The thesis in one sentence: when the same app exists on both stores, the iOS version out-earns its Android twin by a median of ×1.5 — but that multiple is not evenly distributed. In some categories the gap is far wider, and those categories are a map of proven demand: an app class that already monetizes on Google Play, where the iOS buyer pays a multiple more, and where every Android success that never shipped an iOS version is a missed niche.
- Across 732 matched same-app pairs, the iOS version earns a median ×1.5 of its own Android twin's revenue (per Appdex, 2026-07).
- The widest verified category gap is Photo & Video: the iOS version earns ×3.5 its Android counterpart (27 matched pairs).
- Education is close behind at ×3.5 (18 matched pairs).
- Multiples are medians across matched pairs and holdout-validated — about two-thirds of individual pairs land within 2× of the median-based prediction.
The gap, category by category
Each row is built only from apps that exist on both stores — same product, same developer — so the multiple isolates the store effect from the product effect. Small categories are omitted.
| Category | iOS revenue vs Android sibling | Matched pairs | Who wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photo & Video | ×3.50 | 27 | iOS |
| Education | ×3.50 | 18 | iOS |
| Entertainment | ×2.50 | 34 | iOS |
| News | ×2.50 | 12 | iOS |
| Music | ×2.00 | 17 | iOS |
| Games | ×1.43 | 306 | iOS |
| Social Networking | ×1.43 | 22 | iOS |
| Productivity | ×1.00 | 12 | Even |
| Utilities | ×0.80 | 10 | Android |
How to read this as a founder
A high multiple means the iOS buyer in that category pays disproportionately more for the same product. Practical scan: look at what already works on Google Play in a high-multiple category — tools with real installs and revenue — and check whether an equivalent exists on the App Store. Where it doesn't, the demand is proven and the higher-paying audience is unserved. That is a materially better starting point than a blank-page idea.
The reverse read matters too: a low multiple (or one below ×1) says Android is the healthier store for that category — usually ad-monetized, volume-driven classes — and porting to iOS first would be the mistake.
Questions this data answers
Frequently asked
Why does the same app earn more on iOS?
Three compounding forces: iOS concentrates users in high-income markets, App Store users convert to paid subscriptions at higher rates, and high-multiple categories skew toward subscription monetization where that willingness-to-pay difference compounds. The multiple varies by category precisely because monetization models vary.
How are the multiples computed?
From matched same-app pairs — the identical product on both stores — using median revenue ratios within each category. Medians, not averages, because app revenue is power-law distributed. The pair-matching and multiples are holdout-validated against apps with independently known figures.
Does a wide gap mean I should build in that category?
It means demand is proven and the iOS buyer pays more for it — a strong prior, not a guarantee. You still need the standard checks: competition density on the App Store side, whether the Android success depends on platform-specific distribution, and whether the product class fits subscription monetization.