Google’s Gemini app has surged to the number 1 spot on the US App Store’s Top Free chart, driven by the viral success of its Nano Banana image editing model that preserves character likeness and enables natural, multi-photo transformations. ChatGPT sits second, with Threads third, while Gemini ranks second in Canada and the UK, reflecting strong global momentum.
As of Friday evening, Gemini leads the iPhone Top Free Apps in the US, ahead of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Meta’s Threads, marking a pivotal moment in AI app adoption on iOS. The Google app ranks sixth, Maps eighth, Chrome 13th, and Gmail 21st, highlighting a broad Google footprint in the charts.
Why it’s trending
From August 26 to September 9, the Gemini app added 23 million new users, with Nano Banana powering more than 500 million image edits in that short window, making it one of the fastest-rising creative AI tools this year on mobile. The model’s appeal lies in consistent character likeness, multi-photo blending, style transfer, and conversational edits.
Features users love
- Character consistency for the same person across scenes, poses, and angles is a key differentiator for creators and marketers.
- Multi-image input to blend photos into coherent, stylized composites, useful for campaigns and social content.
- Natural language, region-specific edits and style transfer without complex tooling.
- Tight Gemini app integration on iPhone with image creation/editing and assistant features.
- Access and limits
Free users can generate or edit up to 100 images per day, while subscribers get up to 1,000 images per day starting at $19.99 per month, aligning with Google’s broader Gemini tiering.
Competitive edge
Gemini’s ascent on iOS coincides with deepening Apple Google AI momentum and growing consumer adoption of mobile AI assistants. The Gemini listing and updates emphasize the “Go Live” voice, extensions, and Nano Banana built on Gemini 2.5 Flash Image, underscoring the model’s speed and creative control.
FAQs
What is Nano Banana in Gemini?
Nano Banana is Google’s latest image generation and editing model that enables character-consistent edits, style transfer, and multi-photo blending directly inside the Gemini app.
How many images can be edited for free?
All free users get up to 100 image generations/edits per day; subscribers get up to 1,000 per day at plans starting from $19.99 per month.
Is Gemini really the top free iPhone app now?
Yes, Gemini is currently No.1 on the US App Store’s Top Free chart, ahead of ChatGPT and Threads, with strong placements for other Google apps too.
How fast is user growth since launch?
From August 26 to September 9, Gemini added 23 million new users, with over 500 million images edited using Nano Banana in that interval.
What else does the Gemini iPhone app offer?
Beyond image editing, Gemini on iPhone supports Gemini Live voice, app extensions (Maps, Gmail, YouTube), study aids, and creative workflows with a streamlined iOS experience.