In the second quarter of 2024, gross app revenue in the Google Play Store amounted to around **** billion U.S. dollars worldwide. The Apple App Store generated **** billion U.S. dollars in consumer spending on in-app purchases, subscriptions, and premium apps in the most recently measured quarter, up by around **** percent compared to the same quarter in the previous year.

This statistic presents the distribution of worldwide mobile app revenues in the Google Play store from 2019 to 2025, sorted by category. In 2020, gaming apps accounted for 83 percent of global Google Play app revenues.

Google charges developers a ** percent fee on in-app payments. Mobile app publishers see ** percent of fees applied to auto-renewal subscriptions. In November 2021, Google loosed up its commission fee system for app publishers in South Korea, due to the country's passing its so-called "Anti Google Bill". Signed by the South Korea’s National Assembly in the summer of 2021, the law was the first of its kind and aimed at freeing app developers from having to use exclusively the payment and billing systems. As of 2024, the standard fee for apps hosted on the Google Play Store in South Korea that used an alternative billing system was of ** percent, or "equal to the service fee applicable for transactions via Google Play’s billing system reduced by **** percent," according to Google. Similarly, in January 2023, Google updated its billing system for developers and publishers in India, complying with the demands from the country's Competition Commission.

In the year 2021, the digital content platform Google Play generated gross revenues of approximately 48 billion U.S. dollars through mobile apps. This is a global consumer spending increase of about 23 percent, compared to the previous year. With gross revenue reaching over 85.1 billion U.S. dollars, Apple’s App Store remained in the lead.

Leading apps on Google Play Store Some of the leading Google apps that can be found on the Play Store included Google Play Games and YouTube Music, however, with over 20 million downloads worldwide, Google Meet took the top spot in 2020. The most popular kind of app on the platform was by far the gaming app: in the first quarter of 2020 alone, gaming apps accounted for approximately 10 billion downloads. Tool and entertainment applications ranked second and third in terms of download count, respectively.

Leading mobile gaming apps Having generated over 100 million U.S. dollars in revenue worldwide, Coin Master was the leading mobile gaming app on the Google Play Store. Other successful and familiar gaming apps that could be found on many smartphones around the world included Pokémon GO, Candy Crush Saga, and PUBG MOBILE – NEW ERA.

Mobile internet users are spoilt for choice when it comes to the sheer variety and availability of mobile apps. As of the second quarter of 2024, gaming apps were the most popular app category in the Google Play Store, accounting for 11.7 percent of available apps worldwide. Mobile education apps ranked second with a 11.5 percent share. Google Play and app monetization Google Play is the biggest digital distribution platform for Android apps worldwide, offering users over 2.26 million mobile apps to choose from. However, Google Play offers more than just apps – the platform also provides users with music, video, e-book downloads and rental services. Most mobile apps on Google Play are available for free. As of March 2024, around 97 percent of Android apps could be downloaded without having to pay for them upfront, although this does not preclude other mobile app monetization strategies such as in-app advertising and in-app purchases. As of June 2023, the ranking of leading Android apps in the Google Play Store worldwide based on revenue consists mainly of streaming and video apps. Google Play main competitor: the Apple App Store The worldwide gross app revenue of the Google Play store amounted to 11.2 billion U.S. dollars in the second quarter of 2024, a steady climb from the 10.6 billion U.S. dollars a year before. However, in terms of app revenue, Google Play is lagging behind its eternal rival, the Apple App Store. During the same period, Apple’s own digital store generated 24.6 billion U.S. dollars in mobile app revenues, with mobile gaming being the leading category for consumer spending on the platform. In June 2023, mobile-first apps DouYin and TikTok were the highest-grossing app among global iPhone users, generating roughly 372 million U.S. dollars and 324 million U.S. dollars in revenues, respectively.

TikTok generated more than 91 million U.S. dollars in the United States from iOS in the last quarter of 2024. Germany followed, with a revenue of 35 million U.S. dollars during the last measure quarter, while Japan ranked third as the country generated over almost 23 million U.S. dollars in revenues via the Apple App Store.

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In February 2025, Last War:Survival was the top-grossing gaming app in the Google Play Store worldwide. The survival game title generated 69.34 million U.S. dollars in revenues from Android users. Royal Match was the second-most-grossing gaming app title with approximately 46 million U.S. dollars in revenue during that month.

In April 2025, MONOPOLY GO! was the top-grossing gaming app in the Google Play Store in the United States. The board game title generated 31.96 million U.S. dollars in revenues from Android users. Last War:Survival Game was the second-most-grossing gaming app title, with approximately 18.29 million U.S. dollars in revenue during that month.

In February 2025, MONOPOLY GO! was the top-grossing gaming app in the Google Play Store in Canada. The board game title generated more than 1.7 million U.S. dollars in revenues from Android users. Last War:Survival Game was the second-most grossing gaming app title with approximately 1.2 million U.S. dollars in revenue during that month.

How many apps are there in the Play Store? The number of available apps in the Google Play Store was most recently placed at 1.68 million apps, after surpassing 1 million apps in July 2013. Google Play Store Google Play was originally launched in October 2008 under the name Android Market. As Google’s official app store, it offers its customers a wide range of applications and digital media including music, magazines, books, film, and TV. As of April 2021, the ranking of the top-grossing Android apps worldwide is dominated by mobile games with Coin Master, Garena Free Fire, and PUBG mobile leading the ranking. This hardly comes as a surprise as it is estimated that gaming apps will account for over 70 percent of Google Play app revenues in 2024. As most apps in the Google Play Store are available for free, the company needs to utilize effective business models to secure healthy revenue. How do apps make money? Despite the robust gaming app revenues, most gaming apps are free to download and rely on monetization via in-app advertising or in-game purchases of items such as boosters and accessories. A November 2021 survey of mobile app publishers found that video ads were the most popular mobile app monetization model, followed by display ads and in-app purchases. Additionally, monetizing via subscriptions has proven an effective model for several highly popular apps, with subscription revenues hitting 18.3 billion U.S. dollars in revenues in 2021.

The global mobile application store market is experiencing robust growth, driven by the increasing penetration of smartphones and rising mobile internet usage worldwide. While precise figures for market size and CAGR are absent from the provided data, a reasonable estimation, considering current market trends and the growth observed in related sectors like mobile gaming and app development, would place the 2025 market size at approximately $150 billion USD. Assuming a conservative Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15% for the forecast period (2025-2033), this translates to a projected market value exceeding $600 billion USD by 2033. This expansion is fueled by factors such as the continuous evolution of mobile technology, the emergence of 5G networks facilitating faster app downloads and smoother in-app experiences, and the ongoing diversification of app categories, including increased adoption of mobile commerce, subscription-based apps, and augmented/virtual reality applications. Key segments within the market are showing diverse growth trajectories. The Android OS segment is expected to continue its dominance due to its larger global market share, although the iOS segment will remain lucrative, driven by its higher average revenue per user. Similarly, while free apps maintain higher download numbers, the paid apps segment is poised for stronger revenue growth fueled by a willingness of users to pay for premium features and high-quality content. Geographical analysis reveals significant regional variations. North America and Europe currently hold substantial market share, but Asia-Pacific, particularly India and China, are predicted to exhibit the most rapid growth, as mobile penetration and app usage surge in these regions. Challenges such as app store regulations, security concerns around data privacy, and increasing competition among app developers will impact future growth.

In September 2022, Candy Crush Saga was the top-grossing gaming app in the Google Play Store in the Netherlands. The match-3 game title generated 525 thousand U.S. dollars in revenues from Android users. Coin Master was the second-most-grossing gaming app title with approximately 387 thousand U.S. dollars in revenue during that month.

The mobile game distribution platform market is experiencing robust growth, driven by the ever-increasing popularity of mobile gaming and the expanding reach of smartphones globally. While precise market size figures for 2025 aren't provided, considering the substantial growth in mobile gaming and the numerous players involved, a reasonable estimate for the 2025 market size would be around $15 billion USD. Assuming a conservative Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15% for the forecast period (2025-2033), based on the continued expansion of mobile gaming and technological advancements (e.g., 5G, improved in-app purchases), the market is projected to reach approximately $50 billion USD by 2033. Key growth drivers include the rising adoption of smartphones in emerging markets, continuous innovation in game development, the increasing popularity of e-sports, and the expansion of cloud gaming services. The market is segmented by application (standalone and online games) and operating system (Android and iOS), with Android currently holding a larger market share due to its broader global reach. Competitive forces are strong, with major players like Google Play, Apple App Store, and numerous smaller distribution platforms vying for market share. However, challenges such as increasing user acquisition costs, stringent app store regulations, and the prevalence of fraudulent activities within the ecosystem continue to exert pressure on the market. The growth of the mobile game distribution platform market hinges on several critical factors. The continuing development and implementation of advanced monetization strategies within mobile games will be vital to driving revenue streams. Furthermore, the ongoing improvement in game quality, particularly concerning graphics and gameplay, alongside the emergence of innovative gaming technologies, will be key in attracting and retaining users. Regional variations in market growth are expected, with regions such as Asia Pacific and North America expected to dominate due to high smartphone penetration and substantial spending on mobile games. However, the rapid growth of the mobile gaming market in developing economies presents significant untapped potential for expansion in the coming years. Addressing challenges such as ensuring user privacy and security, combating game piracy, and maintaining a fair and transparent distribution platform are crucial for the long-term sustainable growth of this dynamic market.

In 2022, Google Play users worldwide downloaded 110 billion mobile apps, down from 111.3 billion apps in 2021. Generating significantly more downloads than it’s iOS counterpart, the Apple App Store, Android apps on Google Play are available for a wider range of devices than those catering to Apple's closed ecosystem.

Google’s app sales continue to climb Google’s success was equally reflected in its app revenue which has steadily increased each year, reaching 38.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2020. Since 2019, the highest average number of apps released monthly on Google Play was 141.4 thousand in March 2019. Meanwhile, August 2021 saw the lowest number of apps released within the last two and a half years. Despite its success in the mobile app arena, the tech powerhouse still generates the vast majority of its revenues from advertising.

Social and dating apps are among most popular in 2021 In the first quarter of 2021, one year into the coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns, the number of available dating apps grew by nearly 24 percent. Meanwhile, travel apps saw relatively little growth during this period. Facebook-owned Instagram was the most downloaded Android app in July 2021. With travel restrictions still in place in many regions of the world, communication and social apps such as Snapchat, TikTok and Telegram also featured among the most popular apps downloaded that month.

In the fourth quarter of 2021, Babbel revenues via Google Play in the United States made up to 31 percent of the total revenues for the app on the Google Play Store, with the country generating 941 thousand U.S. dollars in the examined period. Germany was the second leading market the Berlin based language learning app, with Google Play users in the country generating more almost 887 thousand U.S. dollars in revenues.

In the first quarter of 2024, users downloaded approximately **** billion apps from Google Play. This represents a decrease compared to the first quarter of the previous year, when Android users downloaded approximately ** billion apps from the Google Play Store. In contrast, mobile app only generated roughly *** billion downloads in the Apple App Store. The Google Play platform has always made up the bulk of app downloads but the Apple App Store is stronger in terms of revenue generation.

In September 2022, TikTok was the top-grossing app in the Google Play Store in the Netherlands generating roughly 814 thousand U.S. dollars in revenues from Android users. Candy Crush Saga was the second-most popular app with 525 thousand U.S. dollars in revenues from Dutch users. Coin Master ranked third, with approximately 387 thousand U.S. dollars in revenues.

In 2020, more than 85 thousand app publishers present in the Google Play Store earned less than 100,000 U.S. dollars in revenues for the entire year. By comparison, the number of app publishers generating more than two million U.S. dollars in customer spending in the examined period amounted to 1,308. Only 215 app publishers generated between one and 1.25 million in U.S. dollars.

As of November 2020, Singa ranked first in the list of the most valuable music and audio apps in Google Play in Finland, with the total revenue worth of over nine thousand U.S. dollars. In second came Ultimate Guitar, accoding to Airnow.