Mobile apps are part of our life, from waking us up in the morning by the alarm to falling asleep while listening to music at night. Our every activity is connected to mobile apps.
Half of the world’s population is using smartphones and accessing the internet as of 2025. Apps play an important role in our day-to-day life.
So it is important for us to know the app usage statistics for us. Here we have compiled some top statistics of app usage statistics from our top research.
Without wasting time, have a look at it.
App Usage Statistics: Top Picks (2025)
- 3.8 billion internet users are in the world.
- People have installed an average of 40 apps on their mobile.
- 3.5 million apps are available on Google Play Store.
- In 2022, 255 billion apps were downloaded.
- TikTok (672 million downloads) was the most downloaded app in 2022.
- Most people use their mobile devices at home(91%).
- The age group of 18 to 24 is spending more time on mobile apps(2 hours and 6 minutes) monthly.
- In 2020, time spent on apps went to 200 billion hours monthly.
- At the end of 2023, The global mobile app revenue is projected to reach $490.80 billion.
- China is dominating in world revenue of mobile apps with $179.80 billion as of 2023.
General App Usage Statistics
- 3.8 billion internet users are in the world.
The total population of the world is around 7.9 billion. We can say that almost half of the world’s population(50%) has smartphones. This number is expected to grow continuously in the future.
- In 2022, the Most popular smartphone activity was sending messages(76%).
According to Statista, Among all smartphone activities, chatting or sending messages was the most popular in 2022.
Top 10 Smartphone Activities of Users
| Rank | Activity | Share of respondents |
| 1. | Chatting or sending messages | 76% |
| 2. | E-mailing | 71% |
| 3. | Listening to music | 61% |
| 4. | Online Banking | 61% |
| 5. | Watching Videos | 61% |
| 6. | Searching for products | 57% |
| 7. | Buying products | 56% |
| 8. | Uploading videos or photos | 56% |
| 9. | Reading news pages | 54% |
| 10. | Making Internet calls | 49% |
- Among U.S. workers, E-mailing is the top smartphone activity(68%).
The U.S. workers said they used their smartphones most for E-mailing. After that, they used their smartphone for Text/messaging clients (68%), Making phone calls(66%), Managing work calender(60%), etc.
- People have installed an average of 40 apps on their mobile.
People installed 40 apps on their smartphones but only used 18 apps daily. This number varies according to age groups. Millennials installed an average of 67 apps, and they only use 25 daily.
- 3.5 million apps are available on Google Play Store.
More than 3.5 million apps are available on the Google Play Store as of 2025.
Number of Apps Available in Top App Stores as of 2025
| Rank | App Store | The number of apps |
| 1. | Google Play Store | 3.55 million |
| 2. | Apple App Store | 1.64 million |
| 3. | Amazon App Store | 0.48 million |
- Social Apps are used the most in all apps.
In all app categories, people are using social apps(22.2%) the most. After social media apps, people used gaming apps(19.4%) the most.
Most Used App Categories
| App Category | Percentage of used |
| Social | 22.2% |
| Gaming | 19.4% |
| Communication | 16.4% |
| Entertainment | 11.2% |
| Mobile Browsers | 7.4% |
| Productivity | 3.2% |
| Music | 3.1% |
| Retail and E-commerce | 2.6% |
| Health and wellness | 2.2% |
| Travel | 1.8% |
| Map | 1.6% |
| Finance | 1.1% |
| Others | 7.4% |
- People have spent only 19 minutes weekly on travel apps.
Most people spend more time on social apps (2 hours and 11 minutes) such as TikTok, Instagram, etc.
Weekly Time Spent on Mobile App Categories
| Category | Total time spent |
| Social | 2 hours and 11 minutes |
| Gaming | 1 hour and 56 minutes |
| Communication | 1 hour and 42 minutes |
| Entertainment | 1 hour and 7 minutes |
| Mobile Browsers | 46 minutes |
| Productivity | 35 minutes |
| Music | 1 hour 20 minutes |
| Retail and E-commerce | 1 hour 5 minutes |
| Health and wellness | 27 minutes |
| Travel | 19 minutes |
| Map | 25 minutes |
| Finance | 57 minutes |
| Others | 42 minutes |
Source: Bank my cell, Statista, Simform
Apps Download Statistics
If we need an app, we go to any app store and download it. But have you ever thought about how many people have downloaded it before? Or which app is downloaded the most in the world?
Then, we are here to give you the answers to these questions. Just scroll down and learn more about app download statistics.
- In 2022, 255 billion apps were downloaded.
This number is much higher than the apps downloaded in 2021(230 million). Thirty-one billion new apps were downloaded in the Q1 of 2020 alone.
Total Number of Apps Downloaded from 2016 to 2021
| Year | Apps downloaded |
| 2016 | 140.68 billion |
| 2017 | 175 billion |
| 2018 | 192.45 billion |
| 2019 | 204 billion |
| 2020 | 218 billion |
| 2021 | 230 billion |
| 2022 | 255 billion |
- TikTok (672 million downloads) was the most downloaded app in 2022.
A short-video-sharing app TikTok is the most downloaded app in the world. After TikTok, a social media app Instagram was the most downloaded app in 2022.
Top 10 most Downloaded Apps Worldwide in 2024
| Rank | App | App Downloads |
| 1. | TikTok | 672 million |
| 2. | 548 million | |
| 3. | 424 million | |
| 4. | CapCut | 357 million |
| 5. | Snapchat | 330 million |
| 6. | Telegram | 310 million |
| 7. | Subway Surfers | 304 million |
| 8. | 298 million | |
| 9. | Stumble Guys | 254 million |
| 10. | Spotify | 238 million |
- China is on top of downloading apps.
In 2021, 230 billion apps were downloaded globally. Out of this 98.3 billion apps were downloaded only in China.
Total Number of Apps Downloaded in 2023 by Country
| Rank | Country | Apps Downloaded |
| 1. | China | 98.3 billion |
| 2. | India | 26.6 billion |
| 3. | United States | 12.1 billion |
| 4. | Brazil | 10.3 billion |
| 5. | Indonesia | 7.3 billion |
| 6. | Russia | 5.5 billion |
| 7. | Mexico | 4.8 billion |
| 8. | Turkey | 3.5 billion |
| 9. | Vietnam | 3.3 billion |
| 10. | Philippines | 3.0 billion |
| 11. | Pakistan | 2.6 billion |
| 12. | Egypt | 2.6 billion |
| 13. | Japan | 2.5 billion |
| 14. | Thailand | 2.4 billion |
| 15. | Germany | 2.2 billion |
| 16. | UK | 2.2 billion |
- The total number of game apps downloaded in 2023 was 55.3 billion.
Game downloads slightly declined in 2021. But in 2020, there was a 33% increase in game downloads (This could be due to the pandemic).
Annual Game Downloads from 2015 to 2021
| Year | Number of Downloads |
| 2015 | 24.3 billion |
| 2016 | 27.9 billion |
| 2017 | 34.7 billion |
| 2018 | 38.4 billion |
| 2019 | 42.1 billion |
| 2020 | 56.1 billion |
| 2021 | 55.3 billion |
- 8.6 billion game downloads came from iOS App Store in 2021.
46.7 billion game downloads came from Google Play Stores in 2021.
Total Number of iOS Apps Store Game Downloads from 2019 to 2021
| Year | Total number of downloads |
| 2019 | 9.2 billion |
| 2020 | 10.1 billion |
| 2021 | 8.6 billion |
Total Number of Google Play Store Game Downloads from 2019 to 2021
| Year | Total number of downloads |
| 2019 | 32.9 billion |
| 2020 | 46 billion |
| 2021 | 46.7 billion |
Source: TechCrunch, App Annie, Bugsnag, Statista
Apps Usage by Demography Statistics
Every day we interact with apps. But do you know how much time you spend on apps? Or who is spending maximum/minimum time on apps?
If your answer is ‘No,’ we are here to answer this question.
In this section, we have gathered our top research about app usage by demography. Please go through it.
- Most people use their mobile devices at home(91%).
People access their devices from home(91%), at work(72%), etc.
When and Where People are Using their Mobile Devices
| Activity/Place | Share of Respondents |
| At Home | 91% |
| While in the washroom | 83% |
| While having dinner | 73% |
| At work | 72% |
| When with family/Friends | 79% |
| Waiting in lines of waiting for appointments | 71% |
| While Shopping | 63% |
| While watching TV | 78% |
| During the commute to work | 62% |
| During miscellaneous downtime throughout the day | 74% |
- The age group of 18 to 24 is spending more time on mobile apps(2 hours and 6 minutes) monthly.
Gen Z is spending more time using mobile apps than any other. Boomers II+ are spending less time on mobile apps than all.
Average Monthly Hours per Mobile App User by Age
| Age Group | Time spent |
| 18 to 24 | 2 hours and 6 minutes |
| 25 to 34 | 1 hour and 42 minutes |
| 35 to 44 | 1 hour and 33 minutes |
| 45 to 54 | 1 hour and 15 minutes |
| 55 to 64 | 1 hour and 9 minutes |
| 65+ | 51 minutes |
- According to Statista, females used mobile apps more than males in every age group.
If we consider overall age groups, females use mobile apps for 20.4 minutes daily, and males use mobile apps for 17.2 minutes daily.
Males’ and Females’ Daily Time Spent on Mobile Apps
| Age Groups | Male | Female |
| 0 to 19 years | 19.3 minutes | 15.9 minutes |
| 20 to 24 years | 16.9 minutes | 12.8 minutes |
| 25 to 29 years | 20.8 minutes | 16.7 minutes |
| 30-34 years | 21.7 minutes | 18.3 minutes |
| 35 to 39 years | 21.6 minutes | 19.7 minutes |
| 40 to 44 years | 22.1 minutes | 20.1 minutes |
| 45 to 49 years | 23.4 minutes | 19.8 minutes |
| Above 50 years | 22.0 minutes | 20.5 minutes |
Source: Simform, Statista
App Usage During the Pandemic
The pandemic outbreak increased massive spending time on the internet, App usage and app downloading in 2020.
Due to the pandemic situation, people started using most educational, remote work apps.
Here we have gathered some important statistics on app usage during the pandemic. Please go through it.
- In 2020, time spent on apps went to 200 billion hours monthly.
During the pandemic, people started using mobile more and more. Their daily mobile usage also increased by 40%.
Highest Increased Daily Mobile Hours by Country
| Country | Highest increased mobile hours |
| Russia | 40% |
| Canada | 39% |
| India | 37% |
Minimum Increased Daily Mobile Hours by Country
| Country | Minimum increased mobile hours |
| South Korea | 5% |
| Germany | 10% |
| United States | 10% |
- The remote work app downloading rate increased by 1457% in the U.S.
In the U.S., the rate of downloading remote work apps(1457%), Educational Apps(1087%), Grocery Delivery apps(322%), and Ridesharing Apps(46%) increased during the pandemic.
- Use of Children’s education apps increased by 56%.
The Increase in App Usage by Category
| Category | Increased rate |
| Children’s Education | 56% |
| Film and Series Streaming | 54% |
| Short Video Streaming | 51% |
| Social Media | 43% |
| Messaging | 42% |
| Music Streaming | 37% |
| General Apps | 36% |
| Online learning Platforms | 31 |
Source: Financeonline,
Popular Applications and App Publisher
To learn about the world’s popular apps, continue reading this article. You will get to know all about popular apps and app publishers.
- 35% of the 18-34 age group said that amazon is the essential app of all.
According to Gen Z and millennials, After amazon, Gmail is the essential app for their day-to-day life.
Essential Apps According to Millennials
| Apps | Share of Respondents |
| Amazon | 35% |
| Gmail | 30% |
| Facebook Messenger | 29% |
| YouTube | 18% |
| Google Maps | 16% |
- TikTok is the most popular app among all social apps.
Popular Apps According to their Category
| Category | Popular App | Number of downloads |
| Most Popular Game App | Subway Surfer | 191 million |
| Most popular Social App | TikTok | 656 million |
| Most Pupolar Communication App | 480 million | |
| Most Popular Entertainment App | Netflix | 173 million |
| Most Popular Music and Audio App | Spotify | 203 million |
| Most Popular Shopping App | Shopee | 203 million |
| Most popular Food and Drink App | McDonalds | 116 million |
| Most Popular Travel App | Google Maps | 106 million |
| Most Popular Education App | Google Classroom | 75 million |
| Most Popular dating App | Tinder | 67 million |
| Most popular Health and Fitness app | Flo | 35 million |
| Most popular money transfer app | PayPal | 106 million |
| Most popular cryptocurrency app | Binance | 64 million |
- TikTok remains the most popular app in the U.S.
TikTok is popular globally and also holds the top place in the U.S. When we talk about the top 10 popular apps in the U.S., this list varies from the list of popular apps worldwide.
Top 10 Popular Apps in the U.S.
| Rank | Apps | Number of Downloads |
| 1. | TikTok | 94 million |
| 2. | 64 million | |
| 3. | Snapchat | 56 million |
| 4. | Cash App | 56 million |
| 5. | Zoom | 52 million |
| 6. | Messenger | 51 million |
| 7. | 47 million | |
| 8. | 47 million | |
| 9. | YouTube | 47 million |
| 10. | HBO Max | 45 million |
- Roblox Corporation publisher is at the top position by its revenue.
In the iOS App store, Roblox corporation is on top with a revenue of $20.56 million. They are followed by King($12.97 million).
In the Google Play Store, King is on the top with a revenue of $4.98 million. They are followed by Scopely($4.78 million) and others.
Top Publisher of the iOS App Store and Google Play Store
| Rank | iOS App Store | Google Play Store |
| 1. | Roblox Corporation($20.56 million) | King($4.98 million) |
| 2. | King($12.97 million) | Scopely($4.78 million) |
| 3. | Playrix($12.77 million) | IGG.COM($4.59 million) |
| 4. | Niantic($10.7 million) | Zynga(4.39 million) |
Source: Zippia, Businessofapps,
Consumer Spending on App
The majority of apps on the app store are free apps. But, many people are using paid apps. Stay tuned to this section to learn more about people’s spending on apps.
- Consumers spent the most in Q4 2020($49.6 billion) on mobile applications globally.
Consumers spent the least on mobile applications globally in Q1 2020(23.4 billion). Overall in 2020, people spent $49.6 billion on the mobile application.
Spending on Mobile Apps Globally from Q1 2020 to Q1 2021
| Year | Total Spending |
| 2020 (Q1) | $23.4 billion |
| 2020 (Q2) | $27 billion |
| 2020 (Q3) | $28 billion |
| 2020 (Q4) | $49.6 billion |
| 2021 (Q1) | $32 billion |
Source: Financeonline
Mobile App Revenue Statistics
The global mobile app market is vast. It is growing continue year by year. It is essential to know about the revenue of the mobile app market.
Just have a look…!
- At the end of 2023, The global mobile app revenue is projected to reach $490.80 billion.
The global mobile app revenue is anticipated to reach $1115 billion at the end of 2033. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 17.4%.
- The global In-App purchase market is anticipated to reach $176.63 billion at the end of 2023.
The global Inn-app purchase market is projected to reach $419.87 billion at the end of 2027. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 24.2%.
- The gaming segment was the main contributor to the revenue of the mobile app market in the past years.
At the end of 2023, $307.20 billion revenue will come from the gaming segment. In 2022, this revenue was $267 billion. After the gaming segment, Social Networking’s revenue was $43.39 billion in 2022.
Top 10 Segments of Mobile Apps Which Will Contribute to Revenue in 2025
| Rank | Segment | Revenue |
| 1. | Gaming | $307.20 billion |
| 2. | Social Networking | $48.55 billion |
| 3. | Entertainment | $32.88 billion |
| 4. | Photos and Videos | $19.93 billion |
| 5. | Lifestyle | $11.83 billion |
| 6. | Music | $11.47 billion |
| 7. | Productivity | $10.29 billion |
| 8. | Book and Reference | $9.51 billion |
| 9. | Education | $8.03 billion |
| 10. | Health and Fitness | $7.86 billion |
- According to Statista, the total global mobile app revenue was $430.90 billion in 2022.
The revenue of global mobile apps is continuously increasing from 2017 to 2023. It is projected to reach $614.40 by 2026.
Global Mobile App Revenue from 2017 to 2026
| Year | Revenue |
| 2017 | $176.60 billion |
| 2018 | $215.90 billion |
| 2019 | $253.10 billion |
| 2020 | $316.60 billion |
| 2021 | $397.90 billion |
| 2022 | $430.90 billion |
| 2023 | $490.80 billion |
| 2024* | $543.80 billion |
| 2025* | $582.30 billion |
| 2026* | $614.40 billion |
*Forecast
- Most of the revenue came from advertising ($220.80 billion) in 2022.
Revenue by Type from 2017 to 2026
| Year | Revenue by advertising | Revenue by In-App Purchase | Revenue by Paid App |
| 2017 | $100.20 billion | $74.14 billion | $2.28 billion |
| 2018 | $121.70 billion | $91.56 billion | $2.60 billion |
| 2019 | $140.20 billion | $109.80 billion | $3.02 billion |
| 2020 | $163.00 billion | $149.70 billion | $3.90 billion |
| 2021 | $208.10 billion | $185.10 billion | $4.74 billion |
| 2022 | $220.80 billion | $204.90 billion | $5.25 billion |
| 2023 | $254.00 billion | $231.00 billion | $5.80 billion |
| 2024* | 283.40 billion | 254.10 billion | 6.29 billion |
| 2025* | 304.60 billion | 271.00 billion | 6.69 billion |
| 2026* | 322.30 billion | 285.10 billion | 7.02 billion |
*Forecast
- $62.8 billion revenue was contributed by Apple Store in 2022.
There are only two major stores in the mobile app market. Apple is leading in it. Google contributed $37.2 billion in 2022. But in the forecast year, Apple Store’s revenue is projected to go down to $62.6 billion in 2026. Google stores’ revenue is anticipated to grow to $37.4 billion in 2026.
- China is dominating in world revenue of mobile apps with $179.80 billion as of 2023.
Top 5 Countries Contributing More to the Global Mobile App Revenue as of 2025
| Rank | Country | Revenue |
| 1. | China | $179.80 billion |
| 2. | United States | $121.70 billion |
| 3. | Japan | $83.79 billion |
| 4. | South Korea | $21.62 billion |
| 5. | United Kingdom | $10.41 billion |
Source: Persistence Market Research, The Business Research Company, Statista
Conclusion: App Usage Statistics (2025)
The total revenue of the mobile app industry is $490.80 billion as of 2023. This industry is growing year by year continue.
All age groups are using mobile apps. But Gen Z and millennials are using mobile apps more than all.
TikTok is the most popular app amongs the all. In 2022, 255 billion apps were downloaded; out of that, 672 million times TikTok were downloaded.
The pandemic was the boosting factor for this industry. Due to the pandemic, people started using more apps and spending more time on them.
This was the updated statistics of app usage statistics as of now. We will be updating you with new statistics in the coming days.
