tvOS App Store After One Month: 2,624 Apps in Total, Entertainment Apps Most Popular With Consumers

It's been more than a month since tvOS and the tvOS App Store launched alongside the new fourth-generation Apple TV, marking a good time to take a look at the state of the tvOS App Store. AppFigures today published some figures on tvOS apps, giving us an overview of the new App Store's progress since it launched.

There are a total of 2,624 apps available in the tvOS App Store, and AppFigures expects growth to hit 5,000 apps in January and 10,000 apps early in 2016, with an average of 447 apps being added to the tvOS App Store each week. At that growth rate, tvOS is closely mirroring the growth of the original iOS App Store. In July of 2008, the iOS App Store launched with 500 apps, and expanded to 9,676 apps four months later in November of 2008.

appletvappgrowth
At six months, the iOS App Store was at 15,000 apps and 500 million downloads, so it will be interesting to see if the tvOS App Store keeps pace. As of now, its growth rate compared to the growth rate of the iOS App Store is promising -- in a few years, the tvOS App Store could closely resemble the iOS App Store in terms of app availability.

Of course, Apple will need to entice developers to the platform for it to be as successful as the iOS App Store, and that could be an uphill battle. TouchArcade editor-in-chief Eli Hodapp recently spoke to multiple tvOS developers who have popular apps and games in the tvOS App Store, many of whom are earning $100 "on a good day" with revenue that's been trailing off since the Apple TV launched.

The tvOS App Store may be growing steadily, but if Apple can't encourage developers to create high-quality content for the platform, it could go the way of the Mac App Store instead of the iOS App Store. Aside from a handful of super popular apps, most Mac App Store apps aren't bringing in a lot of money and some developers are even abandoning the platform because of the way Apple has handled it.

There are no ads available in tvOS apps, so developers must charge money up front or generate revenue through in-app purchases. A lot of people have come to expect content for free through the iOS App Store, which is problematic. According to AppFigures, 39 percent of apps on the tvOS App Store are paid apps. Most paid apps are priced at $0.99, and almost all paid apps are priced below $4.99.

appletvpricingapps
When it comes to the composition of apps in the tvOS App Store, games are, unsurprisingly, the most popular category, making up 38 percent of all Apple TV apps. Of the 2,624 apps available, 1,002 of those are in the Games category. Entertainment, which includes apps like Netflix or Hulu, is the second most popular category, followed by Education and Lifestyle.

appletvappsbycategory
Though games are the most prolific apps in the tvOS App Store, based on the top 50 most downloaded apps, customers are more interested in the Entertainment category, downloading apps like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Go. Games is the second most popular download category, followed by News.

AppFigures data was gathered from its Appbase app catalog, which contains more than four million apps from all major app stores, including Apple TV apps.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature 1

Foldable iPhone Display Production Begins Ahead of Launch Next Year

Wednesday July 9, 2025 10:59 pm PDT by
Production of foldable OLED displays for Apple's first foldable iPhone have begun ahead of its expected launch next year, Korea's ETNews reports. The first foldable iPhone's displays are being produced by Samsung Display, who are establishing a production line dedicated to the upcoming Apple device its A3 factory in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do. The production line will make displays exclusively...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...

Top Rated Comments

mcdj Avatar
125 months ago
2600 apps? I feel like there's about 60, tops. They need to do some serious work on discovery.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JimmyHook Avatar
125 months ago
Best. Streaming box. Ever. Apple is doing amazing work lately!!!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kevinacote17 Avatar
125 months ago
They need to do something about the siri remote requirement for game controls. I feel like most developers don't want to dumb down controls or reinvent controls for the siri remote. I'm surprised Apple didn't just make their own game controller and sell it as an accessory.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jeaz Avatar
125 months ago
Great start to the new Apple TV! But would love to see more "premium" games. Like SquareEnix brining some of the Final Fantasy games they have out for iOS to tvOS.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Juicy Box Avatar
125 months ago
I am disappointed in the app selection so far, seems like a lot of one button jumping games, but it is still early.

Also, still no Amazon.

I was hoping for something more.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Karma*Police Avatar
125 months ago
Great start to the new Apple TV! But would love to see more "premium" games. Like SquareEnix brining some of the Final Fantasy games they have out for iOS to tvOS.
I agree, higher quality games are needed. That said, I'm loving my 4th gen Apple TV. I use it so much more than the last gen and I rarely watch regular TV now... Just a few live events here and there.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)