Reach of most popular U.S. smartphone apps 2025

In February 2025, YouTube's mobile app ranked first with a 76 percent audience reach, while e-mail platform service Gmail was accessed by 68 percent of mobile audiences in the United States. Social media platform Facebook ranked third with a usage reach of 67 percent. Social video app TikTok reported a reach of approximately 40 percent in the examine period.

TikTok in the U.S.

While Facebook remains a dominant force, with over three billion monthly active users across its family of apps, newcomers like TikTok are reshaping user engagement. TikTok's global popularity is evident in its 186 million worldwide downloads in Q4 2024. TikTok's popularity extends beyond entertainment, with 64 percent of Gen Z users in the U.S. utilizing it as an online search engine in 2024. This trend underscores the platform's expanding role in information discovery, particularly among younger demographics. However, TikTok's success is not without controversy. Nearly 40 percent of U.S. users believed the Chinese government is using it to bring social and political divisions.

OTT video apps in the U.S.

While television remains the primary device for media consumption across all age groups, a clear generational divide is emerging. Younger audiences, particularly those aged 18 to 34, are turning to smartphones as their preferred entertainment device. This shift aligns with broader trends in digital media consumption. During the first half of 2024, entertainment apps were leading in mobile revenue generation, with U.S. consumers spending over 2.65 billion U.S. dollars on these apps.