Consumer spending on iOS and Google Play reached $167 billion in 2025, a 10.6% increase year over year, while downloads hit a record 150 billion, according to the 2026 App Development Statistics report released by AppMakers USA, a mobile and web application development company. The free industry reference, available at appmakersla.com, compiles more than 45 sourced data points from primary sources including Sensor Tower, Apple, Google and Stack Overflow.
The report underscores a persistent retention problem that most development teams underestimate. Day-1 retention averages around 24%, dropping to 5-6% by day 30, meaning roughly 94% of new users churn within a month. This statistic carries significant implications for app developers and marketers, who must prioritize engagement strategies early in the user lifecycle to combat high attrition rates.
Separately, the report tracks a widening gap between AI adoption and trust among developers. Stack Overflow's 2025 survey found that 84% of developers are using or planning to use AI tools, up from 76% a year earlier. However, only about a third trust the accuracy of AI-generated output. This discrepancy suggests that while AI integration is becoming standard in development workflows, concerns over reliability remain a barrier to full-scale deployment.
App store enforcement also continues to be a major factor. Apple reviewed 7.7 million App Store submissions in 2024 and rejected more than 1.9 million, while Google blocked 2.36 million policy-violating apps from Google Play that year. These figures highlight the importance of adherence to platform guidelines to avoid costly rejections or removals.
AppMakers USA, which has shipped more than 400 apps across iOS, Android and web—including Number Hive, an education app used by more than 700,000 students, and ShiftPass, a shift marketplace—positions this report as a resource for fact-based decision-making. 'Most of the advice about building an app online is opinion without a source attached,' said Daniel Haiem, CEO of AppMakers USA. 'We wanted a page where every figure has a citation.'
The report's findings are particularly relevant for startups and established companies alike, as the app market grows increasingly competitive. With consumer spending and downloads at record highs, the ability to retain users and leverage AI effectively could determine market success. The data also serves as a benchmark for developers planning budgets and timelines, given the report's coverage of app development costs and build timelines.
