The most popular apps downloaded by Generation Z this year.
It is evident that Generation Z exerts a notable influence on the use of applications. Considered the "ultimate mobile generation," they represent approximately 40% of all mobile device users globally. Let's analyze the applications they downloaded in 2024, covering everything from e-commerce to photo editing tools.
The influence of Generation Z on app consumption is undeniable. Known as the "mobile generation," this group represents approximately 40% of all mobile device users worldwide. To explore their preferences, an app intelligence firm was contacted, which provided a summary of the 50 most downloaded apps by this segment during the year. Due to privacy regulations, no information was obtained on users aged 13 to 17, and the shared data was limited to those aged 18 to 24 in the United States, which does not provide a complete picture but gives insights into the preferences of young adults in this generation.
Between January and October, the most downloaded app was Temu, a popular online marketplace that offers a wide variety of products at significantly reduced prices, accumulating 41.98 million downloads among young adults. Despite its commitment to sustainability and the debate surrounding fast fashion, the vast selection of affordable items proves highly attractive to this group. Temu also employs gamification strategies to incentivize purchases, such as coupons, rewards, and giveaways. On the other hand, competitor Shein achieved 14.68 million downloads, which may indicate that users in this age group already have it installed on their devices.
In second place, TikTok ranks with 33.23 million downloads. This short video platform has gained immense popularity among 18 to 24-year-olds, not only for its dynamic content but also because many use it as an alternative search engine to Google. YouTube also remains relevant, with 14.03 million new users in approximately ten months, reflecting a significant engagement from this audience. Additionally, the short drama app industry is booming, with ShortMax standing out, having been installed over 10 million times in 2024.
Meta's family of apps has also received a warm welcome among young people. Threads leads with 32.32 million downloads, followed by WhatsApp with 28.42 million, Instagram with 26.29 million, Facebook with 20.58 million, and Messenger with 17.63 million. Renewed interest in Facebook seems to have contributed to an increase in downloads, possibly related to a recent platform restructuring. Google, for its part, achieved 17.65 million downloads for its search app, while Chrome and Meet reached 10.19 million and 9.63 million, respectively.
The phenomenon of OpenAI, ChatGPT, has also been very well received, with 24.63 million installations, standing out as a resource for education and career guidance among young adults. The use of artificial intelligence tools is on the rise, as demonstrated by the Gauth app, which achieved 8.37 million downloads.
Photo-sharing and social media apps play a central role in the daily life of Generation Z. Alongside Threads and Instagram, CapCut stands out with 21.72 million downloads, offering extensive options for video editing. Another product from ByteDance, Lemon8, has begun to gain traction with 7.7 million downloads, although its growth has been slow in the United States. Snapchat remains popular, reaching 19.16 million installations, followed by Telegram, Pinterest, Reddit, and X, with figures around 7-13 million.
Regarding streaming platforms, Netflix has attracted the most young people aged 18 to 24, with 15.67 million downloads, followed by Prime Video and Disney+ with 12.86 million and 11.68 million, respectively. Spotify, the leading music streaming service, has captured 10.45 million downloads.
Finally, when analyzing payment apps, PayPal ranks as the most popular among young people, recording 13.92 million downloads, while Venmo and Cash App reached 7.8 million and 6.9 million, respectively.