Skip to main content

Netflix earned $790M from iOS alone in 2018 as subscription apps dominate year-end ‘top grossing’ chart

Subscription apps have become incredibly common on iOS over the last several years. As 2018 comes to a close, app analytics firm Sensor Tower has compiled a list of the highest grossing applications for iPhone and iPad worldwide this year. As you’d expect, subscription applications dominate the list.

The top 10 list was compiled by Sensor Tower for Business Insider. The list breaks down the top 10 highest grossing apps for iPhone and iPad worldwide, and details how much revenue each app brought in.

Subscription applications dominate the list, as seemingly all of the top 10 grossing apps offer some sort of subscription functionality. Tinder, for instance, offers its Tinder Plus and Tinder Gold tiers, which undoubtedly helped it secure its spot on the top grossing list this year.

Coming in at the top of the list is Netflix, which brought in a whopping $790.2 million in revenue from iOS subscriptions alone. This makes it the far and away leader, followed by Tencent Video at $490.2 million and Tinder at 462.2 million.

In addition to underscoring the importance and popularity of subscriptions on iOS, this list also shows how big the Chinese market has become to the App Store. Five of the top 10 grossing apps are based in China, and two of them (Tencent Video and Kwai) are powered at least in part by Tencent.

Here’s the full list:

  1. Netflix – $790.2 million
  2. Tencent Video – $490.0 million
  3. Tinder – $462.2 million
  4. iQiyi – $420.5 million
  5. Kwai (Kuaishou) – $264.5 million
  6. YouTube – $244.2 million
  7. Pandora – $225.7 million
  8. Youku – $192.9 million
  9. QQ – $159.7 million
  10. Hulu – $132.6 million

What do you think of this list and the rising popularity of the subscription model on iOS? Let us know down in the comments.


Subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

Author

Avatar for Chance Miller Chance Miller

Chance is an editor for the entire 9to5 network and covers the latest Apple news for 9to5Mac.

Tips, questions, typos to chance@9to5mac.com

Manage push notifications

notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
Please wait...processing
notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
Please wait...processing