Super apps: The ultimate growth playbook or a tech mirage?

Super apps, originally popularized in Asia through platforms like WeChat, Grab, and Gojek, are extensive ecosystems that integrate various services such as messaging, payments, ride-hailing, and more within a single application. These apps thrive due to their core high-frequency use cases, deep integration of services, and high user retention, making it difficult for users to switch services. In contrast, Western tech companies like Uber, PayPal, and Amazon have attempted to emulate this model by expanding their service offerings, yet have not fully achieved the super app status due to factors such as market structure, regulatory challenges, and consumer behavior differences. Western markets face obstacles like strict app store policies and antitrust regulations, which hinder the development of such all-encompassing platforms. Despite these barriers, super app principles offer valuable lessons for product managers, emphasizing the importance of seamless integration, vertical growth, and user-centric design to create indispensable products.