App Store Spending Falls in US for First Time: What It Means 2026

App Store spending in the United States has fallen for the first time in a decade, according to data from Sensor Tower shared with the Financial Times. In the second quarter, US customer spending dropped 6% year-over-year — a milestone that marks the end of an era for Apple's services business.

The decline isn't because people have stopped using apps or paying for them. It's because the money is increasingly flowing outside Apple's walls. A combination of regulatory changes and shifting consumer behavior is reshaping how app revenue is counted and who gets a cut.

What the Numbers Actually Show

Three different sources, measuring slightly different things, all point in the same direction: Apple's App Store revenue is under pressure. Sensor Tower's data shows the 6% US decline, while other reports indicate that Apple's commission revenue has also taken a hit.

Globally, the App Store still grew, but only by 3% — down from 13% a year earlier. That slowdown is significant for a company that has relied on services growth to offset hardware cycles.

• US spending fell 6% year-over-year in Q2, the first drop in ten years of recorded data.
• Global growth slowed to 3%, compared to 13% a year ago.
• Apple's commission revenue dropped 18%, according to one analysis, though this measures Apple's cut, not total user spending.
• Games revenue declined 4.5% globally, while other categories grew around 15%.
• External payment links are now allowed in the US, diverting transactions away from Apple's ledger.

The Epic Ruling and the Shift to External Payments

Since April 2025, a court ruling in the Epic v. Apple case requires Apple to allow apps to link to external payment options in the United States without charging a commission. That means developers can direct users to pay via the web, bypassing Apple's in-app purchase system entirely.

When a user pays for a subscription through a browser instead of inside the app, the money still exists — but it disappears from Apple's revenue and from third-party panels like Sensor Tower. Apple itself has acknowledged in SEC filings that such transactions "may not be eligible for commission."

So part of the decline reflects genuinely cooling demand, and part reflects money that has simply moved off the radar. Disentangling the two is difficult, but the trend is clear: the walls around Apple's garden are getting lower.

Gaming No Longer Carries the Load

For years, games have been the engine of App Store revenue. That engine is now sputtering. Global games revenue fell 4.5%, a notable contraction for the category that has long subsidized the rest of the store.

Meanwhile, non-gaming categories grew about 15%, but that growth isn't enough to offset the gaming decline. The result is a maturing app economy where the old growth drivers are losing steam.

Why This Matters for Developers and Investors

For developers, the shift to external payments is a double-edged sword. On one hand, avoiding Apple's 15-30% commission can significantly improve margins. On the other hand, managing payments outside the app store adds complexity and may reduce conversion rates.

For Apple investors, the concern is that services revenue — a key growth story — may be structurally challenged. If more transactions migrate to the web, Apple's take rate could decline even if overall app spending remains healthy.

The company has argued that external payment links pose security and privacy risks, but courts have so far sided with developers. The long-term impact will depend on how many users actually choose external payment methods and how seamlessly developers can implement them.

What to Watch Next

Several factors will determine whether this decline is a blip or a new normal. The adoption rate of external payment links, the performance of non-gaming categories, and regulatory developments in other markets will all play a role. The background to this story is set out in Chinese Developers Now Earn 52% of App Store Revenue Abroad. A related thread runs through Google Revenue Soars 12th Quarter – AI Spending Drives Growth. Earlier coverage in UK Consumer Confidence Falls Fastest Since Brexit: Spending Habits shows how the argument developed.

If the US model spreads to Europe or other regions, Apple's commission revenue could face further pressure. Conversely, if developers find that external payments don't deliver the expected benefits, some may return to the simplicity of in-app purchases. A closer look at the same subject appears in MapQuest Tops Apple App Store After Defying Trump's Lake Ontario Order. Anyone following the wider picture can start with Because the mobile case is worth the money. The same theme surfaces in UK Retail Sales Fall as Households Cut Back on Spending, which takes a different angle.

For now, the data suggests that the App Store's decade-long growth streak in the US has ended. The money hasn't vanished — it's just finding new paths that don't always lead through Cupertino. Context on how this played out before sits in UK Economy Grows 0.1% in August Despite Consumer Spending Fall. A companion piece, Google Earnings Surge: 12th Consecutive Quarter of Revenue, approaches the same subject from another angle.