These are the most downloaded iPhone and iPad apps of 2024 – including a controversial top free choice

• Apple has revealed the most downloaded iPhone and iPad apps of 2024
• There are plenty of recognizable names in the top charts
• But a few surprising entries have also cracked the top ten

Apple has revealed its most download apps, games and Apple Arcade titles in the US across 2024, covering free and paid releases on all the best iPhones and iPads. And while there are plenty of expected names in the top 10 lists, there are also some that might raise a few eyebrows (scroll down for the full lists).

The most controversial pick can be found in the list of the most downloaded free iPhone apps, where the number one app is Chinese shopping site Temu. Despite retailers like this growing in popularity, a survey in summer 2024 found that 94% of respondents did not trust Temu, and the brand has been accused of mishandling customer data in the past. Yet that hasn’t stopped iOS users from sending it rocketing to the top of Apple’s charts.

As for the most downloaded paid iPhone app, that award goes to proxy utility Shadowrocket, which can be used to redirect your device’s traffic and has similarities with some of the best VPN apps. It’s clearly a popular choice, as it also landed the number three spot in the list of top paid iPad apps.

Speaking of iPad apps, the list of top ten free iPad apps is chock-full of well-known names, including YouTube, Netflix, Max, Disney Plus, Google Chrome and TikTok. Many of these same names appear in the list of most downloaded free iPhone apps, although the likes of Threads, ChatGPT, Instagram and WhatsApp have displaced several of the iPad picks.

Familiar names and games

The games charts also contain some interesting tidbits. The Tetris-like game Block Blast takes the number one spot on the list of free iPhone games, followed by Monopoly Go, Roblox, Call of Duty Warzone Mobile, Township, and more. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the top paid iPhone game is Minecraft, with Heads Up and Geometry Dash following behind.

Minecraft and Geometry Dash take the top two spots for paid iPad games, with Five Nights at Freddy’s and Stardew Valley taking spots three and four. Roblox, meanwhile, is the most downloaded free iPad game.

Finally, Apple included download figures for its Apple Arcade subscription service, where games can be made to work across iPhone, iPad and the Mac. Here, NBA 2K24 Arcade Edition was the most popular Apple Arcade game, followed by Snake.io+ and Hello Kitty Island Adventure.

While most of the lists are dominated by established names, they show that a few viral hits have been able to penetrate the top ten, as well as long-lived titles like Heads Up. If you’ve been looking for a new app or game for your Apple device, it might be worth browsing the lists to see what catches your eye. Here are those lists of most popular iPhone and iPad apps of 2024 in full.

The top free iPhone Apps of 2024

1. Temu: Shop Like a Billionaire
2. Threads
3. TikTok
4. ChatGPT
5. Google
6. Instagram
7. WhatsApp Messenger
8. CapCut – Video…