The mobile app industry has been active for over a decade now, generating billions of dollars in revenue for Apple, Google and thousands of mobile app developers.
While originally not perceived as necessary by Apple or Google, which did not add app stores to the first versions of iOS and Android, it has become a key revenue stream for both of them.
Even with less than 20 percent market share, iOS has led the way in revenue generation for app developers. This is partly due to iPhone being more popular in regions with high income, such as Japan and the United States, which tend to spend more on apps.
By comparison, Google Play's largest markets are India, South-east Asia and South America, which typically generate less revenue per user. Apple also operates in China, while the Google Play store is banned in the country. Several third-party Android app stores are available in China, and are estimated to generate over $25 billion in yearly revenue.
Both platforms have matured in the past few years, adding new ways for developers to make an income. These include a multi-purpose advertising platform, in-app purchases and subscriptions, all of which is covered in this app market analysis.
Subscription revenues have increased rapidly over the past few years, as every app tries to entice users to purchase a monthly or annual subscription to get premium services. Almost every app category is led by apps that's main market is selling subscriptions to customers.
In the past two years, there has been a collective effort by developers to reduce the percentage of revenue Apple and Google take for in-app purchases, alongside providing alternative ways for users to pay for subscriptions. Apple and Google have compromised slightly, adjusting the percentage take from 30 to 15 percent, but developers and anti-competitive departments are calling for further revisions.
What will be the next big money maker for this app economy? Some expect the metaverse, or some form of it, to be where app developers spend a lot of their resources in the next decade. Others see AI, in the form of ChatGPT and tools like DALLE, to have a significant impact on a wide range of app sectors.
We have collected data and statistics on app revenues. Read on below to find out more. Want an overview of the entire app economy? Check out our App Data report.
App Revenue Key Statistics
- Mobile ad spend in 2025 reached $419 billion, a 7.4% increase on the previous year
- Android and iOS app consumer spending increased to $166.8 billion in 2025
- iOS was responsible for 70% of app consumer spending in 2025
- Apps overtook games in mobile consumer spending for the first time in 2025
- Apps generated $83.6 billion consumer spending, while games generated $83.2 billion
- Subscription revenues increased to $79.5 billion in 2025, iOS was responsible for 73% of that revenue
Want to learn all about the app industry? Our App Data Report covers revenues, downloads, and number of apps across both app stores, alongside most popular and top grossing apps of the year.
App Data Report 2026
Mobile Ad Spend
Mobile ad spend reached $419 billion in 2025, a 7.4% increase on the previous year.
Mobile ad spend 2016 to 2025 ($bn)
App and Game Revenues
App and game revenues increased by 11.1% in 2025 to $166.8 billion.
App and game revenue 2016 to 2025 ($bn)
App and game revenue 2016 to 2025 ($bn)
App and game revenues 2016 to 2025 ($bn)
| Year | Revenue ($bn) |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 43.5 |
| 2017 | 58.1 |
| 2018 | 71.3 |
| 2019 | 89 |
| 2020 | 111 |
| 2021 | 133 |
| 2022 | 129.1 |
| 2023 | 134.8 |
| 2024 | 150.1 |
| 2025 | 166.8 |
Sources: Sensor Tower, App Data Report
