Mobile marketing analytics platform Adjust has published a comprehensive report titled “Mobile App Trends Special Report: Turkey 2025,” which examines Turkey’s mobile app ecosystem. The report reveals that Turkey has become a significant force in the global mobile app market thanks to its young and tech-savvy population, high internet penetration, and dynamic startup ecosystem. Examining the gaming, finance, and e-commerce sectors, the report highlights that Turkey competes with global giants in both app downloads and usage time.
Turkey Ranks 8th in the World in Mobile Usage
According to Adjust’s report, Turkey’s mobile app economy is rapidly growing, potentially reaching $1.65 billion in revenue by 2029. With 3.66 billion downloads and 101.5 billion hours spent in-app in 2024, Turkey ranked 8th globally. The most significant drivers behind this impressive growth are young consumers under the age of 34, who make up more than half of the population, and an internet penetration rate reaching 87%. The report notes that government incentives and international collaborations also supported this growth.
Artificial Intelligence Applications Explode
One of the report’s most striking findings was the strong interest in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) applications in Turkey. According to Sensor Tower data, app downloads in this category jumped from 11.3 million in 2023 to 27.4 million in 2024, a record increase of 142.5%. AI chatbots and visual generators attracted the most interest in this area, with applications such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini topping the list of most downloaded applications. This rise is driven by factors such as the shift of hypercasual game studios toward AI, the development of Turkish-specific large language models (LLMs), and the investment environment supporting AI startups.
Sector Analysis: Opportunities and Challenges
Gaming Sector: Gaming apps in Turkey surpassed global averages in the first half of 2025, with a 4% increase in installs and a 12% increase in sessions compared to the same period of the previous year. Average session duration rose to 32.8 minutes, exceeding the MENAT region and global averages, demonstrating the high engagement of Turkish gamers. However, the report also highlights a significant challenge: user retention rates. Day 30 user retention is only 1% in Turkey, compared to the global average of 5%. This suggests that despite high engagement, user lifecycles are shorter.
Finance Sector: While financial apps experienced a strong 30% increase in installs in the first half of 2025, a 4% decrease in sessions was observed. Average session durations decreased from 6.9 minutes in 2023 to 6.18 minutes in the first half of 2025. However, Adjust notes that this decline may not be a negative indicator; rather, it could indicate that users are completing their transactions more quickly and efficiently. Turkey’s greatest success in this sector is seen in user retention rates. With a 5% user retention rate at 30 days, Turkey performs significantly above both the MENAT (4%) and global (2%) averages.
E-Commerce Sector: While e-commerce app installations declined in global markets, the 7% decline in Turkey was more modest compared to the declines in the global (14%) and MENAT (26%) regions. More importantly, session numbers in Turkey increased by 4% during the same period, demonstrating positive growth contrary to regional trends. In terms of user retention rates, Turkey ranks slightly above the MENAT and global averages with a 14% first-day rate. The slight decrease in session duration may indicate a more efficient shopping experience.
