The mobile advertising landscape has undergone significant changes over the past decade, and the 2026 Performance Index from AppsFlyer provides insights into these shifts. The index ranks top media sources in mobile advertising, based on global data from 16.2 billion installs across 39,000 apps and 9.6 billion remarketing conversions.

Narrowing Competitive Landscape

The latest index reveals a narrowing gap between top performers, with several rising networks gaining strength alongside established leaders. While Google Ads and Apple Ads maintained their top rankings in Android and iOS respectively, other players such as AppLovin, Mintegral, Meta Ads, and TikTok for Business made significant gains across multiple areas.

Budget Distribution Consolidates at the Top

The index also highlights a consolidation of budget distribution among the top media sources. In 2026, 60% of the global top five media sources saw year-over-year spend growth, compared to only 30% among ranks 11 through 20.

Platform Investment Patterns Shift

The index reflects shifts in platform investment patterns, with iOS driving much of the overall ad spend growth in 2026. Android's top performers saw broader gains but at the upper end of the market.

Evolution of App User Experience

"The mobile advertising landscape has undergone a dramatic evolution over the past decade," said Shani Rosenfelder, Director of Market Insights at AppsFlyer. "What began as a fragmented and highly competitive set of networks has become a market driven by a handful of large platforms, rising expectations around creative performance, and a greater focus on trust."

Key Findings from the 2026 Performance Index

The index reveals several key findings, including:

• Apple Ads remained the number one global media source for iOS gaming, with AppLovin narrowing the gap.

• Google Ads led across Android gaming, while AppLovin, Mintegral, and rewarded platforms such as adjoe posted major gains.

• Apple Ads retained its top position in iOS non-gaming, followed by Meta Ads, TikTok for Business, Google Ads, and Snapchat.

• Google Ads held the number one position in Android non-gaming, with Meta Ads at number two. TikTok for Business ranked number three.

Methodology

AppsFlyer's Performance Index analyzed a total of 88 mobile media sources, based on 16.2 billion non-organic installs from 39,000 apps and 9.6 billion remarketing conversions measured during the 2026 Index timeframe.

About AppsFlyer

AppsFlyer is the Modern Marketing Cloud that helps businesses transform complex data into clarity and growth. A foundation for unified, measurable, autonomous marketing, AppsFlyer breaks down silos across measurement, deep linking, data collaboration, and autonomous AI workflows. For more than a decade, AppsFlyer has been the leader in mobile attribution, trusted by over 15,000 businesses worldwide.

To access the full version of the latest AppsFlyer Performance Index, please visit: www.appsflyer.com/resources/reports/performance-index/