Research
We publish what we measure.
Original analysis on app monetization, traffic and payment economics — the numbers we run the business on.
Featured report
The Post-30% Playbook: App Payment Economics 2026
Four legal tracks converged in 2025 and 2026 to break the flat store commission. The fee math is now worth hundreds of thousands a year to mid-sized apps. The conversion trade-off decides whether any of it reaches the bottom line.
Briefs
MARKET
Non-Game Apps Just Out-Earned Games. It Changes Everything.
For the first time, non-game apps out-earned games — $85.6B versus $81.8B. Non-game in-app purchase revenue grew 21% year over year.
MONETIZATION
The 4.6% Problem: Why Most New Apps Never Reach $10K MRR
Roughly 15,000 subscription apps launch monthly. Only 4.6% reach $10K in monthly revenue within two years.
PRICING
Weekly vs. Annual: Designing Ladders for a 96% Subscription World
Subscriptions drive roughly 96 cents of every consumer dollar in the major stores. The ladder you design is the business model.
GROWTH
150 Billion Downloads, 3.6 Hours a Day: Where Attention Actually Sits
Downloads across iOS and Google Play reached about 150 billion in 2025, with 5.3 trillion hours spent in apps.
PAYMENTS
From 30% to 4%: The Real Math of Web Checkout
External payments can add up to 26 points of gross margin on shifted volume — if conversion holds.
STRATEGY
Why Pre-2020 Apps Still Own 69% of Subscription Revenue — and How Challengers Break In
Incumbency compounds. Challengers win on niches, price architecture and channels incumbents cannot operate.
The Operator Brief
Monthly, numbers only