ChatGPT is the most downloaded app in the world, but is it enough?

In a rare shift in app store rankings, ChatGPT surpassed social media giants like Instagram and TikTok to become the most downloaded app in the world in March 2025. This marks the first time since 2013 that a non-social media app tops the charts, signaling a potential transformation in user behavior and expectations from mobile apps.

ChatGPT’s rise breaks a decade-long trend

With over 46 million downloads globally, ChatGPT has overtaken long-dominant platforms like Instagram, especially on iOS, where it leads the chart with 13 million installs. On Android, however, it lags slightly behind, highlighting how consumption patterns differ sharply between platforms. iPhone users may be embracing GPT-powered tools in search of a smarter, more capable assistant than Siri, especially since Apple’s partial integration of OpenAI’s tech.

A viral moment powered by Ghibli images

A key driver of March’s spike was the viral rollout of free image generation in the app, inspired by Studio Ghibli-style outputs. The feature added five million users in just one hour, overwhelming servers and forcing usage limits. This wave reflects how powerful AI features can rapidly ignite user growth, especially when they tap into cultural trends.

Monetization remains a serious challenge

Despite its popularity, OpenAI struggles to monetize ChatGPT sustainably. Most users rely on the free GPT-3.5 model, while the cost of maintaining GPT-4 and newer versions like Sora remains extremely high. Even with 11 million paid users, the company is far from profitability, and rivals like Google Gemini threaten its lead with more efficient models.

ChatGPT’s explosive growth may be historic, but without a viable business model, its future dominance is far from guaranteed.