We are now in a pandemic situation in which it makes us think about the past years. We’re looking at the biggest apps in the past decade with the help of App Annie's report at the biggest apps of the 2010s. According to the App Annie data, there were a few surprises, but some of it is just as you would expect.

App Annie’s charts are based on data from the iOS App Store and Google Play beginning in January 2012. Data through December 31, 2011, accounts only for iOS.

In terms of downloads, Facebook heavily dominated the charts for the 2010s. The Facebook app came in as the most-downloaded app, followed by Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram in second, third, and fourth places, respectively. Here are the full rankings for downloads from 2010 through 2019.

• Facebook

• Facebook Messenger

• WhatsApp

• Instagram

• Snapchat

• Skype

• TikTok

• UC Browser

• YouTube

• Twitter

What about the top apps in terms of spending? That list is heavily dominated by subscription applications, with Netflix coming in at number one

• Netflix

• Tinder

• Pandora Music

• Tencent Video

• LINE

• iQIYI

• Spotify

• YouTube

• HBO Now

• Kwai

If you narrow things down to games, the most-downloaded list is a quite a nostalgic collection of some of the most viral games of the decade:

• Subway Surfers

• Candy Crush Saga

• Temple Run 2

• My Talking Tom

• Clash of Clans

• Pou

• Hill Climb Racing

• Minion Rush

• Fruit Ninja

• 8 Ball Pool

And the top 10 games in terms of consumer spending:

• Clash of Clans

• Monster Strike

• Candy Crush Saga

• Puzzle & Dragons

• Fate/Grand Order

• Honour of Kings

• Fantasy Westward Journey

• Pokémon GO

• Game of War – Fire Age

• Clash Royale

The previous decade had been a time of remarkable growth for the mobile economy. With a 5% increase in downloads, and 15% growth in consumer spend (excluding third-party Android) year-over-year in 2019 this looks set to continue in 2020

You can read App Annie’s full report here.