Since the adoption of smartphones, we’ve been using many mobile apps for many different purposes, including work-related, entertainment, performance tracking, and much more. But in the past few years, the mobile market has received many similar applications, and App & Play Stores are scraping many applications. Hence, entrepreneurs targeting to develop mobile apps must read this mobile app usage and growth statistics guide to plan their app development accordingly.

The world is changing, and everything is becoming easily available. Whether it is last-minute online shopping, mobile banking, or quick-accessible business CRM, we all heavily rely on mobile apps.

That’s the reason why, in this rapidly growing adoption rate of digital-first business, a mobility solution is becoming a motivating factor for leaders to bring innovations in mobile app development. And that factor is to unlock many business opportunities to shine in the market competition.

Nowadays, app stores are flooded with many likely app types, so it’s a must to explore mobile app development opportunities to make your app shine in the year 2025 and beyond by looking at trending mobile app usage statistics.

Mobile App Growth Statistics [A Quick Overview]

• The global mobile app market size is expected to grow at a CAGR of 21.55%, with a projected estimation of 1,103.48 billion by 2034.
• Around 2.095 million Android apps are deployed in the Google Play Store, and 2.475 million iOS apps are available in the Apple App Store.
• In 2024, over 137.8 billion apps were downloaded globally across the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
• At a global level, iOS apps have been downloaded 370 billion times, with publishers earning over $320 billion since the platform’s launch.
• Around 93.5% of 5.3 billion global internet users and 88.4% of 5.6 billion smartphone users have social media accounts, out of which 61.4% of the global population is currently utilizing social media actively.
• Around 6 out of 10 people prefer to use online finance apps to manage their finances.
• The revenue of on-demand apps is expected to increase to $335 million by 2025.
• The OTT video marketplace is expected to reach US$146.8 bn by 2030 at a CAGR of 21.5%.
• On average, a normal person spends around 4 hours and 39 minutes of a day checking smartphones.

Why Does It Have To Be Mobile App Development?

With the increasing demand for mobility solutions and getting everything at their fingertips, the mobile app development market has been experiencing a massive elevation. Below are the facts stating the urgent need and innovation in the mobile app industry.

Smartphone User Base

One study predicts that the number of smartphone users is expected to increase to 6.4 billion by 2029, with a +30.6% increase (by 1.5 billion users) overall. If we look at the increase in smartphone users from 2013 to 2024, the average growth is marked at 6.2% annually.

Android vs iOS Mobile Device Users

• Global Marketplace: When there is competition between Android and iOS mobile phones, Android mobile users indeed dominate the market with 73.9% of the market share globally, as per the study conducted in Q4 2024.
• US Marketplace: In the US marketplace, a comparison of Android vs. iOS mobile device users reveals that 58.8% of smartphone users prefer iPhones, while 44.9% use Android phones in Q4 2024.
• UK Marketplace: In the case of the UK mobile market, both the iOS and Android markets are closely competing with each other. A recent study from Q4 2024 shows that Android users account for 51.8%, while iOS users make up to 47.6%.
• In the recent study Q42023, there were 52.4% iOS users and 47% Android users. Seems like there’s an opportunity for both native Android and iOS app development, even cross-platform app development using technologies like Flutter or React Native.

With such forecasting, it does make sense for businesses to build a mobile application to reach their maximum potential customers.

Smartphone Usage

In the public area, when you observe your surrounding people, you will clearly see how they are dedicatedly busy with their mobile activity.

One study found that, on average, a normal person spends around 5 hours and 24 minutes a day checking smartphones. In some extreme cases, this smartphone usage a day can go over 7 hours.

The reasons behind this increase in intensive smartphone usage are the digitalization of finance, shopping, and management services; the easy availability of entertaining materials through social media; and much more.

Mobile apps can become a great source for businesses to generate more revenue. As per the NASDAQ report, the NIKE mobile app played a vital role in improving its digital revenues by 4% on a reported basis and 1% on a currency-neutral basis.

Not just NIKE, but there are many brands, like IKEA and Starbucks, that have improved their sales with the help of mobile apps.

Mobile App Development Statistics

When discussing mobile app development and growth statistics, it is necessary to bring up the Android and iOS app concepts along with the Google Play Store and App Store.

Google Play Store

Google is the most trusted and highly used platform by the global audience base on a daily basis for even the smallest query search. As per one research, the community counted over 2.327 million android apps with 0.75 million app publishers on the Google Play Store alone.

Although Google Play Store is removing low-quality & spamming apps from the store, its application numbers are rising every day. The Google Play Store gets updated with around 998 new mobile apps on a daily basis! These increasing app numbers have made the Google Play Store the biggest mobile app store in the world.

As per the Business of Apps study, last year, around 26.8 billion apps and games were downloaded from the Google Play Store in Q1 2025.

Apple App Store

Apple App Store is the second largest and the closest competitor of Google App Store, with a varying user base region-wise. You can get that data from the above section named “Android vs. iOS Mobile Device Users.”

At the latest, in the App Store, there are 2.95 million iOS apps with 787,123+ publishers available globally. Out of which, around 11.86% are games.

At the latest, in the App Store, there are 2.01 million iOS apps with 845K+ publishers available globally. Out of which, around 88.3% (1.77 million) are apps and 11.67% (234K+) are games.

Mobile App Download Statistics

Knowing mobile app download statistics is very important, as it shows the popularity of the particular app and on what basis.

If you check app download statistics regardless of the platform type, then 136 billion unique downloads per user account were recorded.

On the Google Play Store, you would find that over 113 billion apps and games were downloaded from it. Among others, Google One, a cloud storage service, was labeled as the top-grossing app. Plus, Instagram was the most downloaded app, with 521 million downloads in 2023. 

iOS app store accounts for 37 billion mobile app downloads till 2025 and may increase to 38 billion or more by 2026, says Statista.

Additionally, approximately 54% of iPhone apps are downloaded from outside the developers’ home countries.

Mobile App Retention Statistics

When developing a mobile app, the major focus should be on the user retention rate. We understand that it is a bit harder to ensure higher user retention rates all the time, but important to give different tactics a try.

Let’s first know the meaning of mobile app retention rate.

Well, the mobile app retention rate is calculated based on measures like the number of users who continue to use the application after its installation. The more continued use of the application by the maximum number of users, the better the mobile app user retention rate. Basically, the mobile app user retention is calculated in the cycle of 30 days after a user installs the app on his/her mobile device.

The mobile developers’ community shares an average mobile app retention rate measured within 30 days:

If you look at the mobile app development type and genre, then the user retention rate differs depending on the kind. Below are the average mobile app retention rates based on industry type:

So, to ensure a better mobile app user retention rate continuously, you need to check the factors leading to better mobile app growth as explained in the topic given-below topic.

Mobile App Growth Statistics 2025

Now you know that smartphone users spend the majority of their time on mobile apps for various functions. However, you would also want to know the factors motivating smartphone users to stick to their favorite mobile app. This study would help you get ideas to make your mobile app solution even more productive.

Mobile App Features and Functionalities

1. Attractive Mobile App UI/UX Designs

The mobile UI/UX design trends are the most fluctuating once. In the past few years, mobile UI/UX designs have advanced a lot and are becoming a major factor in the success of your mobile apps. With such, the market competition for the best mobile app UI/UX to ensure maximum user retention rate is also growing rapidly.

The leading mobile app UI/UX statistics say:

• A Good UI design helps to increase application conversion rate by 200% and UX design by 400% (Forrester Report)
• The ROI ratio from UX is 9,900% (Forrester Report)

Latest Mobile App UI/UX design trends you can try on your solution

• Use of in-app gestures (like Double Tapping, Dragging, Flickering, Swiping, Touch & Hold, Bottom Swiping, Swiping for switching screens, Swiping from the top, etc.) borrowed from your mobile OS type (iOS & Android Gestures)
• Use of AR in UI: The augmented reality implementation in UI has been increasing since 2019. In that year (2019), the AR users were counted at 0.44 billion but are now expected to grow to 1187 million by 2028.
• Use Illustrations in UI for a better impactful user experience.
• Use Bitmojis and other cartoon characters for the rewarding application user experience.

Reading more about the latest UI/UX statistics can help you know the benefits of investing in mobile app design.

2. Best Performance

For the success of any mobile application, the best performance in terms of faster and crash-free operations is the key. In today’s fast-forwarding world, mobile app consumers demand to have applications that release new updates frequently, provide a rewarding app user experience, and meet their every need coming in line.

When there is such an intensive mobile app market competition going on, your mobile app performance is the only key.

• 30% of mobile app users want their favorite app to load in just a fraction of a seconds.
• 49% of mobile app users might wait for an app to load if it takes around 2-3 seconds or max by 5 seconds.

Not meeting such app loading speed might cause a loss of your potential loyal mobile app users.

On average, users have around 40 apps installed on their smartphones.

With such installs, around 51% of smartphone users are highly likely to use brand-specific apps to make purchases to earn reward points for better discounts for future purchases.

3. Platform Dedicated Audience

Now, you already know that the android and iOS platform audience count at the latest by region with their successful user base retention ratio. Hence, it is important to choose your app development type wisely. You also know the mobile app development cost for Android and iOS apps, in which, indeed, iOS app development rates are a bit higher.

If we look on the bright side, to get incredible revenue generation, you do have an option for cross-platform or hybrid mobile app development. This option is more cost-effective than native app development and helps you generate revenue from all app hosting platforms.

You should also know more about native vs. hybrid Apps to make better decisions for your mobile app development project.

Be With the Mobile App Development Solutions’ Success Trends

After learning about mobile app development and business revenue generation, you might feel motivated to develop your own mobile application. Do you have any idea about the app development type? In simple terms, “what kind of mobile app do you want to build?” Let us make your research work easy.

Google Play Store:
As per the latest study, news and magazines, weather, sports, shopping, and social app categories have received an increase in popularity in Google Play Store App categories.

As the latest, Google Play Store has star app categories, including art and design (with a 13.96% increase), entertainment (11.57%), beauty (8.73%), comics (8.68%), and photography (7.66%).

For the Apple App Store:
If looking for the all-time top trending app categories in the Apple App Stores, then out of 26, utilities, business, games, education, lifestyle, food & drink, and health & fitness categories are receiving anticipation from iPhone users.

By following these mobile app ideas and industry types, you can build the most revenue-generating app. For better insights, refer to the below mobile app statistics and development ideas.

1. Social Media Apps

Social Media applications were famous from their inception, starting with Facebook. Today, social media platforms have become an integral part of our lives for our entertainment, networking, and marketing purposes. Did you know that nine out of ten people spend their 4-5 hours daily scrolling social media?

There is no doubt that the short social media videos, shorts, reels, etc., have doubled the global digital user base’s time spent on social media platforms. And what social media platforms does that include?

Without an extensive survey, we can get that answer from ourselves and the people in our surroundings. Wherever we go, we will find the majority of social media users using applications, including Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Snapchat, etc.

As per Backlinko’s study, around 94.2% of 5.65 billion global internet users and 86.6% of users have social media accounts, out of which 63.9% of the global population is currently utilizing social media actively.

In 2025, Facebook ranked in the top position with 3.07 billion active users worldwide, followed by YouTube and other platforms.

Seeing such success rates of social media platforms, you do have a chance to rock in the market by developing a well-thought-out social media platform like Instagram that can benefit the global user base.

2. Messaging, Chatting, Video Calling Apps

Online chat or messenger apps and video calling apps have connected the world. They have narrowed it down for people living in distant locations to connect over the internet through such online chat apps and have real-time conversations. Now that all online chat apps also provide HD video calling facilities, their usage has extended a lot globally.

We all know that whenever there is a talk about an online real-time chat application, WhatsApp comes first to our minds. To know more about popular real-time online chat applications, see the below-mentioned social media mobile app usage statistics about their global user base:

(Source: Statista – Most popular global mobile messenger apps as of Feb 2025, based on a number of monthly active users) 

3. Video Streaming Apps

We all need entertainment for ourselves. And when we get to access global entertainment programs, series, movies, and documentaries in one app, why would we not want to use it! Speaking of Over The Top (OTT) Services, or online video streaming apps, YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, AppleTV+, etc., like global platforms, are the ones we use the most regularly.

As per Statista, the OTT video marketplace is expected to reach $429.40bn by 2029 at a CAGR of 6.30% with a user penetration ratio around 61%.

There are countless online video streaming platforms available in the market, but here, we’ll target top-rated OTT platforms at the global level, which we discussed above.

• As of the latest, in Q4 2024, the revenue of YouTube was calculated at $10,473 million. which shows an approx. Moreover, it has 100 Million subscribers for both YouTube Premium and YouTube Music.
• By the end of June 30, 2025, Netflix had earned around $1,107,916.60 compared to $1,054,280.10 calculated till March 31, 2025.
• Disney Plus generated revenue of $3013 million globally in Q3 2025.
• Amazon Prime Video has been experiencing steady growth from the start. But by introducing new collaborations with global entertainment industries, it might hit $100 billion worth of OTT platform generation by 2026-2027 and may reach $1 trillion worth of marketplace in a few years or by the next decade. No doubt, it has been the strongest competitor to Netflix over the years.

With a growing expectation of entertainment services, there are indeed chances to create better business opportunities by building an OTT mobile app like Netflix.

4. Financial Apps (E-wallets, NetBanking, Stock Market)

After online video streaming services provided applications’ stats, financial apps are largely used by global mobile users. As per one study, it is found that 76% of users prefer to use online finance apps to manage their finances. After the e-transaction is made easily accessible and convenient, its usage is expected to rise in the following years.

Over 165% of consumers prefer to use digital wallets to make their transactions.

With such success rates, the personal financial software marketplace is expected to be worth $4.2 billion by 2032 at a CAGR of 12.2%.

The global e-trading mobile app market has been projected to increase by 6.4% each year, with an estimation of $13.3 billion worth of marketplace by 2026.

With the regular internet payment methods, decentralized internet payment systems like Cryptocurrency also seem to be gaining popularity, with 560+ million crypto owners worldwide at the latest.

Have a look at the leading countries by crypto ownership percentage:

Seeing the growing popularity of crypto platforms, it also becomes evident to check out blockchain development trends that supercharge your digital finance projects.

5. On-Demand Apps (Booking, Delivery, E/M-commerce)

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the user base of on-demand services providing apps has increased a lot, especially in the online booking (hotel accommodations, services booking, etc.), online shopping apps, food/grocery delivery apps, etc.

Because of the extensive applications and increasing popularity of on-demand services, its on-demand apps revenue will increase to $335 million worth by 2025. In this slab, popular on-demand services include:

• C2C Lending and Community Financing (crowdfunding)
• Online Distance work
• C2C Home Sharing
• Car Rental & Sharing
• Online Music or Video Streaming
• Tool Hire
• B&B or Hostel booking
• Book Lending

As per the latest Statista study, the number of users for online food delivery apps is forecasted to increase to 2.5 billion by 2028.

Moreover, European on-demand app marketplace spending is expected to be worth $1.8 trillion by 2025.

Also, the on-demand app market creates many new business opportunities for the rising entrepreneurs and helps them to do better business in the upcoming years at the global level.

6. Gaming Apps

In our free time, we all enjoy playing mobile games to freshen up our mood, whether it is the popular and mostly played Candy Crush, Card Games, War Games (PUBG, Fortnite, etc.), or any other ones.

Speaking of which, the gaming market has a huge dedicated user base across the globe.

The market size of mobile games is estimated to reach $118.90 billion by 2027 at a CAGR of 6.39%. If mobile game user penetration is the concern, then the market may expect to receive anticipation of 23.3% in 2027 worldwide.

Current figures estimate about 2 billion mobile gamers worldwide. In the latest survey, Statista shared that by 2027, there will be 137 million users who’ll play games on mobile, which is an 8% increase from the current data. So, there will be 1.9 billion new mobile game players by 2027.

As per one survey done among mobile gamers in the US in 2024, 43% showed their anticipation for action games and 34% for casual games.

If we check gaming mobile app statistics age-wise, 55% of US gamers are GenPop, and 68% are in the age group of 18-34 who majorly play games through their smartphones and tablets.

The gaming industry is changing and has become a major revenue-generating business. The involvement of web 3.0 technology in the gaming industry is changing the paradigm by adding many new exciting gaming features and experiences.

Final Statement

With the increasing motivation toward mobility, mobile app development, and adoption rates will indeed skyrocket in the following years.

The amalgamation of normal mobile apps and emerging technologies like data and AI will change the dynamics of mobile app industry statistics and its growth in terms of user experience, performance, and security extensively.

So, that was all about mobile app usage and growth statistics and trends to take care of in 2025 and beyond.

Planning to build your dream mobile app? MindInventory can be your ideal mobile app development company, delivering cutting-edge solutions.

Contact us to get an expert consultation to unlock endless possibilities for your mobile app idea.