Most Google Play Apps Never Reach 1,000 Installs
The median Google Play app has 100 to 499 lifetime installs. We measured 3M+ listings to map the full install distribution and what normal looks like.
Independent Google Play research
What the Play Store actually looks like, measured.
We maintain our own Google Play listing database and publish the definitions, dates, and limits behind every finding. These are measured studies, not recycled estimates.
- Listings in the current study
- 3,037,501
- Published studies
- 10
- Database maintained
- Since 2024
Start with the full picture
3M+
public listings observed and compared
Updated October 7, 2026
Inside Google Play in 2026: What 3M+ Listings Reveal
Every headline number about Google Play in one place: app count, launches per day and week, ratings, installs, prices, ads, games and publishers, with dates.
Read the flagship studyPublished studies
Each finding includes its measurement base and last-updated date.
Puzzle Leads Google Play’s 2026 Influx of New Listings
Puzzle, Arcade and Casual added new apps fastest in 2026, while News & Magazines barely moved. All 40 Google Play categories ranked from 3M+ listings.
About 2,100 Apps Launch on Google Play Each Day
About 2,100 new apps hit Google Play every day in 2026, almost double the 2024 pace. We measured 3M+ listings and show the math, not the recycled 1,249.
Games Are 5× as Likely to Show 1M+ Installs
In our Google Play listing data, 8.2% of games show one million or more installs against 1.5% of other apps. Compare genres, rivals, and monetization.
What Google Play’s 12-Tester Rule Means for New Developers
Every new personal Play account runs 12 testers for 14 days before launch. We measured the store on the other side: 3M+ listings, and 2,100 rivals a day.
Google Play App Discovery: One Weekly Batch in 2026
We found 250,952 previously unseen Google Play app IDs in one dated batch. Of those, 179,614 produced records and 71,338 failed collection in this snapshot.
We Analyzed 3 Million Google Play Listings in 2026
Published Google Play app counts vary widely. Our study analyzed 3,037,501 listings observed from 27 July to 25 August 2026, and defines what it counts.
How We Count Google Play Apps: Definitions and Limits
Methodology for Testers Community's Google Play research: discovery, app-ID deduplication, collection outcomes, field definitions, denominators and limits.
Why Most Google Play Apps Remain Below 1,000 Installs
The typical Google Play app never passes 500 installs. We measured 3M+ listings and found five reasons apps stay small, including the ones you control.
Trying to publish an app rather than study the store? Read the publishing guides.