Warning: These Are the Most Data-Hungry Apps in 2025

We all appreciate a good freebie, especially when it comes to the apps that power our daily lives. From connecting with distant friends to finding the best deals, our smartphones are brimming with tools that come at no apparent monetary cost. But have you ever paused to consider what “free” truly signifies in the bustling digital marketplace? More often than not, it means you’re not the customer—you’re the product. Your data, that is.

A recent study by Apteco peeled back the layers of over 90 of the most popular apps found on Apple’s App Store. The goal? To unearth just how much personal data these seemingly innocuous applications collect that’s “linked to you”—meaning, directly traceable to your identity. The findings highlighted a critical truth: in today’s digital landscape, understanding app permissions and actively managing your privacy settings isn’t just good practice; it’s essential. While the study focuses on the App Store, most of the apps in the ranking are also available on Android.

Have you ever had that uncanny feeling that your social media apps know your deepest thoughts, habits, and preferences? Well, this study offers some compelling evidence to back up that intuition. Topping the charts as the most data-hungry apps of 2025 are none other than Facebook and Instagram. Each of these digital behemoths is reportedly hoovering up an astounding 156 individual data points directly linked to their users.

Trailing closely behind is Threads, Meta’s newer social platform, which isn’t far off with 154 data points. The pattern is strikingly clear: all three of these applications fall under the umbrella of Meta. This unified approach highlights a remarkably aggressive and consistent strategy for data collection across the company’s vast digital empire. It’s not just a coincidence; it’s a deliberate design. This aggressive stance is precisely why social media platforms, as a category, overwhelmingly dominate the top 10 list of the most data-hungry apps. For these platforms, your personal information isn’t merely a side effect of providing a service. They see your data as “digital gold” and the central component of their business model.

Beyond the Scroll: Data Collection Across Diverse App Categories

But it’s not just your social feeds that contribute to the list of most data-hungry apps in 2025. The study broadened its scope, revealing significant data appetites across various app categories:

• AI Assistants: Amazon Alexa leads with 115 data points, though Google Assistant is a bit more restrained at 56.
• Entertainment: When you’re settling in for a show, your data is still at work. Amazon Prime Video, for instance, collects 64 data points from its users.
• Business Tools: Professional networking platforms are also in on the game. LinkedIn, a cornerstone for many careers, gathers a significant 124 data points.
• Financial Apps: Perhaps most sensitive, apps managing your money aren’t exempt. PayPal logs 72 data points, while the buy-now-pay-later service Klarna collects 69.
• Health and Fitness: Even when you’re tracking your steps or monitoring your health, data collection is active. Strava (60 data points) and Flo (40 data points) are examples in this category.
• Shopping: Unsurprisingly, the vast world of online retail thrives on data. Amazon, as a primary shopping destination, collects 83 data points.
• Travel: Planning your next trip or commute also contributes to your data footprint. Uber collects 71 data points, and Airbnb is close behind with 64.

The study also identified a few apps that managed to collect zero linked data, which is great. These include Booking.com, AI Chatbot, NHS Couch to 5K, Aldi, and Reddit. These apps often operate without requiring personal accounts or allow users to browse their services without providing identifiable information. Furthermore, other apps like ReelShort, DramaBox, Sainsbury’s, and the NHS App demonstrated minimal data collection, gathering only 3 to 6 data points. This shows that a less intrusive approach to app design and functionality is indeed possible.

The Blueprint of Your Digital Self: Most Collected Data Types

So, what exactly constitutes these “data points” that apps are so eager to collect? The study meticulously identified the most commonly collected data types across the analyzed applications. It paints a precise picture of what forms the blueprint of your digital self for these companies:

• Contact Information: This is perhaps the most straightforward category, encompassing your name, phone number, and physical address. Alarmingly, this type of data was collected across a staggering 667 instances among the apps examined.
• Identifiers: This category includes unique markers like your screen names, account IDs, device IDs, and other digital tags that help apps distinguish you. These were collected 546 times.
• Usage Data: This is a comprehensive look at your in-app behavior—every tap, every click, your scrolling patterns, the features you use, and how long you spend on them. This granular interaction data was collected 469 times.

These seemingly absurd data points are meticulously gathered and intelligently combined. As a result, they enable companies to construct incredibly detailed and rich profiles of their users. These comprehensive profiles serve a myriad of purposes: from delivering highly targeted advertisements that seem to read your mind to personalizing content suggestions that keep you engaged. Their main goal is to monetize your attention and preferences in ways that are often invisible to the casual user.

Understanding the Real Cost and Taking Back Control

The study’s findings leave little doubt: the “hidden cost” of those “free” apps isn’t really hidden at all. The price you pay is, basically, your personal data. While these digital services offer unparalleled convenience, entertainment, and connection, they also fueled a gargantuan industry built on sophisticated data analytics, behavioral insights, and influence. This extensive data collection by the most data-hungry apps in 2025 fuels the business models of these giants. The practice allows them to deliver hyper-targeted advertising and tailor user experiences in ways that can feel easily intuitive but are deeply rooted in pervasive, continuous tracking.

Understanding this dynamic is the first step. In the digital age, it’s definitely unrealistic to completely disengage from the data economy in modern life. However, you do have more power than you might think. Here are some practical steps you can take:

• Be Mindful of Sensitive Data: The golden rule remains: think twice before sharing highly sensitive personal, financial, health, or confidential information with any app. Assume that anything you type or input could potentially be retained.
• Review App Permissions: Regularly check what permissions each app has on your device and revoke any that seem unnecessary.
• Manage Privacy Settings: Dive into the privacy settings within your apps and on your device’s operating system. Limit data sharing and ad personalization where possible.
• Question “Free” Services: While convenience is king, consider whether the trade-off for a “free” app is worth the data it collects. Sometimes, a modestly priced alternative might offer significantly better privacy practices.
• Delete Unused Apps: If you’re not using an app, get rid of it. Less data being collected means less risk of your information being misused or exposed.
• Stay Informed: Keep an eye on news and privacy discussions around data collection. The regulatory landscape is evolving rapidly, and knowing which are the most data-hungry apps in 2025 can help you make informed decisions.

Nothing “Free” Is Actually Free, and You Should Know It

In a world increasingly reliant on interconnected digital services, knowledge is power. Knowing the true cost of “free” is essential to navigating our data-driven landscape more consciously and reclaiming a significant degree of control over our valuable digital lives.