2021 Apple Most Downloaded Apps
Apple today released its anticipated annual list of the best apps and games of the year across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch. This year, children’s app maker Toca Boca won iPhone App of the Year for “Toca Life World,” and Riot Games’ “League of Legends: Wild Rift” was the iPhone Game of the Year.
Typically, the award winners represent relative newcomers to the App Store, those who have taken advantage of Apple technologies in interesting ways, or those that gained special attention during the year. For example, last year’s award winners reflected how the pandemic played out in the world of apps when the home workout app “Wakeout!” won the iPhone App of the Year and “Zoom” won for iPad.
New Pick This Season
But this year’s iPhone App of the Year, “Toca Life World,” is an interesting pick for another reason. Its maker, Toca Boca, March celebrated its ten-year anniversary. In the time since the launch of its first app, the company has gone on to release over 40 other kids’ apps — or as Toca Boca likes to call them, digital toys. “Toca Life World” is the culmination of a lot of this work, as it connected the prior “Toca Life” apps into one connected experience.
Apple praised the award winner for “still masterfully iterating on the art of play and self-expression for kids,” ten years later.
The pick also serves as a subtle reminder amid a year that’s seen much App Store backlash and upheaval, that developers are building long-term businesses on the App Store and Apple has helped play a role in supporting that success, including through awards like these.
The award winners will again receive physical App Store awards, which are inspired by the signature blue App Store icon, which is set into the 100% recycled aluminum used to make Apple products, with the name of the winner engraved on the other side.
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Most Downloaded Apps in the US
Apple also released its lists of the most downloaded apps of the year, as usual. In the U.S., the most downloaded apps are as follows:
Top Free iPhone Apps
- TikTok
- YouTube: Watch, Listen, Stream
- Snapchat
- Messenger
- Google Maps
- Gmail – Email by Google
- ZOOM Cloud Meetings
- Amazon Shopping
Top Paid iPhone Apps
- Procreate Pocket
- HotSchedules
- The Wonder Weeks
- TouchRetouch
- Facetune
- Shadowrocket
- 75 Hard
- Dark Sky Weather
- Autosleep Track Sleep on Watch
- SkyView®
Top Free iPhone Games
- Among Us!
- Roblox
- Project Makeover
- Call of Duty®: Mobile
- Subway Surfers
- High Heels!
- Magic Tiles 3: Piano Game
- Water Sort Puzzle
- Shortcut Run
- Bridge Race
Top Paid iPhone Games
- Minecraft
- Heads Up!
- Bloons TD 6
- Monopoly
- Geometry Dash
- My Child Lebensborn
- Plague Inc.
- True Skate
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Incredibox
Top Free iPad Apps
- YouTube: Watch, Listen, Stream
- ZOOM Cloud Meetings
- Disney+
- Netflix
- TikTok
- Google Chrome
- HBO Max: Stream TV & Movies
- Hulu: Watch TV series & movies
- Amazon Prime Video
- Gmail — Email by Google
Top Paid iPad Apps
- Procreate
- GoodNotes 5
- Notability
- Duet Display
- Toca Kitchen 2
- Toca Life: Hospital
- LumaFusion
- Shadowrocket
- Affinity Designer
- Toca Life: Vacation
Top Free iPad Games
- Among Us!
- Roblox
- Project Makeover
- Phone Case DIY
- Subway Surfers
- Hair Challenge
- Magic Tiles 3: Piano Game
- Tiles Hop – EDM Rush
- Blob Runner 3D
- Bridge Race
Top Paid iPad Games
- Minecraft
- Bloons TD 6
- Geometry Dash
- Monopoly
- Five Nights at Freddy’s
- Stardew Valley
- Plague Inc.
- Human: Fall Flat
- Ultimate Custom Night
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Top Apple Arcade Games
- The Oregon Trail
- NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition
- Sneaky Sasquatch
- Sonic Racing
- SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit
- Skate City
- PAC-MAN Party Royale
- Cut the Rope Remastered
- Hot Lava
- Angry Birds Reloaded
2021 Apple Most Downloaded Apps
