According to AppMagic, since 2016, non-gaming applications have surpassed mobile games in terms of in-app purchase revenue

Image credit: TiMi Studio Group

In 2016, mobile games were the frontrunners for in-app purchase (IAP) revenue, but since then, non-gaming apps like TikTok and AI chat programs have taken the lead.

This information is derived from a recent report by AppMagic, which examines data over the past decade as it celebrates its 10-year milestone.

Between 2016 and 2026, Honor of Kings by TiMi Studio Group and Free Fire by Garena were prominent in mobile gaming standings.

Yet, by 2025, ChatGPT had become the most downloaded application globally, and since 2020, TikTok has consistently held the position as the top-earning app annually.

Since launching in 2017, Honor of Kings has dominated IAP earnings, bringing in $830 million in its first year and exceeding $1.1 billion by 2026. It was the leading title in revenue for the years 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2026.

Free Fire gained attention with 272 million downloads at its 2019 release. Subsequent years saw it achieve 225 million installs in 2021, 269 million in 2024, and 221 million in 2026.

AppMagic reports that Free Fire initially generated no revenue, but eventually accumulated $3.3 billion.

The report also points out differences, such as Among Us attaining 930 million downloads yet only generating $52 million, whereas Umamusume secured $1.6 billion from just 19 million downloads.

Despite these variations, only a few top-earning games continue to see revenue growth.

Gossip Harbor: Merge & Story by Micro Fun experienced a 95% increase in earnings year-over-year from January to October, while Century Games' Kingshot grew by 126%, and Honor of Kings noted a 5% increase.