The growth rate of Apple’s app store, the App Store, has sharply slowed and lost significant momentum. The latest data from industry analyst firm Sensor Tower and used by Goldman Sachs reveals that the annual growth rate in App Store spending has halved since July.
App Store revenues decline
This growth rate, which was 12 percent in July 2025, fell to 9 percent in October before falling to just 6 percent by November 2025. This slowdown was evident both monthly and year-over-year.
Game spending, which contributes a significant 44 percent of the App Store’s revenue, also declined. Spending in the games category, which grew by 3 percent in October 2025, decreased by 2 percent in November compared to the previous year.
This decline stems from the steps Apple was forced to take due to regulatory changes within the European Union (EU). Under pressure from the EU’s “gatekeeper” designation under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the company allowed users in the EU to install third-party app stores.
However, another regulation, implemented since March 2024, required Apple to charge developers who opt into a modified program a lower percentage of the total app revenue it receives.
These two developments significantly weakened the App Store’s growth momentum. The four largest geographies, the US, Japan, the UK, and Canada, which account for 52 percent of App Store spending, also experienced consecutive declines in growth.
Under current circumstances, Apple is unlikely to reverse this slowdown in the App Store in the short term. However, Apple’s broader services segment reportedly continues to see healthy growth, thanks to strong performance in services like iCloud+, AppleCare+, Apple Music, and Apple Pay.
