As smartphone penetration in Vietnam has been on an upward trend within the last decade or so, the proliferation of apps among the Vietnamese has increased. Most Vietnamese of today have access to a wide array of apps, a majority of those apps come mainly from foreign companies, but there are also a few locally developed apps from the Vietnamese themselves. With so many apps being used in Vietnam, it gets hard to identify some of the commonly used apps on the market. So here is a breakdown of the top 10 apps that are frequently used by the Vietnamese.
1. Facebook
With most people being on Facebook these days, it is no wonder that the Vietnamese themselves have found their way on the popular social media platform. Facebook’s popularity with the Vietnamese people may be due to its ease of sharing or posting some of life’s little idiosyncrasies for all to admire. Leveraging Facebook’s ability to allow people to reconnect again may also be another reason for its widespread popularity among the Vietnamese.
2. Zalo
Zalo is a homegrown app that is exceptionally user-friendly among Vietnamese speakers. It is akin to the Vietnamese version of China‘s WeChat, where it encompasses both chat features and social media interaction in a big way. Users can interact with one another by exchanging text messages, sending stickers, sharing media files, following official accounts, and so much more. It is no surprise that it is considered to be the super app of Vietnam.
3. YouTube
What is great about YouTube is that there is always content out there to suit the market. In the case of Vietnam, a growing number of influencers have hopped onto the YouTube scene, garnering a sizable following in the burgeoning Vietnamese YouTube community. Thus, the rise of YouTube among the Vietnamese could be attributed to these influencers who actively engage with their audiences by frequently delivering captivating video content.
4. Messenger
A companion to Facebook, this app was first introduced to the market as a chat feature of Facebook. However, throughout several updates and enhancements, Messenger has started to take a form of its own. Featuring a slew of notable features like app lock, animated effects, customized reactions, content sharing, and a whole lot more. It is no wonder that many Vietnamese have such a preference for using this app.
5. Instagram
With so much natural beauty in Vietnam, whether in the people, the environment, or even in the cuisine. There are just so many things in Vietnam that are insta-worthy, and it is no surprise that Instagram is also one of the top apps commonly used by the Vietnamese. The ability to layer an image with a filter that suits the aesthetic of the image certainly lends its hand in making Instagram one of the top apps favored by the Vietnamese.
6. Gmail
Over the years, Gmail has come to be the preferred app for those looking to set up a personal email account, and with Vietnam becoming one of its most favored users of the email app’s service. It could be said that Gmail’s ease of use and its versatility may have contributed to its success in the Vietnamese market. Thereby establishing itself to be the leading email app in the region.
7. Google Chrome
Google Chrome is widely known for its speed and user-friendly interface, which may be the reason why most Vietnamese have come to prefer it over other internet browsers. Google Chrome’s feature of having extensions and other add-ons has made it one of the most useful apps to have around in Vietnam.
8. iPrice
iPrice’s success in breaking into the Vietnamese market and asserting itself as a dominant player in the e-commerce sector is something to be said about. With the rise of e-commerce in this part of the world, iPrice has managed to tap into the Vietnamese people’s needs by offering coupon savings and providing a platform for goods to be purchased and delivered in the comfort of their own homes. Due to this and a whole host of other factors contributing to iPrice’s prevalence in the Vietnamese e-commerce space.
9. WhatsApp
When WhatsApp first entered the Vietnamese market, it was seen as one of the market leaders in the text messaging sphere. In the first few years that it established its dominance, the text messaging app giant was the predominant go-to app for anything and everything related to text messaging, which is why it is beloved by the Vietnamese people.
10. Viber
Viber’s entry to become one of the Vietnamese market’s top messaging apps has made it become one of the few established apps among the Vietnamese populace. One of the unique selling points for Viber is its ability to allow users to make international calls for free which certainly lends its hand in expanding its user base. Owing to that and a slew of other reasons would be the reason as to why it is commonly used in the Vietnamese market.
Summing up
While there are many more apps out there on the market, these were just some of the noteworthy apps that most Vietnamese have a strong affinity for within the last decade. Should you find yourself in Vietnam the next time, be on the lookout for these apps, as they may come in pretty handy someday.
