The top 10 most downloaded applications in 2022 call 6 names belonging to social networking platforms with Tiktok’s more impressive throne.
Whether providing a service like ride sharing or acting as a mere source of entertainment, mobile apps have become an integral part of many people’s daily lives.
But which app is the user’s favorite?
The image above uses data from a recent report by Sensor Tower to show the 10 most downloaded apps around the world in Q1 2022 from Google Play and the Apple App Store.
The era of social networking platforms
According to the report, total app downloads reached 36.9 billion in Q1 2022, up 1.4% from Q1 2021.
The majority of the 10 most downloaded apps are social media platforms, with Meta and ByteDance owning 6 of the top 10.
| Rating | Application | Field |
|---|---|---|
| first | TikTok | Entertainment |
| 2 | Photos and videos | |
| 3 | Social Network | |
| 4 | Message | |
| 5 | Shopee | Shopping |
| 6 | Telegram | Message |
| 7 | Snapchat | Photos and videos |
| 8 | Messenger | Message |
| 9 | CapCut | Photos and videos |
| ten | Spotify | Music |
Meta’s four platforms on the list are Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and Messenger, while ByteDance owns TikTok and video editing platform CapCut.
Outside the Top 10 are Zoom and WhatsApp Business (another app owned by Meta).
The winding road to the top of TikTok
In Q1 2021, TikTok surpassed 3.5 billion all-time downloads, becoming the fifth app (and the first non-Meta app) to reach this milestone. This is impressive considering that the app has been banned in India since June 2020. Before the ban, India accounted for 30% of TikTok downloads.
India is not the only country to ban the use of TikTok. Pakistan has repeatedly blocked TikTok over concerns about “inappropriate” content. However, it is worth noting that the ban in Pakistan lasted only a few days before it was lifted and Pakistanis can now access the platform.
Top 10 apps with the highest total revenue
TikTok is not only the most downloaded app in the world, but also the highest grossing non-game app, based on Q1 2022 revenue from the App Store and Google Play:
| Rating | Application | Field |
|---|---|---|
| first | TikTok | Entertainment |
| 2 | YouTube | Photos and videos |
| 3 | Disney+ | Entertainment |
| 4 | Google One | Productivity |
| 5 | Tinder | Style of life |
| 6 | Piccoma | Book |
| 7 | Tencent Video | Entertainment |
| 8 | iQIYI | Entertainment |
| 9 | HBO Max | Entertainment |
| ten | LINE Manga | Entertainment |
TikTok generated an impressive $821 million in consumer spending last quarter. The video-sharing platform is the highest-grossing app on the App Store and the second-highest grossing app on Google Play, behind only Google One.
While none of Meta’s platforms make the top 10 list in terms of total revenue, these platforms make a lot of money that doesn’t necessarily flow through the app stores. In 2021, Meta generates more than $117.9 billion in revenue, with over 97% of that coming from advertising.
Growth ahead
The pandemic has had a huge impact on the app market. In 2020, app spending on things like premium access, in-app purchases, and subscriptions grew 30% year-over-year to $111 billion.
And while COVID-19 restrictions are being eased in most parts of the world, app spending is unlikely to ease soon. By 2025, spending is expected to grow to $270 billion.
According to Visual Capitalist
