Top Free Apps and Games on the App Store in 2025 (US Trends)

Discover the 2025 top free iPhone and iPad apps and games in the United States, led by AI assistants, video platforms, and popular games. Practical insights for English learners.

App Store watchers have a fresh snapshot of what users in the United States download for free in 2025. Apple’s yearly rankings reveal which apps and games captured the most attention, with AI-powered tools, video platforms, and social apps leading the charts.

Here is a clear guide to the top free apps for iPhone and iPad, plus the most popular free games this year, designed to help English learners follow current tech trends.

Top free iPhone apps in 2025 (US)

ChatGPT — OpenAI’s AI chat assistant. Availability varies by region; in some places the app isn’t accessible.
Threads — Meta’s text-based social network designed for longer posts.
Google — the main Google app with a personal feed, weather, translation, and quick access to Gmail and other services.
TikTok — a platform for short videos and creative content.
WhatsApp — widely used messaging app for messages and calls.
Instagram — photo and video sharing with stories and reels.
YouTube — leading video streaming platform.
Google Maps — maps and navigation app.
Gmail — Google’s email service.
Gemini — Google’s conversational AI assistant.

Top free apps and games on App Store 2025

Top free iPad apps in 2025

YouTube — video streaming platform popular on tablets.
ChatGPT — OpenAI’s AI chat assistant (not available in all regions).
Netflix — streaming service for movies and series.
Disney+ — family-friendly streaming service.
Amazon Prime Video — streaming library with a range of shows and films.
TikTok — short-form videos for entertainment and trends.
Chrome — Google’s web browser for quick search and browsing.
Goodnotes — smart note-taking app that supports handwriting and documents, with AI helping to organize and search.
Canva — graphic design tool for images and videos.
HBO Max — streaming service for films and series.

Top free iPhone games in 2025

Block Blast! — casual puzzle game about fitting shapes on a grid.
Fortnite — online battle game on a large island with building and combat.
Roblox — a game platform where players create and share their own worlds.
Township — city-building and farming simulation with factory work.
Pokémon TCG Pocket — digital trading card game featuring Pokémon cards.
Royal Kingdom — strategy-simulation about building a realm and managing economy.
Clash Royale — real-time strategy with deck-building and arena battles.
Vita Mahjong — calming Mahjong puzzle game with matching tiles.
Whiteout Survival — city-building strategy in a frozen world.
Last War: Survival — survival strategy against zombies and rival players.

Top free iPad games in 2025

Block Blast! — casual puzzle game for touch-screen devices.
Fortnite — popular online shooter and builder game.
Roblox — platform for player-created games and worlds.
Perfect Tidy — relaxing puzzle about organizing items into proper places.
Magic Tiles 3: Piano Game — rhythm game with music notes to tap in time.
Mini Games: Calm & Chill — simple mini-games designed to unwind.
Goods Puzzle: Sort Challenge — sorting items into categories to complete levels.
hole.io — arcade where you control a black hole to consume items and grow.
Subway Surfers — endless runner dodging trains and collecting coins.
Township — city-building and farming simulation on tablets too.

Expert comment

Expert note: Industry observers say the 2025 rankings show strong demand for AI tools, video streaming, and social networks across phones and tablets. The data highlights a shift toward AI-powered assistants becoming a common part of daily mobile life.

Short summary

Overall, the 2025 results highlight AI helpers, popular video platforms, and social networks as the most downloaded free apps. YouTube is especially dominant on iPad, while AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini figure prominently among iPhone downloads. The gaming section features a mix of casual puzzles and big-name titles, with regional availability affecting some rankings.