After announcing the 2023 App Store Award winners at the end of last month, Apple is now spotlighting this year’s most popular apps and games on its digital store. The selection includes free and paid apps, as well as Apple Arcade games.
Apple says the “App Store is the world’s safest and most vibrant app marketplace, recommending the best apps and games to its more than 650 million weekly visitors,” and it selected the most downloaded apps and games of 2023 in the US. Of the apps, which I’ll list below, these are my favorite four that you should download right now.
CapCut – Video Editor: It might already be on your iPhone, but CapCut is a brilliant app. In 2023, like many of you, I tried creating some content for TikTok, and although I tried to be fancy and edit my videos on Final Cut Pro, I always ended up on CapCut to automatically create subtitles for my videos. So easy, efficient, and FREE.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: It’s so interesting that GTA San Andreas is one of the top-paid iPhone games of the year. I remember playing San Andreas on my iPad 2 (!!!), and it was really special. This might have something to do with the recently revealed GTA VI.
Goodnotes 6: Goodnotes has always been a favorite of mine. I used this app frequently during college for my readings and for taking notes. These days, I use it for my Italian classes and signing documents with my Apple Pencil. Goodnotes 6 is free to download (and it’s one of the top free iPad apps), but it requires a subscription for all the benefits. Those who bought version 5 can still use all the features at no additional cost.
Snake.io+: Don’t blame me, but I played this Apple Arcade game more than I’m proud to admit. There’s something about Snake.io that is calming and addictive. Totally worth the subscription just to avoid all the annoying ads from the free version.
Those were our favorites, but these were the most downloaded iOS apps and games in 2023:
Top Free iPhone Apps
- Temu: Shop Like a Billionaire
- CapCut – Video Editor
- Max: Stream HBO, TV, & Movies
- Threads, an Instagram app
- TikTok
- YouTube: Watch, Listen, Stream
- WhatsApp Messenger
- Gmail – Email by Google
Top Paid iPhone Apps
- Shadowrocket
- HotSchedules
- Procreate Pocket
- The Wonder Weeks
- 75 Hard
- AutoSleep Track Sleep on Watch
- Goblin Tools
- TonalEnergy Tuner & Metronome
- SkyView
- AnkiMobile Flashcards
Top Free iPhone Games
- MONOPOLY GO!
- Roblox
- Royal Match
- Subway Surfers
- Gardenscapes
- Call of Duty: Mobile
- Block Blast!
- Makeover Studio: Makeup Games
- Parking Jam 3D
- Survivor!.io
Top Paid iPhone Games
- Minecraft
- Heads Up!
- Geometry Dash
- Bloons TD 6
- MONOPOLY
- Papa’s Freezeria To Go!
- Plague Inc.
- Red’s First Flight
- Five Nights at Freddy’s
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Top Free iPad Apps
- Max: Stream HBO, TV, & Movies
- YouTube: Watch, Listen, Stream
- Netflix
- Google Chrome
- Disney+
- Goodnotes 6
- TikTok
- Amazon Prime Video
- Temu: Shop Like a Billionaire
- Peacock TV: Stream TV & Movies
Top Paid iPad Apps
- Procreate
- Shadowrocket
- Nomad Sculpt
- forScore
- Toca Life: Hospital
- Bluebeam Revu for iPad
- Teach Your Monster to Read
- AnkiMobile Flashcards
- Endless Paper
- ToonSquid
Top Free iPad Games
- Roblox
- Magic Tiles 3: Piano Game
- Subway Surfers
- Royal Match
- Among Us!
- Duet Cats: Cute Cat Games
- Stumble Guys
- MONOPOLY GO!
- Bridge Race
- Gardenscapes
Top Paid iPad Games
- Minecraft
- Geometry Dash
- Bloons TD 6
- Stardew Valley
- MONOPOLY
- Five Nights at Freddy’s
- Red’s First Flight
- Poppy Playtime Chapter 1
- Plague Inc.
- Garten of Banban 2
Top Apple Arcade Games
- NBA 2K23 Arcade Edition
- Cooking Mama: Cuisine!
- Bloons TD 6+
- Angry Birds Reloaded
- Sneaky Sasquatch
- Warped Kart Racers
- Hello Kitty Island Adventure
- Snake.io+
- Fruit Ninja Classic+
- Solitaire by MobilityWare+
