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KEY findings
50% of UA spend comes from Chinese apps
Hybrid monetization models climb by 14%
Install fraud exposure exceeded $460M in 2024
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introduction
Brazil’s app-first culture creates a thriving mobile market
Brazil has shown remarkable resilience in recent years, with 2024 growth outperforming analysts’ expectations. As one of the world’s top 10 economies by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Brazil was primed for a surge in app installs during the COVID-19 pandemic, as consumers turned to mobile for shopping, entertainment, and more.
That explosive growth has since cooled, but Brazil’s app market is now stabilizing and maturing, driven by widespread smartphone use and fast-growing 4G and 5G networks. Despite a potential economic slowdown in the second half of 2025 due to external factors like US tariffs, Brazil remains one of the most dynamic app markets globally.
Mobile culture is woven into everyday life in Brazil. A striking 99% of internet users aged 16 and up own a mobile device, far more than TVs or laptops. For many, mobile isn’t a second screen; it’s the only screen. This fuels app usage across categories, with finance leading the way.
The 2020 launch of Pix, Brazil’s instant payment system, sparked a fintech boom and expanded access to digital finance. Meanwhile, super apps like WhatsApp are transforming how people interact with services—now supporting payments, shopping, and customer service, blurring the line between communication and commerce.
Still, there is room to grow. As of 2023, 8% of Brazilians lacked mobile internet coverage, and 24% had access but didn’t use it. Both gaps are expected to narrow, thanks in part to the 5G rollout led by the National Telecommunications Agency in 2024.
With such a vibrant landscape, it’s no surprise that both local and global players—including major Chinese firms—are doubling down on app marketing.
In this report, we’ll review data from thousands of apps in Brazil and unpack the key trends shaping mobile marketing in 2025 and beyond.
* All results are based on fully anonymous and aggregated data. To ensure statistical validity, we follow strict volume thresholds and methodologies and only present data when these conditions are met. When normalized data is presented, the share of each month out of the total for the entire time frame is shown to create a trend.
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Top trends
Non-gaming apps surge as users seek utility
While growth of overall installs of non-gaming apps has plateaued in Brazil in recent years, 2024 saw a renewed uplift with a 9% rise in contrast to a 2% decline in gaming installs. The message is clear: users are turning to apps that offer practical, everyday value.
iOS is leading this shift, with installs up 19% YoY, compared to Android’s 4%. Nonetheless, with overall growth standing at 6% YoY, Android remains the dominant platform by a wide margin even with those strides taken by iOS.
Finance app installs boomed on Android during the pandemic, but have been on the decline since, down nearly 10% between 2023 and 2024. iOS, on the other hand, is seeing the opposite trend. In Brazil, finance installs on iOS surged by 60% last year alone, pointing to a more engaged, higher-value user base on that platform. As of 2024, finance apps have caught up to shopping apps in the share of downloads across both platforms, thanks to impressive growth over the past five years.
Part of that narrowing gap comes down to shopping installs stabilizing in recent years following the pandemic surge. Habits created during COVID-19 have become lifestyle choices: online shopping is no longer a trend, it is now part of Brazilians’ everyday life.
That shift toward lasting habits shows up in other categories too. Food and drink app installs have followed a similar pattern to shopping, highlighting how delivery has become a convenience that users aren’t willing to give up. The stronger growth on iOS could point to users now having a higher disposable income, or simply a greater willingness to pay for convenience.
The install race is slowing, but the drive for value is on. The country’s app economy is evolving from explosive growth to sustained, behavior-driven engagement, led by iOS and powered by utility.
Overall install trend by vertical
Install trend in key categories (normalized)
Brazil’s UA strategy shifts from reach to value
In 2024, Brazil was the 4th largest market for user acquisition (UA) ad spend, behind only the US, India, and the UK. But while the US and UK focus heavily on iOS, Brazil—like India—allocated most of its budget to Android. In fact, 93% of Brazil’s $2.85B UA spend went to Android, which holds 82% of the mobile operating system (OS) market share.
This Android-heavy approach made sense for years. It offered scale at a lower cost and was a reliable engine for growth. In 2024 alone, categories like social and finance each saw around $500M in UA spend, with most of that going to Android. However, effectiveness is starting to shift. While investment remains high, Android finance app installs declined nearly 10% YoY—signaling that scale without value is no longer sustainable for Android-focused campaigns.
Meanwhile, iOS is quickly gaining ground. In 2024, UA spend on iOS surged 168% year over year, while Android saw a 22% decline. This signals more than just a platform shift—it reflects a deeper strategic pivot toward long-term value.
Zooming in on key verticals reveals the same trend. Both finance and shopping apps tripled their iOS investment—shopping alone accounted for 17% of nearly $400M in spend. But food and drink apps took it to another level, with iOS UA spend surging by a staggering 923%. These spikes all point to one goal: acquiring high-value users who convert, engage, and stick around.
Android still plays a vital role in reaching large audiences—but iOS is becoming the go-to for lifetime value (LTV)-driven growth. As the Brazilian app market matures, user acquisition strategies are evolving from sheer volume to meaningful impact.
For marketers focused on long-term returns, the key takeaway is that it may be time to rethink how and where budgets are deployed.
UA ad spend in 2024 by platform (USD) *
* Money spent by apps on new user acquisition. Spend is calculated by multiplying the NOIs by CPI, and then factoring data.ai market share data in the countries in question to estimate the total spend among all mobile measurement partners
YoY % change in UA ad spend by platform
2024 remarketing spend hit $1.67B despite year-end headwinds
Two cultural moments defined the first half of 2024 in Brazil: Carnaval and the Copa América. More than just entertainment, these events became economic catalysts, driving a surge in app engagement. During this period, remarketing spend increased across both Android and iOS, as brands leaned into the festive and competitive energy to reengage users.
The results? Paid remarketing conversions jumped 20% on iOS and 24% on Android. But that early-year surge didn’t last—by Q4, Brazil’s ad market had slowed considerably, as reported by Valor Econômico, and the effects rippled across the app ecosystem, particularly on platforms reliant on paid channels.
Even in the midst of a broader slowdown, iOS stood out. With a growing install base and higher LTV potential, brands continued to invest, but with more intention. In 2024, remarketing spend on iOS grew 18% YoY, and a sharp increase in owned media conversions pointed to a shift toward more organic, loyalty-driven strategies.
Meanwhile, paid remarketing on Android delivered a 38% lift in conversions, the highest across both platforms. But it came at a cost: an 11% drop in owned media conversions, highlighting Android’s reliance on paid channels.
2024 ended as a year of two halves: a high-performance, event-driven start followed by cautious recalibration. For brands, success now hinges on smarter strategy, knowing when to lean into performance, how to build loyalty, and where each platform delivers the most value. It’s no longer just about spending more. It’s about spending smarter.
Remarketing spend & conversions growth by platform (H1 2024 vs. H1 2023)
Paid vs. owned remarketing conversions by platform
Brazilian apps turn inward, foreign interest grows
In 2024, Brazilian apps kept their focus local, allocating nearly all user acquisition budgets domestically across both iOS and Android platforms. Just a year ago, some were testing the waters abroad, especially in the US. But now, that ambition appears to be fading, as rising acquisition costs and uncertain returns push marketers back toward the relative predictability of the home market: only 1.3% of Brazil’s iOS budget went to the US, down from nearly 6% in 2023.
While local marketers focused inward, Brazil became a strategic target for Asian players who likely view Brazil, with its significant smartphone penetration and relatively affordable UA costs, as fertile ground for rapid scaling of userbases. Apps from China accounted for half of all UA investment in the country, with Singaporean companies also increasing their share.
On Android, market saturation or cost pressures brought by higher competition were likely behind a reduced local spend among Brazilian apps. Singaporean companies saw their moment, ramping up spending to strengthen their position amid shifting competitor budgets. On iOS, however, Brazilian brands did increase their domestic investment, possibly attracted by higher-value users or stronger monetization potential.
Remarketing followed a similar pattern, but with one key difference: Brazilian apps led the way, making up over half of all remarketing spend in the country. This points to a strategic shift toward retaining and monetizing existing users, further supported by the rise in iOS remarketing investment. It highlights a stronger focus on LTV and user loyalty, especially as foreign competitions ramp up their efforts to acquire new users.
UA ad spend and remarketing split by country HQ (2024) *
* Read as “apps from which countries invest the most running campaigns in Brazil”
UA ad spend and remarketing split by country (2024) *
* Read as “in which markets do apps headquartered in Brazil invest their budgets”
Monetization strategies evolve to meet flexible demand
In Brazil, in-app purchases (IAPs) remain the primary monetization method for non-gaming apps, but that dominance is starting to shift. In 2024, hybrid monetization models grew 14% YoY. This isn’t just about adding new revenue streams: it reflects a deeper evolution in how users engage and what they’re willing to pay for.
Hybrid monetization meets users where they are, prioritizing adaptation over diversification. In Brazil, where mobile usage is high and economic uncertainty remains a daily reality, user preferences are changing. There’s less enthusiasm for long-term commitments and more interest in smaller, personalized transactions that offer immediate value. Users want control over how and when they spend, and hybrid models give them that flexibility. By blending different monetization strategies, apps can offer more intuitive, user-friendly experiences that drive sustained engagement without unnecessary friction.
For developers, this shift is also a smart form of risk management. In a volatile economic environment, relying too heavily on a single revenue stream can leave apps exposed. Hybrid monetization reduces risk by spreading revenue across multiple channels. It helps developers achieve short-term results while still building for long-term growth. More importantly, it helps apps stay relevant in a competitive market where user expectations are high, loyalty is fragile, and the pressure to deliver value is constant.
Hybrid monetization is no longer a fallback strategy. It’s becoming the blueprint for sustainable app growth.
Non-gaming apps split by monetization model
Install fraud is a resurgent threat
In 2024, Brazil ranked 10th globally in financial exposure to install fraud, totaling over $460M (exposure to fraud is defined as the amount of money that would have been lost to ad fraud had there been no fraud protection).
Fraud follows opportunity, and finance and shopping apps were top targets thanks to high returns and aggressive UA strategies. iOS users, often more valuable, saw the highest exposure. Simply put, the greater the user value, the stronger the lure for fraudsters.
After a decline from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024, install fraud in Brazil roared back. In 2024, Android experienced a 57% increase, while iOS surged by 79% YoY. This rebound reflects more than just seasonal trends: it suggests an arms race, where every step forward in prevention is met with new techniques in return.
Interestingly, while overall fraud levels rose, some verticals saw improvements. Fraud in finance apps dropped by 28%, likely the result of better prevention and smarter security practices. However, shopping apps saw a slight 2% uptick, signaling continued pressure from fraudsters targeting high-revenue categories.
Platform-specific patterns tell a more nuanced story. On Android, install fraud declined across all major categories—finance, shopping, and food & drink—indicating successful mitigation efforts. On iOS, however, fraud surged, especially in shopping and food & drink apps, revealing how fraudsters are adapting their tactics to platform-specific vulnerabilities.
Bots remained the dominant fraud method across both platforms, but the rapid rise of click flooding suggests that fraudsters are leaning into volume-based tactics that are harder to detect, especially in environments where ad spend is high and attribution windows are tight. Meanwhile, install hijacking is gaining traction in iOS finance apps, pointing to more targeted, high-reward strategies.
This underscores the importance for brands not only to invest in growth, but also to strengthen their defenses with robust fraud prevention. Value comes with vulnerability, and smarter strategies must account for both
Install fraud rate by platform
Install fraud rate by platform
04
KEY TAKEAWAYS
UA success: from scale to strategic value creation
Android still delivers scale, but iOS now leads in LTV and conversion efficiency. Explore high-value user acquisition strategies beyond installs—especially in finance, food delivery, and shopping.
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Remarketing isn’t optional, it’s your growth engine
With rising acquisition costs, it’s time to double down on loyalty programs, push notifications, and CRM integrations to convert iOS’s higher-LTV users. Organic strategies can drive meaningful growth without relying solely on paid touchpoints.
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Compete smarter against international players
Monitor how and where global competitors are investing in Brazil. Localized creatives, streamlined funnels, and cultural relevance can boost retention and defend market share.
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Explore flexible monetization strategies
Combining one-time purchases, freemium features, and ads to meet diverse user preferences can reduce risk during economic uncertainty. Track drop-off points and personalize offers accordingly.
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