Published March 20, 2026 · Data from 201,437 apps

App Store State of Play 2026 — Full Market Report

We analyzed 201,437 apps across 2814 categories in the iOS App Store. This is the definitive 2026 market overview — with real data, not estimates.

Free vs. Paid: The Numbers

Of all apps in our dataset, 94.9% are free to download, while only 5.1% carry an upfront price tag. The average price for paid apps is $7.86.

Monetization Models

Looking deeper at how apps make money:

Model	Apps	% of Total
free	17,020	51.7%
freemium subscription	13,003	39.5%
freemium iap	1,459	4.4%
paid	799	2.4%
paid with subscription	307	0.9%
subscription	246	0.7%
freemium	99	0.3%

Biggest Categories by App Count

Games dominates everything — but Utilities, Education, and Lifestyle are surprisingly close. Here's the top 15:

Price Distribution

Price Range	Apps	Share
Free	191,253	94.9%
$0.01-$4.99	7,164	3.6%
$5-$9.99	1,631	0.8%
$10-$24.99	951	0.5%
$25-$49.99	269	0.1%
$50+	169	0.1%

Top 10 Developers by Review Volume

The heavyweights of the App Store, ranked by total user reviews:

#	Developer	Apps	Total Reviews	Avg Rating
1	Google	33	84,139,130	4.56★
2	Spotify	4	39,278,838	3.81★
3	Meta Platforms, Inc.	11	38,381,525	4.51★
4	Apple	35	32,354,973	4.21★
5	Instagram, Inc.	3	30,707,452	4.7★
6	AMZN Mobile LLC	24	28,806,333	4.31★
7	Uber Technologies, Inc.	8	28,374,772	4.23★
8	Voodoo	189	28,318,560	4.56★
9	Microsoft Corporation	51	24,846,360	4.39★
10	DoorDash, Inc.	5	24,243,495	3.79★

Key Takeaways

• Free dominates: 94.9% of apps are free — the App Store economy runs on in-app purchases and subscriptions, not upfront prices.
• Quality is high (on average): The average rating of 4.42★ means users are generally satisfied — but the real stories are in the categories that fall below.
• Games is king: With 27,452 apps, Games has more than double any other single category.
• Google leads reviews: With 84,139,130 total reviews, Google's app portfolio generates the most user feedback of any developer.
• Subscriptions are the new normal: Freemium + subscription is the dominant monetization model at 13,003 apps.

For a deeper dive into any specific category, explore our category reports — each includes competitor analysis, keyword data, and user complaint patterns.