A Super App is a mobile application that combines multiple services and functionalities into a single platform, allowing users to avoid having to switch to different apps for different use cases, since the app provides the most functionality. Some of these features are digital payments, social networking, shopping, ordering food delivery, and cab booking, among others. Such products and services can be unrelated, and in addition, all Super Apps offer in-app e-commerce services.

In short, Super Apps combine many other apps into one. And this is certainly a growing market, especially in Asia, where many of these Super Apps have been developing. The global super apps market size was valued at USD 61.3 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.8% from 2023 to 2030. The growth of Super Apps is driven by the rise of e-commerce and the adoption of digital payments, among other factors.

Read on to find out more about this technology trend that is expected to continue to rise in the coming years.

How Far Will the Impact of Super Apps Go?

(Image: Rob Hampson / unsplash)

While popular in Asia, Latin America, and Africa, Super Apps have not reached the same level of popularity in Europe and the United States.

“Super Apps took hold in Asia because Asian consumers owned underpowered smartphones that were not suitable for managing 40 or 50 separate apps,” according to Ron Shevlin, research director at Cornerstone Advisors. In the U.S. and Europe, smartphones didn’t have the same power or storage challenges, so Super Apps haven’t been a necessity. Coupled with data privacy concerns and strict banking regulations in Europe and the U.S., as well as certain cultural differences and a lack of customer interest, Super Apps just haven’t been a necessity. All this has led to the fact that Super Apps have not developed in the same way in the U.S. and Europe.

According to some research, Asian consumers tend to be more willing to share data with service providers than their western counterparts. A 2021 Euromonitor survey found that in China, India, and Thailand, more than 45 percent of respondents said that they share data for personalized offers, compared with less than 30 percent in, for instance, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

Elon Musk announced some time ago that the purchase of Twitter was a move that would accelerate the development of an “app for everything” and even mentioned that Twitter could become a “WeChat equivalent”. Similarly, Mark Zuckerberg has shared similar desires for Meta and Whatsapp.

For the moment, we can’t confirm or deny whether or not Super Apps will be successful in other parts of the world. What we do know is what the data tells us: According to Gartner, more than 50% of users worldwide will be using multiple Super Apps by 2027. In fact, according to one of the recent reports, 72% of consumers have already shown interest in Super Apps. And you, do you currently use a Super App?

Features of a Super App: What Makes Super Apps Special

According to MUO, to be considered a Super App, an application must offer most of the following services:

Social platform

A Super App should include a messaging platform to chat, share and interact with other users, with the purpose of creating a community around the app.

E-commerce services

Most modern shopping is done online, so an e-commerce service is a must-have feature of any Super App.

Transportation, financial and food delivery services.

Super Apps include ridesharing services that make them useful apps for users in large cities. In addition, a banking function that allows everything from transfers to payments is essential for Super Apps. Finally, food is a necessity, so Super Apps provide meal delivery or online grocery shopping services.

Health and Insurance Services

Users can easily access health and insurance functions in Super Apps.

At first glance, a super application may seem confusing, but in reality its existence makes sense. In the same day, a user can chat with family and friends, make a doctor’s appointment and order food to their home, all without leaving the same app. Below are some examples of Super Apps.

What Are Some of the Most Popular Super Apps?

WeChat

WeChat can be considered the first Super App, as well as one of the most popular multi-purpose platforms. It is a Chinese multi-purpose instant messaging, social networking and mobile payment app, allowing users to pay bills, transfer money, book tickets, create business accounts and more, all in the convenience of a single platform. WeChat became the world’s largest standalone mobile app in 2018, with more than 1 billion monthly active users.

Alipay

Alipay is a payment and digital wallet app that allows users to easily send and receive money without using cash. This app allows users to take a cab, get a credit card and even buy insurance.

Zalo

Zalo is Vietnam’s leading chat platform, with more than 100 million users worldwide. Users can also check weather information, buy airline tickets, update health information, and pay electricity and aguam bills, among others.

MoMo

MoMo was born as an app that offered food delivery. Today it is an e-wallet that provides a variety of services with essential needs, such as money transfers, payment of electricity bills, water bills, hospital fees, banking, games… As of December 2022, it had more than 95 million monthly active users.

Go-Jek

Go-Jek started operating as a mobile motorcycle transportation service. Today, this Indonesian startup now offers a wide range of services.

Snapp

Initially, the company provided ridesharing services to people and now, experiencing some advancements, it offers multiple services to people. From good transfers to grocery delivery, medical appointments and hotel bookings.

Grab

Like other Super Apps, Grab was born as an application for cab services in Malaysia. The user numbers of these Super Apps are impressive. In the case of Grab, it surpassed 187 billion users in 2020.

Hugo

This Central American company launched its app in 2017 and was only offering food delivery and micro-logistics services to the population. It later gained fame among people and started offering various services through its app, such as ride hailing, on-demand services and payment.

Other popular Super Apps are Kakao, Careem, Yandex Go, OMNi, Revolut, PhonePe, Rappi, or Tata Neu. As you can see, they all have in common that they offer a large network of services all in one integrated application.

What Are the Advantages of a Super App?

The main attraction of this type of application is convenience. However, they also have a number of other advantages for users, such as:

A single solution in a single place

Super Apps consolidate multiple services into a single platform. This eliminates the need for users to download and switch between numerous applications, providing a seamless experience where various services are easily accessible within a single app.

Reduced search time for specific services

With Super Apps, users no longer need to search for and install separate applications for each service they require. Instead, they can simply open the Super App and access the desired service with a few taps

Less device storage occupation: saves phone memory and data

By utilizing a single app for various functionalities, users can optimize their device’s storage capacity and avoid the inconvenience of constantly managing and deleting apps to free up space.

Increased ease of use

By consolidating multiple services into one app, Super Apps simplify the user interface and navigation, making it more intuitive and accessible for users who may not be familiar with advanced technology.

Adaptable and flexible to various consumer needs

These apps continually expand their range of services and functionalities to encompass a broad spectrum of consumer needs.

Speed

One of the noteworthy advantages of Super Apps lies in the speed at which they operate. Mini-apps, which are cached on the user’s phone, load significantly faster compared to standalone mobile apps.

Super apps not only offer benefits for their users, but also for the entrepreneurs and teams that work on them. The creators and teams behind Super Apps benefit from expanded user bases, diversified revenue streams, valuable customer insights, strategic partnerships, a culture of innovation, and the potential to dominate the market. These advantages contribute to the success and profitability of Super App, creating opportunities for growth and establishing a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Super Apps offer a lot of advantages for users that encompass convenience, accessibility, flexibility, and speed. By consolidating various services into a single platform, these apps simplify users’ lives, making it easier and more efficient to navigate through tasks and services. With their ability to adapt to user needs and provide a seamless experience, Super Apps are reshaping the way we interact with our smartphones and transforming the landscape of digital services.

Super Apps have garnered tremendous popularity in several parts of the world. These regions have embraced the convenience and comprehensive nature of Super Apps, providing users with a wide range of services within a single platform. Whether or not Super Apps will achieve the same level of adoption and success in other parts of the world is yet to be determined.

The data suggest a growing interest and potential for Super Apps globally, with projections indicating that a significant portion of users will embrace multiple Super Apps in the coming years. As the Super App landscape continues to evolve, only time will tell how these platforms will shape the digital experiences of users worldwide.

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