It is evident that Gen Z influences the use of apps. They are referred to as the “mobile-first generation” and account for roughly 40% of all mobile users globally. We recently contacted the app intelligence company Appfigures to learn more about their preferences, and they sent us a list of the top 50 apps that Gen Z has downloaded so far this year.
We were unable to collect data for users between the ages of 13 and 17 due to privacy regulations. The data is restricted to consumers in the United States and the company only disclosed the overall download numbers for users between the ages of 18 and 24, so it doesn’t give a whole picture. Nevertheless, this helps us understand the choices of this generation’s elder demographic.
Let’s examine the applications that have been popular with this group in 2024 in more detail, ranging from well-known social media and e-commerce sites to photo editing software.
Temu, a well-known online marketplace that sells almost any kind of product at steep discounts, was the most downloaded app from January to October, according to data from iOS and Android users in the United States.
Despite their commitment to sustainability and the continuous discussions surrounding fast fashion, Gen Z young adults have downloaded the app 41.98 million times, demonstrating how enticing the wide range of reasonably priced products is to this demographic. Temu also places wagers on gamification techniques, such coupons, prizes, and freebies, to encourage customers.
Shein, its rival, only managed to get 14.68 million new downloads, compared to Temu. The number does not necessarily indicate that users are becoming less interested in the app. Rather, it implies that malware might already be installed on the gadgets of this particular group of young adults.
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With 33.23 million downloads, it should come as no surprise that TikTok is ranked second only to Temu. The primary factor contributing to the short-form video app’s popularity among users between the ages of 18 and 24 is that it provides quick, readily assimilated content. It’s interesting to note that the Gen Z-dominated app is favored above Google as a search engine.
Young adults in Generation Z continue to use YouTube, another popular video site. According to Appfigures, the mobile app received 14.03 million fresh installs in about ten months. Even while this figure is lower than TikTok’s, it still shows that this group is quite engaged.
Additionally, they appear to be propelling the short drama app market’s expansion. ShortMax is a recently popular software that offers over 1,000 short films in a variety of genres, such as mysteries, romance, and drama. According to data, the app has been downloaded more than 10 million times by users aged 18 to 24 in 2024.
Young folks in Generation Z have been installing Meta’s family of applications in addition to their buying and streaming patterns. With 32.32 million installs, Threads is the most popular app. WhatsApp comes in second with 28.42 million, Instagram with 26.29 million, Facebook with 20.58 million, and Messenger with 17.63 million.
It makes sense that Threads has more fresh downloads because it was the most recent to premiere. Furthermore, Facebook appears to have regained popularity after being redesigned to appeal to this generation of social media experts. (It’s important to note the possible association even if we are unable to confirm whether the upgrade had a direct impact on the download surge.)
This year, Google, another tech behemoth, has also accumulated a respectable number of downloads. While Chrome and Meet, two other Google-owned applications, got 10.19 million and 9.63 million installs, respectively, the search engine app had 17.65 million. Google Photos got 6.79 million downloads, while Google Drive had 7.22 million.
The fact that OpenAI’s ChatGPT continues to be popular among users aged 18 to 24—gaining 24.63 million app installs—is another unsurprising finding. Since many Gen Z young adults are either starting college or are just starting their jobs, ChatGPT has become a popular resource for professional and educational advice. According to a Best Colleges poll, 43 percent of college students have acknowledged utilizing ChatGPT or other AI tools.
Gauth, an AI study buddy, is another AI-powered software that is gaining popularity. ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, built the app, which saw 8.37 million new installs. Although Gauth has been around since 2021, its popularity spiked earlier this year, and in April it was the second most downloaded educational software for iOS devices in the United States.
Social networking apps and photo sharing are essential parts of Gen Z’s everyday existence. Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that many of these platforms would be included.
Apart from Instagram and Threads, ByteDance’s CapCut is another site that Gen Z young adults prefer. Known for its extensive selection of effects and filters, the video editing tool makes it simple to post altered videos to TikTok and other sites that support it. According to data, 21.72 million new users downloaded the app.
With 7.7 million downloads, Lemon8, another ByteDance software, has also seen some success with this age range.
Despite its sluggish growth in the United States, this Instagram impersonator appears to be gaining traction with its intended population.
With 19.16 million installs, Snapchat is also among the top apps. Telegram comes in second with 13.12 million, Pinterest with 8.23 million, Reddit with 8.06 million, and X with 7.58 million.
With 15.67 million installs so far this year, Netflix has been the streaming service that most appeals to users aged 18 to 24. With 12.86 and 11.68 million downloads, respectively, Prime Video and Disney+ are not far behind. Each of Max, Peacock, and Tubi has had at least seven million downloads.
And it seems that the top platform, Spotify, is the music streaming app that Gen Z young adults are most interested in. 10.45 million downloads of this software demonstrate how popular it is among this age group.
Lastly, we took a look at download data for payment apps to determine which platforms are most popular among young adults for making purchases, splitting bills, and sending tips. PayPal, an established player in the market, experienced a jump in new downloads, totaling 13.92 million. Venmo followed with 7.8 million downloads, while Cash App recorded 6.9 million downloads.
