AppsFlyer, a global leader in marketing measurement, attribution and data analytics, has released its annual lookback at the past year’s mobile app trends. The year saw notable growth in user acquisition ad spend and revenue fuelled by increasingly advanced monetisation strategies and the expanded use of AI in marketing. The findings reflect the industry’s increasing understanding of how to adapt to the ongoing changes in the market.
A decisive boost for the non-gaming space was an unmissable trend globally for 2024. In-app purchases (IAPs) grew nearly 20% outside gaming, driven by sophisticated monetisation strategies and inflation-related price increases. For gaming, IAP revenue was either quite stable, or slightly declining (Casino +4%, Midcore -2%, Casual -5%).
Whilst non-gaming ad spend experienced an increase globally of 8%, in the UK it saw a remarkable +48% year-over-year (YoY) increase, driven by advanced monetisation strategies and growing adoption of deep linking. Gaming ad spend, meanwhile, declined by approximately -9% YoY in the UK, aligning with global gaming trends but less severe compared to Japan or France. Within this trend globally, finance apps led with a significant 61% YoY increase, driven by developments including growth in crypto and FinTech, while travel ad spend rose 20%. Shopping ad spend saw a modest decline of 8%, reflecting normalisation after a 2023 surge driven by large Asian players’ aggressive worldwide market penetration
“After a remarkable 48% YoY increase in 2024, we expect non-gaming ad spend to continue leading the way in the UK 2025,” said Paul Wright, General Manager Western Europe and MENAT at AppsFlyer. “This growth is fuelled by advanced monetisation strategies and the adoption of owned media technologies which are enhancing personalisation and driving hybrid experiences. AppsFlyer is committed to empowering businesses with the tools and insights they need to navigate this dynamic and evolving landscape.”
Top global data trends of 2024:
- Hybrid monetisation drives IAA growth: In-app advertising (IAA) revenue grew by +26%YoY in non-gaming and +7% in gaming, driven by the adoption of hybrid casual monetisation strategies
- Generative AI dominance: Global installs grew modestly overall, with Generative AI apps achieving a standout 200% YoY increase
- Leisure categories surge: Installs of leisure apps like casinos & gambling (+102%), sports betting (+93%) and lifestyle (+43%) boomed, while ‘needs-based’ app categories such as transportation and utility remained stable
- Cross-vertical investments: Major gaming ad networks recorded a 38% YoY increase from non-gaming investments in gaming inventories, contrasting with a 19% decline in gaming investments within the gaming market. This trend is expected to continue in 2025 with more growth opportunities in non-gaming, although gaming app spend will still dominate investment in the gaming sector
- Gaming-specific shifts: Casual games saw a modest 3% growth in ad spend, consolidating their market share at 64%. Hypercasual games remained stable (-1%), while mid-core categories and casino games faced steep declines of 21% and 12%, respectively
- Deep linking expansion: Adoption surged across key channels as brands focus on owned media and maximising lifetime value of existing users: web-to-app led with 77% growth followed by email-to-app (+45%), text-to-app (+29%) and QR-to-app (+16%)
- Remarketing outpaces paid installs: Similar to the owned media trend,remarketing conversions on paid channels grew by 22% YoY, far exceeding the 2% growth in user acquisition
- AI-driven creative innovation: The number of creative variations produced by the average app increased by 40% in 2024 to reach no less than 839 per month, driven largely by apps with larger budgets. Measuring creative performance has become an essential feature to deal with the sheer scale of creatives that have to be produced to achieve success – and that will continue through 2025.