App Download Metrics

Commenters debate the validity and limitations of using mobile app download counts as a measure of popularity or success, emphasizing that downloads do not equal active users, installs, or unique developers.

📉 Falling 0.5x Startups & Business
2,172
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#1347
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
3
2008
19
2009
55
2010
113
2011
205
2012
160
2013
170
2014
113
2015
114
2016
130
2017
113
2018
86
2019
120
2020
119
2021
136
2022
97
2023
185
2024
105
2025
122
2026
7

Keywords

IMO HN YT FWIW URL IIRC downloads app apps downloaded users download numbers play store installs phones

Sample Comments

mtmail Feb 24, 2019 View on HN

Please add a source for "few apps are downloaded each month".

homakov Jun 4, 2017 View on HN

It's number of downloads btw. Some might have downloaded it once and never used, some could have used for just one app, some removed and downloaded again.

"Measure it in app downloads!"

ars Mar 8, 2023 View on HN

Is this list weighted for how many people have the app in the first place?

F147H34D Dec 4, 2019 View on HN

Wish they listed out how many installs.

bertomartin Aug 31, 2012 View on HN

80-20 principle working here. Not to be picky, but I think most app must've been downloaded at minimum a few times, if it's even by friends of the app builder.

minimaxir May 16, 2014 View on HN

1 billion installs does not imply 1 billion users.

50K downloads is not 50K users.

la_fayette Jul 16, 2017 View on HN

download numbers are absolute, independent of any version or uninstalls of the app. the store updates the number with a lag. the ratings can be done only after download and are shown faster.

0xblinq May 16, 2024 View on HN

This is all about download counts and who's more popular. That's it.