A new report from Appfigures reveals a dramatic shift in the Android app ecosystem: the Google Play Store has lost nearly half of its available apps since the beginning of 2024. The number of apps on the platform has dropped from 3.4 million in January to just 1.8 million—a staggering 47% decline.
By contrast, Apple’s App Store has seen modest growth during the same period, rising from 1.6 million to 1.64 million apps.
Why Is Google Play Losing So Many Apps?
This decline is the result of an aggressive cleanup operation by Google aimed at improving app quality and user safety. Historically, the Play Store’s more permissive publishing policies have made it a haven for low-effort, spammy, and sometimes malicious apps. Google’s review process relied heavily on automation and malware detection, which allowed millions of low-quality apps to flood the platform over time.
Apple, by comparison, has maintained stricter app review standards, including human moderation, which—while slower—has helped the App Store retain a more curated reputation.
Google’s app store has lost many apps as a result of tightening quality requirements for Android apps
In July 2024, Google began rolling out new minimum quality standards for apps. Under these new rules, apps with little to no functionality, empty content, or deceptive practices are now being actively removed or rejected. Developers must also undergo expanded verification and testing, particularly when creating new accounts.
A Tighter Grip on Policy Enforcement
According to Google, these efforts are part of a broader initiative to raise the bar for apps on its platform. Among the key measures:
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2.36 million apps were either removed or blocked from launch for violating Play Store policies.
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Over 158,000 developer accounts were suspended for repeated or egregious policy violations.
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AI-powered tools have been deployed to better detect scams, harmful content, and privacy violations.
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New privacy policies and user protections were introduced to increase transparency.
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Compliance with EU regulations now requires developers to disclose names and addresses in app listings—noncompliance has led to additional app removals.
Despite the major purge beginning in mid-2024, Appfigures analysts observed a decline in app numbers even before these changes were announced. The reasons for that earlier dip remain unclear.
What It Means for Android Users
For users, the changes could result in a cleaner, safer, and higher-quality Play Store experience. However, the short-term effect is a much smaller app library. Many lesser-known or outdated apps have disappeared, while developers are now under greater pressure to meet evolving standards.
Although this shift may narrow choices for users in the short run, it reflects Google’s larger strategic shift toward quality over quantity—aligning its platform more closely with Apple’s approach while still striving to preserve its open developer ecosystem.
