Key insights
4 slides
Key number
Non-game apps surpassed games in IAP revenue in 2025.
Total global IAP revenue reached $85.6 billion, a 21% year-over-year increase.
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- 01Non-game apps surpassed games in in-app purchase (IAP) revenue for the first time in 2025, contributing to a total global IAP market of $85.6 billion, a 21% year-over-year increase.See it on page 10
- 02Generative AI and short-form drama are the fastest-growing subgenres, with AI assistants like ChatGPT generating $3.4 billion in 2025 and short-drama apps capturing over 10% of global video-entertainment time.See it on page 23
- 03Roblox solidified its dominance in the gaming web arena, accounting for 74% of all game-publisher site visits in 2025.See it on page 38
- 04Hybrid-casual and hyper-casual games are seeing surging engagement and higher revenue per user in Tier 2 markets, despite a broader trend of declining download volumes.See it on page 30
- 05Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS)-style apps now command 80% of the betting-app monthly active user (MAU) share, driven by new market entrants and regulatory shifts.See it on page 85
- 06Food and drink apps reached a record 2.4 billion downloads in 2025, fueled primarily by growth in emerging markets such as India and the Middle East.See it on page 66
- 07Waymo has established a significant market presence, capturing 15% of rideshare MAUs in key U.S. metropolitan areas.See it on page 75
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Summary
The 2026 State of Mobile report demonstrates that the global mobile ecosystem remains mature yet increasingly monetized, with 2025 in-app purchase (IAP) revenue reaching $85.6 billion—a 21% year-over-year rise that now places non-game apps ahead of games for the first time. Generative AI and short-form drama have become the fastest-growing subgenres, driving double-digit IAP growth; AI assistants such as ChatGPT alone generated $3.4 billion in 2025, while short-drama apps captured more than ten percent of global video-entertainment time. These categories also show a shift from acquisition to retention, with session volumes outpacing downloads and time spent tripling in AI apps.
Hybrid-casual and hyper-casual games continue to lead revenue growth, especially in Tier 2 markets where downloads are falling but engagement is surging. Publishers targeting these segments can capture higher revenue per user, though they face tighter ad-spend competition and a move toward high-attention formats. In the gaming web arena, Roblox dominates with 74% of game-publisher site visits in 2025, underscoring the importance of product-centric web design.
Beyond entertainment, general-shopping apps such as Temu and Amazon maintain massive download volumes, with grocery and buy-and-sell subgenres growing 5% and 4% YoY, respectively. Food & drink apps hit a record 2.4 billion downloads in 2025, driven largely by emerging markets like India and the Middle East. Mobility and sports apps also show notable shifts: Waymo’s standalone app captured 15% of rideshare MAUs in key U.S. metros, while DFS-style sports betting apps now command 80% of the betting-app MAU share, reflecting regulatory impacts and new market entrants.
Overall, the report covers a global geographic scope with particular emphasis on the U.S., India, Western Europe, and emerging Tier 2 markets. It spans 2025 data with forward-looking insights for 2026, highlighting AI’s transformative role across monetization, user engagement, and competitive dynamics in the mobile industry.
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