Doubao Leads China's AI App Market with 157M Active Users
Doubao Tops China's Native AI App Rankings
New data from QuestMobile's August 2025 AI Application Industry Monthly Report shows Doubao has solidified its position as China's leading native AI application, reaching 157 million monthly active users (MAU) - a 6.6% month-over-month growth. This performance surpasses competitor DeepSeek and marks another milestone for the Baidu-developed platform.
Competitive Landscape Shifts
The report reveals significant movement in China's crowded AI app market:
- Tencent Yuan demonstrated the strongest growth at 22.4% MAU increase, securing third place
- Kimi and Ji Meng AI ranked fourth and fifth respectively
- Over half of top 50 AI applications operate as in-app plugins rather than standalone products
"These figures demonstrate how quickly the Chinese AI application market is evolving," noted QuestMobile analyst Li Wei. "We're seeing established players like Doubao maintain dominance while newer entrants make impressive gains."
PC-Based Usage Shows Promise
Unlike many competitors focusing on mobile platforms, Doubao has successfully leveraged its PC client application, achieving:
- 12.2% increase in average monthly web usage on PC
- 12.1% growth in client application usage
Tencent Yuan similarly benefited from PC adoption with:
- 32.6% surge in PC web usage
- 11.2% climb in client app engagement
"The PC performance suggests these platforms are becoming essential productivity tools," commented Shanghai Tech University professor Chen Xiaoming. "Users appear to be integrating them into professional workflows beyond casual mobile use."
Market Implications
The data highlights three key trends:
- Consolidation among major players: Doubao maintains lead despite growing competition
- Cross-platform strategies paying off: Success of PC-focused approaches challenges mobile-first assumptions
- User engagement deepening: Increased usage frequency indicates growing reliance on core applications
The report comes as China's AI sector faces increased regulatory scrutiny and technological competition from global counterparts.
Key Points:
- Doubao reaches 157M MAU, leads Chinese native AI apps
- Tencent Yuan shows fastest growth at 22.4%
- PC-based usage growing significantly across platforms
- Market shows signs of consolidation amid intense competition
