The chart below lists of the total number of apps available in the App Store at various dates in the past. The list is based on Apple announcements, news from Apple and other companies, and estimates from analysts, so the numbers are approximate. The Total iOS Apps column includes all apps that work on the iPhone, the iPad, iPod touch, or all three. The iPad Apps column lists the number of apps that have specific iPad versions. The Apple Watch and Apple TV apps columns aren’t counted as part of the Total Apps, since they have slightly separate App Stores. March 2018 - 2,100,000 May 2017 - 2,200,000 June 2016 - 2,000,000 June 2015 - 1,500,000 Jan. 2015 - 1,400,000 Sept. 2014 - 1,300,000 June 2014 - 1,200,000 Oct. 2013 - 1,000,000 June 2013 - 900,000 Jan. 2013 - 775,000 Sept. 2012 - 700,000 June 2012 - 650,000 April 2012 - 600,000 Oct. 2011 - 500,000 June 2011 - 425,000 March 2011 - 350,000 Nov. 2010 - 400,000 Sept. 2010 - 250,000 June 2010 - 225,000 May 2010 - 200,000 April 2010 - 185,000 Jan. 2010 - 140,000 Nov. 2009 - 100,000 Sept. 2009 - 85,000 July 2009 - 65,000 June 2009 - 50,000 April 2009 - 35,000 March 2009 - 25,000 Sept. 2008 - 3,000 July 2008 - 800 Jan. 2015 - 725,000 Oct. 2014 - 675,000 Oct. 2013 - 475,000 June 2013 - 375,000 Jan. 2013 - 300,000 Sept. 2012 - 250,000 June 2012 - 225,000 April 2012 - 200,000 Oct. 2011 - 140,000 July 2011 - 100,000 June 2011 - 90,000 March 2011 - 65,000 Nov. 2010 - 40,000 Sept. 2010 - 25,000 June 2010 - 8,500 May 2010 - 5,000 Sept. 2015 - 10,000 July 2015 - 8,500 June 2015 - 6,000 June 2016 - 6,000 March 2016 - 5,000
It’s Really Hard to Get Good Numbers
We have lots of good, detailed data for the early days of these app stores. That the data gets less specific and is updated less often the closer we come to the present. That’s because Apple has stopped providing this information so regularly. This part of an overall trend with Apple. In recent years, the company has limited the amount and types of data it shares with the public. For instance, it used to announce the number of iPhones sold it each quarter. Now it only announces the revenue generated from those sales. Apple seems to be following that trend with its app stores, preferring to talk about sales and pay-outs to developers rather than total numbers of available apps. It may also think that saying there are 2 million apps is enough — and that that’s basically the equivalent of saying you can find anything you want.
There’s Some Confusion
Something important that Apple doesn’t reveal in these numbers is whether the iPad Apps total includes those that are iPad only or if it represents those that are iPad only and those that have combined iPhone and iPad versions. If it’s the second, the total number of iPad-only apps is smaller than what’s listed here.
The App Store is Shrinking — On Purpose
From 2017 to 2020, the number of iPhone apps in the App Store declined. That might seem bad. That’s not necessarily the case. In recent years, Apple introduced new standards to improve the quality of the apps available in the store. The company also removed old apps that are no longer compatible with new versions of the iOS, apps that copy other apps, and those that provide tools that aren’t needed on the iPhone, like antivirus. While numbers do sometimes go down, they’re dropping while the quality of apps in the store is going up.
The Explosive Growth of Apps
Apple added support for apps to iOS in July 2008. In the 18 months from then to January 2010, nearly 150,000 apps were released. That’s around 275 apps per day. That’s an amazing start.
iPad Apps Grew at the Same Pace
You might think that the growth of iPad apps would be faster than iPhone apps, since the App Store ecosystem had been in place for two years and users were comfortable with apps. Not true. The iPad had around 140,000 apps after its first 18 months, just like the iPhone.
