Pakistan’s mobile and app industry had another big year in 2024. The latest Pakistan State of Apps 2024 report by Data Darbar shows that people in the country are using more apps than ever before — but local app development is slowing down.
Here’s a simple breakdown of the report and what it means for Pakistan’s digital future.
Big Growth in App Usage
In 2024, Pakistan recorded 3.56 billion app downloads, which is a 9% increase compared to 2023. This makes Pakistan the 9th largest app market in the world.
People also spent more time on their phones — about 79 billion hours in total, up by 14% from last year.
Internet and Mobile Growth
- 134 million people now have mobile broadband, showing an 8% rise.
- Average monthly data use per person increased to 8.4 GB.
- Pakistan also produced more than 31 million smartphones locally, meeting almost all domestic demand.
Most Popular Apps
The top downloaded apps in 2024 were:
- TikTok – around 32 million downloads
- CapCut – strong second place
- Facebook and WhatsApp – still among the top
- Temu, a new shopping app, beat Daraz with about 8 million downloads
Local apps like Tamasha also did well, growing their paid users by over 350% even with fewer downloads.
Fewer Local Developers
While users are spending more time on apps, fewer Pakistani developers are making them.
- The number of active local app developers dropped by 26% to around 1,400.
- Android app releases fell by 55% to about 1,700.
- Game releases dropped by 31% to only 756 titles.
- In total, around 2,500 local apps and games were released in 2024 — much lower than before.
Why Developers Are Struggling
The report highlights several reasons for this decline:
- Complicated app store and tax policies
- Issues with online payments
- Lack of government incentives or support for small developers
Some developers are even registering abroad to make their apps available more easily, which reduces visibility for Pakistan-based talent.
Opportunities for Growth
Even with these challenges, there’s good news:
- More people are online than ever before.
- Data is cheaper and faster.
- Local smartphone access is growing quickly.
This gives Pakistan a strong foundation to grow new types of apps — not just social and entertainment, but also in education, health, and local business.
What Needs to Be Done
To build a strong local app industry, the report suggests:
- Easier rules for developers and fewer taxes
- Better online payment systems
- Training programs and funding for new app makers
- Government policies based on real data to remove barriers
The Pakistan State of Apps 2024 report shows both progress and problems. Pakistan is becoming a global leader in app use — but most of that growth benefits foreign apps, not local ones.
If Pakistan wants to turn this digital boom into long-term success, it must help local developers grow, create, and compete globally. With the right support, Pakistan can move from being just an app consumer to a true creator in the world of technology.
