Oberlo states there are currently 6.8 billion smartphone users in the world.
That’s impressive considering there are 8 billion people on the planet.
Every one of these smartphones is capable of connecting to the internet.
However, it’s not just information or even the latest social media post that is interesting to people.
Today, your smartphone can help you achieve almost any task.
All you need is the right mobile app.
It’s hardly surprising that the number of mobile apps and their usage is increasing.
You may be surprised by some of the following mobile app usage statistics.
If you spare a moment to look around, you’ll almost always see most people have their heads down, staring at their phones.
It’s become so common that people no longer notice it.
What you may not realize is that 88% of time spent on a mobile is actually spent using apps.
That statistic is why developers spend so much time creating new apps.
Of course, for any app to be successful it needs to be seen by potential users.
They also need to download it and start using it.
Before you can do that, you need to understand mobile app usage statistics.
Key Statistics
- Expected revenue from apps in 2023 is $935 billion
- There are 1.96 million apps on the Apple App Store
- Google Play has 2.87 million apps
- 70% of digital media in the US is received via an app
- In 2020 there were over 218 billion app downloads
- 96.5% of apps are free
- The average person has 40 apps on their smartphone
- On average, people use 9 apps daily
- The average 18-24 year old spends 66% of their time on apps
- China is currently leading the world in downloaded apps
- Games are the most popular download
- 71% of apps downloaded are deleted or simply not used within 90 days
- Facebook tops the lists of apps US citizens couldn’t survive without
Top Mobile App Usage Statistics in 2024
1. Expected Revenue From Apps In 2023 Is $935 Billion
The number of apps used daily has dramatically increased over the last ten years.
Today, there is almost an app for anything!
It’s little wonder that businesses are fighting to provide the best app and secure their corner of this lucrative market.
According to the latest Statista research, the market is set to bring in $935 billion in revenue in 2023.
It’s been steadily rising for years.
In 2022 revenue topped $732 million, the year before it was $706 million.
Just five years ago it was already at an impressive $474 million, that’s just over half of the revenue for 2023.
Imagine how high the revenue for this industry will be by 2030!
(Statista)
2. There Are 1.96 Million Apps On The App Store
When the App Store launched in 2008 it had just 500 apps.
That was an impressive number for an internet that was just starting to take off and a new venture.
Of course, this is one venture that has proved to be extremely successful.
Today, there are 1.96 million apps on the App Store!
Many of these apps are used, figures show that 180 billion apps were downloaded from the App Store in 2018. The number has since increased.
It’s worth noting that the biggest players in the app market are the App Store and Google Play.
Together they have over 55% of all the apps available in the world.
While the App Store is extremely popular, especially in the US where the iPhone is the top phone, Androids are more popular in other countries.
That gives Google Play the edge over the App Store.
(Statista)
3. Google Play Has 2.87 Million Apps
While the App Store has close to 2 million apps, Google Play has roughly 3 million apps available!
When it started in 2012 it was playing catch-up to Apple’s App Store.
Google Play launched with an impressive 450,000 apps. Just ten years later it has nearly three million!
Naturally, more are being created every day.
While some will be terminated, this number is likely to keep rising.
It’s worth noting that Google Play isn’t allowed to operate in China.
Most people there use Tencent which currently dominates 26% of the Chinese market, although its services are little used outside the country.
(Statista)
4. 70% Of Digital Media In The US Is Received Via An App
The internet is used for work purposes, entertainment, socializing, and even for looking at product reviews.
It seems like there is always a reason to go online and look at something.
That’s why, wherever you look, you’ll see someone on a mobile phone.
Statistics show the average American spends five hours on their phone daily looking at this information.
That’s the crux of the matter, phones are so convenient that people generally use them to access the internet over any other device.
In fact, according to the latest Oberlo research, 70% of all the information received in the US over the internet is received on a mobile device.
It’s worth noting that approximately 7% of this time is spent on mobile websites.
A staggering 63% is spent on mobile apps, that’s increased by 50% since 2017 and will continue to do so.
(Oberlo)
5. In 2020 There Were Over 218 Billion App Downloads
If you need any more convincing that the mobile app industry is booming then consider this.
In 2020 there were over 218 billion apps downloaded.
By the end of 2023 it’s estimated app downloads will have reached 258 billion.
That’s nearly a 20% increase in three years.
The most popular app download at present is TikTok. It was installed 93 million times in 2021.
However, Zoom is also doing extremely well, partly thanks to the global pandemic.
In 2022 it was downloaded 477 million times!
One of the biggest increases in the industry was shopping apps.
They saw a rise of 56% in the number of downloads. That’s good for business
(Gitnux)
6. 96.5% Of Apps Are Free
According to a Statista study in July 2023 96.5% of apps in the Google Play store were free.
This may sound surprising but take a moment to consider which apps are on your phone and you’ll probably find they are all free.
Naturally, developing an app which people are prepared to pay for is an exciting prospect.
However, the reality is, with so many free apps people aren’t prepared to pay for them.
App developers simply need to create an app which attracts users and keeps them using the app.
They can then earn money through in-app advertising.
(Statista)
7. The Average Person Has 40 Apps On Their Smartphone
You may think that 40 apps seem like a ridiculous amount of apps.
However, this is a much easier target to reach than you think.
Firstly, consider the number of apps which are preloaded onto your phone.
On average smartphone suppliers will include 10 apps, most of which you’ll never use and can’t be deleted.
Add on your banking apps and social media apps and you’re probably already halfway to the average person’s app level.
You’ll also find there are apps that you’ve downloaded in error or downloaded and used once or twice, they are still on your phone.
Don’t forget, the number of apps on your phone isn’t the same as the number of apps you use regularly.
(Simform)
8. On Average, 9 Apps Are Used Daily
Further to the above statistics, the latest studies show that the average person only uses 9 apps per day.
The apps used will be your bank, several social media sites, a game or two, and perhaps a few apps related to your business or hobbies.
News apps are also popular.
It’s worth noting that the number of apps used remains roughly the same regardless of age, although the younger generation may have more apps on their phones.
This is generally because younger people are considered more compulsive and more likely to download apps at random, even if they never use them.
(Statista)
9. The Average 18-24 Year Old Spends 66% Of Their Time On Apps
The fact that younger generations spend more time on their phones, and consequently apps, isn’t surprising.
What may surprise you is the percentage of time they spend on apps.
A recent survey showed that the average 18-24-year-old will spend 66% of their time looking at apps.
Put another way, it’s estimated they spend 112.6 hours a month looking at apps.
That’s the largest of any group:
- 25-34-year-olds spend an average of 102.4 hours per month
- 35-44-year-olds use apps 93.6 hours a month
- 45-54-year-olds opt for 75.6 hours a month
- 55-64-year-olds choose to spend 69.3 hours on apps every month
- Over 65s spend the least at 51.4 hours a month
While the 25-34 year old range wins, spending the most time on apps, the difference between age groups isn’t as significant as you may think.
(Statista)
10. China Is Currently Leading The World In Downloaded Apps
China has the largest population in the world and despite many restrictions, smartphones and mobile apps are allowed.
With well over a billion people living in one country it’s not surprising that China is the world leader in app download.
It’s the figures that may surprise you.
In 2022 the Chinese population downloaded 98.3 billion apps! That’s nearly quadruple India which currently has the second spot.
India has downloaded 26.6 billion apps.
The US takes the third spot with 12.1 billion apps and Brazil is the only other country to hit double-digit billions, at 10.3 billion.
Right down in 16th place with just 2.2 billion downloads, is the UK.
But, they still do better than most European countries.
(Business of Apps)
11. Games Are the Most Popular Download
Mobile phones are commonly used to play games.
In fact, this, and using social media, is the most common pastime on a mobile phone.
As of 2022 there were 55.6 billion games downloaded onto smartphones across the planet.
This was a 0.5% increase on 2021.
What’s interesting is that game downloads actually decreased in 2021, down 1.4% on 2020.
Of course, the global pandemic may have artificially inflated 2020 figures.
There isn’t enough data to be certain about this.
Games steal 21.49% of all app downloads. This is significantly higher than any other category:
- 10.2% of downloads are business related
- 8.6% are educational apps
- 8.6% are lifestyle-related
- 6.2% relate to utilities
- 5.7% of apps downloaded are entertainment
There are many more but the least popular download is sports, it’s just 2.3% of all downloads.
(Business of Apps)
12. 71% Of Apps Downloaded Are Deleted Or Simply Not Used Within 90 Days
Creating an app means finding a niche in the market that you’re passionate about.
It also means doing the necessary research to confirm there is a market for your app.
Once you’ve done that and are happy there is, you can create the app and release it.
It’s then essential to watch the app to find out how successful it is.
The easiest way to tell this is to look at the use rate.
Alarmingly, 71% of app users will simply stop using an app within 90 days of downloading it.
In many cases the app is left on their device, meaning that your download figures are good. Unfortunately, downloads don’t generally earn you money.
On average, 57% of users stop using an app within 1 month, and 66% within two months.
If you want your app to be successful then you’ll need to track downloads and usage.
If people aren’t using the app you’re going to need to change it.
(Zippia)
13. Facebook Tops The Lists Of Apps US Citizens Couldn’t Survive Without
Most of us are used to having our phones by our sides at all times of the day and night.
It’s a habit that everyone has adopted and one that you can’t imagine stopping.
With that in mind, a recent survey looked at the apps that US citizens would find it hardest to do without.
Facebook topped the list with 17% of those surveyed saying they would be unable to survive without it.
Another social media site, Instagram, came second with 13% unable to survive without it.
However, it was Gmail that stole third place with 9% of people relying on it.
The rest of the list was made up of:
- YouTube – 8%
- Twitter – 7%
- Google Chrome – 6%
- Google Maps – 6%
- WhatsApp – 5%
- Amazon – 5%
- Messenger – 5% (although this is technically part of Facebook)
(Audience Project)
How To Create Your Own Mobile App
Before you can create an app you’ll need to decide what you want the app to do.
That means identifying an issue and building an app to solve the problem.
The problem should be sufficiently common that people will be interested in your app.
However, it should also be one that doesn’t appear to have a simple solution.
Your app will be a success if it can solve the problem.
Once you’ve identified the app you’ll need to decide what features it needs to operate effectively and give your customers the service they are looking for.
The next step is to create a wireframe. This is simply a drawing of your app and how it should work.
It should include the screen layout and what buttons are available on the app, along with what they do.
The aim is to ensure the app flows properly when being used.
You’ll then need to decide whether to outsource the build or use a no-code app builder.
Your decision is likely to be based on your technical expertise and your budget.
Remember, it has to look professional.
Finally, you’ll need to do some brand awareness to ensure people are aware of your app when you launch it.
The bigger your audience the more likely it is that the app will be popular.
This will generate an income from ads or draw people to your business.
Summing Up
Mobile app usage statistics make interesting reading.
There is no doubt that the market is growing rapidly. However, at present there is still room for more apps; You simply need to know how to make one and attract the right customers.
If that’s something you’re interested in then it’s advisable to take your time doing research, finding the right niche, and creating the best possible app.
This will help to ensure your app becomes popular instead of a waste of time.
The market for mobile apps is clearly ready for you, are you ready for the market?