In-App Advertising Revenue (2017–2028)
Recent data shows a growing amount of time spent on apps, as mobile users clocked close to a total of 16 billion hours on apps in 2023. To put this figure into perspective, it marks a 24.5% annual increase.
In-app advertising revenues worldwide have also risen alongside consumers’ time spent on mobile apps. Here’s a closer look at the latest in-app advertising statistics.
In-app advertising revenue from 2017 to 2024
|
Year |
In-app advertising revenue |
|---|---|
|
2017 |
$76.9 billion |
|
2018 |
$103.9 billion |
|
2019 |
$136.7 billion |
|
2020 |
$174.2 billion |
|
2021 |
$241.6 billion |
|
2022 |
$272.7 billion |
|
2023 |
$314.6 billion |
|
2024 |
$352.7 billion |
In-app ad revenues have risen every year for at least seven years. In 2017, global revenues from apps registered at $76.9 billion, before rising by 35.1% the following year, to exceed $100 billion.
Growth rates of between 27.5% and 38.7% followed in the next three years, and by 2021, in-app advertising revenues had not only hit but surpassed the $200 billion mark.
In 2022 and 2023, the annual growth rates of the in-app advertising market slowed to 12.9% and 15.3%, respectively, as revenues rose to $314.6 billion. This year, experts predict a 12.1% increase, which will take total revenues to $352.7 billion.
In-app advertising revenue: 2025 to 2028 forecast
|
Year |
In-app advertising revenue (forecast) |
|---|---|
|
2025 |
$390.64 billion |
|
2026 |
$426.25 billion |
|
2027 |
$462.29 billion |
|
2028 |
$498.20 billion |
According to analysts, the in-app advertising market is expected to continue expanding over the next few years, but will do so at slower rates. In 2025, revenues are set to rise by 10.8%, to $390.6 billion. Single-digit growth is projected from 2026 to 2028, as annual in-app advertising revenues inch toward the half-a-trillion-dollar milestone.
Categories driving in-app ad revenues
Social networking apps currently generate the largest amount of in-app ad revenues. In 2024, revenues from mobile apps in this category are expected at $134.4 billion. Next in line are games, whose in-app ad revenues are forecast at $106.5 billion.
Shopping apps, including those of Temu, Shop, Shein, and Amazon, will generate the third-biggest in-app advertising revenues, at $33.8 billion. Entertainment apps and news and magazine apps round out the top five, with $24.5 billion and $12.8 billion, respectively.
In-app advertising statistics: acting on the data
When contemplating whether to incorporate ads into your app to boost revenue, it’s essential to understand what’s available. For instance, the most common ad types on mobile apps include banner ads, interstitial ads, native ads, gamified ads, rewarded ads, and around-the-banner ads.
Selecting the best ad type requires a careful assessment of your app to determine optimal placements that are impactful and maintain positive user experiences.