Global mobile app downloads continued their downward trend in 2025, but consumer spending on apps surged to nearly US$156 billion, highlighting a shift in how the mobile app ecosystem is evolving, according to data from app intelligence firm Appfigures.
In total, global app downloads across Apple’s App Store and Google Play reached about 106.9 billion, down approximately 2.7 % from 2024, the fifth consecutive year of download declines after peaking at 135 billion during the pandemic. The drop was sharper in mobile games, which saw 39.4 billion installs, an 8.6 % decline, while non‑game apps held relatively steady with a slight increase.
Despite cooler download numbers, consumer spending climbed sharply, rising 21.6 % year‑over‑year to an estimated US$155.8 billion in 2025. Much of this growth was driven by in‑app purchases and subscriptions rather than new installs, a sign that developers are successfully monetising their existing user bases. Non‑gaming apps in particular saw significant gains, with spending in that category up nearly 33.9 % to about US$82.6 billion, while mobile games still accounted for a large share with around US$72.2 billion.
The shift toward monetisation over downloads mirrors trends seen in prior years, where spending grew even as installs slowed. A 2024 report from Sensor Tower similarly noted rising global app spending even amid download weakness, driven by the increasing adoption of subscriptions and in‑app purchases.
Regional data reinforces these patterns. In the United States alone, consumer spending on mobile apps was about US$55.5 billion, up more than 18 %, even though total downloads in the market declined.
Industry analysts say this represents a maturing phase for the mobile app economy, where the emphasis is shifting from acquiring new users to retaining and monetising existing ones. As users increasingly embrace subscription models and premium content, from entertainment and productivity tools to mobile games, app developers are finding sustainable revenue paths despite stagnating download growth.
