Fintech and e-commerce drove significant market growth in 2023, with fintech seeing a 42% increase in installs and a 118% surge in in-app revenue.
See it on page 20E-commerce performance remained strong with a 43% year-over-year rise in installs and a 34% increase in revenue.
See it on page 39Banking sector efficiency improved significantly as eCPIs dropped from $2.33 to $1.37, enabling faster return on investment for marketers.
See it on page 17The gaming sector experienced a 2% annual decline in total installs, though it saw a Q4 recovery led by a 7% year-over-year growth in installs and the rise of the hybrid casual genre.
See it on page 24Specific gaming subverticals outperformed the broader market, with racing and simulation genres recording install spikes of 61% and 53%, respectively.
See it on page 28Global gaming stickiness remained stable at 20%, with RPG and adventure titles maintaining high lifetime value despite broader ecosystem retention pressures.
See it on page 30Future growth strategies require the integration of AI and predictive analytics alongside media diversification into channels like Connected TV.
See it on page 7The mobile app industry demonstrated significant resilience throughout 2023, characterized by a global advertising spend of $362 billion and a late-year surge in installations. While the landscape faced challenges such as rising acquisition costs and evolving privacy regulations, the fintech and e-commerce sectors emerged as primary growth engines. Fintech experienced a 42% increase in installs and a 118% surge in in-app revenue, while e-commerce saw a 43% year-over-year rise in installs alongside a 34% increase in revenue. These sectors successfully optimized their acquisition strategies, with banking eCPIs falling from $2.33 to $1.37, allowing marketers to achieve rapid returns on investment within the first week of user acquisition.
The gaming sector navigated a more complex trajectory, ending the year with a 2% annual decline in installs despite a notable recovery in the fourth quarter. This rebound was driven by a 7% year-over-year growth in installs and the emergence of the hybrid casual genre. Although overall gaming sessions dipped, specific subverticals like racing and simulation saw dramatic install spikes of 61% and 53%, respectively. Global gaming stickiness remained stable at 20%, and high-engagement genres like RPG and adventure continued to command strong lifetime value, even as broader retention rates across the mobile ecosystem faced downward pressure.
Future industry success depends on the strategic integration of artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to enhance personalization and automate complex workflows. To achieve sustained growth in 2024 and beyond, developers must diversify their media mixes by expanding into emerging channels like Connected TV and adopting holistic measurement frameworks. By combining incrementality testing with media mix modeling, stakeholders can better navigate the shift toward privacy-centric marketing while capitalizing on the high-potential returns offered by the global mobile marketplace.
