Mobile App Testing Statistics And Facts (2025)

Table of Contents

Introduction
Editor’s Choice
Mobile App Downloads
The Critical Role Of Real-Device Testing In Mobile App Success
Mobile App Testing High-Growth And High-Expectation Market
Challenges With App Testing
Emerging Technologies That Are Transforming App Testing
Impact of Blockchain On Testing Security Standards
Integrating Augmented Reality For User Experience App Testing
Conclusion

Introduction

Mobile App Testing Statistics: Mobile app testers merely ensure that mobile applications become perfect in quality and performance, which touches the realm of a person’s digital life. People look for perfection, whereas app users majorly derive their opinion of an app from their very first impression. Hence, testing of mobile applications, be it anything, cannot be compromised.

In the year 2024, billions will go shopping, banking, chatting, gaming, or working through applications. App quality becomes a big deal: can the app crash, can it be fast, can it be secure, can it be easy to use? This article brings forth some important mobile app testing statistics for the year 2024.

Editor’s Choice

79% of users will only try an app one or two times after a failure; even a five-second freeze can prompt 18% of users to uninstall it immediately.
Crashes are the worst, causing approximately 70%-71% of uninstalls, while slow loading times see close to 70% users bouncing off an app.
94% of users uninstall apps within 30 days, and 75% of them don’t return even after one day.
Somewhere around 25% of revenues for a company come through apps, yet 75% of organisations have faced losses amounting to US$100K in every delayed release.
86% of users spend more time on apps than on the mobile website, stressing the importance of mobile performance.
Continuous testing has managed to do a 22% drop in unexpected issues, making releases run faster and be of better quality.
AI-powered testing cuts the time needed for testing by about 30% and at the same time increases coverage by about 40%.
5G will offer an average throughput of 1 Gbps, thus compelling us to test across a wide gamut of network condition variables.
80% of developers put the cloud platform into the test execution phase because of scalability and collaboration opportunities offered.
Machine learning can increase the accuracy of automated bug reporting by 50%.
These blockchain security breaches can be reduced by 50%, with a further reduction of operational costs by 20-30% via smart contracts.
AR integration can enhance information retention by 70%, increase user retention by 30%, and increase session duration by 15%.

Mobile App Downloads

Number of Mobile App Downloads Worldwide from 2016 to 2023

(Reference: globalapptesting.com)

The number of app downloads worldwide has witnessed continuous growth from 2016 to 2022, according to Statista.
The sudden growth seems to stop springing; standing at 257 billion global downloads, it merely registered a 1% growth compared to that of 2022.
With the huge slowdown in the growth of downloads, still, the market for apps has appeared, on the way to being extremely profitable, so much that projections have shown it could pull revenues upwards of US$613 billion by 2025.
In terms of user acquisition, the 2020 Mobile Gaming Apps report by Liftoff saw a steep decrease in the cost of acquiring a user-half by two-thirds of the figure, from US$4.37 in the preceding year to a mere US$1.47 on average.
The cost to register a user in a game also went down, from US$9.17 to an average of US$5.72.
The costs of conversion for users into paying customers have gone up to an average cost of US$43.88 in the past year, US$35.42 the previous year, and US$28.05 two years ago.
When broken down by platform, the cost for Android users to be acquired is US$0.89, whereas that for iOS users is considerably higher at US$3.09.
Nevertheless, both platforms have similar returns on investment, with Android having a 30-day return on ad spend of 36%, while iOS has 37%.
Technical failure is one of the main causes of user churn since it disrupts the app experience.
79% of users would give an app just one or two more tries if it failed the first time they used it.
A mere five-second freeze can cause 18% of users to uninstall an app on the spot. This shows how even small performance issues can have huge impacts on retention and revenues.

The Critical Role Of Real-Device Testing In Mobile App Success

As per Browserstack, mobile app statistics state that crashes are 71% responsible for app uninstallations, which means instability and unreliability can tear down user trust in no time.
The only way to ensure an app remains stable is to test it on real devices and platforms such as iOS, Android, and Windows, in real-world conditions such as low battery, incoming calls, or sudden changes in network strength.

Android OS version	Cumulative Distribution
4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich”	0.2%
4.1 – 4.2 – 4.3 “Jelly Bean”	1.7%
4.4 “KitKat”	4%
5 “Lollipop”	9.2%
6 “Marshmallow”	11.2%
7 “Nougat”	12.9%
8 “Oreo”	21.3%
9 “Pie”	31.3%

(Source: browserstack.com)

Even if an app is downloaded is a waste if it fails to be used regularly today.
In 2019, the total number of app downloads reached 204 billion, in which the average consumer would retain approximately 40 apps on their phones, but astonishingly, 89% of their aggregate usage time would be spent on roughly 18 applications.
Hence, an app has to be really well built and designed to make it onto the regular rotation, and this warrants testing on real devices.

Mobile App Testing High-Growth And High-Expectation Market

#1. Mobile Apps’ Revenue Contribution and the Price of Delays

Kobiton Research on mobile app testing claims that ‘mobile apps’ account for one-quarter of the total revenues of companies.
Worse still, 75% of these firms state that they lose more than US$100,000 annually because their app release cycles are too slow.
Given that three out of four companies seem to weave much of their revenue around mobile apps, any delay in launching updates or new versions would almost certainly pose a dire threat to profitability.
This made organisations look towards upstream testing processes that promised faster, better testing procedures.

#2. App Download Surge and Increased Demand for Quality

According to Sensor Tower, the total global app downloads record doubles every quarter since 2015, revealing the increased spread of mobile technology.
This marks heavier user interaction with apps every day, with less margin for errors.
With an increase in the number of users, it becomes imperative to carry out thorough testing to attest to its flawless performance.

#3. Forecast Sales Rise and the Importance of Reliability

The projected increase in sales for the top apps on the App Store for Google Play is about 80% higher in 2024 compared to 2019.
This translates into users being willing to pay more for apps of higher quality, but in return, developers have to ensure reliability and strong performance as a result of increased demands and higher traffic.

#4. Shift Toward Mobile Over Web

About 86% of people now say that they spend more time on their apps than on websites, emphasising the preference for mobile platforms.
This leads to a stress on consistent performance for apps, which can only be achieved with smart and continuous testing.

#5. Issues of User Retention

Retention is the greatest challenge, with 94% of users uninstalling apps within a 30-day period.
The main reasons are poor performance, bugs, and a lack of interesting features.
Similarly, only 25% of users return after Day 1, which leaves a smooth and engaging onboarding experience as the priority. Usability testing will greatly help to resolve these issues.

#6. Silent Churn and Lack of Feedback

A complaint directly to the company is made by a mere 4% of people, even amidst a bad experience. Most uninstall the apps without any kind of notice.
App-store reviews, in-app feedback, and proactive testing should uncover and help address any possible issues before causing churn.

#7. Efficiency Gains from Continuous Testing

According to research by Puppet, mobile app testing shows that teams whose testing is interwoven with development lose 22% less time because of unanticipated issues.
The continuous testing approach accelerates delivery and also provides final product quality because it reduces any last-minute rework.

#8. Cross-Browser Compatibility

Given that 80% of users depend on Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, developers must ensure their apps are always tested with the other, ensuring consistency and reliability for all users.

#9. Personalisation and Conversion Rates

The Salesforce study found that the mobile shoppers who click recommendations have 25% odds of completing the purchase.
Testing the recommendation features allows the company to verify that those features do what they’re supposed to and drive higher conversions.

#10. Quality Analyst Professional Demand Surge

The employment of software engineers, QA analysts, and testers is growing by around 25% between 2021 and 2031, surpassing the average rate of job growth.
This indicates an increasing need for skilled professionals in mobile app testing.

#11. The Frequent Interaction of Devices and User Expectations

The average mobile user checks his or her cell phone 47 times every day. In that case, any issue—even just a tiny one—becomes frustrating rapidly for the users.
Such issues demand user testing on apps to make sure the app interaction goes smoothly.

Challenges With App Testing

Technical Failures and App Removal

In 2020, 70% of the 5 million mobile apps were removed due to technical problems.
To avoid such results, one should conduct thorough testing: functional, performance, and usability.

Tests Market Development

The worldwide market for mobile app testing services is expected to amount to US$13.58 billion by 2026, giving an indication that companies are willing to invest in quality assurance.

Localisation and Accessibility

By deciding to optimise for non-English users, Canva was able to increase its audience reach by 60%, thus proving the case for localisation and accessibility testing.
This makes sure that the apps work perfectly well across languages and cultures.

Crashes and Loading Issues Are a Big Cause of Uninstalls

About 70% of uninstalls are because of crashes, and the same percentage of users will abandon an app because it is too slow to load.
Performance, crash, and usability testing will go a long way to help solve these problems.

Emerging Technologies That Are Transforming App Testing

AI finds a very important use in quality assurance, and it has been said that 70% of organisations using AI-powered testing tools saw a 30% reduction in testing time coupled with a 40% increase in test coverage.
Continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) are standard practices nowadays, and tools like Jenkins and CircleCI provide real-time testing that speeds up time-to-market.
Embracing these tools lets companies automate workflows and find issues faster.
5G has a performance-testing angle. At about 1-Gbps download speeds, the apps will enjoy faster data transfers.
Developers, therefore, must test their applications across various network environments for smooth responses.
Cloud-based testing environments are on the other fast-rising tide.
One report cited that 80% of developers prefer running their test cases on a cloud platform because it offers scalability, easy accessibility, and collaborative advantages.
Machine learning (ML) is providing further accuracy in testing. The studies showed that integration of ML models into automated test frameworks improves an automated bug report’s accuracy by 50%.
Hence, organisations are strongly recommended to embed these algorithms in their existing processes to speed up defect detection.
Cross-platform development frameworks like Kotlin and Flutter have allowed simultaneous testing on various devices, thus accelerating development speed and reducing costs, which opens avenues for organisations to avail of robust testing solutions.
For companies looking to expand their capabilities, hiring specialised developers — such as Lua experts — can be a smart investment.

Impact of Blockchain On Testing Security Standards

Emerging as a blockchain technology that provides strong security, this technology is known to affect every platform.
Research shows that blockchain reduces security breaches by more than 50% through a process of decentralised verification on data integrity.
For instance, the same technology acknowledges the authenticated transaction without placing it at the risk of a single point of failure.
The integration of smart contracts takes this one notch further by automating verification processes, thus minimising human involvement and the errors that come along with it.
According to studies, the use of smart contracts can reduce operational costs by 20-30%, thereby freeing up resources to be spent on more advanced security efforts.
Currently, 32% of organisations are considering blockchain adoption to support security within their software solutions.
The trend exemplifies the increasingly accepted fact that blockchains are the way to forge a resilient security framework. Security assessments need real-time auditing to maintain transparency and traceability.

Integrating Augmented Reality For User Experience App Testing

Metric	Before AR Integration	After AR Integration	% Change
User Retention Rate	50%	80%	+60%
Average Session Length	5 mins	6 mins	+20%
User Engagement Score	70	90	+28.6%

(Source: moldstud.com)

Augmented reality may be an impactful tool in understanding the nuances of user experience and offering more actionable insights.
Studies reveal that 70% of users tend to remember better when augmented elements are presented in applications.
To harness the full potential of AR, emphasis needs to be placed on testing major usability metrics and certain behavioural aspects.
Among them are user involvement, application strength for navigation, and the content interaction effect.
Through in-house prototype development and quick iterations with AR features, testing may, therefore, proceed with real-time analysis by testers, while Unity and ARKit assist in fast-paced development and enable A/B testing with set-up downtime.
The data shows: Research has revealed that AR-engaged applications enhance user retention by 30% more than the conventional interface.
In addition, if AR is integrated effectively, it is expected to increase retention in terms of average session duration by almost 15%, which also quantifies the rise in satisfaction.

Conclusion

Testing of mobile applications today poses a critical point to app success, being the actual retention of clients, revenue, and brand name. Badly tested apps whose main reason for being uninstalled is crashing (67%) or slow performance (70%). Testing really must be plumbed with the horological accuracy of real devices in a variety of conditions.

Emerging technologies like AI, ML, 5G, blockchain, and AR have triggered a major upheaval in quality assurance, reducing time spent on testing, enhancing testing accuracy, and embedding security within the product. Following this, continuous testing can reduce bug issues by 22%, speed up the release process, and guarantee a flawless user experience. Since mobile usage is fast outgrowing the web, businesses with solid test strategies in hand will best catch user expectations, counter churn, and stand tall in the competitive market.

Sources

FAQ.

Why is mobile app testing so important?

Mobile app testing ensures apps are stable, fast, secure, and easy to use. It is a high drop issue; 71% of uninstallations occur due to app crash and 70% take place for the reason of slow loading time; a delay of a few seconds’ time is enough to alienate millions of users from the app itself. Thorough testing helps avoid all these issues and thus safeguards user trust and company revenue.

How do performance issues impact user retention?

Performance problems have an immediate impact on retention – 79% of users will only give an app one or two chances after a failure, and 18% would uninstall an app that freezes for five seconds. Moreover, 94% uninstall within 30 days, and performance optimisation is among the main things; 95% of users return after only a day!

Which technologies are helping to enhance mobile app testing?

AI-powered testing tools decrease testing by 30% or so and increase coverage by 40%. Meanwhile, machine learning makes automated bug reporting 90% of the time. 5G forces apps to be tested with a variety of network conditions, while developers now favour 80% of cloud platforms to carry out their testing in an environment with scalability and collaboration.

How do trends such as blockchain and AR influence, affect app testing?

Blockchain can probably reduce security breaches by at least 50% and plummet operational costs by 20 to 30% through the use of smart contracts. AR helps with user retention by 30%, information retention by 70%, and session length by 15%, and it makes specialised AR usability testing very worthwhile.

What is the cost borne due to poor testing and missed deadlines?

About a quarter of the revenue of companies comes through mobile applications, yet 75% of the businesses lose upward of US$100,000 every year in slow releases. It is said that continuous testing helps avert an unexpected issue by 22%, faster deliveries, good quality, and Downtime that might be very costly.

Priya Bhalla

I hold an MBA in Finance and Marketing, bringing a unique blend of business acumen and creative communication skills. With experience as a content in crafting statistical and research-backed content across multiple domains, including education, technology, product reviews, and company website analytics, I specialize in producing engaging, informative, and SEO-optimized content tailored to diverse audiences. My work bridges technical accuracy with compelling storytelling, helping brands educate, inform, and connect with their target markets.