OpenAI’s video generator Sora is off to a blazing start on iOS. After surging to the top spot on the U.S. App Store, the invite-only app notched an even bigger first week than ChatGPT’s iOS debut when measured by total installs across its launch countries, according to new estimates from Appfigures.
In its first seven days, Sora racked up approximately 627,000 iOS downloads, edging past ChatGPT’s 606,000 in the same time frame. It’s not an apples-to-apples matchup, since ChatGPT launched only in the U.S. while Sora debuted in the U.S. and Canada. Even so, Canada accounted for roughly 45,000 Sora installs; removing those suggests Sora’s U.S.-only performance would be about 96% of ChatGPT’s first-week U.S. tally—impressive for an app that’s still invite-only.
Key numbers at a glance:
– First-week iOS downloads: ~627,000
– U.S.-only adjusted estimate: ~96% of ChatGPT’s first-week U.S. installs
– First day installs: ~56,000, pushing Sora to No. 3 Overall on the U.S. App Store
– Reached No. 1 Overall: Friday, October 3, 2025
– Daily peak: ~107,800 downloads on October 1, 2025
– Daily range after the peak: ~84,400 (October 6) to ~98,500 (October 4)
Sora’s momentum puts it ahead of other major AI app launches such as Anthropic’s Claude and Microsoft’s Copilot, and roughly on par with the early trajectory of xAI’s Grok. What makes Sora’s rise even more notable is its limited access; unlike ChatGPT’s broader availability at launch, Sora requires an invite, yet it still climbed to No. 1 within days.
Much of the enthusiasm is visible across social platforms, where Sora’s upgraded Sora 2 video model has gone viral. The model can generate startlingly realistic clips, fueling both fascination and debate as deepfake content proliferates. Some users have shared videos simulating public figures, including those who have passed away, prompting public pleas—such as from Zelda Williams—to stop circulating AI-generated likenesses of deceased individuals. The viral growth underscores both the creative potential of generative video and the urgent need for clear ethical norms.
If Sora expands access beyond the invite list and rolls out to more regions, its install base could accelerate further. For now, the numbers point to extraordinary early demand for mobile video generation—one that, even under constraints, is rivaling and in some respects surpassing the launch footprint of the most recognizable AI app to date.
