Inside the 2025 Middle East App Growth Report: Bidease x Sensor Tower

The Middle East's app economy is outpacing global growth, as shown in the 2025 Middle East App Growth Report by Sensor Tower and Bidease.
Across the GCC, downloads grew 2.6% YoY versus 0.5% globally, while IAP revenue jumped 20% to $700 million, with the UAE leading at 26% growth.
Users spent 200 billion hours on apps in H1 2025.
Marketers are keeping pace: nearly 80% refresh creatives weekly, often using GenAI tools.
However, 52% cite saturation as top challenge, driving adoption of programmatic buying and DSPs.
AI is key: 64% use it for ad generation, 53% for personalization, 47% for budget allocation, and 40% for campaign optimization.
Success hinges on speed, creativity, and data-driven strategy.