Despite having a far smaller user base than countries such as the United States, China or India, the United Kingdom represents a very significant market for apps. With high smartphone penetration and consumer spend, the UK is an attractive target for app developers.
British users spend over five hours a day on mobile, and despite stagnant disposable incomes, consumer spending on apps has grown every year. Strong revenue generators include dating apps and short-form entertainment, such as TikTok.
Other apps that perform well in the UK include travel and shopping, with the UK spending far more than the average per capita on both categories. AI apps, such as chatbots and image editing tools, have both performed well in the country.
Some analysts suggest that the freemium model of apps will continue to be popular among consumers, particularly during the cost of living crisis. Money saving apps such as supermarket reward apps have experienced a growth in downloads, reflecting the wider economic downturn.
Since 2019, network operators have been rolling out 5G coverage throughout the UK with an aim for complete coverage by 2028. That said, it has been a stalled rollout, with less than 75 percent of smartphones able to access 5G.
We have collected data and statistics on the UK mobile app market. Read on below to find out more.
Key UK App Market Statistics
- The UK app market earned $4.8 billion in 2024, an increase of 9% on the previous year
- The average UK consumer spent $93.2 on apps in 2024
- There were 51.5 million UK smartphone users in 2024, accounting for 82% of the population
- Disney+ was the top grossing app of the year, ahead of TikTok and Roblox
- Apps were downloaded 2.2 billion times in the UK in 2024
- The average UK consumer downloaded 42.7 apps
- Temu was the most downloaded app of the year, while Block Blast was the most downloaded game
- UK smartphone users spent over five and a half hours on the internet in 2024
- PC was still the preferred platform in the UK with 50.1% market share
- The average cellular speed in the UK was 51Mbps, lower than the average for West Europe
