Since the beginning of 2024, the number of applications on the Google Play Store has decreased significantly—from 3.4 million to 1.8 million. This means that the total number of apps available to users worldwide has dropped by 47%, according to TechCrunch, citing data from Appfigures.
This decline is not part of a global trend. On the contrary, the Apple App Store has seen a slight increase during the same period, rising from 1.60 million to 1.64 million mobile software units. However, this change on Google’s platform may benefit both users, who have long dealt with fraud, spam, and low-quality apps dominating search results, and legitimate developers who previously struggled for visibility against less conscientious competitors.
For years, relatively loose quality standards on Google Play led to a marketplace crowded with subpar apps. Unlike Apple, which has consistently enforced strict app review protocols, Google historically relied on automated checks and malware scans to accelerate the publishing process. This has now changed.
Stricter Policies and AI Cleanup
In July 2024, Google raised its minimum quality requirements for new apps. The platform now blocks malfunctioning apps that freeze, fail to install, or do not work correctly. It also rejects apps with “limited functionality and content.” This includes static apps (such as those containing only text or PDFs), wallpaper-only apps, and non-functional or abandoned projects.
New developer accounts now face mandatory checks. If there are signs of fraud or misleading behavior, manual review by Google specialists is initiated. In 2024, the company also implemented AI tools to detect threats, strengthened privacy policies, and updated developer tools. As a result, 2.36 million policy-violating apps were blocked from release, and over 158,000 developer accounts were banned for attempting to distribute malware.
Regulatory changes in the EU have also contributed to the decline, adds NIX Solutions. Developers are now required to display their name and address in app descriptions. Apps that fail to meet this requirement are hidden from users in the region.
Interestingly, Appfigures recorded a drop in Google Play app numbers even before Google’s new policy wave began in mid-2023, though the reasons remain unclear. Despite the cleanup, 10,400 new applications were added this year, marking a 7.1% increase compared to April last year. We’ll keep you updated as more policy changes and integration updates emerge.