These Were the Most Downloaded iPhone Apps and Games of 2021

BY Chandraveer Mathur

Published 2 Dec 2021

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:

  1. TikTok
  2. YouTube
  3. Instagram
  4. Snapchat
  5. Facebook
  6. Messenger
  7. Google Maps
  8. Gmail
  9. ZOOM
  10. Amazon Shopping

Top Paid iPhone Apps:

  1. Procreate Pocket
  2. HotSchedules
  3. The Wonder Weeks
  4. TouchRetouch
  5. Facetune
  6. Shadowrocket
  7. 75 Hard
  8. Dark Sky Weather
  9. Autosleep
  10. SkyView

Top Free iPhone Games:

  1. Among Us!
  2. Roblox
  3. Project Makeover
  4. Call of Duty: Mobile
  5. Subway Surfers
  6. High Heels!
  7. Magic Tiles 3: Piano Game
  8. Water Sort Puzzle
  9. Shortcut Run
  10. Bridge Race

Top Paid iPhone Games:

  1. Minecraft
  2. Heads Up!
  3. Bloons TD 6
  4. Monopoly
  5. Geometry Dash
  6. My Child Lebensborn
  7. Plague Inc.
  8. True Skate
  9. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
  10. Incredibox

Top Free iPad Apps:

  1. YouTube
  2. ZOOM
  3. Disney+
  4. Netflix
  5. TikTok
  6. Google Chrome
  7. HBO Max
  8. Hulu
  9. Amazon Prime Video
  10. Gmail

Top Paid iPad Apps:

  1. Procreate
  2. GoodNotes 5
  3. Notability
  4. Duet Display
  5. Toca Kitchen 2
  6. Toca Life: Hospital
  7. LumaFusion
  8. Shadowrocket
  9. Affinity Designer
  10. Toca Life: Vacation

Top Free iPad Games:

  1. Among Us!
  2. Roblox
  3. Project Makeover
  4. Phone Case DIY
  5. Subway Surfers
  6. Hair Challenge
  7. Magic Tiles 3: Piano Game
  8. Tiles Hop – EDM Rush
  9. Blob Runner 3D
  10. Bridge Race

Top Paid iPad Games:

  1. Minecraft
  2. Bloons TD 6
  3. Geometry Dash
  4. Monopoly
  5. Five Nights at Freddy’s
  6. Stardew Valley
  7. Plague Inc.
  8. Human: Fall Flat
  9. Ultimate Custom Night
  10. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Top Apple Arcade Games:

  1. The Oregon Trail
  2. NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition
  3. Sneaky Sasquatch
  4. Sonic Racing
  5. SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit
  6. Skate City
  7. PAC-MAN Party Royale
  8. Cut the Rope Remastered
  9. Hot Lava
  10. 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.