70+ Best App Usage Statistics [2022 & Beyond]

App Download Statistics

Let’s explore which apps are most popular.

1. In the First Half of 2020, Smartphone Users Downloaded Over 71 Billion Apps.

(Source: Business of Apps)

• In 2019, Whatsapp was the most downloaded app, with over 850 million downloads. 
• TikTok was up next with 730 million. 
• What’s more, users downloaded Facebook Messenger 810 million times.

These statistics help us to understand better what consumers want and need from an app. Thanks to mobile app users statistics, publishers and businesses can tailor their products accordingly.

2. Users Downloaded Over Four Billion Shopping Apps in 2019 Alone.

(Source: Business of Apps)

• In the second quarter of 2020, Zoom and TikTok were downloaded over 300 million times.
• 82% of downloaded mobile games are casual games. In 2019, the PUBG mobile game stood at the top with over 280 million downloads. 
• COVID-19 affected the market with a 65% increase in medical app downloads.

These stats come from the US, with 81% smartphone usage. Australia shows us some interesting information, too.

Mobile App Usage Statistics Australia

Australia has some of the highest-paid publishers worldwide, so let’s have a look at what they can show us. 

3. 19% of Australian Published Apps Are Games.

(Source: 42 Matters)

• While Google Play has over 4,700 Australian publishers, app publishers equate to over 900,000 worldwide. So that’s less than 1% hailing from Australia.
• The Australian publishers have released over 14,000 apps on Google Play. 
• The average rating of Australian apps is 3.11 stars. 

But that’s not all. App statistics in Australia show a different market trend compared to the US. 

4. 11% of Australian Apps Have In-App Purchasing, and the Global Average Is About 4%.

(Source: 42 Matters)

• Out of all Australian publishers, only 10% receive payment. Still, that’s more than the global average of 3%
• 19% of Australian apps include ads.
• App store usage statistics in Australia show some of the highest-ranking apps in the country include Zoom, myGov, Doordash, and Disney+. On a global scale, the highest are TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, with over one billion downloads each. 

We use apps across multiple devices, but the most popular by far is the smartphone. You need your site to be mobile compatible and a web builder like Ucraft integrates all your social media. 

Smartphone App Usage Statistics

Smartphones have changed how we experience the world. You can stay connected with people across the globe 24 hours a day. But what does this mean for app usage? 

5. 70% of Time Spent on Digital Media Happens Through a Smartphone. 

(Source: Marketing Charts)

• If we add in tablets, it goes up to 77% of all media time. 
• 94% of mobile time is spent on games. 
• Also, 92% of social media and 83% of entertainment time is on mobile. 

The smartphone giants have continued to battle it out for the past ten years.

Apple App Usage Statistics

Apple is one of the frontrunners. The company gives a lot of insight into the most popular apps and how consumers use their devices. 

6. The Apple App Store Offers Over 1.7 Million Apps.

(Source: 42 Matters)

• Out of those, about 246,099 are gaming apps, and 1.5 million are non-gaming. 
• App download statistics show that around 1.6 million apps are free.
• iPhone app usage stats show that close to 1,000 new ones come out daily on the Store.

As if that’s not enough.

7. In a Single Month, the Apple Store Adds Between 36K and 38K Apps. 

(Source: 42 Matters)

• Over 770,000 Apple apps have a rating — that’s 44% of all apps on the Store.
• The Apple App Store gets over 500 million visitors weekly. 

We can’t help but check how things are going for Android, too. 

Android App Usage Statistics

Android is the most popular mobile operating system worldwide. But it’s not run by one company the way Apple is. Instead, it has massive contributors, making the system incredibly diverse and far-reaching. 

8. Google Play Store Releases About 100,000 New Apps Every Month.

(Source: Statista) 

• Google is the top app publisher, with over one billion downloads in three months.
• Android apps stats show users spend over 200 billion hours on apps every month.  
• What’s more, Android boasts 30% more game users than Apple. 

Can you even imagine the smartphone industry without Android? 

9. Android Devices Make Up 74% of Mobile Devices Worldwide. 

(Source: Business of Apps)

• Android app customer usage statistics show that the time spent on apps in March 2020 shot to 70 billion hours a week — a 25% increase since the second half of 2019.
• On average, a person spends 3 hours and 40 minutes on apps a day. Also, the average American checks their phone every 12 minutes. 
• In 2020, the average Android user spent 27% of their awake time on apps.
• Android users between 21–30 have about 67 apps on their phones, but they only use 25. 

So, we know who wins the mobile OS battle, but where do these systems get used the most? 

International Usage of App Statistics

Although there are huge differences in economic power worldwide, the one constant appears to be smartphones. No matter how poor a country is, most of the population will have access to a device.

10. 89% of US Mobile Time Is Spent on Apps. 

(Source: Marketing Charts)

• In Indonesia, it’s 96%.
• Mexico comes in at 95%.
• That’s followed by Argentina, with 94%.

These aren’t quite the stats we expected. After all, Indonesia is considered a developing country. But the country is home to the fourth-largest population globally, so it contributes massively to app usage.

Fitness App Usage Statistics

Fitness app usage increased dramatically after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

11. In 2019, Fitness Apps Had 68.7 Million Users, increasing to 87.4 Million in 2020.

(Source: Emarketer)  

• 96% of fitness app users are loyal to a single app.
• 25% of users open their fitness app more than once a day. 
• 75% log in to their app bi-weekly. 

Fitness is one way to get your heart pumping. But what’s the more popular solution? Shopping! Amazon is the biggest online retailer, so what can we learn about its users? 

Amazon Smartphone App Usage Statistics

Amazon has had to keep up with technology changes to retain customers. Let’s have a look at what the company has done. 

12. 42% of Amazon Customers Use the App on a Smartphone. 

(Source: Business Insider) 

• In 2018, Amazon users spent 12.8 billion minutes on the app every month. 
• Mobile browser customers spent about 2.4 billion minutes on Amazon monthly. So conversion rates appear much higher compared to the app. 
• Amazon mobile app download statistics show that in 2018 the app had around 122 million users a month, whereas mobile browsing had 162 million. 

But not only the retail market has had to improve and change with the times.

Safety App Usage Statistics

No matter your age or where you live, safety is a priority for us all. So how does technology help us?

13. 62.9% of the Public Would Download a Personal Safety App. 

(Source: Swinburne University of Technology)

• Safety mobile app industry statistics show the most popular app is bSafe, with over one million downloads in 2021 on Google Play alone. 
• The research found a total of 505 personal safety apps. 86 of them are available exclusively on Apple and 141 on Google Play. You can find the remaining 236 on both stores. 
• 49% of the apps focus on public safety rather than occupational one or domestic violence. The most popular feature is location.

Right after safety comes security.

Budgeting App Usage Statistics

Financial security is a primary concern for adults worldwide. After all, it ensures future stability and allows us to plan. Still, many people need a bit of help to get started. 

14. Financial Apps Got 24 Billion Downloads in the Second Quarter of 2020.

(Source: Business of Apps)

• Android users logged into finance apps over one trillion times in 2019. 450 billion sessions came out of China alone. 
• 60% of users say they prefer using a finance app over a site for their investments.
• App usage statistics show 38% of users paid for their finance app. The main reason was that free alternatives couldn’t provide the functionality they needed.

Finances are a concern for adults, but what about the younger generation? 

Mobile App Demographics

Looking at different age groups and their app usage can help strategically with marketing. Understanding who’s most likely to use a smartphone and for how long is vital for app providers.

15. 21% of Millennials Open an App More Than 50 Times a Day. 

(Source: BuildFire)

• Those between 18–24 years old spend 72% of their time on mobile apps.
• Baby boomers dedicate about 65% of their time to apps. 
• Generally, 49% of users open an app 11 or more times a day.

But one of the biggest changes in the last 20 years across all generations is the progression of social media. 

Social Media — App Usage Statistics 

Do you remember the time before cell phones? There were no apps, no constant contact, and no posting about your day on a global platform. So, how has social media changed over the years? 

16. 65% of the World’s Population Over 13 Have a Social Media Account.

(Source: Business of Apps)

• Every day, social media users spend about 2 hours and 22 minutes online. 
• The average user has just over eight social media accounts.
• Facebook remains the most popular social media site, with 2.7 billion users worldwide. 

With all these users, aren’t you curious to find out how much app stores make? 

App Revenue Statistics

Apps have opened a massive segment in the online market. 

17. In the First Half of 2020, Users Spent $50.1 Billion in App Stores. 

(Source: SensorTower)

• The Apple App Store made over $32 billion from in-app purchases in 2020. 
• That’s nearly double the $17.3 billion made by Google.
• Surprisingly, Tinder made the most, with $433 million across all app sites. Still, that’s a dip from the $532 in 2019. Dating app usage statistics show that COVID-19 put a stop to meeting with strangers, but the numbers are set to rise again in 2022.

That’s not all.

18. YouTube Came in Second With $431 Million. 

(Source: SensorTower)

• In 2020, mobile games held a 56% market share with over $100 billion in sales.
• In 2020, mobile advertising spent over $233 billion. It is estimated to surpass $339 billion by 2023.
• It’s predicted that mobile apps will bring in $935 billion by 2023. One thing to note here is the changing technology — 27% of the online community uses voice search on mobile, and the numbers are rising. Creators should look for ways to make their apps voice-compatible with the right website builder.

Wrap Up

App usage statistics can truly help businesses better understand their customers and engage with them in more beneficial ways. 

Apps remain a way for companies to stay relevant in a changing world where users want a tailored experience more than ever.