India’s Zepto Secures Second Place Globally in Food App Category
Zepto Climbs to Global #2 in Food App Downloads, Surpassing Global Giants: In a striking development in the global digital economy, India’s Zepto has been ranked the second most downloaded food and drink application worldwide in 2024, as per the latest findings from Sensor Tower. The app has raced past global food leaders such as Domino’s and KFC, sitting right below McDonald’s, which retained the top spot.
Zepto’s rise signifies a transformative shift in the food tech landscape and underlines India’s dominance in the app economy. Joining Zepto in the top global food app rankings were Zomato (#5), Swiggy (#9), and Blinkit (#10)—all evidence of India’s booming quick commerce sector.
Innovation at the Core of Zepto’s Surge
A major contributor to Zepto’s remarkable growth was its timely rollout of customer-friendly features. The most notable among them was the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) option, which enabled users to order immediately and pay later—a concept that resonated particularly well with urban millennials and Gen Z users.
This innovation led to a 300% spike in downloads in the second half of 2024 alone. Zepto also outperformed Blinkit in monthly active users, becoming the first Indian quick commerce brand to do so, driven by its continuous focus on tech-driven convenience.
India Emerges as a Global App Powerhouse
India led global rankings not just in food delivery apps, but across multiple categories in 2024. PhonePe retained its position as the world’s most downloaded financial services app. In e-commerce, Meesho (#3) and Flipkart (#6) were major contenders. Meanwhile, JioCinema became the second most downloaded video streaming app globally, second only to Netflix, thanks to its exclusive cricket streaming rights.
The food and drink app category alone saw 353 million downloads in India, representing a 43% jump from the previous year—clearly cementing India’s status as a global hub for digital consumption.
Zepto’s Fundraising and Expansion Strategy
To sustain its rapid growth, Zepto closed a $350 million funding round in November 2024, after having raised $340 million in August, bringing its total capital raised to $1.95 billion. These funds are now fueling its operational and technological expansions.
Recent developments include:
- A women-run dark store launched in Chennai, aimed at both empowerment and inclusive employment.
- A fast return and exchange mechanism for specific product categories.
- A roadmap to increase its IPO size to $800 million–$1 billion, with revenue projections of $5.5 billion by FY26.
These steps show that Zepto is no longer just a food delivery app—it is evolving into a comprehensive consumer-tech platform.
Static GK Snapshot
| Topic | Details |
| App Name | Zepto |
| Global Ranking (2024 – Food Apps) | #2 (After McDonald’s; ahead of KFC, Domino’s) |
| Highlight Feature | Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) |
| Download Growth in H2 2024 | 300% increase |
| Total Food App Downloads (India) | 353 million (YoY Growth: 43%) |
| Total Funding Raised | $1.95 billion |
| IPO Projection (FY26) | $800M–$1B target |
| Other Indian Apps in Top 10 | Zomato #5, Swiggy #9, Blinkit #10, Meesho #3, Flipkart #6 |
| Financial App Leader | PhonePe (#1 globally in financial apps) |
| Video App Rank India | JioCinema (#2 globally after Netflix) |
