Apple Reveals the Most Downloaded iOS Apps and Games of 2021 - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Reveals the Most Downloaded iOS Apps and Games of 2021

Along with naming its editorial picks for the top apps and games of 2021, Apple today shared charts for the most downloaded free and paid apps and games in the United States across 2021.

apple top apps games 2020
The number one most downloaded free iPhone app was TikTok, followed by YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook. The top paid iPhone apps included Procreate Pocket, HotSchedules, The Wonder Weeks, and TouchRetouch.

Popular free iPad apps included Netflix, Disney+, and Zoom, while GoodNotes 5, Notability, Duet Display, and Procreate were popular paid iPad apps.

Top games on iPhone and iPad included Among Us!, Roblox, Project Makeover, Minecraft, and Heads Up. Apple this year also highlighted the top Apple Arcade games, which included The Oregon Trail, NBA 2K21, and Sneaky Sasquatch. Apple's top 10 lists for each category are listed below.

top iphone apps

iPhone

top ipad apps

iPad

apple arcade orange feature

Apple Arcade

Top Apple Arcade Games:

The top charts can also be viewed in the Today section of the App Store on the iPhone and the iPad.

Popular Stories

app store blue banner epic 1

Apple Can't Delay App Store Fee Fight While Waiting on Supreme Court

Tuesday August 11, 2026 12:14 pm PDT by
Apple has again failed to earn a stay for fee calculations in its ongoing legal fight with Epic Games. Apple's case will be heard by the Supreme Court in the term that begins in October, and Apple asked the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to pause proceedings until then, but the court said no [PDF]. Apple now has 24 hours to give the court an outline of the fees...
app store blue banner epic 1

Supreme Court Lets Apple Delay App Store Fee Fight for 24 Hours

Wednesday August 12, 2026 4:21 pm PDT by
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan today granted Apple a one-day stay in its legal fight with Epic Games, giving Apple more time to outline the fees it wants to charge developers for linking out to purchase options on the web. Just yesterday, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California denied Apple's request for a stay in the proceedings, giving Apple 24 hours to...
Liquid Glass App Store Feature

Apple Wants to Charge Developers Up to 15 Percent for Linking Outside the App Store

Thursday August 13, 2026 3:11 pm PDT by
Apple today submitted a court-ordered proposal outlining the commission it believes is reasonable to collect from U.S. apps that link to purchase options outside of the App Store. Apple is asking for half of its commission on standard apps, so apps that would pay 30 percent for an in-app purchase would pay 15 percent when linking to a web purchase option. Small Business Program participants...

Top Rated Comments

62 months ago
Congratulations TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Youtube and Facebook. What a time to live in and have our lives enriched.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
62 months ago
How about the top apps and games that are totally without in app purchasing?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
62 months ago
In my iPhone I have only 1 of the 10 top free apps… probably I am too old 😂
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
VintageDude Avatar
62 months ago
Congratulations Procreate. Well deserved!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iDento Avatar
62 months ago

Congratulations TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Youtube and Facebook. What a time to live in and have our lives enriched.
Sarcasm?!! Because TikTok, Snapchat, and Facebook enriched my life a bit but ruined it in way more ways.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️ Avatar
62 months ago
Woo Hoo! Congratulations to all well-deserving developers.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)