The most popular apps

Apple introduced consumers to the idea that there’s an app for almost anything. Weather? There's an app for that. Finding a good restaurant? One for that, too. CPR? Check. Dating?


The shorter list these days might be services which don't have an app.



ComScore research indicates that this year for the first time, Americans are getting more than half of their digital media via apps, overtaking desktop computers and mobile browsers. One out of three of us download at least one app a month.

While total time spent on digital media in the U.S. grew 24 percent in the last year, accessing that media through apps jumped 52 percent. "Apps drive the vast majority of media consumption activity on mobile devices, accounting for approximately 7 out of every 8 minutes," comScore writes.

Most popular

Here are the most popular apps based on unique monthly visitors.

Facebook: 115 million
YouTube: 83 million
Google Play: 72 million (an app for finding apps!)
Google Search: 70 million
Pandora: 69 million
Google Maps: 64 million
Gmail: 60 million
Instagram: 47 million
Apple Maps: 42 million
Yahoo Stocks Widget: 42 million

(Source: comScore)

Clearly, Google is the big winner here, with half of the top ten apps (Google owns YouTube). One interesting omission, however, is games. There is not a single game app in the top 25 on the comScore list. You only start to see games show up when you break the numbers out by age group. The older you are, the more likely you’re playing a game app in large numbers. Apps for “Words with Friends (Free)” and “Solitaire by Mobilityware” are used monthly by about one percent of Americans  55 or older, and the “Candy Crush” app is played monthly by 1.2 percent of Americans ages 35-54.

Most profitable

More eyeballs doesn't necessarily mean more money. Nowhere on the list is the game app considered the most profitable on a daily basis, “Clash of Clans.” ThinkGaming estimates “Clash of Clans” makes about $1.3 million a day off only a little over 4 million daily active users. Small numbers, big money.

Best phone

Finally, iPhone v. Android, who'd you rather? According to comScore’s research, the median age of owners of either phone is 40 years old. Iphone users spend the most time using apps for general news. Android users favor apps for search and navigation (Android is a Google operating system, and, well, what does Google do really well?).

While there are more Android users than iPhone owners, they make less money ($61k v. $85k). However, iPhone users spend nine more hours a month engaging apps. That's nine extra hours glued to the little phone screen. The Apple crowd may have more money, but perhaps the Android crowd spends more time living.