App Monetization in 2026

The report examines mobile app monetization across the App Store and Google Play from January 2025 to March 2026, drawing on $900 million in verified IAP purchases, $800 million in subscription revenue, and $7.2 billion in advertising income. In Q1 2026 subscription revenue doubled year‑over‑year, rising 105 %, while IAP and advertising grew 29 % and 14 % respectively, confirming subscription as the fastest‑growing stream over the past fifteen months. Games that blend all three models saw subscription share climb from 4 % to 7 %, at the expense of advertising, which fell from 63 % to 56 %. In non‑gaming apps, subscriptions dominate but represent a smaller share of total revenue compared to games.

Key performance benchmarks reveal that casino titles lead in D90 IAP ARPU ($2.43 globally, $2.66 in NA/Europe) and D90 IAP ARPPU ($11.40), while midcore games follow closely. Non‑gaming apps achieve comparable D90 IAP ARPU ($2.32 globally, $2.79 in NA/Europe) and sit between casino and midcore games on ARPPU ($10.85). Advertising monetization is strongest in casual games (D90 IAA ARPU $0.55) and weaker in hypercasual segments.

Revenue accumulation patterns show advertising dominates early days, delivering 57 % of a game’s D60 revenue on Day 1 and 89 % by Day 7, whereas IAP and subscription lag behind. Paid installs drive the majority of gaming revenue (59 % overall, 79 % in hypercasual), whereas non‑gaming apps rely more on organic traffic, especially outside North America.

Conversion metrics indicate that non‑gaming apps convert 9.84 % of installs to first‑time purchasers and 4.64 % to repeat purchasers within 30 days, outperforming games across all categories. Casino games convert 4.95 % to first‑time payers, with a repeat‑payer ratio of 1.65×; midcore and casual games show slightly higher ratios. Regional analysis highlights North America’s superior conversion rates (11.14 % first‑purchase) compared to LATAM (6.51 %).