Global consumer spending in mobile apps reached new highs in 2021 with the top 100 non-game subscription-based apps witnessing a revenue growth of 41 per cent year-over-year (YoY) from $13 billion to $18.3 billion globally, according to data from Sensor Tower.

This was 7 percentage points higher as compared to 2020, when spending in these apps increased 34 per cent YoY from $9.7 billion in 2019.

Revenue from the top 100 earning non-game subscription apps accounted for around 14 per cent of the $131.6 billion spent by consumers on in-app purchases last year in both non-game apps and mobile games. 

Comparatively, the cohort represented about 11.7 per cent of total spending in 2020.

86 of the top 100 earning non-game apps worldwide offered subscriptions in Q4 2021, down slightly from 87 in Q4 2020 and 89 in Q4 2019.

Similar to the previous years, consumers spent more on subscription-based apps downloads from the App Store than on Google Play, Sensor Tower said.

The top 100 non-game subscription apps on the App Store grew 31 per cent YoY to generate $13.5 billion in 2021, up from $10.3 billion in 2020. 

Worldwide consumers spent $4.8 billion on the top 100 subscription apps on Google Play, up 78 per cent from $2.7 billion in 2020. 

“While the top subscription apps on Google Play experienced more growth, the top apps on the App Store saw nearly three times as much spending last year,” it said.

Top apps

In terms of top apps, Alphabet remained the perennial chart-topper globally.

YouTube topped the chart in terms of overall revenue, generating $1.2 billion worldwide. It was also the highest revenue generating app on the App Store.

Google One, the top app in terms of revenue on the Play Store, generated $1.1 billion worldwide in 2021.

According to the report, subscription video on demand (SVOD) platforms such as Disney+ and HBO Max have seen growth with consumerstuning into premium content such as blockbuster releases. 

“Social media giants such as Twitter, TikTok and Instagram are now also rolling out subscription payment models. As platforms experiment with subscriptions as a way to entice content creators as well as retain their audiences, the number of top apps incorporating the subscription model will likely continue to grow in the months and quarters to come,” Sensor Tower said in a blog post.