We’ve Acquired data.aiLearn more

Blog

STORE INTELLIGENCE · RANDY NELSON · FEBRUARY 2016

Sensor Tower’s iOS App Leaders for January 2016

See how Netflix's global expansion helped downloads and revenue worldwide, plus learn about the rest of the most downloaded and top-grossing apps from January.

iOS App Leaders January 2016 Hero Image

Last week, we brought you a look at the App Store's top performing games for the first month of 2016, and today we're giving non-gaming apps the same treatment. In this edition of Sensor Tower's iOS App Leaders report, we'll analyze the top 10 most downloaded and highest grossing apps for both the U.S. and worldwide in January using download and revenue estimates from our industry-leading Store Intelligence platform. Read on for the charts and insights from our team.

Top Downloads: Netflix Grew Globally, While Pinterest was Back in the U.S. Top 10

{% columns %}

{% figure class: 'half column' %}

iOS Top App Downloads United States January 2016

{% endfigure %}

{% figure class: 'half column' %}

iOS Top App Downloads Worldwide January 2016

{% endfigure %}

{% endcolumns %}

Click the charts above to view larger versions.

Looking first at U.S. download estimates for January, we saw Instagram climb two positions to knock YouTube out of the No. 2 spot it occupied in December, and Facebook down to No. 4—two positions lower than on the worldwide top downloads chart.

Fellow social networking app Pinterest had better luck, re-entering the U.S. downloads top 10 for the first time in months by adding more than 150,000 new users on iPhone and iPad since December, and climbing five positions on the chart. Short-form video app musical.ly also rose several spots to chart in 10th place, having been the 16th most downloaded non-gaming app in the U.S. for December.

It was Netflix, however, that saw the largest month-over-month increase in new installs from December for a top 10 app, growing more than 51 percent worldwide to place ninth overall. This growth no doubt stemmed from the streaming service's expansion into 130 countries last month, and we expect its download growth to continue as the app becomes available in more territories where Netflix is now offering subscriptions.

Top Revenue: Netflix Out-Earned Hulu in the U.S., While Tax Season Boosted Intuit's App

{% columns %}

{% figure class: 'half column' %}

iOS Top App Revenue United States January 2016

{% endfigure %}

{% figure class: 'half column' %}

iOS Top App Revenue Worldwide January 2016

{% endfigure %}

{% endcolumns %}

Click the charts above to view larger versions.

The Netflix app also made waves on the U.S. revenue top 10, notably overtaking Hulu in terms of in-app revenue. Netflix introduced the ability to subscribe through its iOS app last September, but had trailed Hulu until last month.

Netflix moved up one spot to rank fourth overall for January in the U.S., while Hulu dropped one position to fifth. On the worldwide chart, it also climbed one place to fourth, while Hulu remained in seventh place, where it was in December. As with downloads, we'd expect global revenue for the Netflix app to continue its growth as users in more countries are able to subscribe.

Following a substantial app install advertising push that got underway right after Christmas—as tracked by our Ad Intelligence platform—Intuit's TurboTax app saw a huge increase in revenue from December to January, entering the revenue top 10 in sixth position for the U.S. and eighth worldwide, from 53rd and 246th place, respectively.

In the U.S., it out-earned dating app Tinder and made more than Match on both charts. At the same time, dating app Zoosk dropped out of the top 10 for both charts for the first time since we began our monthly look at iOS app leaders.

Note: The revenue estimates displayed on our charts are net amounts, i.e., the amount paid to publishers by Apple after its 30 percent portion of their revenue has been deducted.

Join Us Next Month

Look for our analysis of February's non-gaming iOS app download and revenue estimates this time next month. In the meantime, let us hear your feedback on these charts by tweeting @SensorTower or emailing randy@sensortower.com.


Sensor Tower's platform is an enterprise-level offering. Interested in learning more?


Randy Nelson

Written by: Randy Nelson, Head of Mobile Insights

Date: February 2016