App Development Statistics 2026: Sourced Data Points
App store economics, store fees and rules, the platforms people use, and the frameworks developers pick, each with a link to where the number comes from.
Every figure below links to its source and was checked against that source on October 12, 2026. Where a number comes from a study a company paid for, the source says so.
App Store Economics
Apple publishes yearly figures from studies it funds; Google publishes yearly Play safety numbers.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| App Store ecosystem developer billings and sales, worldwide (2024) | $1.3 trillion | Apple Newsroom, June 2025 (study by Analysis Group, funded by Apple) |
| Of which: digital goods and services (2024) | $131 billion | Apple Newsroom, June 2025 (study by Analysis Group, funded by Apple) |
| Share of those billings and sales on which developers paid Apple no commission | More than 90% | Apple Newsroom, June 2025 (study by Analysis Group, funded by Apple) |
| App Store ecosystem developer billings and sales, U.S. (2024) | $406 billion (up from $142 billion in 2019) | Apple Newsroom, May 2025 (study funded by Apple) |
| Policy-violating apps Google prevented from being published on Google Play (2024) | 2.36 million | Google Security Blog, January 2025 |
| Bad developer accounts Google banned (2024) | More than 158,000 | Google Security Blog, January 2025 |
Store Fees and Rules That Affect Your Budget
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Developer Program membership | $99 per year | Apple Developer Program |
| Google Play developer registration | $25 one-time fee | Google Play Console Help, registration |
| Apple App Store Small Business Program commission | 15% on paid apps and in-app purchases (developers under $1M a year) | Apple Developer, App Store Small Business Program |
| Google Play service fee, 15% tier | 15% on the first $1M of revenue each year; 30% above that | Google Play Console Help, service fees |
| Apple App Review turnaround | At least 50% of submissions in under 24 hours; 90% in under 48 hours | Apple Developer, App Review |
| Google Play target API requirement from August 31, 2026 | New apps and updates must target Android 16 (API level 36) or higher (Wear OS, Automotive, TV and XR have their own levels) | Android Developers, target API level requirements |
Who Uses What
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. adults who own a smartphone (2025) | 91% (98% own a cellphone of some kind) | Pew Research Center, Mobile Fact Sheet (survey Feb–June 2025) |
| U.S. mobile OS share (September 2026) | iOS 53.59%, Android 46.39% | StatCounter Global Stats |
| Worldwide mobile OS share (September 2026) | Android 69.17%, iOS 30.81% | StatCounter Global Stats |
Framework and Language Usage
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Developers who used Flutter (all respondents, 2024) | 9.4% | Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2024 |
| Developers who used React Native (all respondents, 2024) | 8.4% | Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2024 |
| Developers who used JavaScript (all respondents, 2025) | 66% | Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2025 |
| Developers who used TypeScript (all respondents, 2025) | 43.6% | Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2025 |
| Developers who used Dart (all respondents, 2025) | 5.9% | Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2025 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to publish an app?
Store fees are small next to development: the Apple Developer Program costs $99 per year and Google Play charges a one-time $25 registration fee. Development cost depends on scope; our app cost calculator gives a range with every assumption listed.
How much commission do Apple and Google take?
Apple charges 15% on paid apps and in-app purchases for developers in its Small Business Program (under $1M a year). Google Play charges 15% on the first $1M of revenue each year and 30% above that for developers in its 15% tier.
Should I build for iOS or Android first in the U.S.?
In the U.S. the split is close: StatCounter put iOS at 53.59% and Android at 46.39% of mobile OS usage in September 2026. Worldwide, Android leads with 69.17%. A cross-platform framework such as Flutter avoids having to choose.
How long does Apple App Review take?
Apple says App Review typically reviews at least 50% of submissions in under 24 hours and 90% in under 48 hours.
Planning an App?
Get a ballpark from our app cost calculator, compare frameworks in the Flutter vs React Native guide, or send us a brief. We reply by email, usually within one business day.