The coronavirus pandemic has changed the world in many ways, including the way we work, study, or even communicate. This is even visible when you look at the apps that people download to their phones, as some have become indispensable these days. We analyzed last month’s top app charts and compared them to today’s to see how they have developed. Some of the results are interesting.
To prepare this post, we reviewed the top charts for downloading Play Store apps in the U.S. from February 27, and compared them to today’s numbers based on data collected by App Annie. We excluded games and separated free and paid apps for our analysis. For all charts, we checked the top 10 apps, but we also looked at more numbers to interpret some global trends for specific app categories.
END OF FEBRUARY | END OF MARCH | |
---|---|---|
1 | Your telephone companion | Zoom |
2nd | Android Auto | Tick tack |
3rd | Tick tack | News break |
4th | SmartNews | |
5 | delivery boy | Google Classroom |
6 | IRS2Go | |
7 | Android system WebView | Meeting places |
8th | Snapchat | delivery boy |
9 | Microsoft teams | |
10th | Cash app |
Not surprisingly, Zoom made it to the top of the list because it is used by a large number of companies and institutions for meetings, but also for hosting webinars and virtual courses. Similarly, Google Classroom, Hangouts Meet and Microsoft Teams have found their way into the top 10 most commonly installed apps on Android. This shows that many people gather to download them for work or to attend courses from home.
News apps weren’t part of the most downloaded list last month, but News Break and SmartNews have just made it into the top 5, suggesting that people are more curious about the outbreak and want to be kept informed about its development.
After all, social media and chat software like Instagram, Messenger, TikTok and WhatsApp are still popular, although apparently more people are installing TikTok and WhatsApp compared to last month. This is understandable as you usually watch more videos while staying at home and use WhatsApp to keep in touch with your friends and family.
END OF FEBRUARY | END OF MARCH | |
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1 | Braintoss | XtraMath |
2nd | HotSchedules | DroidCamX Wireless Webcam Pro |
3rd | Navigation Pro: Google Maps Navi on the Samsung Watch | Scanner Radio Pro – fire and police scanner |
4th | Torque Pro (OBD 2 & Auto) | The wonder weeks around 9 |
5 | TouchRetouch | Tiny Scanner Pro: PDF document scan |
6 | Nova Launcher Prime | Navigation Pro: Google Maps Navi on the Samsung Watch |
7 | The wonder weeks around 9 | Plague Inc: scenario creator |
8th | Tasker | FL Studio Mobile |
9 | FL Studio Mobile | Video & TV Cast | Ultimate Edition |
10th | Magnificat Lent 2020 | Torque Pro (OBD 2 & Auto) |
Paid apps can be a bit mixed because they download far less than free apps and their ratings may be less affected. Aside from that, XtraMath is the most popular app in the Play Store, an app that kids can use to learn the basics of math. This makes perfect sense, as parents typically look for software solutions to help their children continue learning while being quarantined at home.
Other apps have also been added to the list, including DroidCamX Wireless Webcam Pro, Scanner Radio Pro – fire and police scanner, Tiny Scanner Pro: PDF Doc Scan, Plague Inc: Scenario Creator and Video & TV Cast | Ultimate Edition. People seem to want to use their phone as a webcam during the pandemic, but they also talk by listening to radio transmissions by emergency services. Seriously, it makes sense that people have to scan documents using their phone, especially for work or even schoolwork, as well as broadcast live TV. The runaway here is Plague Inc: Scenario Creator, a game that has been classified as a productivity app. You can use it to create your own plague and simulate its spread – ironic, isn’t it?
Some of the apps from last month are still in the top 10, including The Wonder Weeks vs 9, a baby calendar app, and it makes sense for people to keep using them despite the pandemic. FL Studio Mobile, a music mixing studio, is one of the top 10 observers, as is Torque Pro (OBD 2 & Car), an app that monitors your car’s vital signs using a Bluetooth adapter, and Navigation Pro: Google Maps Navi on Samsung. It’s surprising that the latter is still just as popular considering that people should stay at home now, but they might still be able to use their Samsung Watch to go to the store or run.
END OF FEBRUARY | END OF MARCH | |
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1 | Disney + | Disney + |
2nd | Google One | Google One |
3rd | Pandora | Pandora |
4th | ESPN | Tinder |
5 | Tinder | Pull out |
6 | HBO NOW | HBO NOW |
7 | Pull out | BIGO LIVE |
8th | TurboTax tax return app | |
9 | tango | |
10th | BIGO LIVE | bumblebee |
The list of top 10 revenue apps has not changed significantly. The first three remain the same, and while Disney + and Pandora make sense in this section, it’s interesting that Google One is second on the list. What’s even more surprising is that people in quarantine want to go out even more, as Tinder climbed from fifth to fourth and Bumble found his way into the top 10. It’s worth noting that Tango has also grown in popularity, while the rest of the apps were on the list last month, including Facebook, as well as streaming services like Twitch, HBO NOW, and BIGO LIVE.
In addition to the variations in the top 10 charts where the downloads for streaming services, news apps and social media are already increasing, there are also some trends that we have seen in the big picture. For example, some apps like Messenger Kids and Houseparty made it into the top 20, while they weren’t even in the 100 most downloaded apps last month. However, this makes sense because parents and children want to keep in touch with friends and family at home.
Interestingly, while music streaming services are still popular – Netflix and Disney + are the eleventh and twelfth most installed apps – music streaming apps are far less popular. Both Spotify and YouTube Music fell from 14th and 15th to 27th and 51st place. It seems that people mostly listen to music while commuting and exercising, activities that are not that common at the moment.
Eventually, food delivery apps like Instacart and DoorDash are becoming more popular as people prefer to have groceries delivered to their door instead of taking the risk of running out. We hope you all do the same and stay safe at home!