Answer · data from 761,898 iOS apps
How much does an app make?
The median iOS app makes approximately $0. Across the 761,898 App Store apps we track, only 5.5% show any meaningful revenue signal, and just 2.2% clear an estimated $1,000/month. Among apps that do earn, the median is ~$643/month — and the top 10% of earners make $17,250+/month.
Figures are labeled estimates generated by GetAppNiche's proprietary multi-signal model. Data snapshot: May 2026. Check any specific app free with the app revenue checker.
By category
App revenue by App Store category
| Category | Apps tracked | % earning ≥$1k/mo | % with any revenue | Median (earning apps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | 27,799 | 10.0% | 16.8% | $1,714 |
| Graphics & Design | 6,034 | 4.7% | 9.3% | $1,069 |
| Photo & Video | 17,667 | 4.3% | 8.9% | $750 |
| Finance | 36,828 | 4.0% | 11.8% | $536 |
| Music | 18,263 | 3.2% | 7.9% | $643 |
| Book | 8,011 | 2.8% | 7.3% | $643 |
| Navigation | 8,905 | 2.8% | 6.5% | $643 |
| Entertainment | 31,025 | 2.7% | 6.8% | $643 |
| Health & Fitness | 47,518 | 2.6% | 6.1% | $643 |
| Reference | 15,003 | 2.5% | 6.3% | $643 |
| News | 10,916 | 2.4% | 7.7% | $536 |
| Medical | 17,137 | 2.3% | 5.7% | $643 |
| Social Networking | 16,430 | 2.2% | 5.1% | $643 |
| Sports | 22,081 | 1.8% | 4.8% | $536 |
| Lifestyle | 56,115 | 1.8% | 4.5% | $643 |
| Utilities | 75,952 | 1.8% | 4.6% | $643 |
| Shopping | 30,504 | 1.8% | 4.6% | $536 |
| Travel | 30,071 | 1.8% | 5.2% | $429 |
| Productivity | 48,548 | 1.7% | 4.1% | $643 |
| Education | 86,732 | 1.3% | 3.7% | $643 |
| Food & Drink | 40,891 | 1.2% | 4.3% | $321 |
| Business | 97,521 | 0.7% | 2.1% | $429 |
Source: GetAppNiche analysis of 761,898 iOS App Store apps, May 2026 snapshot. Estimates, not audited figures — methodology in how app revenue estimation works. For the handful of apps whose owners published real numbers — verified, sourced, $1K to ~$1.4M/mo — see the app revenue case studies.
Estimated share of apps in each App Store category that clear $1,000/month. The dashed line is the 2.2% store-wide winner rate — Games runs ~5× it, Business under a third. The dollar and 'any revenue' columns stay in the table above. Labeled proprietary-model estimates, May 2026 snapshot.
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Full access database — get Pro →What this means
Three takeaways for founders
- Averages lie. The dataset's mean is ~$1,549/month — 24× the median reality — because a handful of giants skew it. Plan around medians and percentiles, not averages.
- Category choice moves your odds ~14×. 10% of Games clear $1k/month vs 0.7% of Business apps. Pick the pond before the fish: see finding profitable iOS niches.
- Research beats optimism. Before building, estimate what incumbents actually earn in your niche — free, in the revenue checker — then validate demand with a proper validation pass.
FAQ
How much apps make — quick answers
How much does the average app make?
The honest answer: the median iOS app makes approximately $0. Across 761,898 App Store apps we analyzed, only about 5.5% show any meaningful revenue signal at all, and just 2.2% clear an estimated $1,000/month. Among apps that DO earn, the median is roughly $643/month and the top 10% make $17,250+/month. Averages you see elsewhere (our dataset's mean is ~$1,549/month) are skewed by a tiny number of huge winners.
Which app category makes the most money?
Games, by a wide margin: 10% of games clear an estimated $1,000/month (5× the overall rate), and the median earning game makes ~$1,714/month. Graphics & Design, Photo & Video, and Finance follow. Business and Food & Drink are the hardest categories — under 1.2% of apps there reach $1,000/month.
How can I check how much a specific app makes?
Apple doesn't publish per-app revenue, so every figure is an estimate. You can look up any iOS app's estimated monthly revenue and downloads free with the GetAppNiche app revenue checker. Results come from our proprietary multi-signal model and are labeled so you can use them directionally.
Are these numbers exact?
No — they are labeled estimates generated by GetAppNiche's proprietary multi-signal model across 761,898 iOS apps (data snapshot: May 2026). No third party has exact revenue data; treat all figures here (and anywhere else) as directional.
What does it take to be in the top 10% of earning apps?
Among apps with any revenue signal, the 90th percentile is an estimated $17,250/month. Getting there almost always means a proven niche with demonstrated demand, subscription monetization, and consistent App Store keyword visibility — not a novel idea with zero competitors.