Average In-app Spending By U.S. IPhone Users Grew 38% Last Year To $138

According to the latest data from app store intelligence company Sensor Tower, the average spending by U.S. iPhone users on apps last year was $138, a year-on-year increase of 38%↓

(Average in-app spending by U.S. iPhone users, 2015-2020)

This is largely driven by the pandemic. After the outbreak of 2020, consumers increased their use of apps related to work, school, entertainment and shopping, which drove spending per user to a new record and the largest annual increase since 2016.

However, Sensor Tower predicts that in-app spending by U.S. iPhone users will continue to grow by 2021, when the average consumer spending on a single iPhone will reach $180.

In addition to games, the application category that users consume the most is entertainment applications. With the cancellation of offline performances at theaters and concerts during the epidemic, consumers began to use streaming apps heavily, resulting in average device spending of such apps reaching $10.2, a 26% increase from 2019, compared with 2018 to 2019 1% annual growth is a huge leap↓

(The 5 categories with the highest average in-app spend among US iPhone users)

In-app spending in other categories, including social media, has also increased to varying degrees. The largest increase was in photo and video applications, with an average in-app spending of $9.8, an increase of 56%; followed by social networks, with an average of $9.80. In-app spending was $7.9, an increase of 41%.

Such significant growth in social media is certainly inseparable from the promotion of top applications such as TikTok, YouTube and Twitch. Data shows that Twitch’s revenue on iPhone in the United States increased by 680% year-on-year in 2020, and TikTok increased by 140%.

Overall, the reason for the significant increase in in-app spending among U.S. iPhone users in 2020 is not necessarily what apps people choose to use, but how often people use those apps and how much they spend.

However, it is worth noting that the average in-app expenditure of US iPhone users has been growing at a rate of no less than 20%, and this trend will be difficult to change. The epidemic that continues to spread is far from disappearing, so people must continue to abide by the social isolation policy under epidemic prevention and control. However, as the epidemic situation improves, the growth of in-app spending in 2021 will definitely not be as significant as in 2020.