App Store Spending Reached $72 Billion in 2020, Says Sensor Tower
Apple device users spent a record $72 billion on the App Store in 2020, a 30% increase on app spending the previous year, according to a new Sensor Tower report.

Globally, consumer spending on the App Store reached $72.3 billion, up 30.3 percent Y/Y from $55.5 billion in 2019. As in previous years, this exceeded the amount users spent on Google Play, which grew 30 percent Y/Y from $29.7 billion in 2019 to $38.6 billion. The App Store generated 87.3 percent more in consumer spending than the Play store, and both platforms experienced roughly the same Y/Y growth. The spending gap between the platforms remained relatively flat compared to 2019.
Apart from games, most user spending in the App Store focused on the Entertainment category, which grew 29.3% year on year to $5.3 billion. TikTok was the non-game app that generated the most revenue globally in the App Store in 2020, growing more than 600% year on year to $1.2 billion.
First-time installs also set a new record in 2020, with the App Store and Google Play collectively reaching nearly 143 billion, up 23.7% from approximately 115.5 billion in 2019. This figure is about 14% higher than the year-on-year growth experienced by both stores in the previous year.
The gaming category also reached new heights, generating $79.5 billion last year across both app stores globally. The report notes that this is up 26% from slightly more than $63 billion in 2019, and represents 71.7% of all in-app spending for the year.
According to Sensor Tower data, around $47.6 billion was spent on iOS games in 2020, up 25% in 2019. Games accounted for 66% of all App Store revenue, and the highest grossing game on iOS was Tencent's Honor of Kings.
The report notes that the mobile market experienced "unprecedented growth" in 2020 as the global health crisis dramatically shifted consumer needs and behavior, and could even indicate a permanent change in consumer habits.
Popular Stories
We've still got months to go before the new iPhone 17 models come out, but a combination of dummy models and leaks have given us some insight into what we can expect in terms of camera changes.
Apple is adding new camera features, and changing the design of the camera bump for some models. You might be skeptical of dummy models, but over the years, they've proven to be a highly accurate...
Apple's former design chief Jony Ive long dreamed of an iPhone with a truly all-screen design, and his wish might finally become reality in a few more years.
The Information today cited multiple sources who said that at least one new iPhone model launching in 2027 will have a truly edge-to-edge display. The device's front camera and Face ID system would both be placed under the screen....
Apple's rumored iPhone 17 Air model will have "worse" battery life compared to previous iPhone models, according to a paywalled The Information report.
In internal testing, Apple determined that the percentage of users who will be able to use the iPhone 17 Air for a full day without needing to recharge the device throughout the day will be between 60% and 70%, according to the report. For...
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Apple's two-generations-away iPhone 18 Pro models will likely feature under-screen Face ID, according to The Information.
The paywalled report today cited a source who said the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will have only a small hole in top-left corner of the screen, to accommodate the front-facing camera, with all Face ID hardware moved under the screen.
With under-screen Face ID, ...
Starting in 2026, Apple plans to change the release cycle for its flagship iPhone lineup, according to The Information. Apple will release the more expensive iPhone 18 Pro models in the fall, delaying the release of the standard iPhone 18 until the spring.
The shift may be because Apple plans to debut a foldable iPhone in 2026, which will join the existing iPhone lineup. The fall release...
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we look at what to expect from the 2025 Apple Watch lineup when new models launch in the fall.
Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos
The Apple Watch Series 11 is anticipated to offer hypertension detection as the device's next major health monitoring advancement, potentially with AI-powered health-coaching features. It is ...