Consumer spending on Indian apps, games on Google Play grew by 80% in 2021

Indian apps and games on Google Play Store saw 80% increase in consumer spending in 2021 as compared to 2019,  Google said in a statement. 

According to Google, India is one of the “top downloaders” of apps and games in the world.

Google further said that the monthly active user base of Indian apps and games grew by 200% between 2019 and 2021. Users from outside India spent 150% more time on these apps and games during this period, reiterating the popularity Indian games and apps enjoy in global markets.

“None of this would have been possible without our enterprising and thriving ecosystem of developers and startups in the country,” Aditya Swamy, Director, Play Partnerships said in a statement. 

Swamy said that India-made games such as Ludo King have become very popular globally. It was also the first Indian game to cross 500 million downloads on the Play Store. 

According to an August 2022 report by data.ai (formerly App Annie), Indian e-commerce app Meesho was the eighth most downloaded app in the world in Q2 2022 on both Play Store and Apple App Store, while Ludo King was the third most downloaded game. It was also the fifth game in the world with the highest monthly active users. 

Consumer spending on apps and games has increased significantly after Covid-19 outbreak and the shift to remote work and learning. Though people are returning to offices and schools, tome and money spent on on apps and games is still growing. 

According to App Annie, consumer spending across App Store and Play Stores grew by almost 25% year-on-year (YoY) totalling $135 billion in 2021, while downloads crossed 140 billion at 8% YoY. 

Google on its part has been working with developers and startups in India through its various accelerator programs. 

Swami pointed that India is “uniquely positioned” to become a global hub for “app innovation.”