--- title: "Top Mobile Apps: How Facebook and Google Dominate" id: "15492" type: "post" slug: "top-mobile-apps-how-facebook-and-google-dominate" published_at: "2013-01-24T20:53:10+00:00" modified_at: "2026-11-09T19:02:38+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/01/24/top-mobile-apps-how-facebook-and-google-dominate/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/01/24/top-mobile-apps-how-facebook-and-google-dominate.md" excerpt: "Looking to reach your mobile crowd? Out of thousands of apps to choose from, here are the top mobile apps at the end of 2012, according to ComScore." taxonomy_category: - "Marketing / Communications" taxonomy_post_tag: - "apps" - "AssociationsNow" - "Marketing" - "Social Media" - "Technology" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Top Mobile Apps: How Facebook and Google Dominate If you haven’t redefined your [mobile strategy](https://associationsnow.com/2012/12/mobile-technology-are-associations-behind-the-curve/) , now’s the time. With smartphones increasingly common, they’re an easy way to reach your target audience. But how many apps are you integrating into your lineup? *Forbes* [details (opens in a new tab)](http://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2013/01/23/facebook-leapfrogs-google-maps-as-1-u-s-mobile-app-in-2012/) the latest [report (opens in a new tab)](http://www.comscore.com/Insights/Blog/Facebook_Vaults_Ahead_of_Google_Maps_to_Finish_2012_as_number_1_US_Mobile_App) from ComScore, which lists the top mobile apps by audience. Facebook wrested the top spot from Google Maps near the end of 2012, proving that being social is everything for smartphone users. More proof? Other hits on the list include Instagram and YouTube. Associations can use these apps in 2013 and 2014 marketing plans to stay on top of their members and where they might be spending the most time. More findings: **Facebook has more than 85 million unique monthly mobile visitors,** while Google Maps had nearly 75 million. (The [Apple Maps fiasco (opens in a new tab)](http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444712904578024170366547916.html) may have caused a steep decline late last year, as users who upgraded to iOS 6 initially did not have access to an app version of Google Maps.) **Facebook also owns the runner-up:** The *second* most-popular app, based on engagement? Instagram, which Facebook bought last April. While Facebook currently outplays Instagram nearly eight times over (with Facebook accounting for 23 percent of time spent on apps versus Instagram’s 3 percent), Instagram is still growing fast, as the [company reported recently (opens in a new tab)](http://allthingsd.com/20130117/after-reports-of-user-revolt-instagram-releases-monthly-active-user-data-for-the-first-time/) . **How Google dominates:** While Google may not have the most successful app on this list anymore, it still has a wide array of sticky apps, including Gmail and YouTube (oh, and Google+, [which you should consider joining](https://associationsnow.com/2012/12/lunchtime-links-learn-to-love-google/) ). *Forbes* reports that one in every three minutes a user spends on their phone, it’s on either Facebook or a Google app. (Google’s top apps account for around 10 percent of total time spent on apps, second only to Facebook’s 26 percent.) What mobile apps are in your strategy? Share your best practices in the comments. (Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock) [Chloe Thompson](https://associationsnow.com/author/chloe-thompson/) Chloe Thompson is a contributing writer to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/chloe-thompson/) Tags: [#apps](https://associationsnow.com/tag/apps/) [#Marketing](https://associationsnow.com/tag/marketing/) [#Social Media](https://associationsnow.com/tag/social-media/) [#Technology](https://associationsnow.com/tag/technology/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoDaily Recap: Day 1 from the 2025 ASAE MMC+Tech ConferenceMay 13, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/05/13/daily-recap-day-1-from-the-2025-asae-mmctech-conference/) - [VideoThe Future is Yours to Create. 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