AppMakers USA, a mobile and web application development company, has released its 2026 App Development Statistics report, offering over 45 sourced data points on app development costs, build timelines, user retention, AI adoption, and app-store enforcement. The report draws from primary sources including Sensor Tower, Apple, Google, and Stack Overflow, aiming to provide a citation-backed reference for an industry often dominated by opinion.
Among the key findings, consumer spending across iOS and Google Play reached $167 billion in 2025, up 10.6% year over year, while downloads climbed to approximately 150 billion, a record high. However, these growth figures are juxtaposed with a significant retention challenge: Day-1 retention averages around 24%, dropping to 5-6% by day 30, meaning roughly 94% of new users churn within a month. This underscores the difficulty many apps face in maintaining user engagement beyond initial download.
The report also tracks the widening gap between AI adoption and trust among developers. According to Stack Overflow's 2025 survey, 84% of developers are using or planning to use AI tools, up from 76% a year earlier. Yet only about a third trust the accuracy of AI-generated output, highlighting a critical barrier to full integration.
App store enforcement remains stringent: Apple reviewed 7.7 million App Store submissions in 2024 and rejected more than 1.9 million, while Google blocked 2.36 million policy-violating apps from Google Play that year. These numbers emphasize the importance of compliance for developers seeking to launch and maintain their apps.
Daniel Haiem, CEO of AppMakers USA, noted, "Most of the advice about building an app online is opinion without a source attached. We wanted a page where every figure has a citation." The report is intended as a free industry resource for developers, entrepreneurs, and businesses evaluating app development strategies.
AppMakers USA has shipped more than 400 apps across iOS, Android, and web, including Number Hive, an education app used by over 700,000 students, and ShiftPass, a shift marketplace available on both major app stores. The company, based in Los Angeles with offices in Santa Monica, New York, and San Diego, offers mobile app development, custom software development, AI integration, and app rescue services. More information can be found at appmakersla.com.
