Productivity app downloads are on the rise says Softonic

Friday, November 10, 2023

Softonic recently revealed that niche productivity apps are increasing year after year while traditional app downloads are declining. The report found that newer, less well-known apps like Pocket have grown in popularity, while Google Drive & Docs, and Evernote have seen a decrease in downloads.

Softonic.com, the secure software distributor, recently revealed new data that suggests a surge in interest for niche productivity apps.

The data, extracted from Softonic’s own user metrics, reveals a snapshot of the most popular applications and the changes in their download numbers from January to September this year compared to the same period in 2022.

Niche productivity apps are growing year-on-year while traditional app downloads decline, figures from Softonic reveal

The information analyzed suggests that users are increasingly seeking out apps that have more unique features compared to more traditional apps including Google Docs, Google Drive, and Evernote, which are seeing declines in the number of downloads.

"These numbers emphasize the evolving preferences of users and the support that software discovery platforms, like Softonic, provide in presenting new and different options", says Ferran Gavin, Director of Catalog and Traffic at Softonic.

Pocket, a content discovery, and bookmarking app recorded a 98% increase in the number of downloads, the most significant among the apps analyzed. The application allows users to save online articles and videos to read or watch later and access them offline.

Hive, a project management and collaboration tool to assist teams in projects, had a 79% increase whilst Pomodone, a time management and productivity app that follows the Pomodoro Technique to time work, saw a 48% increase in the number of downloads.

Also achieving positive growth in the number of downloads was Notion, an application that helps users create notes, databases, and project management boards, and Slack, a communications tool for teams working remotely, hybrid, or in the office. Notion saw a 13% increase and Slack a 37% growth.

Other applications experienced falls including Evernote, a note-taking and organization app, Google Docs, which offers real-time collaboration and document sharing, and Google Drive, a cloud storage and file-sharing platform.