AppsFlyer’s 2025 State of eCommerce App Marketing report reveals a dramatic shift in global growth strategy: China-based eCommerce apps, now responsible for 85% of worldwide iOS user acquisition spend, have begun reallocating budgets from the US to Western Europe at scale. In Germany, iOS UA jumped 170% YoY in Jan–May 2025 and in France, it more than doubled, highlighting the rising importance of flexible, regionally tailored strategies in an unpredictable market environment.
“This reallocation signals a broader transformation in mobile growth, shaped by tariff uncertainty, regional platform dynamics, and increasing reliance on loyalty-focused remarketing,” said Sue Azari, Industry Lead for eCommerce at AppsFlyer. “With the possibility of regulatory or geopolitical shifts ahead, marketers must be ready to adapt quickly. Brands are now making real-time decisions about where to invest based on regulatory environments, user lifetime value, and competitive positioning across multiple continents.”
The data also points to a change in seasonal pacing, as marketers move more budget into acquisition earlier in the year and focus on remarketing during high-attention periods. In November alone, re-engagement surged 218% in the US and 330% in Brazil.
Across platforms, iOS continues to outperform in monetization. Users convert 1.3 days faster, and have a 39% higher first-time purchase rate and 68% stronger re-purchase performance, a loyalty signal that turns acquisition into long-term value. In-app purchase revenue on iOS rose 10 % in 2025, nearly double the growth on Android. India stood out with 44 % year-over-year iOS growth, showing that even in Android-dominant markets, high-value behavior is increasingly platform-driven.
Further Global Insights from the 2025 State of eCommerce
- Remarketing spend hit $16.4B in 2024. That is 3.5x higher than UA budgets. Android’s share increased from 64% to 77%, reflecting more mature re-engagement strategies
- Web-to-app install flows also rose sharply, increasing by 38 % ahead of peak season and another 37% in spring 2025, highlighting the growing importance brands place on driving existing web users to their apps, where
- the native environment delivers stronger loyalty and higher conversion rates
- Fraud exposure approached up to $1 billion globally at risk, with iOS fraud rates dropping from 30.1% to 25.9% while Android edged up from 9.4 % to 10.5%. AI-powered solutions remain essential for effective protection
United States Insights
- The US remained the largest remarketing market at $6.67 billion in 2024
- China-based apps now account for over $2.3 billion in US remarketing activity
- iOS user acquisition declined 38 % year-over-year in November, while Android fell 32 %
- Organic installs outpaced paid, reflecting a brand-led ecosystem
- Android’s loyal-to-regular conversion ratio was 22 % higher than iOS, suggesting stronger post-conversion retention among Android users in the US
Germany Insights
- iOS UA surged 170 % year-over-year from January to May 2025, largely due to China-based app investment
- Germany became a primary destination for tariff-driven budget reallocation
- Spend remained steady throughout Q4, in contrast to markets with holiday-driven spikes
- Remarketing spend surged 220% year-over-year in November 2024, as China-based apps expanded re-engagement efforts alongside user acquisition
France Insights
- iOS UA more than doubled as China-based apps prioritized European growth
- Android in-app purchase spend declined 30% in November, affected by economic pressure and platform shifts
Spain Insights
- Time to purchase on both iOS and Android was among the slowest globally, with third purchases averaging around 10 to 12 days post-install
- Spain ranked near the bottom for both install-to-purchase and install-to-loyal conversion rates across platforms, indicating longer decision cycles and weaker short-term monetization
- On iOS, install-to-purchase rate hovered just below the global average, with install-to-loyal significantly lagging behind
- On Android, both conversion and loyalty rates were among the lowest across all measured markets
LATAM Insights
Brazil:
- iOS user acquisition surged 481% in November 2024, while Android fell 22%
- Remarketing spend jumped 330% year-over-year in November 2024
- Android revenue declined 28% in 2025 despite continued UA activity
- Android IAP spend dropped 32% in November, affected by economic pressure and platform shifts
- Time-to-purchase rates were consistent across platforms, helped by strong local payment infrastructure
- Click flooding remained the dominant Android fraud tactic in the market
- Paid installs surged 155% during holiday season
Mexico:
- iOS user acquisition rose 21% while Android fell 21% in November 2024
- Remarketing spend jumped 136% year-over-year in November 2024
APAC Insights
India:
- iOS in-app purchase revenue surged 44% year-over-year in November 2024, with sustained growth of 31% from January to May 2025
- Remarketing spend reached $447 million in early 2025, with 99.7% originating from India-based apps, highlighting strong domestic user retention focus
- iOS user acquisition grew 70% year-over-year in November, while Android increased 24%
Indonesia:
- Android user acquisition rose 43% year-over-year in November 2024 and 67% from January to May 2025, reflecting renewed investment in high-scale, cost-efficient markets
- iOS loyalty conversion rates were 70% above the global average, indicating high-value user behavior even in Android-dominant markets
Japan:
- Android loyal user rates were 80% above the platform average, showing strong re-engagement potential
- iOS users were 1.5 to 2.5 days slower to convert compared to other markets, representing one of the widest time-to-purchase gaps globally
South Korea:
- iOS loyalty rates exceeded global average by over 60%
- Android loyal user rates were among the highest globally at 80% above the average, trailing only Japan and Saudi Arabia
- Time-to-purchase gap between platforms was among the widest, with Android users 1.5 to 2.5 days slower to convert
Methodology
AppsFlyer’s State of eCommerce App Marketing, 2025 Edition analyzes anonymous, aggregated data from 1,600 eCommerce apps (excluding marketplaces and grocery apps) with at least 3,000 installs per month per country. The study covers 3.1 billion paid app installs and 26 billion remarketing conversions from October 2023 to May 2025. All results meet strict volume thresholds and are based on anonymized, privacy-preserving methodologies.
Explore the full 2025 State of eCommerce App Marketing report here.
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