Key Google Play Store Statistics in 2024

As the world’s largest mobile app store, the Google Play Store hosts millions of apps that cater to a diverse range of needs and interests. It’s a platform that presents opportunities for app developers, marketers, and business owners to reach and engage with their target audience. But how do you know what works and what doesn’t in the Google Play Store? That’s where Google Play Store statistics come in. By analyzing and understanding the latest trends and figures, you can gain valuable insights that can help you make informed decisions about your app marketing and development strategies. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at some of the key Google Play Store statistics and what they mean for you.

In 2022, there were 255 billion app downloads worldwide, demonstrating the enormous number of mobile app users. Additionally, there will undoubtedly be an increase in the number of people using mobile apps, as the global smartphone user base is expected to rise to 6.8 billion in 2023.

What is Google Play Store?

Google Play, formerly Android Market, is Google’s official storefront for digital media, such as music, movies, and books, as well as Android applications. It is accessible via the internet, supported Chrome OS devices, Android-based mobile and tablet devices, and other platforms. Google Play is where users can look at, buy, and download software from Google and third-party developers. The Google Play Store can be installed on Chrome OS-compatible devices like Chromebooks, Chromeboxes, and Chrombases and comes preinstalled on Android devices that run Google Mobile Services (GMS). A user can specify which devices the application should be installed on if it is purchased online. This includes Android televisions and Wear OS smartwatches.

Because purchases are stored in the cloud, content can be made available on all devices and accounts on the web and mobile remain synchronized. Google Play Protect is a threat detection service that provides malware protection and checks more than 50 billion apps every day. Applications that violate Google Play policies may also be disabled by the service. Google Play Store brought together the Android Market and other digital services like Google Music and Google eBookstore into a single offering. The storefront is currently accessible in more than 190 nations and territories.

What is App Store SEO

App Store SEO, also known as App Store Optimization, is a critical component of mobile app marketing that helps improve the visibility & discoverability of apps in app store search results. With millions of apps available, an app can get lost in the crowd. 

That’s where ASO comes in – by optimizing your app’s title, keywords, and description, you can improve its chances of being found by potential users who are actively searching for apps like yours. In addition to improving visibility, it can also help increase user engagement, downloads, and ultimately, revenue. By staying up to date with the latest ASO trends and strategies, you can effectively position your app for success in today’s competitive app market.

Google Play Statistics 2022

Google Play Store serves as a global platform for any new mobile application and meets the requirements of people all over the world. However, prior to developing an app, certain facts, particularly statistics pertaining to the Google Play Store, must be anticipated. We will attempt to comprehend how these statistics and facts affect businesses worldwide for various categories.

Total Apps on Google Play Store

Millions of people use Google every day, making it one of the most dependable platforms. How many apps are currently available in the Google Play Store? Well, there were 3.55 million apps on the Google Play Store as of the third quarter of 2022. Due to the fact that Google regularly removes apps of poor quality from the store, the exact number of apps may fluctuate.

Number of apps added to Play Store Each Day and Each Month

There are no roadblocks to the rising demand for mobile applications. More specifically, 3,739 new applications are added to the Play Store each day. When we talk about apps in billions, this number may not seem like much, but it adds up and leads to a significant increase in the number of mobile apps. In 2023, it will be impossible to ignore the effects of this. In October 2022, 97,000 apps were added to the play store.

Number of Apps Added Annually

The number of apps downloaded annually has also increased over the past two years due to the high demand for all app categories and niches. Additionally, the market has witnessed a rapid rise in smartphone demand. Statista’s Google Play App statistics show that in 2021, 111.3 billion mobile apps were downloaded by Google Play users worldwide, up from 76 billion apps in 2018. Because it is compatible with a wider range of devices, it receives significantly more downloads than the Apple App Store.

Rating of Google Play Apps

Users are more likely to trust the majority of the apps on the Google Play Store because of their higher ratings. According to a Statista report, the Google Play store contained approximately 142,368 apps with an average rating of 4.5 stars as of January 2022. There were a total of 1.44 million apps with ratings, and the Google Play store had an additional 2.13 million apps with less than three user ratings. Google Play searches have made it easier for users and Google Play app developers to adapt in the event that their apps receive poor ratings by allowing users to rate apps on the Play Store.

Projected Sales on Google Play in 2023

Global gross app revenue in the Google Play store in the third quarter of 2022 was approximately 10.4 billion US dollars. According to a Sensor Tower report, user spending on Google Play is expected to grow at a CAGR of 19% to $60 billion by 2023 from $53 billion in 2022.

App Price Statistics

As of November 2022, in the Google Play store, there were more than 37,000 apps that cost less than a dollar, followed by over 29,000 apps that cost between one and two dollars and an additional 2,338 apps had prices ranging from $9 to $10. There are generally two types of apps: paid apps and free apps. The App Store from Apple has more paid apps than the Google Play Store, according to research. Apple users are more likely to make in-app purchases, which is the sole reason why startups choose iOS over Android in their Android vs. iOS decision.

Free Android Apps

Around 97% of Android apps could be downloaded for free from the Play Store as of November 2022. Are you curious about how developers of free apps on Google Play make money? After all, the whole point is to make money, right? You might be surprised to learn that 98% of all app revenue worldwide comes from free apps through app monetization strategies like in-app purchases. This means that the majority of mobile app revenue comes from free apps. The Play Store’s overwhelming number of free apps indicates a significant shift toward the freemium model. Android app development is preferred for this reason.

Paid Android Apps

On a personal level, if we talk about paid apps, you probably only have two or three paid apps on your device, right? However, if you assert the opposite, you are in the minority of paid app users. According to Statista, there are currently 3% paid apps on the Google Play Store.

Usage of Play Store Apps Worldwide

Users downloaded approximately 27.5 billion apps from Google Play in the fourth quarter of 2022. Several emerging markets, including India and the Philippines, fall into the mobile-first category. This indicates that smartphone use is the primary mode of internet access in these markets. Since everything is now at your fingertips, the usage limit of smartphones and apps will undoubtedly rise by multiples of fold. Having said that, it is safe to say that people all over the world are using technology more and more.

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Most Popular Google Play Apps Category

When it comes to the sheer number and variety of mobile apps that are out there, mobile internet users are spoiled for choice. Gaming apps made up 13.8 percent of all apps in Google Play Store as of the second quarter of 2022, making them the most downloaded category worldwide. With a 10.47 percent share, apps for mobile education came in second place.

Most Downloaded Google Play Apps

TikTok received nearly 24 million downloads from Android users worldwide in September 2022, making it the most downloaded app in the Google Play Store. With over 21 million downloads from users all over the world, Instagram was the second most popular app.

Gaming Apps Popularity

Global gaming app revenues from Google Play reached 37.3 billion US dollars in 2021. In addition, mobile app revenues totaled 47.9 billion US dollars on the platform. The Apple App Store, on the other hand, was able to better monetize its content and generate more than 85 billion US dollars from consumer spending.

Google Play App Usage by Age

During the second quarter of 2022, users worldwide aged 18 to 24 reported higher levels of engagement with comics apps hosted and distributed in the Google Play Store. Across all app categories examined, younger users were the most active, with users aged 18 to 24 accounting for approximately half of all music and audio downloads generated in the Google Play Store. About three out of every ten people who download news and magazines apps are between the ages of 50 and 64. Users between the ages of 25 and 34 download 22% of parenting apps.

How to Register an App on Google Play Store?

Let’s discuss how apps are added to the store and made accessible to all Android users. Therefore, uploading the application is fairly straightforward and can be summarized in four steps: 

Create an account as a Google Play Developer: To create a developer account, you can use your Google account. You can manage and publish your apps with Play Console after setting up the developer account.

Accept the Distribution Agreement for Developers: To finish the sign-up and move on to the next step, you must accept the Developer Distribution Agreement.

Pay for your registration: You must pay a one-time registration fee to create a Google Play Developer Account. This $25 registration fee can be paid with credit or debit cards from MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover (only for use in the United States), and Visa Electron (only for use outside of the United States).

Complete registration: Complete the registration by providing personal information. After completing the registration process, you will have access to the Play Store, where you can manage and upload any app.

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Upcoming Google Play Store Trends in 2023

Because the market is always changing, it is hard to predict specific trends in the Google Play Store for 2023. However, the following are some possible trends that could emerge in the coming years:

Targeting and personalization are given more weight: The Google Play Store is likely to give personalized recommendations and advertising that is specific to each user a higher priority as artificial intelligence and machine learning grow in popularity.

Expansion of Subscription-Based Businesses: It is more likely that developers will adopt this type of business model in the future given the success of subscription-based apps like Spotify and Netflix.

Increased Attention to Engagement and User Experience: In order to differentiate themselves from the competition in the app market, developers will likely concentrate on developing applications that provide a user experience that is both seamless and engaging.

Application Development in Augmented and Virtual Reality: It is likely that more apps in the augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) categories will appear in the Google Play Store.

Competition from alternative app stores: Alternative app stores like Amazon Appstore and Aptoide are gaining popularity and could potentially be a threat in the future, despite the fact that the Google Play Store is currently the most popular app store.

Google Play Trends at a Glance

We have come across some fascinating and mind-boggling statistics given that the popularity of mobile applications is currently at its highest point. It is possible to say the Google Play store is the largest application marketplace. In just four easy steps, you can upload any app to the store.You might be interested in the following mobile app trends and statistics from the Google Play Store.

• For Android users, the Google Play Store offers more than 3.5 million apps
• Gaming is the most popular app category accounting for 13.8% of apps
• Women make up about 49% of those who play games on Google Play
• YouTube Music and Google Play both have 20 million paying subscribers
• Nearly 6 billion apps on Google Play are checked for safety on a daily basis
• 81.3 thousand apps were added to the Google Play Store in February 2022 only
• Google Play Store has successfully established itself in 190 nations
• In the year 2021, 111.3 billion Google app downloads were made
• Candy Crush Saga is the most downloaded game for the year 2022
• With over 656 million downloads in 2021, TikTok was the most downloaded app
• Nearly 7,000 obsolete apps were removed from the Play Store by Google
• Till date, there 40 million songs available on Google Play Store
• China tops the app usage list with 1,182 billion hours spent on mobile apps

Wrapping Up

After reading this article, you should now be wondering why so many apps are being developed and uploaded to the app store. Well, it’s not just for fun or charity. It’s all about making money and running a business. This is the age of digitalization and technology. The digital and online platform has changed the pace of the world with its applications because it has been the best demonstration for the future scenario, such as COVID, in which any physical activity is impossible. Numerous others are on their way to achieving the same success as the owners of major, well-known apps.

Apps are a big part of making smartphones really smart. Google Play Store is the largest app market among Android users, with more than 3.5 million apps. The platform offers all categories of applications, taking the smartphone’s use case to the next level. Every month, millions of apps are added to the Play Store. The market for mobile applications is expanding in tandem with the growing number of smartphone users. App creation and uploading are also becoming a significant industry as a result of it.

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