Mobile Gamers Are Spending More Per Download Than Ever Before
This is a single insight from This Week in Apps - Games Are Not the Same. Check out the full article for more insights.
Here's a stat that surprised me and will probably surprise you too.
In 2024, the average consumer spending per mobile game download rose 11.2% to $1.52 globally, according to Appfigures Intelligence.
But here's where it gets even more interesting: in the U.S., that number jumps to $6.43 per download. And yes, that's also up 11.1% year-over-year.
So, what's going on?
On one hand, total downloads declined in 2024. Global installs were down 6.6% compared to 2023, and in the U.S., that drop was even sharper at 11.1%. Fewer people are installing games. That could signal saturation, fatigue, or both. And it's a trend we see across the entire landscape, not just with games.
But at the same time, total consumer spending grew, reaching $65.7 billion worldwide. Up almost 4% when compared to 2023.
Fewer downloads and more spending = games are squeezing more revenue out of every new install.
This isn't a fluke. It's the result of smarter monetization, something we've been tracking closely. The days of relying on banner ads or one-off purchases are gone. The most successful games now treat every player journey as a revenue funnel. Whether it's through consumable IAPs, limited-time offers, battle passes, or premium currency, the strategy is clear: monetize early and often (but don't force it).
And it's working.
Important: This trend isn't universal. In lower-spending markets, we're still seeing less than a dollar per download. But in mature economies such as the U.S., Japan, and South Korea, the trend is clear: downloads might be slowing, but LTV is growing. Make sure to consult the data before making big decisions.
I've been saying this for a while now, and if you're making games (or apps), this stat should shift how you think about growth. High-volume UA is great but optimizing monetization per user is clearly where the upside is. It's no longer just about how many installs you can drive. It's about what you do with each one.
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All figures included in this report are estimated. Unless specified otherwise, estimated revenue is always net, meaning it's the amount the developer earned after Apple and Google took their fee.
