downloads
When both platforms are combined, ChatGPT held first with 48 million installs. TikTok reached 38 million, Instagram 35 million, Facebook 27 million, and WhatsApp 24 million. Temu stood at 22 million, Threads at 21 million, and CapCut at 20 million. Telegram followed with 19 million, while Snapchat closed the top ten with 18 million.
| Rank | iOS App Store (Downloads) | Google Play | Combined Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ChatGPT – 13M | ChatGPT – 35M | ChatGPT – 48M |
| 2 | Threads – 11M | TikTok Lite – 32M | TikTok – 38M |
| 3 | Google Maps – 8M | Instagram – 30M | Instagram – 35M |
| 4 | CapCut – 8M | Facebook – 23M | Facebook – 27M |
| 5 | Temu – 8M | WhatsApp – 19M | WhatsApp – 24M |
| 6 | Google – 7M | Temu – 15M | Temu – 22M |
| 7 | TikTok – 7M | Snapchat – 15M | Threads – 21M |
| 8 | Telegram – 6M | WhatsApp Business – 13M | CapCut – 20M |
| 9 | Uber – 5M | Telegram – 13M | Telegram – 19M |
| 10 | Google Chrome – 5M | CapCut – 12M | Snapchat – 18M |
Revenue Rankings Hold Steady
While downloads slowed, earnings remained stable. TikTok was again the top revenue generator in August. The app brought in an estimated $335 million after store fees, keeping a clear lead over other services. ChatGPT followed with $170 million, supported mainly by App Store purchases. YouTube held third place with $137 million, relying on iOS transactions rather than standard billing on Android.
Tinder and Disney+ secured fourth and fifth with $130 million and $115 million. HBO Max and Google One posted about $100 million each. CapCut earned $93 million. Peacock TV and Crunchyroll completed the chart with $59 million and $58 million. Together, the ten highest-earning apps generated about $1.3 billion, a slight increase from July.
iOS Revenue Chart
TikTok topped iOS with $213 million in net revenue. YouTube followed with $137 million, and ChatGPT ranked third with $123 million. Tinder added $92 million, while CapCut produced $81 million. Disney+ earned $76 million and HBO Max $72 million. Snapchat contributed $49 million. Peacock TV and Tencent Video each recorded $48 million.
Google Play Revenue Chart
On Google Play, TikTok earned $123 million, the highest on the platform. Google One followed with $99 million. ChatGPT generated $47 million. Amazon’s mobile app was close behind with $46 million. Disney+ collected $40 million, while Tinder reached $37 million. Spotify earned $32 million and HBO Max $29 million. Crunchyroll and Prime Video shared the final places, both at $20 million.
Combined Global Revenue
The combined rankings placed TikTok far ahead with $335 million. ChatGPT held second at $170 million. YouTube stood at $137 million. Tinder and Disney+ followed with $130 million and $115 million. HBO Max reached $101 million, while Google One added $100 million. CapCut ranked eighth with $93 million. Peacock TV recorded $59 million and Crunchyroll $58 million.
| Rank | iOS App Store (Revenue) | Google Play | Combined Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TikTok – $213M | TikTok – $123M | TikTok – $335M |
| 2 | YouTube – $137M | Google One – $99M | ChatGPT – $170M |
| 3 | ChatGPT – $123M | ChatGPT – $47M | YouTube – $137M |
| 4 | Tinder – $92M | Amazon – $46M | Tinder – $130M |
| 5 | CapCut – $81M | Disney+ – $40M | Disney+ – $115M |
| 6 | Disney+ – $76M | Tinder – $37M | HBO Max – $101M |
| 7 | HBO Max – $72M | Spotify – $32M | Google One – $100M |
| 8 | Snapchat – $49M | HBO Max – $29M | CapCut – $93M |
| 9 | Peacock TV – $48M | Crunchyroll – $20M | Peacock TV – $59M |
| 10 | Tencent Video – $48M | Prime Video – $20M | Crunchyroll – $58M |
Market Trends
Seasonality shaped August’s results. Downloads slowed, but revenue stayed stable, with most mid-tier apps earning more than in July. Streaming platforms performed strongly, with four services in the revenue chart compared with the usual two. These included Disney+, HBO Max, Peacock TV, and Crunchyroll, all supported by summer demand for entertainment.
Outlook
As September begins, the market will show whether download activity returns to July’s levels. The revenue side suggests that subscription models and media services continue to hold ground. TikTok, ChatGPT, and YouTube remained the strongest performers across both categories, reinforcing their positions as leading players in the global app economy.
Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools.
Read next: Crunching Words, Not Ideas: Why Large Language Models Calculate Probabilities Instead of Thinking or Reasoning[4]
References
- ^ Appfigures (appfigures.com)
- ^ data (appfigures.com)
- ^ , (appfigures.com)
- ^ Crunching Words, Not Ideas: Why Large Language Models Calculate Probabilities Instead of Thinking or Reasoning (www.digitalinformationworld.com)