You Spent Less Time Using Apps Last YearBut You Also Spent More Using Them [Video]

Apps aren’t hitting like they used to.

Americans are exploring fewer new apps and spending less time using the ones already on their phones, according to new data. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t spending on the ones they like. In-app revenue grew 16% from 2023 to 2024, according to according to a new analysis of mobile trends from Sensor Tower, a market research firm.

Here are a few trends that stood out from Sensor Tower’s report:

Consumer enthusiasm for new apps may be cooling. About 12.3 billion apps were downloaded in the U.S. in 2024, down from 12.6 billion in 2023 and 12.7 billion in 2022. Americans collectively spent slightly less time on apps, logging 323 billion hours in 2024, compared to 325.1 billion hours in 2023.

Apps remain revenue generators. In-app spending was just shy of $52.4 billion in 2024, above the $45.2 billion paid in 2023. 

Americans spend the most on games. In-app purchases amounted to $25.5 billion for mobile games, with casino, puzzle and strategy …