Across the two major app stores, there are roughly 4.15 million apps available for download as of early 2026. The Google Play Store and Apple App Store together account for the vast majority of global mobile app distribution, though both platforms have seen significant fluctuations in their total counts as quality enforcement policies tighten. This article breaks down the latest app availability data by store, category, and region.
How Many Apps Are Available for Download in 2026?
- The Apple App Store had 2.42 million apps available as of 2025, according to Business of Apps.
- Google Play had 1.73 million apps listed as of March 2026, per AppBrain’s live tracking data.
- Google Play downloads are projected to reach 143 billion in 2026, up from 111 billion in 2021.
- ChatGPT recorded 770 million downloads in 2025, making it the most downloaded app globally.
- Mobile app revenue reached over $935 billion in 2025, a 52% increase from 2023.
How Many Apps Are on the Google Play Store in 2026?
Google Play had 1.73 million apps listed as of March 2026, according to AppBrain. That figure is considerably lower than peak counts from earlier years, when Google hosted upward of 3.5 million apps. The drop reflects an aggressive removal campaign: Google deleted millions of low-quality and non-compliant apps through 2024 and 2025 to raise average quality standards.
In February 2026 alone, Google Play added 47,900 new applications while removing 21,200. Around 1,200 new apps are added to the platform each day. For Chromebook users, the full process for installing Android apps on a Chromebook is straightforward once the Play Store is enabled in ChromeOS settings.
Source: AppBrain, Business of Apps, 42matters
| Year | Google Play Apps (millions) | Year-over-Year Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2.57 | — |
| 2020 | 3.48 | +35% |
| 2021 | 3.55 | +2% |
| 2022 | 3.55 | Flat |
| 2023 | 2.68 | -25% |
| 2024 | 2.06 | -23% |
| 2025 | 1.58 | -23% |
| 2026 (Mar) | 1.73 | +10% |
Source: AppBrain, Business of Apps (2026)
Free vs. Paid Apps on Google Play
About 97% of Google Play apps are free to download. Of the 1.73 million apps currently listed, approximately 62,259 carry a price tag. Most paid apps fall in the under-$2 range. Revenue generation on Android overwhelmingly comes from in-app purchases and advertising rather than upfront purchase prices.
Developers who want to reach Android users on larger screens can explore how ChromeOS has expanded Android app support over recent years, opening a broader surface area for app distribution beyond phones.
How Many Apps Are Available on the Apple App Store in 2026?
The Apple App Store had 2.42 million apps and games as of 2025, a slight decline from the previous year, per Business of Apps. Apple added approximately 557,000 new apps in 2025, a 24% increase from the prior year. The store has over 800,000 active publishers.
Close to a quarter of all App Store apps have fewer than 100 downloads total. Games remain the largest single category by app count, though Utilities and Business apps have closed the gap significantly as AI-powered tools flooded the store through 2024 and 2025.
Source: Business of Apps, Buildfire, 42matters (2026)
| Metric | Google Play Store | Apple App Store |
|---|---|---|
| Total Apps (2025/2026) | 1.73 million | 2.42 million |
| Free Apps Share | 97% | 95% |
| Active Publishers | 1 million+ | 800,000+ |
| New Apps Added Daily | ~1,200 | ~1,500 |
| Apps with Under 100 Downloads | 25%+ | ~25% |
| Annual Consumer Spend (2025) | $49.2 billion | $117.6 billion |
Source: Business of Apps, AppBrain (2026)
How Many Apps Are Downloaded Worldwide in 2026?
Consumers are projected to download 143 billion apps from Google Play in 2026, according to Statista data sourced from Sensor Tower and TechCrunch. The Apple App Store is forecast to reach 38 billion downloads that same year. Combined, the two stores are on track to deliver around 181 billion downloads in 2026.
Google Play recorded over 100 billion downloads in 2025 alone, a 2.1% increase year-over-year. Apple App Store downloads reached 36.6 billion in 2025. India, Brazil, and Indonesia collectively accounted for 28.3 billion new installs in 2024, making emerging markets the primary engine of download growth.
Source: Statista / Sensor Tower, Business of Apps (2026)
| Year | Google Play Downloads (billions) | App Store Downloads (billions) |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 111 | 33 |
| 2022 | 115 | 34 |
| 2023 | 119.9 | 35 |
| 2024 | 137.8 | 35.8 |
| 2025 | 100+ (confirmed) | 36.6 |
| 2026 (projected) | 143 | 38 |
Source: Statista, Business of Apps, Sensor Tower (2026)
Downloads by Country
India drives the highest volume of Google Play downloads globally. Brazil and Indonesia follow closely, with 90% of downloads in those three markets coming from Android devices. The United States leads Apple App Store downloads, accounting for roughly 42% of global App Store revenue despite representing a smaller share of total installs.
| Region | Dominant Platform | Play Store Download Share |
|---|---|---|
| India | Google Play | ~90% |
| Brazil | Google Play | ~90% |
| Indonesia | Google Play | ~90% |
| United States | Mixed (iOS stronger) | ~55% |
| Japan | Apple App Store | <50% |
Source: Buildfire, Business of Apps (2026)
Which App Categories Have the Most Apps Available for Download?
Games remain the single largest revenue category across both stores, generating over $82 billion and accounting for 60% of total App Store revenue. By app count, however, Business and Utilities have overtaken Games on the Apple App Store as AI tool releases surged through 2024 and 2025.
Education apps saw a 45% increase following pandemic-era demand, and the category now holds over 162,000 apps on Google Play alone. Users running ChromeOS can access this entire library — if a specific app isn’t showing up, there are methods to install Android apps without the Play Store for cases where distribution is restricted by region or device type.
Source: Business of Apps, 42matters, AppBrain (2026)
| Category | Share of App Store Apps | Revenue Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 12.5% | 60% of App Store revenue |
| Business | ~10% | Significant, growing |
| Utilities | ~9% | Moderate |
| Education | ~8% | Growing |
| Entertainment | ~7% | Second after games |
| Lifestyle | ~6% | Moderate |
Source: SQ Magazine, 42matters, Business of Apps (2026)
Top Downloaded Apps Available in 2026
ChatGPT was the most downloaded app globally in 2025 with 770 million downloads across both stores, per Business of Apps. It topped charts in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Canada. Block Blast held the top spot for games with 303 million downloads.
Five of the 15 most downloaded apps of 2025 came from Meta, and WhatsApp Business recorded over 200 million downloads. For Chromebook users interested in running these apps locally, Android app streaming on Chromebooks offers an alternative that doesn’t require local installation.
| Rank | App | Downloads (2025) | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ChatGPT | 770 million | AI / Productivity |
| 2 | TikTok | Top 5 globally | Social / Video |
| 3 | WhatsApp Business | 200 million+ | Messaging |
| 4 | Uber | 137 million | Travel |
| 5 | Truecaller | 144 million | Tools |
| 6 | Google Maps | 114 million | Navigation |
| 7 | Block Blast (top game) | 303 million | Games |
Source: Business of Apps (2026)
How Many Free vs. Paid Apps Are Available for Download?
Free apps dominate both stores by a wide margin. On Google Play, 97% of the 1.73 million apps carry no upfront cost. The Apple App Store is not far behind, with 95% of its 2.42 million apps available for free. Paid apps have been in steady decline as a share of total listings since 2020.
Revenue on both platforms now flows primarily through in-app purchases and subscriptions rather than paid downloads. YouTube and TikTok each generated approximately $2.33 billion in iOS revenue in 2025, entirely through subscriptions, ads, and in-app purchases — not paid downloads.
Source: Business of Apps, Buildfire, AppBrain (2026)
How Many Apps Are Available for Download on Other Platforms?
Beyond the two main stores, several third-party and platform-specific app marketplaces add to the total count of available apps. The Amazon Appstore serves as the primary channel for Fire OS devices and carries several hundred thousand apps. Samsung Galaxy Store and Huawei AppGallery each host millions of apps for their respective device ecosystems, particularly in markets where Google Play access is restricted.
Apple Vision Pro had over 4,200 AR/VR apps launched by Q1 2026, according to SQ Magazine, marking the earliest growth phase of a new app distribution category. On Chromebooks, users can also download APK files directly to access Android apps outside the official store listing.
| Platform / Store | Estimated Apps Available | Primary Market |
|---|---|---|
| Google Play Store | 1.73 million | Global (Android) |
| Apple App Store | 2.42 million | Global (iOS) |
| Huawei AppGallery | ~5.9 million | China, EU |
| Amazon Appstore | ~480,000 | Fire OS, Android |
| Samsung Galaxy Store | ~200,000+ | Samsung devices |
| Apple Vision Pro | 4,200+ AR/VR apps | VisionOS |
Source: SQ Magazine, Business of Apps, 42matters (2026)
App Revenue and Market Size in 2026
Mobile apps generated over $935 billion in revenue in 2025, per Buildfire. The global mobile app market is projected to cross $1 trillion in 2026. Consumer spending on the Apple App Store alone reached $117.6 billion in 2025, a 13.6% increase year-over-year. Google Play generated $49.2 billion, up 13% from 2024.
Games account for the largest share of spending on both platforms. On iOS, games generated $51.9 billion compared to $64.8 billion for non-game apps in 2025. Google One was the top-grossing Android app with $2.6 billion in revenue, while YouTube led iOS with over $2 billion. Chromebook owners accessing apps from the Play Store can check which Android version is running on their device to verify app compatibility before purchasing.
| Store | Consumer Spend 2025 | YoY Growth | Top Grossing App |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple App Store | $117.6 billion | +13.6% | YouTube ($2B+) |
| Google Play | $49.2 billion | +13% | Google One ($2.6B) |
Source: Business of Apps (2026)
FAQ
How many apps are available for download in 2026 total?
Across the Google Play Store and Apple App Store combined, roughly 4.15 million apps were available as of early 2026. Google Play had 1.73 million apps (AppBrain, March 2026) and the App Store had 2.42 million (Business of Apps, 2025).
Does Google Play or the App Store have more apps available for download?
As of 2025 and early 2026, the Apple App Store has more apps at 2.42 million versus Google Play’s 1.73 million. This is a reversal from earlier years when Google Play held a larger total count before its mass removal campaigns.
How many new apps are added to the app stores each day?
Google Play adds approximately 1,200 new apps daily. The Apple App Store added around 557,000 apps in all of 2025, averaging roughly 1,500 per day, a 24% increase from the prior year.
What percentage of apps available for download are free?
97% of Google Play apps are free to download. On the Apple App Store, 95% of available apps carry no upfront cost. Paid apps have declined steadily as freemium and subscription models have become dominant.
How many apps does the average smartphone user actually use?
The average smartphone user interacts with 11 apps per day and 30 apps per month, according to Buildfire. About 80 apps are installed on the average phone, but 62% go unused in any given month.
