YouTube today achieved a milestone, becoming the Top Grossing Free iPhone app in the U.S. App Store for the first time, according to data app analytics site Sensor Tower shared with TechCrunch.

Prior to today, the highest ranking YouTube had hit on the Top Grossing charts was #3, and the United States marks the first country where YouTube has reached the number one spot.

youtubetopcharts
YouTube has been climbing up the Top Grossing charts at a more rapid pace since the 2015 launch of YouTube Red, YouTube's paid service that provides users with ad-free videos, music, and exclusive content. YouTube Red is priced at $9.99 per month.

Sensor Tower says YouTube grossed approximately $14 million in February of 2018, a 133 percent year-over-year increase from last year. In March, YouTube has already earned $12 million, with iOS revenue up 150 percent year-over-year.

YouTube's App Store revenue does not include the money YouTube brings in through YouTube Music, YouTube Gaming, Google Play, rental purchases, or money. It's limited to YouTube Red and Super Chat, a feature that allow viewers to tip content creators during live streams.

Top Rated Comments

now i see it Avatar
now i see it
102 months ago
It's funny (or creepy) how Google tracks you through their services. The other day I searched on Google Maps for the phone numbers of the nearby Holiday Inn Express hotel and Crown Plaza hotel. Ever since then, my video ads (on any random video) have been for Holiday Inn Express and Crown Plaza hotels. Makes me not want to use Google products any more. It's back to Duck Duck Go.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kabeyun Avatar
Kabeyun
102 months ago
Mm how is Google doing that? Apple controls the App store.
By reminding them that apps allowing saving of offline YouTube content violates Google’s TOS.

I know some people like the YouTube t.v. platform etc. I view regular YouTube feed sometimes, and I am fine with that. The way that YouTube and Google inject tracking and ads everywhere is rather abhorrent to me, even though I can block most of it.
Agreed. Never forget that with Google, you’re the product.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macsba Avatar
macsba
102 months ago
It's funny (or creepy) how Google tracks you through their services. The other day I searched on Google Maps for the phone numbers of the nearby Holiday Inn Express hotel and Crown Plaza hotel. Ever since then, my video ads (on any random video) have been for Holiday Inn Express and Crown Plaza hotels. Makes me not want to use Google products any more. It's back to Duck Duck Go.
I've been using DuckDuckGo for the last 4 or 5 years.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
Apple_Robert
102 months ago
I know some people like the YouTube t.v. platform etc. I view regular YouTube feed sometimes, and I am fine with that. The way that YouTube and Google inject tracking and ads everywhere is rather abhorrent to me, even though I can block most of it.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Salvor Hardin Avatar
Salvor Hardin
102 months ago
Is YouTube Red going to cover the ad insertions that Google announced today? Or is that a new higher tier charge on top of YouTube Red?
This made be curious so I looked it up and the Youtube/Google employee said exactly that is being done to “frustrate and seduce” users into subscribing, no Google this simply makes me want to go out of my way to find even more workarounds for your crummy ads. With how they bully 3rd party YT apps off the App Store I wonder how long until they start doing shady **** to prevent Android devices from being able to run similar apps. I wonder how many requests/demands they send to Apple weekly to remove the background video playback feature in iOS.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mtneer Avatar
mtneer
102 months ago
Is YouTube Red going to cover the ad insertions that Google announced today? Or is that a new higher tier charge on top of YouTube Red?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Popular Stories

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
Read Full Article • 115 comments
duolingo ad live activity

Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines

Friday January 2, 2026 1:36 pm PST by
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines. According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option. Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
Read Full Article • 100 comments
Clicks Communicator Feature

'Clicks Communicator' Unveiled — Will You Carry This With Your iPhone?

Friday January 2, 2026 6:35 am PST by
The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator. The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging...
Read Full Article • 179 comments
Low Cost MacBook Feature A18 Pro

Low-Price 12.9-Inch MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Reportedly Launching Early This Year

Friday January 2, 2026 9:08 am PST by
Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, according to TrendForce. In a press release this week, the Taiwanese research firm said this MacBook will be aimed at the entry-level to mid-range market, with "competitive pricing." TrendForce did not share any further details about this MacBook, but the information that it shared lines up with several rumors about a more...
Read Full Article • 179 comments
Low Cost A18 Pro MacBook Feature Pink

Apple's 2026 Low-Cost A18 Pro MacBook: What We Know So Far

Friday January 2, 2026 4:33 pm PST by
Apple is planning to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, which will apparently compete with more affordable Chromebooks and Windows PCs. Apple's most affordable Mac right now is the $999 MacBook Air, and the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be cheaper. Here's what we know about the low-cost MacBook so far. Size Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 ...
Read Full Article • 125 comments
Apple Fitness Plus hero

Apple Announces New Fitness+ Workout Programs, Strava Challenge, and More

Friday January 2, 2026 6:43 am PST by
Apple today announced a number of updates to Apple Fitness+ and activity with the Apple Watch. The key announcements include: New Year limited-edition award: Users can win the award by closing all three Activity Rings for seven days in a row in January. "Quit Quitting" Strava challenge: Available in Strava throughout January, users who log 12 workouts anytime in the month will win an ...
Read Full Article • 62 comments
Mac Pro Feature Blue

What's Happening With the Mac Pro?

Wednesday December 31, 2025 9:59 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Mac Pro since 2023, and according to recent rumors, there's no update coming in the near future. In fact, Apple might be finished with the Mac Pro. Bloomberg recently said that the Mac Pro is "on the back burner" and has been "largely written off" by Apple. Apple apparently views the more compact Mac Studio as the ideal high-end pro-level desktop, and it has almost...
Read Full Article • 278 comments