ChatGPT became the most downloaded app globally in March

Tech Crunch - Apr 11th, 2025
Open on Tech Crunch

In March, ChatGPT became the world's most downloaded app, excluding games, marking a significant milestone by surpassing Instagram and TikTok for the top spot. This surge in popularity coincided with a 28% increase in downloads from February, reaching 46 million new installs. Key developments in March included enhancements to its image-generation capabilities, enabling users to create Studio Ghibli-style images, and updates to its AI voice feature. These improvements helped fuel a viral moment, contributing to the app's ascent in the download rankings. According to Appfigures, ChatGPT's installs have grown 148% year-over-year, highlighting its growing influence as a leading AI chatbot.

ChatGPT's rise reflects its growing brand recognition, akin to how Google became synonymous with internet searches in the 2000s. This prominence poses challenges for competing AI chatbots like Anthropic's Claude, which struggle to achieve similar download success. Meanwhile, Instagram and TikTok have jostled for top positions in previous months, with TikTok's earlier growth partly driven by concerns over a potential U.S. ban. Instagram continues to enjoy strong popularity among U.S. teens, as reported by Piper Sandler, further complicating the competitive landscape. The overall increase in app downloads in March signals a dynamic and rapidly evolving app market.

Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

5.8
Moderately Fair
Read with skepticism

The article provides an insightful look into ChatGPT's rise as the most downloaded app in March, offering a blend of statistics, market comparisons, and feature updates. Its strengths lie in the timely and engaging exploration of AI's impact on the app market, appealing to a broad audience interested in technology trends. However, its reliance on a single source without direct citations or links, coupled with some factual inconsistencies, slightly undermines its accuracy and transparency.

The narrative is balanced, presenting ChatGPT's achievements alongside the challenges faced by competitors, though it could benefit from more diverse perspectives and sources to enhance depth. The article is clear and readable, effectively communicating complex ideas in an accessible manner. While it doesn't delve deeply into controversial issues, it raises relevant questions about AI's role in shaping consumer technology.

Overall, the article succeeds in capturing attention and sparking interest in the evolving app market, though it could improve by providing more comprehensive sourcing and addressing broader implications of AI technology.

RATING DETAILS

6
Accuracy

The article makes several factual claims about ChatGPT's app download statistics and market position. It states that ChatGPT was the most downloaded app in March, surpassing Instagram and TikTok. However, these claims need verification from reliable sources such as Appfigures, which the article mentions but does not provide direct data or links to support these claims. Additionally, the article claims a 28% increase in downloads from February to March and a total of 46 million downloads, which also require independent verification.

The story mentions upgrades to ChatGPT's image-generation capabilities and changes in content moderation policies, which could be verified through official OpenAI announcements. The claim about a 148% year-over-year growth from Q1 2021 to Q1 2025 seems inconsistent, as it refers to a future date that is not yet reached, indicating a potential error or misinterpretation.

Overall, while the article provides specific figures and comparisons, it lacks direct citations or links to the data sources, which diminishes its factual accuracy. The narrative relies heavily on Appfigures' data without offering direct access to this information for readers to verify.

7
Balance

The article offers a balanced view of the competitive landscape among popular apps, highlighting not only ChatGPT's rise but also the performance of Instagram and TikTok. It discusses the factors contributing to ChatGPT's success, such as brand recognition and new features, while also acknowledging the challenges faced by competitors like Anthropic's Claude.

However, the article could have provided more perspectives by including comments from industry experts or representatives from competing apps. This would have enriched the narrative by offering insights into the strategies and challenges faced by other market players.

Overall, the article maintains a relatively balanced tone, presenting ChatGPT's achievements without overtly favoring it over its competitors. It acknowledges the broader market dynamics and the role of consumer behavior in shaping app popularity.

7
Clarity

The article is generally clear and well-structured, with a logical flow of information. It begins with the main claim about ChatGPT's download statistics and follows with supporting details about the app's upgrades and market performance.

The language used is straightforward and accessible, making it easy for readers to understand the key points. The article effectively uses comparisons and statistics to illustrate ChatGPT's position relative to its competitors, which aids in comprehension.

However, some aspects could be improved for clarity. For instance, the mention of a 148% year-over-year growth from Q1 2021 to Q1 2025 is confusing, as it refers to a future date. Clarifying this point would enhance the reader's understanding. Despite these minor issues, the article maintains a clear and engaging narrative throughout.

5
Source quality

The article primarily relies on data from Appfigures, an app intelligence provider, which is a credible source for app download statistics. However, the lack of direct quotes or links to Appfigures' reports weakens the source quality.

The narrative would benefit from a wider range of sources, such as official statements from OpenAI regarding the app's upgrades and growth, or insights from industry analysts to provide a more comprehensive view. The reliance on a single source limits the depth of analysis and the credibility of the claims made.

In summary, while Appfigures is a reputable source, the article's failure to provide direct access to its data or to diversify its sources reduces the overall quality of the information presented.

4
Transparency

The article lacks transparency in terms of providing direct access to its data sources and methodologies. It mentions Appfigures as the source of download statistics but does not offer links or detailed explanations of how the data was obtained or calculated.

Additionally, the article does not disclose any potential conflicts of interest or affiliations that might influence the reporting. For example, it does not clarify whether the author or the publication has any ties to OpenAI or Appfigures, which could affect the objectivity of the narrative.

Overall, the article's lack of transparency in sourcing and methodology undermines its credibility. Providing more context and direct access to the data would enhance the reader's ability to assess the accuracy and impartiality of the information.

Sources

  1. https://explodingtopics.com/blog/chatgpt-users
  2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_language_model
  3. https://appfigures.com/resources/insights/20250404?f=2
  4. https://www.techdirt.com/2025/04/11/vizio-shows-what-happens-when-u-s-fascism-and-tv-enshittification-meet/
  5. https://backlinko.com/most-popular-ai-apps