Apple Reveals the Most Downloaded iOS Apps and Games of 2021

Thursday December 2, 2021 12:05 am PST by Juli Clover

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.

iPhone

Top Free iPhone Apps

Top Paid iPhone Apps

Top Free iPhone Games

Top Paid iPhone Games

iPad

Top Free iPad Apps

Top Paid iPad Apps

Top Free iPad Games

Top Paid iPad Games

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.

Tag: App Store

Popular Stories

Apple Asks Court to Pause App Store Fee Fight While It Petitions Supreme Court in Epic Games Case

Monday April 6, 2026 1:32 pm PDT by Juli Clover

Apple plans to ask the United States Supreme Court to weigh in on the App Store fee restrictions and contempt of court ruling levied against it in the ongoing Epic Games vs. Apple legal battle. In a filing on April 3 (via TechCrunch), Apple asked the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to hold off on a plan that would see the U.S. Northern District of California decide on a reasonable commission...

• 97 comments

Some iPhone Apps Receive Mysterious Update 'From Apple'

Monday April 6, 2026 3:21 pm PDT by Juli Clover

Apple appears to be quietly updating some apps, based on curious new update notes that have appeared on the App Store. Over the last week, some app updates have included notes that suggest the update is coming from Apple rather than an app developer. "This update from Apple will improve the functionality of this app. No new features are included," reads the description. Some of the apps...

• 46 comments

iOS App Store General Feature Desaturated

Apple Removes Freecash App From App Store After Months of Data Harvesting

Tuesday April 14, 2026 3:54 pm PDT by Juli Clover

Apple removed scam app Freecash from the App Store this week after the app spent months harvesting data from iPhone users, reports TechCrunch. Freecash reached the number two spot on the U.S. App Store charts in January after being heavily marketed on TikTok. It promised users up to $35 per hour for watching TikTok content, but it was collecting swaths of user data. Back in January, Wired...

• 74 comments