Apex Legends pick rates & most popular characters in Season 21
Pick rates are an incredibly useful statistic to follow in Apex Legends as they help to highlight which characters are the most popular in Season 21's meta.
While popularity can be a helpful metric, it doesn't directly correlate with which Legend is strongest in the game. For the majority of the time, it's better to choose a character you're comfortable using and who fits your personal play style.
The data below is collected by Apex Legends Status and is based on the 17.8 million players in their API database. It's worth noting that these percentages don't measure the entire player base, but it's a big enough sample size to gather a general impression of overall Legend popularity.
Editor Note: These are the current pick rates as of May 24, 2024.
Pick rates in Season 21
While these stats are currently accurate, this page is updated weekly and changes regularly with every update, so make sure to check back often:
| Rank | Legend | Percentage |
| 1 | Pathfinder | 9.2% |
| 2 | Lifeline | 8.6% |
| 3 | Octane | 8.1% |
| 4 | Alter | 7.4% |
| 5 | Bloodhound | 7.3% |
| 6 | Wraith | 7% |
| 7 | Bangalore | 6.2% |
| 8 | Horizon | 5% |
| 9 | Revenant | 4.5% |
| 10 | Conduit | 4% |
| 11 | Fuse | 3.9% |
| 12 | Loba | 3.5% |
| 13 | Mad Maggie | 3.1% |
| 14 | Ash | 3.1% |
| 15 | Mirage | 2.8% |
| 16 | Caustic | 2.2% |
| 17 | Valkyrie | 1.8% |
| 18 | Wattson | 1.6% |
| 19 | Ballistic | 1.5% |
| 20 | Crypto | 1.5% |
| 21 | Vantage | 1.5% |
| 22 | Catalyst | 1.5% |
| 23 | Gibraltar | 1.4% |
| 24 | Rampart | 1.3% |
| 25 | Newcastle | 1.2% |
| 26 | Seer | 0.8% |
Most popular Apex Legends characters explained
5. Bloodhound
Click to enlargeRetaking the fifth spot from Wraith is Bloodhound, who had a dip in popularity recently but is now surging up the rankings once again. Equipped with one of the most useful Tacticals in the entire game, the Technological Tracker's scan is invaluable in skirmishes, revealing the position of all enemies in the area.
If that wasn't enough, Bloodhound's Ultimate allows them to hunt down foes and go for the initial knockdown at the beginning of a gunfight. As a result, it's easy to see why BH has a 7.3% pick rate and I expect it to continue growing as we progress more into Season 21.
4. Alter
Click to enlargeAs a fresh Legend on the roster, it's no surprise to see Alter sitting in fourth. Her dominance over the popularity charts may have slowed down since her initial release, but she's still got an impressive 7.4% pick rate.
Capable of teleporting through walls, you're no longer safe inside a building if Alter is around. If that wasn't enough, she also has access to a teleporter that can escort her entire team out of danger, opening up opportunities for aggressive outplays.
Alter is the ultimate solo-carry Legend at the moment, so if you're struggling in Ranked, she could be the answer (If you can lock her in before a teammate).
3. Octane
Click to enlargeOctane sits at number three and while Lifeline has stolen second and Pathfinder holds the crown for now, the Daredevil could rebound back to his previous position at any time. Maintaining an impressive 8.1% pick rate in Apex Legends, the king of mobility rarely drops out of the top five, and that's not going to change anytime soon.
His Stim Tactical and Launch Pad Ultimate are not only brilliant for aggressive plays, but they're also useful rotation tools when attempting to reach the final ring.
2. Lifeline
Click to enlargeLifeline has snuck into the top two ahead of Octane with an 8.6% pick rate and while she isn't the flashiest Legend on the roster, she's unbelievably useful in a drawn-out skirmish.
Offering invaluable heals, consumables, and even weapons for her squad with the Legend Upgrade Care Package, the Combat Medic is an asset to any team she's on.
It's great to see her contending with the typical faces at the top of the popularity rankings and it demonstrates the support role is getting more popular in the Outlands.
1. Pathfinder
Click to enlargeWith a pick rate of 9.2%, Pathfinder is sitting in first place after moving up from fourth back in Season 20.
Although the Forward Scout has no abilities that deal damage, his Ultimate is an invaluable rotation tool, and his Tactical provides incredible mobility. These have only been amplified with upgrades that came in Season 20, especially the damage reduction.
Not only that, Pathfinder is just extremely fun to play, and with such a high skill ceiling with his grapple, a huge portion of the community dedicates themselves to being a Forward Scout main.
For more on the battle royale, take a look at how many people play, what Promotional Trials are in Apex Legends or which characters are LGBTQIA+. Alternatively, be sure to check out our Apex Legends homepage for all of the latest news and guides.
