ChatGPT Likely to Reclaim Top Free App Spot on the US App Store by Sept 18

The most telling data point is the App Store's own ratings ledger: ChatGPT has amassed north of 505,000 ratings in its current version alone, a sign of the kind of sustained, mainstream download velocity that keeps an app camped near the top of the free chart. Recent snapshots through mid-September report ChatGPT holding the number one free slot, with Meta's Muse app climbing to number two but still reported well behind in downloads, having crossed roughly 83,000 iOS installs in the US. Still, the picture isn't spotless. Earlier in September, reports show ChatGPT briefly ceding the top spot, first to MapQuest amid what appeared to be a novelty-driven surge, and separately to fantasy sports and gaming-accessory apps riding seasonal spikes. That volatility matters because it shows the free chart can be knocked around by short-lived viral moments that have nothing to do with underlying utility. The case for ChatGPT holding on rests on scale: it's not just popular, it's a habitual daily tool for tens of millions, which tends to produce more resilient chart positioning than a one-week fad. Apple's own editorial recognition of AI utility apps this year reinforces that ChatGPT sits in a favored, high-visibility category. Watch for another surprise entrant, whether a seasonal sports app, a viral utility, or a fast-rising AI competitor like Muse, catching a promotional or news-driven spike right around September 18. That's the only real threat to the top spot.