On launch day, the iOS version powered by Sora 2 surpassed 100,000 installs. The app crossed 1 million downloads faster than ChatGPT, despite being invite-only.

But the trend reversed just weeks after debut. In December, Sora downloads fell 32% month-over-month. In January, performance weakened further, with the app downloaded 1.2 million times.

On launch day, the iOS version powered by Sora 2 surpassed 100,000 installs

The decline came during the holiday season—an unusual period for slowdown, as consumer activity typically rises due to new device purchases and more free time for app installs.

Consumer spending also dropped 32% in January, Appfigures reported.   

Consumer spending also dropped 32% in January, Appfigures reported

Overall, Sora has been downloaded 9.6 million times across iOS and Android. Users have spent $1.4 million in the app, with $1.1 million coming from the U.S. market.

Like TikTok, Sora lets users generate short videos from prompts. A standout feature is the ability to choose yourself or friends as the main characters. Other users’ videos can be remixed and extended, and creators can add music, sound effects, and dialogue.

In the U.S. App Store, Sora has now fallen out of the top 100 free apps.

Why Sora is slipping

Several factors are driving the downturn:

  • Stronger competition: Google’s Nano Banana model has emerged as a major rival, strengthening Gemini’s position. Sora is also competing with Meta AI’s “Vibes” videos. In December, pressure increased further as Runway’s Gen 4.5 outperformed rivals in independent tests.

  • Copyright friction: OpenAI has faced copyright issues as users generated videos featuring well-known characters such as SpongeBob or Pikachu, forcing the company to tighten restrictions.

  • Disney deal didn’t reaccelerate growth: While OpenAI reportedly stabilized the situation in December via an agreement with Disney that enabled video generation with Disney characters, it did not translate into a rebound in downloads.