Surprising Mobile App Successes That Made Their Creators Millionaires

The global mobile app market is massive. According to the “App Data Report 2024” by Business of Apps, Google Play recorded over 113 billion downloads in 2023 with the Apple App Store seeing almost 35 billion. Despite Google Play’s larger download count, Apple’s App Store dominated in revenue, generating a staggering $89.6 billion – 67% of global app store revenue – compared to Google Play’s $47 billion.

Leading the charge in downloads was Instagram, surpassing TikTok by 42 million, while Subway Surfers reigned as the most popular mobile game with 218 million downloads. Mobile ad spending soared to $362 billion, reflecting the app ecosystem’s continued expansion. In Europe, consumer spending hit $171 billion, while the UK app market, despite its smaller population, saw $4.4 billion in revenue, highlighting its importance in the global app landscape.

What Type of Apps Are the Most Profitable?

The most successful apps fall into five key categories: gaming, social, entertainment, finance, and health & fitness. Gaming apps continue to dominate consumer spending, with top titles like Honor of Kings raking in billions through in-app purchases.

The iGaming market, which is projected to reach over $13 billion in 2024, is another major driver in this category. Multi-format platforms have proven to be particularly popular, with the best bingo app from Buzz Bingo providing users with slots, jackpots, and classic casino games. The app, like many other leading providers, has utilized the latest technology to offer immersive live gaming too in which players connect with hosts via a live-streaming feed for a more authentic experience.

Social apps have also thrived, especially video-sharing platforms like TikTok, which is on track to hit $15 billion in revenue by 2024. Meanwhile, finance apps such as Alipay and PhonePe are leveraging the rise of mobile payments and digital wallets, particularly in China and India.

Elsewhere, health and fitness apps saw strong growth as users turned to apps like MyFitnessPal and Calm for tracking wellness and mental health. Across these categories, successful apps employ diverse monetization models, including in-app purchases, subscriptions, and ad revenue.

Surprising Mobile App Successes

Many mobile apps that achieved surprising success initially seemed like unlikely candidates to generate millions or even billions in revenue. Slack, for instance, started as an internal communication tool developed during the creation of a failed game, Glitch. However, the team quickly realized its potential as a team collaboration platform, and today, Slack is used by millions globally, valued at over $1 billion. Similarly, IFTTT began as a simple way to connect two online services, but it has evolved into a vast automation platform supporting hundreds of services.

Other unexpected successes include Magic, a 24/7 on-demand personal assistant service that allows users to request anything via text, and SafetyCulture, an app that provides tools for workplace safety and quality management. Both apps found niches in their respective markets and expanded from there. These examples demonstrate that successful apps often emerge from simple, innovative solutions to specific problems. Whether pivoting from an original idea like Segment.io or refining a unique proposition like Curefit, the key is solving real-world issues and responding to user needs.

The mobile app landscape proves that innovative ideas, even those born from unlikely beginnings, can lead to tremendous financial success. Whether through gaming, social, or niche services, creators who address real-world needs with user-friendly solutions have the potential to turn their apps into multimillion-dollar ventures.