Mobile app installs grew 4% worldwide in 2023

According to Adjust’s recently released Mobile App Trends Report with global data along with expert tips from AppLovin, despite a downward trend in 2022, global app installs experienced a 4% growth in 2023, underscoring the resilience and capacity of the mobile platform to rebound and yield substantial returns. 

Particularly noteworthy is the 56% growth in mobile commerce within shopping app installs and a striking 43% surge in global ecommerce app installs, with North America leading the charge at an impressive 98%. Examining regions worldwide, mobile ecommerce witnessed growth in both installs and sessions, with North America (98%) and EMEA (60%) registering the highest year-over-year growth rates in installs. LATAM (26%) and EMEA (20%) reported substantial increases in sessions. The pivotal factor identified by these companies is the prioritization of technology facilitating personalized experiences to boost conversion rates and basket sizes.

While globally, the average session length for ecommerce apps dipped in 2023, dropping from 11.2 minutes to 10.1 minutes, LATAM stood out as the only region to witness an increase, from 8.4 to 8.6 minutes. EMEA maintained a steady 11.2-minute average session length, the longest recorded in 2023, while North America experienced a marginal drop from 10.1 to 10 minutes. This shift suggests an overall enhancement in the path to conversion or the adoption of models requiring shorter sessions.

Privacy considerations remain paramount, with Apple iOS App Tracking Transparency (ATT) opt-in rates on the rise. App user consent rates increased from 29% in 2022 to 32% in 2023, with gaming leading globally at 39%. Fintech and ecommerce witnessed the most significant rate increases, each climbing by 7 percentage points.

Fintech app adoption rates soared due to mobile payments, constituting about one-third of overall fintech app sessions in 2023. In-app revenue for fintech apps experienced a remarkable 118% year-over-year jump, accompanied by a 42% increase in app installs and a 24% growth in sessions.

Per the report, the gaming app sector experienced a resurgence in Q4 2023, with a 7% global increase in installs. Action, hyper-casual, and puzzles emerged as the dominant genres, each claiming a substantial share of installs. Notably, the gaming hybrid casual genre demonstrated the potential of integrating personalization into the user interface to enhance retention rates and revenue.