In 2021, $ 135 billion spent on mobile apps

App Annie, a provider of mobile data and analytics, announced today that 2021 has been a banner year for total consumer spending on iOS and Google Play. They jumped almost 25% year-on-year to hit $ 135 billion. Downloads also hit a new milestone by increasing 8% over the previous year to hit 140 billion.

The company also provided an in-depth analysis of the fastest growing apps in the past 12 months:

Video-sharing and editing apps experienced the fastest growth in 2021 globally

• Consumers are looking to develop original video content: CapCut, MX TakaTak and Moj recorded the highest growth in downloads,
• Consumer spending has been bolstered by live streaming and content apps like YouTube, Disney +, TikTok, and Twitch, as consumers look to entertain and reward their favorite live streamers.
• Business applications such as Zoom, Microsoft Office, and Teams have been the most widely used source as home work and hybrid business models become essential.

Hyper casual games reigned supreme in downloads

• Downloads were dominated by hyper-casual games: Bridge Race, Hair Challenge, and Project Makeover.
• Base games dominated spending thanks to in-app purchases – Genshin Impact and Roblox saw the strongest growth.
• Roblox, AmongUS, Pokemon Unite have seen a sharp increase in their use, and these games allow users to meet in person or virtually.

One of the main findings is that the world’s population has adapted to the pandemic by adopting a mobile lifestyle. The areas that have been successful are those that have brought people together both virtually and in person.“
Lexi Sydow, Head of Studies, App Annie.

Other notable industries that have seen growth on mobile are social media and dating.

• TikTok led growth in social app spending worldwide, followed by Bigo Live and Discord. Among the other video applications that have seen the most growth, we find Likee and Azar.
• Tinder leads the global consumer spending growth chart among dating apps, followed by Bumble, whose lifetime consumer spending topped $ 1 billion, and Hinge, which recently topped $ 250 million in British pounds.