We All Use American Apps
As we talk about the rise of India in software, I wanted to see what my own usage reflects. I listed1 all the apps I use, and classified them by the country they’re built in:
Despite all the hype about Indian startups, I use almost no Indian apps.
Indian apps compete on price, not quality. For example, Zoho is cheaper than Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, and is excellent for the price, but not excellent. If you can afford Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, you should use them, as I do.
The best apps are made in the US.
How did I make this infographic? I listed all the (web) apps I use:
I excluded:
Backend services like iCloud, because I’ve already included frontend apps like Apple Photos that use iCloud.
Apps that are country-specific, like payments and e-commerce. You’ll use whatever is offered in your country, even if it’s second-tier, so it will bias the results of which country’s apps are good.
Apps built by an individual.
Apps attributed to an open-source community, like HandBrake. (On the other hand, I’ve included apps that are built by a company, whether open-source, like Chrome or closed.)
Hardware, like the Macbook Pro.