AppMagic: Non-Gaming Apps Have Out-Earned Mobile Games in IAP Revenue Since 2016

A new AppMagic report marking its 10th anniversary finds mobile games last led in-app purchase revenue in 2016, having since been overtaken by non-gaming platforms such as TikTok and AI chatbots. TikTok has been the top-grossing app every year since 2020, while ChatGPT was the most downloaded app globally in 2025. In mobile gaming, Honor of Kings has led IAP revenue since its 2017 debut, earning $830 million that year and surpassing $1.1 billion in 2026, while Free Fire topped downloads with 272 million installs at launch in 2019.