Consumer spending on mobile apps reached new heights in 2020, as did revenue generated from in-app subscriptions. And it’s good news for Apple.
According to Sensor Tower Store Intelligence data, worldwide consumer spending in the top 100 non-game subscription-based apps grew 34% year-over-year from $9.7 billion in 2019 to $13 billion.
The research group notes that consumers have historically spent more on the App Store than on Google’s marketplace, and the same holds true for subscription apps. Globally, the top 100 subscription apps on the App Store generated $10.3 billion in 2020, up 32% from $7.8 billion the previous year. The 100 top earners on Google Play saw $2.7 billion last year, up 42 percent year-over-year from $1.9 billion in 2019.
Looking at the U.S. Apple App Store, consumers spent $4.5 billion in 2020 on the top 100 earning non-game apps offering subscriptions, up 25% from approximately $3.6 billion in 2019, according to Sensor Tower. While the top 100 earning subscription apps on Google Play didn’t generate as much revenue, they did see greater year-over- growth. In 2020, the top Google Play subscription apps in the U.S. saw $1.4 billion spent, up 40% year-over-year from $1 billion.
