Temu & TikTok are the most popular apps of 2024 among Gen Z

Young adults make up 40% of mobile users worldwide in today’s tech industry. So, the success or failure of an app in the market may depend on offering useful or fun solutions for their daily lives. New research has revealed the top apps that are generating the most interest among Gen Z in 2024.

The data provided by the analysis platform Appfigures (via TechCrunch) provides a comprehensive understanding of the current state of the app market among young adults, specifically those aged between 18 and 24. Due to regulatory restrictions, the platform is unable to provide a comprehensive overview with additional audiences, as it is not permitted to collect data on users under the age of 18. In addition, the available data applies to the United States market until October 2024.

It is important to keep in mind that the data corresponds to new apps downloaded by users who have never downloaded them before. Lastly, the platform brings together data from Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android users.

Temu and TikTok top the list of most popular apps of 2024 among Gen Z

According to the report, Temu leads the list of most popular apps among Gen Z in 2024. The e-commerce platform boasts 41.98 million new downloads between January and October. Its strategy based on low prices, a wide variety of products, and gamification is effective among young adults. Shein, probably its most direct rival, took home 14.68 million new downloads during the same period.

The second most popular app among the Gen Z public is TikTok. The short-form video platform achieved around 33.23 million new downloads this year. Quick-consumption content has proven to be especially effective among the niche population studied. Other large platforms, such as Instagram and YouTube, have tried to grab part of this market. Interestingly, the data says that young adults use TikTok’s search engine more than Google’s.

Speaking of YouTube, the Google-owned video platform continues to hold strong in the market. The app achieved 14.03 million new downloads among young adults through October. Perhaps this strong position is what’s leading the company to increase prices and remove grandfathered offers that have remained unmovable for years.

Interest in short drama apps rises significantly

A growing niche among young adults is that of short drama apps. In this segment, ShortMax is the dominant app with around 10 million downloads this 2024. The platform boasts a catalog of around 1,000 short films in all kinds of genres. Again, a type of format that makes content more easily “digestible” seems to be especially effective among Gen Z.

Social and messaging platforms occupy a large part of the interest among young adults. In fact, Meta apps have a significant presence in the top 2024 popularity list for Gen Z. Between January and October, Threads achieved 32.32 million new downloads. The list also includes WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger, with approximately 28.42 million, 26.29 million, 20.58 million, and 17.63 million downloads, respectively.

Within this niche, Facebook’s popularity appears to be rising. For years, Mark Zuckerberg’s original social network took on a reputation for being “old-fashioned,” driving young people to other platforms. Recently, Facebook received a redesign in addition to several new features. It’s possible that this update is re-attracting this particular niche.

On the other hand, Threads is the leader in downloads among Meta apps because the data considers only new downloads, not general downloads. Anyway, it’s still commendable and positive news for a platform that was born as an alternative to X.

Google continues to be ever-present in the industry

Google apps continue to be widely used by the public. The services of the Mountain View giant are useful for multiple segments, be it entertainment, education, or even cloud storage. The Google app obtained around 17.65 million new downloads throughout 2024. Chrome, Meet, Drive, and Photos follow with 10.19 million, 9.63 million, 7.22 million, and 6.79 million new installations, respectively.

It’s noteworthy that many of the apps mentioned above come pre-installed on Android devices. Therefore, it’s possible that the data only reflects new downloads on iOS devices. This would make the download figures even more impressive for Google apps.

In today’s tech industry, AI cannot be left out of a top list of popular apps. In line with this, the ChatGPT app achieved around 24.63 million new installations. This can be easily justified in light of the demographic under study. Gen Z is about to start college, and ChatGPT has gained immense popularity as a “study assistant.” According to research, around 43% of American students have turned to ChatGPT or AI-powered tools for support.

Continuing with the education and artificial intelligence segment, Gauth: AI study companion appears on the charts with around 8.37 million new installs by October 2024. Gauth is an app that draws on the power of LLMs to interpret and solve problems in multiple fields, such as math, physics, biology, chemistry, and more. The app is not exactly new, as it has been available since 2021. However, for some reason, its popularity has skyrocketed since January of this year. In fact, in April, it was the second most downloaded educational app on iOS in the United States.

Other social apps that are most popular among Gen Z for 2024

The popularity of social apps among young adults stems from their ability to share content with both loved ones and the public. Therefore, it makes sense that apps that are specifically designed to generate such content would also reap benefits. In line with that, CapCut, a video editing app, enters the list with 21.72 million new downloads. CapCut is an app from ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. So, its popularity could be due to both the amount of useful editing tools it offers and its link with the short video platform.

ByteDance appears again toward the top of the most popular apps among Gen Z in 2024. The Chinese company has developed Lemon8, an app that serves as an alternative to Instagram. Just like Threads does with X, Lemon8 copies the format and multiple features of its direct rival. It seems that the strategy is working for the brand. The app has garnered a respectable 7.7 million new downloads during 2024. Notably, Lemon8 is not yet available worldwide, making the figure even better for ByteDance.

The list of the most popular social apps also includes Snapchat, Telegram, Pinterest, Reddit, and X. These achieved about 19.16, 13.12 million, 8.23 ​​million, 8.06 million, and 7.58 million new installs, respectively.

Streaming and payment services are not left out

Among Gen Z, content streaming apps are also quite important. Netflix stands out as the most popular streaming service among young adults in 2024 with 15.67 million new downloads. Other direct rivals, such as Prime Video and Disney+, follow with about 12.86 million and 11.68 million downloads, respectively. The market also has room for other names such as Max, Peacock, and Tubi, which each achieved about 7 million new installs in 2024.

Streaming services are not limited to video, as they also revolve around music. Unsurprisingly, Spotify is the most popular app in this segment among Gen Z. The app achieved about 10.45 million new downloads between January and October 2024 in the US.

Payment apps are also essential among young adults. In this niche, PayPal dominated in 2024 with about 13.92 million new downloads. Venmo and Cash App follow with about 7.8 million and 6.9 million new downloads, respectively.