In the digital age we live in, mobile applications play a fundamental role in the way we share information, experiences and manage our daily lives. In this context, Smartme Analytics, a platform specialized in collecting real-time data from markets, consumers, advertising and media, has carried out an exhaustive analysis to determine which applications are most used by Spaniards in 2023.
Through continuous and real-time monitoring of the interaction of more than 13,000 users representing the Spanish digital population with thousands of digital services, a ranking has been prepared that sheds light on the trends in this sector.
“Measuring the impact of apps allows companies to identify consumption models and behaviors, improve the digital experience and develop more efficient and personalized tools. Competition in the world of applications is strong and the search for digital and connected customer loyalty is increasingly important to find the differential gap that allows us to provide added value to end users,” says Lola Chicón, CEO and founder of Smartme Analytics.
WhatsApp and YouTube lead the list, messaging and social networks dominate the panorama
At the top of this study are messaging, social media and eCommerce tools, which dominate the landscape of the most used applications. WhatsApp, the application that has revolutionized communication, remains the undisputed leader with an astonishing 96.3% mobile penetration. Despite the changes driven by Meta and privacy concerns, Spaniards continue to choose WhatsApp as their favorite messaging application. Its closest competitor, Telegram, with 50.8% penetration, is at some distance in terms of engagement with the Meta platform.
With a penetration greater than 90%, YouTube (91.8%) and Facebook (91.3%) occupy second and third place, respectively. This shows that these veteran platforms resist competition from Instagram (75.7%) and TikTok (54.3%), which are in fifth and sixth place in the ranking. In fourth place is Gmail (85.3%), the most used email application both in Spain and around the world, with 1.8 million active users.
Online shopping: Amazon in the lead
Shopping and retail applications also have a prominent place on Spaniards’ smartphones. Electronic commerce exceeded 72 billion euros in Spain in 2022, which represents an increase of 25% compared to the previous year. In this category, Amazon stands as the undisputed leader, with an impressive penetration rate of 52.4%.
Also worth mentioning is online shopping app AliExpress, known for its competitive prices and fast delivery, with 50.4% mobile penetration. Other notable apps include Wallapop (37.9%) and Shein (35.4%). Although Wallapop focuses on the sale and purchase of second-hand items, it surpasses the Chinese firm in numbers.
Regarding daily purchases, supermarket applications have also found their place in this ranking. Mi Carrefour and Lidl Plus have mobile penetration rates of 26% and 24.7%, respectively, likely driven by their exclusive in-app promotions and discount strategies.
Entertainment in the palm of your hand: Spotify leads
Spotify, the streaming music giant, not only dominates this sector, but also tops the list of entertainment applications most used by Spaniards, with 33.7% penetration.
The trend of watching series and movies on demand has entered the ranking of applications, with Netflix (23.5%) and Prime Video (16.5%) as notable actors. The increase in the production of original content and the acquisition of internationally recognized titles for their catalogs are key factors in this growth.
CiaxaBank and BBVA: mobile banking on the rise
In the financial field, Spaniards trust CaixaBank and BBVA as their financial applications of choice, with penetration rates of 24.7% and 24.3%, respectively. These results coincide with Smartme’s MPIX mobile banking performance index, which places both applications at the top of the financial ranking and reveals a 4% growth in mobile banking applications in the last year.
