Exploring Leading Brands in the UK Hobbies/Interests Shopping Category: Q1 2025

Introduction

In the dynamic landscape of the Hobbies/Interests Shopping category, three brands have emerged as leaders in the United Kingdom: Hobbycraft Trading, FREEPIK COMPANY, S. L., and Giphy, Inc. This article delves into their performance and trends from Q4 2024 to Q1 2025, highlighting how each brand has harnessed the potential of web and app platforms. Sensor Tower's comprehensive data offerings provide unique insights into these trends, enabling unparalleled cross-referencing of web, app, and advertising data.

Hobbycraft Trading

Hobbycraft Trading's digital presence is anchored by its website, hobbycraft.co.uk, and its app, Hobbycraft: Shop Arts & Crafts.

• Audience Trends: The website experienced a slight fluctuation in visits, peaking at 6.9M in November 2024 before stabilizing around 5.7M by March 2025. The monthly true audience remained consistently above 1.1M throughout the quarter.

• App Engagement: The app's monthly active users varied, reaching a high of about 611K in December 2024. The mobile platform attracted significant engagement, with app-only visitors consistently around 365K.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Hobbycraft's monthly advertising spend saw a notable dip in January 2025, below $70K, before climbing back to over $617K by March, primarily leveraging Facebook for impressions.

FREEPIK COMPANY, S. L.

FREEPIK COMPANY operates through its websites, flaticon.com and freepik.com, and the app, Freepik: Design & edit with AI.

• Audience Trends: Flaticon.com showed a resurgence in March 2025 with visits reaching 2.6M, while freepik.com maintained a steady visitor count, peaking at 7.1M in January 2025.

• App Engagement: The app's monthly active users grew modestly, exceeding 3.7K by March 2025. Web-only visitors dominated the monthly true audience metrics, indicating a preference for desktop use.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Monthly advertising spend was minimal, with a notable absence in March 2025, indicating a strategic shift away from paid channels.

Giphy, Inc.

Giphy, Inc.'s digital footprint includes giphy.com and the app, GIPHY: GIFs, Stickers & Clips.

• Audience Trends: Giphy.com saw a significant increase in visits, reaching over 2.6M by March 2025. The monthly true audience grew consistently, peaking at 585K.

• App Engagement: The app's monthly active users rose steadily, surpassing 140K by March 2025, showcasing strong mobile engagement.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Giphy maintained a zero monthly ad spend strategy throughout the period, relying on organic growth and user engagement.

Conclusion

The Hobbies/Interests Shopping category in the UK presents a diverse digital landscape. Hobbycraft Trading, FREEPIK COMPANY, and Giphy, Inc. each demonstrate unique strategies and user engagement patterns across web and app platforms. Sensor Tower's comprehensive data offerings provide invaluable insights into these trends, empowering brands to make informed decisions and capitalize on cross-platform user behavior.

By leveraging Sensor Tower's robust analytics, decision-makers can gain a competitive edge in understanding and acting upon these critical market dynamics. Explore our products and services to unlock the full potential of your digital strategy.