Sensor Tower data shows extreme inequality in the app market: top 1% of publishers accounted for 80% of 29.6 billion downloads globally in Q3 2019, leaving 6 billion for the other 784,080 publishers. For games, the top 1% claimed 82% of downloads and 95% of revenue. Revenue disparity has remained stable since 2014.
Publishers must focus on ASO and paid acquisition to stand out.
You Might Also Like
SensorTowerConsumer Spending In Mobile Apps Grew 17% in 2019 to Exceed $83 Billion Globally
In 2019, users spent $83.5 billion globally on apps and mobile games, up 17% from 2018. App Store revenue hit $54.2 billion, while Google Play reached $29.3 billion. Games accounted for 74% of spending. First-time installs totaled 114.9 billion, with Google Play leading growth.
SensorTowerTikTok Clocks 1.5 Billion Downloads on The App Store and Google Play
TikTok surpasses 1.5 billion downloads, ranking 3rd most downloaded non-gaming app in 2019. India leads with 31% of installs, China 11.5%, US 8.2%. Revenue hits $175M, mainly from China (48.3%) and US (35.7%).
SensorTowerFate/Grand Order Surpasses $4 Billion After Becoming Japan’s Top Grossing Mobile Game of 2019
Fate/Grand Order surpassed $4 billion in lifetime player spending, with 81.5% from Japan. It generated $1 billion annually in 2018 and 2019, and became Japan's top-grossing mobile game in 2020.
SensorTowerMobile Legends Revenue Passes $500 Million as Southeast Asia Powers Explosive Growth
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang reached $502.5 million lifetime gross revenue, driven by $214.1 million in 2019 (up 36% YoY). Asia contributed 61% of revenue, with Malaysia ($87.5M) and Indonesia ($69.2M) as top markets. Google Play accounted for 68% of revenue and 89% of 281.3 million downloads. First-mover advantage helped it surpass Honor of Kings outside China.
SensorTowerTikTok Was Installed More Than 738 Million Times in 2019, 44% of Its All-Time Downloads
TikTok hit 738M downloads and $177M revenue in 2019, growing 5x from 2018. India led downloads (44%). China topped revenue (69%). Q4 was best quarter. App faces privacy challenges but growth persists.
SensorTowerMario Kart Tour Speeds to 90 Million Downloads in First Week to Become Nintendo's Fastest-Ever Mobile Game Launch
Mario Kart Tour achieved 90 million downloads in its first week, six times more than Nintendo's second-best launch. It ranks third in player spending with $12.7 million. Android led downloads (59.5%), while iOS dominated revenue (75.5%).
SensorTowerMobile Users Spent $195 Million in Meditation Apps Last Year, Up 52% Over 2018
In 2019, top 10 meditation apps generated $195M in user spending, up 52% from 2018. Calm and Headspace dominated, with $92M and $56M revenue respectively, showing 46% and 33% annual growth.
SensorTowerAd Monetization 101: App Analysis & Top Ad Publishers
Ad monetization is a critical yet often overlooked revenue stream for mobile apps. Sensor Tower's new reports provide granular data on ad revenue, network performance, and ad formats. Key insights: 72% of top-grossing games use hybrid IAP+ad strategies, and ad revenue is growing across verticals like News, Ecommerce, and Entertainment. The reports enable benchmarking competitors' ad revenue, ARPMAU, and ads per minute, identifying effective networks, and evaluating acquisition targets using total revenue (IAP+ads). These insights help app developers optimize monetization strategies and maximize profits beyond in-app purchases.
More from SensorTower
Inside the Aisles of Grocery Retail Media
In Q1 2026, Kroger led grocery RMNs with 2.4B impressions, over 2.5x more than Albertsons. Meijer and Publix grew fastes...
Sensor Tower's Full Funnel Digital Intelligence Playbook
Home and lifestyle retailers like Wayfair, Kohl's, and Macy's use different digital strategies. Wayfair leads in web tra...
IPL Is Fueling India’s Mobile App Market: JioHotstar Dominates Entertainment While super.money Downloads Nearly Double
IPL 2026 drove significant cross-platform engagement for JioHotstar, with downloads up 25% PoP, DAU up 41%, and sessions...
Ad Monetization 101: App Analysis & Top Ad Publishers
Ad monetization is a critical yet often overlooked revenue stream for mobile apps. Sensor Tower's new reports provide gr...
Here’s What Happened Last Quarter: Q1 2026 Mobile, Web, and Ad Trends
The Q1 2026 Digital Index reveals headwinds in the US mobile market, with IAP revenue declining for two straight quarter...
Introducing Enhanced Web Insights: 3 New Reports & How to Use Them
Sensor Tower's Web Insights now covers 4M websites and 12M paths across 56 countries. Three new reports help marketers t...