Sensor Tower: Muse had 10.9M downloads since its September debut, 10.2M of those in the US, becoming the 12th app to hit 10M US downloads in its first 40 days

Meta's AI app Muse is now a top performer in user acquisition and retention, beating rivals like ChatGPT in early US market penetration.

Meta's AI companion app, Muse, has achieved over 10.9 million downloads since its September launch, with 10.2 million of those occurring in the United States. This makes Muse one of only twelve apps to reach 10 million U.S. downloads within its first 40 days. Most apps that have hit this milestone are mobile games, with Meta's Threads and Disney+ being notable non-game exceptions. Muse's rapid growth is attributed to Meta leveraging its existing social graph across platforms like Instagram and Facebook, alongside a significant increase in advertising spend, dedicating 39% of its total advertising budget to Muse in October. The app has also demonstrated stronger user retention rates compared to competitors like ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok, with daily active users reaching 2.5 million, a 15% week-over-week increase.

Meta's aggressive marketing strategy, evidenced by a near doubling of its advertising spend allocation to Muse in October, highlights the company's commitment to establishing its AI companion in a competitive market. The app's superior retention rates compared to major AI rivals suggest that Meta's approach to integrating AI into user workflows, potentially by leveraging its vast user base and cross-platform synergies, is resonating effectively. This positions Muse as a significant challenger, not just in the app download charts, but in the broader race for AI user engagement.

The success of Muse signals a potential shift in how AI applications gain traction, emphasizing the importance of existing platform reach and strategic marketing over standalone novelty. For developers and investors, the data underscores that user acquisition is only half the battle; achieving higher retention than established AI players indicates a more sustainable growth model. Future attention should focus on Muse's ability to maintain this momentum and translate early engagement into long-term user loyalty and monetization.