OpenAI’s ChatGPT still leads the chatbot market. Recent data from Sensor Tower shows that growth at the top is easing while rivals gain steam. This is an early sign that the market is moving from rapid expansion to a phase of stronger competition.
ChatGPT today holds a large slice of downloads and monthly active users. The app remains the market leader on mobile devices. Sensor Tower reports that ChatGPT accounted for roughly half of global chatbot downloads and about half of global monthly active users as of November 2025. The same study also finds the app’s month-to-month growth has slowed in recent months.
Google’s Gemini is closing the gap. Over the summer and autumn of 2025, Gemini saw faster growth in downloads and in user time spent inside the app. Gemini benefited from a popular image model called Nano Banana and from deeper integration across Android. Those factors helped Android users engage more directly with Gemini outside of a single app.
What the Numbers Show
ChatGPT’s global monthly active users rose strongly year over year. The year-to-year gain remained large in November. The recent trend shows a slowdown in the short term. Monthly growth between August and November was modest when compared with earlier quarters. Sensor Tower reports that Gemini grew at a noticeably faster rate over the same period. That growth was driven in part by image features and mobile reach.
Why Gemini is Gaining Ground
Gemini’s Nano Banana image model drew public interest and increased time in the app. The new image tools gave Gemini a fresh reason for users to open the app. Google also benefits from Android-level access. Twice as many U S Android users now access Gemini through the operating system rather than the standalone app. That wider reach can turn discovery into repeated use more easily on Android devices.
What This Means For OpenAI
OpenAI retains a dominant position but faces rising pressure on multiple fronts. Rapid feature releases and tighter product focus are one response. OpenAI leadership has signalled an urgent focus on product improvements across personalization and reliability. This strategic focus aims to help ChatGPT keep its lead while rivals add new value to users.
How Rivals are Growing Fast
Smaller players also show strong momentum. Some apps posted triple-digit year-over-year growth in 2025. That growth points to a broader market shift. The top of the market will no longer be decided by a single breakout feature. Instead, leading apps will need an expanding set of reasons for users to return.
