AppsFlyer Research Confirms 'Ramadan Effect' as Middle East Mobile App Revenues Surpass US$1.7 Billion, Showing 18.6% YoY Growth
The Holy Month continues to drive a significant spike in mobile app engagement and revenue across the Middle East. Shopping and Finance apps once again lead the charge.
As brands across the region continue to compete for consumer attention during the Holy Month, new data from AppsFlyer, the global leader in marketing measurement, attribution, and data analytics, reveals another year of dramatic growth in mobile app engagement, installs, and revenue across the Middle East — as marketers double down on seasonal campaigns to capture user attention during this critical commercial period.
In its annual Ramadan analysis, AppsFlyer found that mobile app activity across the region saw a significant uplift during the Holy Month. Sessions, a measure of app usage across all app categories, increased by approximately 15% year-over-year, with Gaming, Shopping, and Finance apps driving steady engagement throughout the Ramadan period. Non-organic installs also increased by an estimated 10% year-over-year across categories. In-app purchase revenue climbed by 18.6% YoY to reach US$1.70 billion.
During Ramadan, Shopping app sessions across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar rose by over 20% YoY, reaching 682 million this year. This was accompanied by a 76% increase in non-organic installs across the region. Shopping apps saw the strongest uplift in the first half of Ramadan, with a 111% increase in installs compared to the same period in 2024, followed by a 47% rise in the second half.
Finance apps also delivered strong results, with sessions increasing by 9.7% and in-app revenue growing by 29.35%, reaching US$650 million. However, non-organic installs in Finance declined slightly (6% YoY), suggesting that while fewer paid users were acquired, those who did convert delivered higher value.
Meanwhile, Gaming apps held steady, with flat session growth (0.05%) and stable monetization (3.26% in IAP), though non-organic installs fell marginally (-1% YoY).
UAE Highlights: Smart Growth, Strong Retention
While regional metrics outpaced local performance in some categories, the UAE continued to contribute meaningfully across key verticals. Non-organic installs nearly doubled for shopping apps, growing 97% YoY, with install activity peaking in the second half of the Holy Month (103%).
In the Finance category, UAE usage was concentrated in the early and late weeks of Ramadan, though non-organic installs fell by 7% overall, with a 24% drop in the final two weeks, indicating a reliance on early acquisition and strong organic performance. Gaming app sessions in the UAE mirrored regional trends, and installs remained stable, with a slight YoY decline of 1%.
