Fastest-growing apps in the U.S., with grocery and food delivery topping the list

In 2020, many mobile app categories saw growth as more consumers turned to mobile apps for socializing, shopping , and more during quarantine.

Survey data shows that the three fastest growing categories of smartphone app users in 2020 are grocery apps , food delivery apps, and health /fitness apps .

Grocery apps saw the fastest growth last year , with a 40.9% increase in smartphone users , as more consumers began doing their grocery shopping online and relying more on apps like Instacart and meal kit companies like HelloFresh and Blue Apron .

Cindy Liu, director of forecasting e-markets at Insider Intelligence, said that while growth in grocery app users is expected to decelerate to 5.8% this year , this is a reversal from previous forecasts for 2021. In addition, it is worth noting that grocery app users will account for 15.5% of smartphone users and 24.9% of digital grocery buyers.

As grocery app downloads increase, so too has the use of food delivery apps. With many restaurants limiting capacity or closing entirely, especially at the start of the coronavirus pandemic , consumers turned to food delivery apps to fulfill their takeout needs. To reach a wider audience and make up for lost sales, many restaurants partnered with online services like DoorDash , Grubhub , and Uber Eats to boost their own sales one at a time .

Among the top five, health /fitness apps (up 28.5%) , dating apps ( 21.3%), and news apps (17.5%) also surged in 2020 as more people rely on them to set their fitness goals, complete their fitness needs, and meet new people and stay up to date.

This year, industry insiders expect engagement with these apps to decline, although users in all categories will still increase in 2021 compared to 2019. However, it is undeniable that online applications have thoroughly penetrated into our lives, influencing every move at all times.

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