App Store conversion rate benchmarks

Your App Store conversion rate is a powerful tool, providing insights into your listing’s effectiveness, your app’s alignment with user expectations, and the quality of your user acquisition. 

These insights can guide all your optimization efforts—for example, A/B testing a listing with different copy or visuals for better conversion rates.

But to draw these insights, you need some context. Comparing your conversion rate against others in your category can offer some valuable perspective here. So, let’s do that today. But before we dive into the specific conversion rate metrics across different categories, let’s look at app store conversion rates from a broader lens. Specifically, let’s try to understand what a good conversion rate is.

Here goes.

What’s a good App Store conversion rate?

The US App Store saw an average conversion rate of 25% percent in the US over the first half of 2024, with the business apps category seeing one of the highest conversion rates at 66.7% and the broad games category seeing the lowest conversion rates at 1.2% (according to AppTweak data). Do you see how much conversion rates can vary across different categories? 

In a phrase: It depends.

We know this isn’t a helpful answer… but the truth is that the conversion rate varies greatly across different categories. 

If you’ve a business app, you should have a fairly high conversion rate (most analyses peg the average conversion rate for business apps at over 65%!).

But if you’ve a gaming app, in contrast, you’d be typically looking at a conversion rate around 3.5%. 

That said, this too varies greatly based on your gaming app’s subcategory—for example, music gaming apps convert much higher than your general puzzle or card gaming apps.

Said another way: Meaningful conversion rate analysis comes from benchmarking at the subcategory level. Only this allows you to get a more accurate picture of your current performance and set realistic goals.

App Store conversion rates by category on the App Store

Books

Within the Books category on the App Store, you’ll typically find eBook readers, apps for audiobooks, and general “library-kind” apps that provide access to reading materials like novels, educational texts, and reference work. 

The Books category consistently ranks among the highest when it comes to conversion rates on the App Store. In 2022, Statista reported an impressive 74.2% conversion rate in this category for the US App Store. 

However, more recent data from AppTweak for January to June 2024 reported a mere 7.3% conversion. There seems to be some discrepancy here.

Here are the top free apps in the Books category:

Reference

If you look at the apps available under the Reference category, you may find them to overlap with the Books category. 

But the key difference is that the Apps category primarily focuses on eBooks, audiobooks, and reading materials, offering users access to literature and educational content. 

In contrast, reference apps offer “reference”—for some quick information retrieval, like the Google Translate app.

According to Statista, the US App Store reference apps had a conversion rate of 52.6% in 2022, while AppTweak reported a significantly higher rate of 67.2% for the first half of 2024. 

If you review the paid apps in the niche, you’ll see they offer material on some very niche subjects:

Business

The business apps category includes all kinds of apps you could use for all kinds of business operations—from project management, task management, communications, collaborations, invoicing, and accounting to documentation and everything in between.

Business apps rank among the top converters on the App Store. According to Statista, business apps had a 39.4% conversion rate in the US App Store in 2022, while AppTweak reported a significantly higher 66.7% for the first half of 2024. This stark difference may likely be due to the different research methodologies.

Anyway, if you study the top free apps in the category, you’ll see that enterprise apps like Microsoft Teams and ADP lead the space. In contrast, the top paid apps are primarily private offerings that provide specialized solutions for common business themes, such as productivity, skill development, or business cards:

Education

Education apps on the App Store are solutions for learning anything and everything from languages to astronomy. You also have test preparation apps here. Plus, educational game apps. 

Education apps, too, enjoy decent conversion rates—16.8% from AppTweak’s US App Store research for the first half of 2024. (For some more context, education apps converted at 30.4% in Google Play in the same study.)

If you analyze the top paid apps in the education category, you’ll see that they not only target a specific subject but also offer a new way to learn. Take Wagotabi, the 7th most popular education paid app on the App Store, for example. Wagotabi teaches you Japanese, but in a very different way than Duolingo does:

Finance

When it comes to the Finance category, you’re looking at apps for everything from mobile banking apps and personal finance managers to cashflow solutions. (It’s worth noting that cash flow apps often overlap with accounting tools, which can sometimes fall under the Business apps category—so some overlap is expected.) 

According to AppTweak, the Finance category had a 32.8% conversion rate in the US App Store during the first half of 2024. For Google Play, on the other hand, this was 19.7%. 

App categorization differences are worth noting here—some finance apps may fall under the Business category on the Play Store but appear in the Finance category on the App Store. Keep this in mind when comparing conversion rates across platforms.

Food & Drink

According to Statista, the Food & Drink category had a 31.2% conversion rate in the US App Store in 2022, while more recent data from AppTweak shows a lower conversion rate of 12.1% from January to June 2024. For additional context, on Google Play, this category’s conversion rate came out to be 18.5%.

If you look at the most converting apps in the Food & Drink category, you’ll see that apps from food and drink retailers (McDonald’s, Starbucks, etc.), food delivery apps, and grocery delivery apps are the leading free apps:

And when it comes to paid apps, apps for recipes tend to be the most popular (with 7 out of the top 10 paid apps charging less than $5):

Games

When it comes to the Games category, App Store conversion rates vary widely across subcategories. For reference, the App Store recognizes as many as 16 gaming subcategories:

AppTweak’s data for the first half of 2024 shows that racing games convert at 20.6%, sports games at 10.3%, and board games at just 1.2%. AppTweak reports Trivia games to convert at 20.4%, but Statista’s 2022 US App Store data shows a much higher 79.9% conversion rate for the same genre—highlighting a significant discrepancy. For music games, Statista reported a 55.5% conversion rate, compared to AppTweak’s 20.5%.

Health & Fitness

Health & Fitness apps also see solid conversion rates. The Health & Fitness category is home to dozens of subcategories, right from diet and nutrition planners and sleep trackers to apps for personal training, heart rate monitoring, and fitness challenges.

Statista reported a 43.3% conversion rate for this category in the US App Store in 2022, while AppTweak’s 2024 data showed a lower rate of 30.8%.

The top paid app in the App Store’s Health & Fitness category is a sleep-tracking app priced at $5.99. What’s interesting is that it’s a one-time purchase, with no in-app purchases or subscriptions:

Interestingly, the creators of this app, Tantsissa, also have another one-time purchase app in the top paid apps in this category.

Lifestyle

The Lifestyle category is quite broad, featuring apps for everything from dating and astrology to closet organization. Lifestyle apps also see good conversion rates. In its 2022 US App Store data reporting, Statista found the Lifestyle category to convert at 37%. The same was 23.3% in AppTweak’s research for the US App Store from Jan to June 2024. Given that dating apps are the most downloaded, conversion rate averages can be fairly skewed here.

Magazines & Newspapers

In 2022, Statista reported a conversion rate of 34.1% for this category in the US App Store, while AppTweak recorded a lower rate of 13.7%. As expected, the top free downloads in this App Store category come from publications like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. In contrast, the top paid apps cater to niche communities, focusing on interests such as woodturning, photography, and knitting, among others:

Music

In its 2022 research, Statista reported a conversion rate of 29% for the Music category in the US App Store, while AppTweak noted a much higher 47.1% conversion rate for the same for the first half of 2024. As expected, music streaming services like Spotify, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music are the top free apps in terms of conversion rates. Meanwhile, music learning, creation, and editing apps tend to have the highest conversion rates among paid apps.

Navigation

Navigation apps are your daily-use apps and see fairly high conversion rates. For 2022, the US App Store saw a 58.2% conversion rate for this app category, according to Statista. AppTweak, on the other hand, reported a whopping 115% conversion rate for the same for the first half of 2024. Part of this can also be attributed to factors such as redownloads. 

News

The News category also reports good conversion rates. According to Statista, this category had a conversion rate of 31.3% in the US App Store in 2022. More recent data from AppTweak shows a lower conversion rate of 14.5% from January to June 2024.

Photo & Video

According to Statista’s report for the US App Store for 2022, the Photo and Video category has one of the highest conversion rates in the App Store, with a conversion rate of 65.9%. AppTweak’s more recent data from the first half of 2024 reflects a comparable conversion rate of 60.8%. Apps like Instagram, Google Photos, and Snapchat lead in free apps, whereas lots of camera apps make it into the top paid apps:

Productivity

In its 2022 research, Statista recorded a 57.3% conversion rate for the Productivity category in the US App Store, while more recent data from AppTweak for the first half of 2024 reported 59.7%. 

Shopping

The Shopping category in the App Store consistently sees high conversion rates. Statista reported a 31.2% conversion rate for shopping apps in 2022 in the US App Store, while AppTweak’s 2024 data for the first six months indicated a slightly lower rate of 26.4%. 

Popular free apps in the category include Amazon, eBay, and Target, among others. 

On the paid side, apps offering specialized features such as barcode scanning and gift tracking and those catering to specialized niches are popular:

Social Networking

In 2022, Statista reported a 30.1% conversion rate for the Social Networking category, while AppTweak’s data for the first half of 2024 indicated a considerably lower rate of 13.1%. 

Free social networking apps like Facebook, Threats, and Telegram are the top free apps. 

In contrast, the paid apps in this category offer more private social networks, niche communities, and add-ons for the top social apps.

Travel

The Travel category on the App Store consistently attracts users planning trips, seeking hotel deals, or navigating new destinations. Statista reported a 42.2% conversion rate for this category in the US App Store (2022), while AppTweak indicated a lower rate of 16.5% for the first half of 2024. 

Cab apps, too, count toward Travel apps in the App Store. In fact, they’re the top free apps in the category along with the likes of Booking.com and Expedia. 

The paid apps, as expected, cater to niche travel needs:

Utilities

The Utility category on the App Store covers a wide range of subcategories, offering apps for everything from search browsers and VPNs to those for handling space optimizations, network configurations, security, and more. Essentially, these apps are designed to add to your phone’s default functionalities.

When it comes to conversion rates, the US App Store’s conversion rate for this category was 61% in 2022, according to Statista, while AppTweak reported it as 40.6% between January and June 2024. 

Apps like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and NordVPN are some of the most downloaded apps in this category:

Weather

The Weather category remains one of the highest-converting categories on the App Store, offering users apps to stay informed about weather conditions, track forecasts, and receive real-time alerts. Statista reported an impressive 86% conversion rate for this category in the US App Store in 2022, while AppTweak’s more recent data indicated a still-strong conversion rate of 79.8% for the first half of 2024. These high rates reflect the essential, everyday utility of weather apps for users.

App store conversion rate vs. App Store install rate

Your app store conversion rate is about the number of users who get your app on your app listing. So if 1,000 people visit your app listing and 300 of them download it, your conversion rate would be 30%. [Conversion Rate=(300 downloads/ 1000 visits​)×100=30%.]

The App Store install rate, in contrast, is also your App Store conversion rate, but, here, users don’t land on your app listing. They simply see your app feature somewhere inside the App Store— like in the App Store’s organic search results when a search happens—and get your app directly without ever landing on your app listing page.

Your App Store conversion rate ties to your app listing’s ability to convert viewers into users. On the other hand, your App Store install rate reflects your app’s overall visibility and its reach among users through channels like recommendations, app store optimization (ASO), and more. Naturally, install rates tend to be much lower than conversion rates.

How do you improve your App Store conversion rates?

Since the App Store conversion rate largely depends on what users see on your app’s listing, improving your conversion rate needs improving your listing. Here are a few ways to go about it.

• A/B test your listing. Experiment with different copy, icons, or visuals to determine what resonates best with users and boosts conversions.
• Consider adding a free trial to your app. If you have a paid app without a trial, it could be getting in the way of conversions—offering a free trial might do the trick.
• Think about localizations. Adapting your app for different languages and cultures can significantly increase its appeal and reach.
• Work on your app store visibility. Ensure you attract relevant leads by optimizing your listing with the right keywords and metadata.
• Conduct competitor pricing analysis. If you have a paid app, understanding how your pricing compares to competitors can help you adjust your strategy for better market positioning.

Beyond App Store conversion rates… 

When you analyze your App Store conversion rate, keep in mind that your conversion rate is just a top-funnel metric. 

Even if a user downloads your app for, say, $4.99, that’s only part of the picture.

What really matters is how much value you generate from that user over time—whether it’s through ad revenue, in-app purchases, or subscriptions. 

Lifetime value (LTV) is what you should focus on. A high conversion rate is great, but without strong monetization strategies and retention, it won’t mean much in the long run. 

Always consider the full revenue potential of your users, which goes far beyond just analyzing your App Store conversion rate. If you offer in-app purchases, especially subscriptions, consider adding a solution like Adapty to your app mix. Adapty provides insights into your users’ buying behavior, allowing you to optimize your monetization strategy:

Read more about Adapty’s revenue reporting here.

Wrapping it up… 

While App Store conversion rates can vary greatly between categories, the average figures still offer helpful insights. 

Additionally, while your App Store conversion rate doesn’t tell the whole story, it remains the single most important metric for analyzing your app store listing. 

So, focus on optimizing it, but also keep the bigger picture in mind!