ChatGPT Becomes the Most Downloaded App in March

ChatGPT has emerged as the leading app globally in March, surpassing Instagram and TikTok, as reported by the analytics firm AppFigures. The significant rise in downloads can be attributed to the introduction of ChatGPT’s innovative image generation feature, which has led to a viral phenomenon of Ghibli-style art and attracted millions of new users to the platform.

The AppFigures report indicates that ChatGPT achieved a remarkable 46 million downloads worldwide in March, narrowly outpacing Instagram. The breakdown shows that it earned 13 million downloads on iOS and 33 million on Android. Instagram, not far behind, had an overall equal number of downloads but with a different distribution: 5 million were on iOS and 41 million on Android. TikTok held the third position with 45 million downloads, consisting of 8 million on iOS and 37 million on Android.

Insights from the AppFigures Report

The report states, “According to our estimates, ChatGPT saw 46 million downloads – just a shade higher than Instagram before rounding – in March.” This impressive growth was mainly fuelled by the excitement surrounding ChatGPT’s image generation feature, which was launched in early March and quickly captured the public’s imagination. The capability to create and share Ghibli-inspired images resulted in a substantial 28% increase in downloads from February to March. Furthermore, when examining the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same timeframe in 2024, ChatGPT’s downloads have surged by an extraordinary 148%.

Impact of the New Feature

Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s Chief Operating Officer, conveyed that over 130 million users have engaged with the new feature, collectively producing over 700 million images since its debut. He remarked, “The viral traction shows the power of giving creative tools to the masses.”

Lightcap further noted the phenomenal activity during the initial week of the image generation feature, stating, “Over 130M users have generated 700M+ (!) images since last Tuesday.” India has now become the fastest-growing market for ChatGPT, with the range of visual creativity being particularly inspiring. He also expressed appreciation for users’ patience as efforts continue to enhance the service.