Global mobile app consumer spending is projected to reach $233 billion by 2026, with the App Store growing at a 14% CAGR to $161 billion and Google Play at 9% to $72 billion.
See it on page 2Non-game app spending is forecast to surpass mobile game revenue by 2024, with overall app revenue growth (23% CAGR) significantly outpacing game revenue growth (6% CAGR).
See it on page 36Worldwide annual app downloads are expected to exceed 180 billion by 2026, with Google Play accounting for 143 billion downloads compared to 38 billion for the App Store.
See it on page 7The United States remains the largest market with a 16.5% CAGR, while Western European markets like Germany and France face stagnation or decline, shifting regional growth focus to Eastern Europe.
See it on page 19India continues to lead in Google Play adoption, while the United States is projected to outpace China in both App Store spending and total downloads.
See it on page 34The pandemic has caused a permanent shift in app usage, characterized by a doubling of business-app installs and a continued lag in travel app recovery to pre-COVID levels.
See it on page 45Global mobile‑app consumer spending is projected to reach $233 billion by 2026, reflecting a rise of more than $100 billion from 2021. The App Store will drive a 14 % CAGR ($161 billion), while Google Play will grow at 9 % ($72 billion). Worldwide downloads are expected to exceed 180 billion, with Google Play contributing 143 billion (5.2 % CAGR) and the App Store about 38 billion (3 % CAGR). The United States remains the largest market, expanding at a 16.5 % CAGR; non‑game spending is set to rebound and equal game revenue by 2026.
In Europe, mature markets show limited upside. The United Kingdom’s growth is projected at only 1 %, and Germany and France are expected to decline slightly. The bulk of regional growth—about 5 %—will come from eastern European countries such as Ukraine, Romania, Poland and Russia. No other top European market is expected to exceed 10 % growth by 2026, underscoring saturation in Western Europe.
Across Asia and the Americas, the United States will continue to outpace China on both App Store spending and downloads. India remains the leader in Google Play adoption. Mobile‑game revenue is projected to decline on both platforms, with non‑game apps surpassing games in consumer spending by 2024. Overall app revenue growth will outpace game growth (CAGR 23% vs. 6%). The pandemic’s legacy is evident, with business‑app installs doubling and travel apps still lagging behind pre‑COVID levels.
The forecast emphasizes the importance of data‑driven decisions for organic growth, strategic benchmarking and financial analysis. Sensor Tower’s suite of tools—Top Charts, App Intelligence, Store Intelligence, Ad Intelligence and Usage Intelligence—provides competitive insights into app performance, store optimization, ad spend, SDK usage and user demographics. Daily market intelligence is available through the Sensor Tower blog, with demos offered for deeper engagement with its analytics platform.
