fbpx

10 Most Downloaded Android Mobile Apps In South Africa

10 Most Downloaded Android Mobile Apps In South Africa

7 of 11

South Africa is a country where smartphone usage is high, and downloaded android mobile apps form an important part of the experience for these users.

The android market is the biggest among the smartphone competitors in the country, and as such this segment of the market is an indicator of the popularity of apps in general and the types of mobile applications that South Africans are using.

The annual South African Social Media Landscape report by Ornico and research consultancy World Wide Worx revealed the apps that are most popular among Android users.

Here are the 10 most downloaded android mobile apps in South Africa.

Sources: Businesstech, IOL, Htxt, BizcommunityOpera blog, ITWeb.

Yolisa Kani is the head of public policy at Uber South Africa. Photo - Twitter
Yolisa Kani is the head of public policy at Uber South Africa. Photo – Twitter

10) Uber

Uber is fairly well established in South Africa, with operations available in numerous major cities including Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. As such, the app is a popular download in the country, making the taxi-hailing application the 10th most downloaded from android mobiles in SA.

The Capitec Mobile App
The Capitec Mobile app is the most downloaded banking app in the country – businesstech.co.za

9) Capitec Remote Banking

The Capitec Bank app is the ninth most downloaded app in South Africa, making it the most downloaded banking app for Android, topping traditional digital powerhouse bank FNB in the process. This has surprised many people.

Instagram is one of the most popular SA app downloads. Photo: Jorqeq.com/instagram user

8) Instagram

Instagram is now used by 3.8 million South Africans, up from 3.5 million, and around 72 percent of big brands in South Africa are using the image-based social network in one way or another. This has led to additional app downloads during the last year, making it the eighth most popular android app in SA.

Joom - Better shopping app. GooglePlay
Joom – Better shopping app. GooglePlay

7) Joom – Better Shopping

Joom is an online shopping app that has gained great popularity in South Africa over the last year, which is reflected by its place in this ranking. The app offers users free delivery on a variety of items, with numerous discounts and promotions available.

Opera Mini is a popular mobile web browser in Africa. Photo - GooglePlay
Opera Mini is a popular mobile web browser in Africa. Photo – GooglePlay

6) Opera Mini

Opera mini is the most widely used mobile browser on the African continent, and in November last year the company reached an impressive milestone with 100 million active users across its portfolio of products. In South Africa the browser has also proven to be popular, placing it sixth on this list.

Facebook Lite Android app, aimed at smartphone users in emerging markets. (Photo: Facebook)

5) Facebook Lite

Facebook is a popular social network in the country, with 29 percent of South Africans using it actively. Around 14 million people access Facebook on mobile devices, and this low-intensity version of the Facebook app was allowed to be used without data charges on certain networks by South African mobile providers, explaining its popularity in fifth place.

Facebook Messenger allows friends on Facebook to send messages to each other. Photo: techmagzine.com

4) Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger is a standalone messaging app that makes use of a person’s Facebook profile to be able to send messages to friends. The number of South Africans using Facebook has increased by 14 percent since 2016, from 14 million to 16 million, explaining the popularity of this app.

SHAREit is an app that allows for sharing of files across devices. Photo - ishareitdownloadpc
SHAREit is an app that allows for sharing of files across devices. Photo – ishareitdownloadpc

3) SHAREit

SHAREit is a free application from Lenovo that allows users to easily share files and folders among smartphones, tablets, and personal computers. Users can send files like photos, music and contacts, without requiring bluetooth or WiFi. This innovative app is the third most downloaded mobile app in South Africa.

The Wish shopping app gives the user an online shopping mall in their pocket. Photo - Android Central
The Wish shopping app gives the user an online shopping mall in their pocket. Photo – Android Central

2) Wish – Don’t OverPay

Second on the list of the most downloaded mobile apps in South Africa is Wish, an app that aims to replicate an online shopping mall where users are able to find items for discounts of between 50 and 80 percent. Over 300 million people use Wish, making it the most popular shopping mall in Europe and North America, and it is now showing serious traction in South Africa.

Free WhatsApp for FNB Connect users – o1visa.us

1) WhatsApp

Facebook-owned WhatsApp is the most downloaded of the android mobile apps in South Africa, dominating the charts with the popularity of the instant messaging app mirrored in many places across the globe. WhatsApp is zero rated on certain networks in South Africa, assisting in its growth in popularity.