OpenAI’s Sora App Surges to No. 3 on US App Store Despite Invite-Only Launch
A Viral Start for AI Video
OpenAI’s latest release, Sora, an AI-powered video generation app, has quickly become a viral sensation—despite its limited availability. Currently restricted to invite-only users in the U.S. and Canada, Sora still managed to achieve 56,000 downloads on its first day, according to data from app intelligence firm .
Within just two days—September 30th and October 1st—the app was downloaded 164,000 times on iOS, propelling it to the No. 3 spot in the U.S. App Store’s Top Overall chart.
Outpacing Rivals in AI App Launches
The strong debut places Sora ahead of several major AI competitors. Its day-one performance surpassed the launch numbers of Anthropic’s Claude (21,000) and Microsoft’s Copilot (7,000). It also matched the early success of xAI’s Grok, which likewise saw 56,000 installs on its first day.
By comparison, OpenAI’s own ChatGPT app and Google’s Gemini app had stronger starts, each attracting more than 80,000 downloads on day one.
Demand for AI Video Experiences
Despite its invite-only model, Sora’s rapid adoption signals strong consumer demand for AI-powered video creation tools. Unlike text-based AI assistants, Sora’s positioning leans closer to a social media-style experience, suggesting that mainstream users are eager to experiment with creative and interactive AI video features.
This surge in popularity has raised internal debates within OpenAI. As one humorous critique noted, “Are my piggies enjoying their slop?”—a tongue-in-cheek reference to AI-generated deepfakes of CEO Sam Altman. While some insiders would prefer the company to focus on broader, humanity-driven goals, others see value in meeting consumer appetite where it’s growing fastest.
Regional Comparisons and Launch Strategies
Appfigures emphasized that making fair comparisons requires focusing only on U.S. and Canadian downloads, as launch strategies vary widely among AI developers.
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ChatGPT initially launched exclusively in the U.S. on iOS.
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Grok limited its debut to the U.S., Australia, and India.
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Claude launched on iOS without clear geographic restrictions.
When looking solely at the U.S. and Canada, the adjusted ranking still underscores Sora’s strong start:
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ChatGPT: 81,000 day-one downloads
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Gemini: 80,000
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Sora: 56,000 (tied with Grok)
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Claude: 21,000
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Copilot: 7,000
Climbing the Charts
By its second day, Sora had reached No. 3 overall in the U.S. App Store. For context:
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ChatGPT reached No. 1 on day two.
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Grok peaked at No. 4.
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Gemini secured No. 6.
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Copilot hit No. 19.
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Claude lagged behind at No. 78.
Looking Ahead
Sora’s performance is particularly noteworthy given its restrictions. If the app expands beyond invites and opens to a global audience, its adoption rates could rise even faster—potentially rivaling the strongest AI app launches to date.
With AI video quickly becoming a key frontier in consumer applications, Sora’s momentum may signal a broader trend: users don’t just want AI for productivity—they want it for creativity, entertainment, and social expression.
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