Accompanying its editorial picks of the top apps and games for 2021, Apple shared lists of the top 10 most downloaded free and paid apps and games in the United States for the year.
Like last year, TikTok topped the charts as the most downloaded free iPhone app, in a list dominated by Big Tech apps such as YouTube, Instagram, Snap, and Facebook. Top paid iPhone apps included Procreate Pocket, HotSchedules, The wonder Weeks, and TouchRetouch.
On iPad, this year’s popular free apps were Netflix, Disney+, and Zoom. Meanwhile, GoodNotes 5, Notability, Duet display, and Procreate were iPad users’ most popular paid apps. Top games on iPhone and iPad included Among Us!, Roblox, Project Makeover, Minecraft, and Heads Up. This year, Apple also mentioned top Apple Arcade titles, including The Oregon Trail, NBA 2K21, and Sneaky Sasquatch.
Apple’s top 10 apps for every category are listed below.
Top Free iPhone Apps:
Top Paid iPhone Apps:
- Procreate Pocket
- HotSchedules
- The Wonder Weeks
- TouchRetouch
- Facetune
- Shadowrocket
- 75 Hard
- Dark Sky Weather
- Autosleep
- SkyView
Top Free iPhone Games:
- Among Us!
- Roblox
- Project Makeover
- Call of Duty: Mobile
- Subway Surfers
- High Heels!
- Magic Tiles 3: Piano Game
- Water Sort Puzzle
- Shortcut Run
- Bridge Race
Top Paid iPhone Games:
- Minecraft
- Heads Up!
- Bloons TD 6
- Monopoly
- Geometry Dash
- My Child Lebensborn
- Plague Inc.
- True Skate
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Incredibox
Top Free iPad Apps:
Top Paid iPad Apps:
- Procreate
- GoodNotes 5
- Notability
- Duet Display
- Toca Kitchen 2
- Toca Life: Hospital
- LumaFusion
- Shadowrocket
- Affinity Designer
- Toca Life: Vacation
Top Free iPad Games:
- Among Us!
- Roblox
- Project Makeover
- Phone Case DIY
- Subway Surfers
- Hair Challenge
- Magic Tiles 3: Piano Game
- Tiles Hop – EDM Rush
- Blob Runner 3D
- Bridge Race
Top Paid iPad Games:
- Minecraft
- Bloons TD 6
- Geometry Dash
- Monopoly
- Five Nights at Freddy’s
- Stardew Valley
- Plague Inc.
- Human: Fall Flat
- Ultimate Custom Night
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Top Apple Arcade Games:
- The Oregon Trail
- NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition
- Sneaky Sasquatch
- Sonic Racing
- SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit
- Skate City
- PAC-MAN Party Royale
- Cut the Rope Remastered
- Hot Lava
- Angry Birds Reloaded
You can check out the Today section of the App Store to view these top charts as well.
It is no surprise to see TikTok ruling the charts since consumers currently love watching short videos. Interestingly, Zoom was a chart-topper last year and barely made it into the top 10 list this year as the world returns to normal.
