The Pulse
Meta’s Muse Reaches 10.2 Million U.S. Downloads in 40 Days
Meta’s Muse recorded 10.2 million U.S. downloads in its first 40 days, making it one of 12 apps to reach the 10-million-download threshold that quickly. Sensor Tower estimates also show higher early retention than several rival AI apps, alo
AI.info Team · Written with AI · fact-checked ·
Meta’s Muse drew 10.2 million U.S. downloads in its first 40 days, making it one of 12 mobile apps to reach the 10-million-download threshold in that period, according to Sensor Tower estimates reported by TechCrunch on October 20. Muse recorded 10.9 million downloads worldwide since its September debut. About 700,000 were outside the United States, predominantly in Canada, where the app was also available. Meta promoted Muse through its other services and increased advertising for the app during its first weeks on the market.
Only 11 apps got there first
Sensor Tower Senior Insights Analyst Kara Lee said only 11 other apps had reached 10 million U.S. downloads within 40 days of launch. The most recent was Meta’s Threads, which hit the milestone in July 2023; most of the other apps were mobile games. Muse’s result places an AI assistant among a small group of unusually fast app launches, though downloads alone do not show how many people will keep using it.
For comparison, ChatGPT recorded 3.7 million U.S. downloads in its first 40 days, while Grok reached 500,000 and Claude 200,000, according to the same data. ChatGPT had about 15 million worldwide downloads over its first 40 days, more than Muse’s 10.9 million worldwide total. The totals cover different launch footprints: Muse was available only in the U.S. and Canada, while ChatGPT also attracted users in countries including Japan, Brazil and Germany.
Advertising helps drive the launch
Sensor Tower estimates that Meta devoted 39% of its total advertising spend to Muse in October, up from 23% in September. The app climbed from 73rd to 21st among U.S. brands by advertising impressions over that span. Meta also has the reach of its existing services to promote a new product, while its advertising investment offers a separate channel for finding users.
The download surge coincided with stronger early retention than the average for three rival AI apps. In the U.S., Sensor Tower measured Muse’s seven-day retention at 30% and its 14-day retention at 23%; the averages for ChatGPT, Claude and Grok were 19% and 16%, respectively. Those figures indicate that more of Muse’s early users returned after installing it, but do not establish why they returned or whether that activity will translate into paid use.
Daily use rises as rankings hold
Muse reached 2.5 million daily active users for the first time on October 16, a 15% increase from the previous week, according to Sensor Tower. The app held No. 1 on the U.S. App Store on every day since launch except October 19, when streaming app Kick briefly took the top spot; Muse had reclaimed it by October 20. It also ranked first on Google Play over the preceding 30 days.
Together, the estimates show a large launch and signs of repeat use, alongside substantial promotion by Meta. The measures answer different questions: downloads track installs, retention tracks whether people return, and daily active users count activity on a given day. The 10.2 million U.S. downloads capture Muse’s reach in its first 40 days, not how many people will still be using it after the launch push fades.