Consumer spending in top 100 subscription apps grew 41% to $18.3 billion in 2021

According to Sensor Tower, the top 100 non-gaming subscription-based apps saw their revenue increase worldwide by 41 percent year-on-year from $13 billion to $18.3 billion in 2021.

Revenue from the top 100 earning non-game subscription apps represented roughly 14 percent of the $131.6 billion consumers spent last year on in-app purchases in both non-game apps and mobile games. This was up from when the cohort represented about 11.7 percent of total spending in 2020.

Per the report, the 41% YoY increase in in-app purchase revenue in 2021 represents stronger growth than the 34% growth rate between 2019 and 2020.

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The data showed that US figures reflect global trends when it comes to mobile spending on subscriptions. Last year, U.S. consumers spent $8.5 billion on the top 100 non-game subscription apps, up 44% from $5.9 billion in 2020 – a bigger growth than the 28% increase seen in the previous year. US consumers spent a total of $40.7 billion on in-app purchases in 2021.

Sensor Tower also found that consumers spent more on subscription-based apps downloads from the App Store than on Google Play.  The top 100 non-game subscription apps on the App Store generated $13.5 billion in 2021, up 31 percent YoY from $10.3 billion in 2020, while global consumers spent $4.8 billion on the top 100 subscription apps on Google Play, up 78% 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.