In November 2023, the YouTube's mobile app was the most popular smartphone app in the United States, with approximately 161 million unique monthly users in the country on iOS and Android combined. Facebook followed with approximately 140 million monthly active users, while Gmail was reported having 136 million active users in the examined month.

In the United States, the mobile internet user penetration is set to reach 87.6 percent of the population in 2026. Some of the most popular app categories on the Apple App Store are dedicated to gaming, business, or education. In July 2021, casual mobile gaming app Fidget Trading 3D was the most popular game for iPhone users, with more than 4.16 million downloads.

Mobile social networks, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, are still among the most popular social apps for mobile users in the country. However, video apps YouTube and TikTok have quickly become users' favorite social media. As of March 2021, social video apps reported the highest user engagement rates among iOS users in the United States, with users spending 8.7 hours weekly on TikTok and more than five hours weekly on YouTube. In June 2021, the popular short-video app TikTok was counting more than 6.1 million downloads from iOS users in the United States.

Market leader Facebook was the first social network to surpass one billion registered accounts and currently sits at more than three billion monthly active users. Meta Platforms owns four of the biggest social media platforms, all with more than one billion monthly active users each: Facebook (core platform), WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram. In the third quarter of 2023, Facebook reported around four billion monthly core Family product users. The United States and China account for the most high-profile social platforms Most top ranked social networks with more than 100 million users originated in the United States, but services like Chinese social networks WeChat, QQ or video sharing app Douyin have also garnered mainstream appeal in their respective regions due to local context and content. Douyin’s popularity has led to the platform releasing an international version of its network: a little app called TikTok. How many people use social media? The leading social networks are usually available in multiple languages and enable users to connect with friends or people across geographical, political, or economic borders. In 2022, Social networking sites are estimated to reach 3.96 billion users and these figures are still expected to grow as mobile device usage and mobile social networks increasingly gain traction in previously underserved markets.

In 2024, TikTok was still the most downloaded mobile app worldwide. The short-video sharing app generated 825.5 million downloads during the same year. The social video app Instagram followed with 817 million downloads. Fast-fashion app Temu ranked in fifth, with over 516 million downloads for global users in the last examined year, while ByteDance-published video editing app CapCut had around 410 million downloads. TikTok Owned by the Beijing-based tech company ByteDance and launched in 2017, TikTok quickly gained popularity after the acquisition of Musical.ly in 2018. In 2025, the number of TikTok users worldwide was expected to exceed 955 million, with the United States being one of the leading markets. In 2024, TikTok engaged the largest audience from Indonesia, with over 157 million consumers from the region using the app. United States, and Brazil followed with 120.5 and 105.2 users, respectively. Meta Platforms In October 2021, Facebook was renamed and rebranded as Meta, with the CEO Mark Zuckerberg aiming to be associated with the metaverse. Meta’s products include Facebook, Messager, Instagram, and WhatsApp, also known as Meta’s Family of Apps (FoA), generating most of Meta’s revenue. Moreover, these are among the most popular social networks worldwide. As part of its rebranding, Meta’s Reality Labs business segment develops a series of virtual reality (VR) headsets, the Meta Quest - one of the leading VR devices on the market.

Despite a tumultuous 2018, Facebook is still the top social network in the United States, with 169.76 million mobile users accessing the Facebook app in September 2019. The company’s other properties Instagram and Facebook Messenger ranked second and third with 121 and 106 million users respectively. Cambridge Analytica scandal 2018 The biggest social media company in the world had a difficult 2018. The platform has long been accused of enabling the spread of fake news during the 2016 election and beyond. One of the first and biggest negative Facebook stories of 2018 was the Cambridge Analytica scandal, which unfolded from March 2018. The Guardian, The Observer, and The New York Times simultaneously reported on political data firm Cambridge Analytica harvesting data of millions of Facebook users worldwide without their knowledge before the 2016 election, which led to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg having to testify before Congress in April 2018. Facebook usage behavior changes Due to the revelations about Facebook and the company’s treatment of private user data, many U.S. users are planning to use the social network much less and to be much more careful about what they post . During an April 2018 survey, only 20 percent of respondents stated that their Facebook usage has not changed, and they were planning on continuing to use the social platform as much as they always had in the past.

With over 6.1 million monthly downloads in June 2024, Tinder is the most downloaded dating application in the world. First released in April 2012, the American company introduced the swiping model, with people anonymously indicating who they are interested in meeting and getting to know better. Bumble and Litmatch ranked second and third, with over 3.2 million and close to 2.8 million monthly downloads, respectively. What apps do dating users download? In June 2024, Tinder was the leading dating apps by revenue. The company generated a monthly in-app-purchase revenue of more than 82 million U.S. dollars. Bumble ranked second with over 43 million U.S. dollars, followed by Hinge with roughly 26.2 million U.S. dollars in the last examined month. Online dating platforms in the United States In 2024, the number of online dating users in the United States was estimated to have surpassed 60 million. According to a survey of dating app users conducted in the U.S. in July 2022, almost half of women in the country joined online dating services to meet a long term partner, while 43 percent of men did the same to find a casual date.

Bumble was the most downloaded dating application in the United States in June 2024, with 634,000 monthly downloads. Tinder ranked second with over 611,000 monthly downloads, followed by long-term connection-oriented Hinge. Who’s on Tinder? Tinder, owned by Match Group, is a dating and social networking app released in 2012 which follows a ‘swipe right or left’ model when viewing and matching with other singles in the area. Usage of the platform in 2021, in terms of gender, was somewhat imbalanced, with 75.8 percent of users in the United States identifying as male. Additionally, almost 20 percent of users were considered heavy users, meaning that they were active on the platform more than two-thirds of the month. Bumble follows the same swipe right or left model, but places first contact for heterosexual users in the hands of women. However, Bumble is also predominantly used by men. What do people want from dating apps? With a plethora of online dating options, users are looking for more customized connections. In 2021, singles in the U.S. said that they would be encouraged to use online dating more if they could receive personalized matches based on their preferences. Furthermore, 22 percent of respondents wanted more thorough vetting, and 15 percent said they wished to avoid adverts on dating platforms.

As of February 2025, two billion users were accessing the WhatsApp messenger on a monthly basis. The app’s reach in usage penetration is particularly strong in markets outside the United States, and it is one of the most popular mobile social apps worldwide. WeChat amassed over 1.38 billion users, and Facebook Messenger amassed around 947 million users worldwide. Instant messaging is a type of online chat which offers real-time text transmission via internet. Since the appearance of the smartphone and the subsequent explosion of mobile apps, low-cost or free chat and social messaging apps have proven themselves as a cheap alternative to operator-based text messaging via SMS. Many messenger apps offer features such as group chats, the exchange of graphics, video and even audio messages as well as stickers or emoticons.

According to a study of iOS users in the United States, 91 percent of the responding audiences were active users of the YouTube app in January 2023. Instagram and Facebook also registered high levels of engagement, with 80 percent and 72 percent of U.S. users active on the platforms, respectively. TikTok, which amassed almost 10 average weekly hours per user, recorded an active audience reach of 68 percent among participants in the examined period.

In December 2024, the YouTube mobile app ranked first with a 76 percent audience reach, while social media platform Facebook ranked third with a usage reach of 68 percent. E-mail platform service Gmail was accessed by 69 percent of mobile audiences in the United States. Social video app TikTok reported a reach of approximately 42 percent in the examine period. TikTok in the U.S. The social media ecosystem continues to evolve rapidly. While Facebook remains a dominant force with over three billion monthly active users across its family of apps, newcomers like TikTok are reshaping user engagement. TikTok's global popularity is evident in its 186 million worldwide downloads in Q4 2024. TikTok's popularity extends beyond entertainment, with 64 percent of Gen Z users in the U.S. utilizing it as an online search engine in 2024. This trend underscores the platform's expanding role in information discovery, particularly among younger demographics. However, TikTok's success is not without controversy. Nearly 40 percent of U.S. users believed the Chinese government is using it to bring social and political divisions. OTT video apps in the U.S. While television remains the primary device for media consumption across all age groups, a clear generational divide is emerging. Younger audiences, particularly those aged 18 to 34, are turning to smartphones as their preferred entertainment device. This shift aligns with broader trends in digital media consumption. During the first half of 2024, entertainment apps were leading in mobile revenue generation, with U.S. consumers spending over 2.65 billion U.S. dollars on these apps.

In March 2023, the online marketplace app Temu was the most downloaded Chinese app in the United States, with 10 million downloads across iOS App Store and Google Play Store. The social video platform TikTok came in second with 7.4 million downloads, followed closely by CapCut with 6.7 million. SHEIN, a popular fashion and e-commerce app, has also seen significant success in the US, with 6.3 million downloads only in the last examined period.

As of July 2023, the mobile app market in the United States saw almost 256 million users. Of these, over 200 million were users engaging on video apps on a monthly basis. Maps and navigation apps were the second most used app category, with 190 million monthly active users (MAUs). Social media apps followed, recording around 187 million users in the U.S. as of the examined period. In comparison, dating apps saw less than 30 million users monthly.

Mobile internet users are spoilt for choice when it comes to the sheer variety and availability of mobile apps. As of the second quarter of 2024, gaming apps were the most popular app category in the Google Play Store, accounting for 11.7 percent of available apps worldwide. Mobile education apps ranked second with a 11.5 percent share. Google Play and app monetization Google Play is the biggest digital distribution platform for Android apps worldwide, offering users over 2.26 million mobile apps to choose from. However, Google Play offers more than just apps – the platform also provides users with music, video, e-book downloads and rental services. Most mobile apps on Google Play are available for free. As of March 2024, around 97 percent of Android apps could be downloaded without having to pay for them upfront, although this does not preclude other mobile app monetization strategies such as in-app advertising and in-app purchases. As of June 2023, the ranking of leading Android apps in the Google Play Store worldwide based on revenue consists mainly of streaming and video apps. Google Play main competitor: the Apple App Store The worldwide gross app revenue of the Google Play store amounted to 11.2 billion U.S. dollars in the second quarter of 2024, a steady climb from the 10.6 billion U.S. dollars a year before. However, in terms of app revenue, Google Play is lagging behind its eternal rival, the Apple App Store. During the same period, Apple’s own digital store generated 24.6 billion U.S. dollars in mobile app revenues, with mobile gaming being the leading category for consumer spending on the platform. In June 2023, mobile-first apps DouYin and TikTok were the highest-grossing app among global iPhone users, generating roughly 372 million U.S. dollars and 324 million U.S. dollars in revenues, respectively.

During the first half of 2024, the Carrier Service app, which allows users to manage various mobile services, was the most popular app on Android, registering more than 583 million downloads worldwide. WhatsApp Messenger ranked second with approximately 540.5 million downloads. Facebook followed with around 481 million downloads globally during the same examined period.

As of September 2019, Tinder reported an audience reach of 7.86 million users in the United States, making it the most popular online dating. Second-ranked Bumble had 5.03 million U.S. mobile users. Globally, tinder.com ranked third most popular online dating website in March 2020, with roughly 59 million visits during this month. The leading dating site during this period was badoo.com, with 182.5 million visits per month. Tinder user demographics in the United States
In April 2020, individuals aged between 30 and 44 years old made up the largest share of Tinder users in the United states. Tinder was less popular amongst adults within the 55-64 age group, with only six percent of respondents using the dating app. Additionally, Tinder attracted significantly more male than female users , with respective shares of 72 percent and 28 percent . Online dating in times of coronavirus
Social distancing and stay-at-home orders due to the global coronavirus pandemic have resulted in an increased interest in online dating, as a way to connect to one another. Based on data collected from a survey in April 2020 in the United States, 31 percent of Millennials admitted they were using online dating apps or services much more during than prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, only 12 percent of U.S. Millennial the dating app users said that they were using online dating platforms much less. 

In 2021, gaming apps generated more than 55.5 billion downloads from users worldwide. Tool apps were the second-most popular app category with 12.13 billion global downloads. Social media apps ranked third, amassing almost 10 billion downloads across iOS and the Google Play Store in the examined year. In 2021, users worldwide downloaded approximately 230 billion apps to their mobile devices.

In December 2024, Tencent’s super app WeChat remained the most popular mobile app in China with around 1.15 billion monthly active users (MAUs). Its older instant messaging sibling QQ climbed to second, with about 840 million MAUs. Messaging, e-commerce, utility, and video streaming apps occupied the most spots in the top 20 list. What makes WeChat so attractive to users? WeChat is a multi-functional app beyond messaging and social networking. From mobile payment and taxi-hailing to making appointments and holiday planning, it provides almost everything to every mobile user in China. WeChat users are from various age groups from teenagers to old adults. In general, most WeChat users spent at least 10 minutes per day on the app. In fact, many companies also use this "super app" to advertise their brands, and its business version Wecom to communicate internally. The promising future of short video apps The rise of short video entertainment is another important trend in the world’s second most populous country, especially in rural regions. ByteDance’s Douyin, which TikTok was cloned from, is one of the key players in the Chinese short video arena. Founded in 2016, Douyin had overtaken its imminent rival Kuaishou (Kwai) as China’s top short video app within four years. As the demand for rural life live streaming has been accelerating, industry experts expected that Chinese short form video market would continue to grow to reach a total revenue of 420 billion yuan by 2024.

According to a January 2022 analysis of the leading dating apps downloaded from the Apple App Store, the Badoo mobile app was indexed as collecting the largest number of data types from its users' activity. Bumble and HER ranked second, with an index value of close to 68, respectively. Grindr had a reported index value of 62, while market leader Tinder was indexed with a value of 38.4.

In March 2024, Meta-powered apps Facebook and Instagram were the most downloaded mobile apps worldwide, with 59 million and 58 million downloads, respectively. Social video app TikTok followed with 46 million downloads. Meta-owned microblogging platform Threads generated 24 million downloads during the last month of the year.

During the first half of 2024, Threads was the most downloaded app on iOS worldwide. The text-based conversation app gained more than 62 million downloads worldwide during the first six months of the examined year. Instagram ranked second with approximately 54.6 million downloads globally during the examined period. Instant chat and call app WhatsApp followed closely with 53.6 million downloads on iOS from global users.

This statistic gives information on the most popular social networking apps in the United States as of September 2019, ranked by monthly user engagement. During that month, mobile Facebook users spent an average of 769.16 minutes on the social networking platform.