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App Revenue Soars as Downloads Tumble
15 Jan
Summary
- Global app downloads fell 2.7% in 2025, reaching 106.9 billion.
- Consumer spending on apps surged 21.6% to $155.8 billion in 2025.
- Non-game app spending increased by 33.9%, surpassing mobile games.
Global mobile app revenues experienced a substantial boost in 2025, even as app downloads continued their descent for the fifth consecutive year. An estimated 106.9 billion apps were downloaded across the App Store and Google Play, marking a 2.7% decrease from the prior year. Conversely, consumer spending within apps surged by 21.6%, reaching an estimated $155.8 billion.
This trend highlights a successful shift by app developers towards subscription models and in-app purchases, compensating for the shrinking pool of new users. While mobile games accounted for $72.2 billion in spending, non-game apps saw even more significant growth. Spending on non-game applications rose by 33.9% year-over-year, totaling $82.6 billion, indicating a clear consumer preference for non-gaming content.
This sustained revenue growth is fueling the broader app ecosystem, supporting companies like RevenueCat and Appcharge. In the U.S. specifically, consumer spending on apps reached $55.5 billion in 2025, an 18.1% increase, while downloads saw a 4.2% dip to 10 billion.
