UAE Mobile App Statistics 2025: Crucial Stats to Know

The mobile app market has played a major role in the overall growth of any country, and the UAE is no exception.

With the growing interest of Emirati businessmen in the digital transformation of their businesses, the mobile app market has turned into a buffet of innovative applications that not only get the job done but also help a business to generate millions in revenue.

The market surely looks promising to enter with a mobile app of your own. If you plan to build an app for your existing business or build a new business from scratch, then this might just be the right time to do so.

But don’t take our word for it; instead, start your journey by learning about the mobile app market in the UAE. And what better way to understand the market than looking at the latest stats and trends?

In this post, let us take a look at every mobile app stat you need to know to understand the market and usage. Without further ado, let’s begin with a market overview!

UAE Mobile App Market: An Overview

Dubai has certainly caught the attention of the world with the abundance of opportunities that it offers. While Dubai was more of a leisure place for the high-net-worth individuals of the world, today, it is one of the best places to invest as it yields better ROI.

Mobile applications have played a pivotal role in the digital transformation of businesses. The current mobile app market in the UAE was valued at $1,339.3 million in 2024, and is expected to touch $2,357.6 million by 2030 with a CAGR of 10.3%.

This growth in the market is a clear indication of how consistently businesses are moving towards mobile apps. And it is a wiser choice as it is super easy for businesses to reach people.

The idea of building a mobile app to reach out to the masses in the UAE is highly fruitful, as 99% of the UAE population uses the internet through their smartphone, making the market penetration super smooth.

Sounds fascinating, right? Well, that is just the beginning, as there are more fascinating stats that you can learn about mobile apps in the UAE. Just keep on reading!

Must-Know Mobile App Stats To Understand User Preferences in the UAE

Now that you have some insights into how the market works and where the mobile app market in the UAE is headed, it is time to gain a deeper understanding of the market.

To understand the market, you need to be familiar with various aspects of it. What are these aspects? Let’s find out!

1] Preferred OS in the UAE Market

If we talk about mobile apps in the UAE, the opinion of users is quite evidently inclined towards 67.29% of users preferring Android. 11.54% are using iOS, while 10.89% people are opting for Windows and other operating systems, giving you insights on which app type you should develop in case you are going for Native app development.

2] In-App Purchase Revenue

The market is booming as people are more open to spending on in-app purchases in the UAE. According to research, the in-app purchase revenue for mobile apps in Dubai was recorded to be $812 million in 2023 and is growing at a CAGR of 7% expected to reach $2,393 million by 2030.

The stat indicates that the users are not reluctant to spend money if the app gets the job done.

3] Number of App Downloads

The app market in the UAE is flourishing as it has been able to capture a user’s attention. The downloads tell the story of the UAE mobile app market as it is all set to touch a whopping 5 billion by the end of 2025.

The number is highly motivating for new apps in the market, as this will keep increasing over the years.

4] Time Spent on Mobile & Smartphones

Understanding the user behaviour is equally important before launching an app. The UAE market is growing because the penetration is easy, thanks to great connectivity and ease of access to smartphones.

On average, users in the UAE who belong to the age group of 16-64 are spending more than 7 hours on the internet, making them the perfect target audience for all types of mobile apps.

Knowing the user preferences and behaviour is crucial in identifying the potential of the market. These stats not only give you a peek into the UAE mobile app market but also allow you to be more updated with things that you should do while planning an app of your own.

Pro Tip – Bookmark this post now so that you can refer to these stats in the future!

UAE Mobile App Stats: What Types of Apps Are Popular?

When launching an app, you do need to identify the user behaviour. However, what’s more important is finding the appropriate niche to start your mobile app journey. The UAE is a growing economy and has a variety of apps that have been gaining popularity.

Here are the categories that are growing, along with the stats to support them –

1] E-commerce and Mobile Shopping

A significant number of UAE shoppers opted to go for online purchases through e-commerce applications, showing the mobile-first approach.

More importantly, people looking to enter the e-commerce market should understand that it is a lucrative market worth $11.05 billion in 2025, growing with a CAGR of 12.39% with a targeted revenue of $20.54 billion by 2030.

2] Mobile Payment Apps

Mobile payments are catching up in the UAE, especially in Dubai, as users have shown interest in using different payment methods, including your proximity payments, card payments, mobile payments, etc.

So much so that the mobile payments market size was calculated to be $80.37 billion in 2024, expected to reach $135.94 billion in 2030 with a CAGR of 11.08%. The market is certainly a growing opportunity, and launching your payment app can be a good decision.

3] Social Media Apps

Now this is where things get interesting. There are several social media platforms currently active in the UAE market, including both bigger and smaller players.

The stats suggest that 100% of the population of the UAE is on social media, or to be accurate, 11.3 million active identities on social media come from the UAE, suggesting the same. Facebook, Instagram contribute to the majority of these numbers; however, there is a potential for hyper-local social media apps.

Other than these 3, real estate apps and on-demand solutions are also highly popular in the UAE region. Since the digital transformation of Emirati businesses is underway, demand for custom app development is at an all-time high, which shows how interested UAE businesses are in creating a digital outlet for their businesses.

To make the most of these opportunities, you need to have a solid understanding of building the right mobile apps.

More importantly, you must hire a professional mobile app development company that understands your business and translates the same into your app. If you are looking for a development partner, check out the next section!

Make the Most of UAE’s Growing Mobile App Market With Nimble AppGenie

The UAE market is growing substantially, providing a great opportunity for businesses to enter the mobile app market. With innovative apps being published regularly, the market is yet to see its peak. Which means if you are looking to enter the same, this is the right time to capitalize.

At Nimble AppGenie, we help businesses grab the opportunity of growth with both hands by building robust mobile apps that set standards in the market.

With years of experience in delivering high-quality solutions in all types of industries, we have become a go-to partner for mobile app development services in the UAE.

In case you have an idea but do not know where to start, fill out the form and connect with our experts to find the right guidance. Building an app in the UAE is easy with industry experts and professionals. Take your initiative today!

Conclusion

Understanding mobile app statistics can allow you to be more practical in making investment decisions wisely.

While the market seems a bit cluttered with thousands of apps, it also offers a dynamic opportunity to enter and leave a statement. The UAE spectrum is on the rise, considering there are millions of users who are open to trying new things.

Hopefully, these stats help you identify the key areas in which you can plan your own mobile app. That will be all for this post. If you have any queries, feel free to reach out and ask the experts.

Thanks for reading, good luck!

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