Spending on Apple and Google App Stores Grows 25%

Luke Smith 2nd September 20213rd September 2021

Mobile app analytics company Sensor Tower has published insights into consumer spending habits across the two major marketplaces.

During the first half of 2021, spending on the iOS Store was more than thee-quarters higher than on the Google Play Store. The former received $41.5 billion during the six-month period, compared to $23.4 billion from the latter.

Spending on the iOS Store represents a 22% growth from the same period last year. Cumulatively, the two platforms recorded an increase of almost 25%.

However, while the App Store commands nearly double the spend in the market, the Google Play Store is growing at a faster rate. The year-on-year increase for the Android marketplace was approximately 30%.

Tinder maintained its position amongst the top three grossing mobile apps worldwide, only surpassed by YouTube and TikTok.

The South Korean parliament has just passed a bill that would stop Apple and Google from forcing developers to use their internal payment systems and paying the 30% commission rates.

Further, Apple updated its policies last week and now permits developers to email users to let them know that alternative payment options are available.

Sensor Tower also found that the average smartphone user engaged with 46 different apps per month in the first half of 2021. This is two higher than last year, but two fewer than the peak in Q2 of 2020 caused by the pandemic and resulting lockdown restrictions.