AppsFlyer Report Reveals Tariff Turmoil Sparks eCommerce Budget Shift as Global UA Spend Hits $4.6B

July 22, 2025 at 08:00 AM EDT

Economic uncertainty, iOS loyalty, and remarketing efficiency drive a new global growth strategy for mobile commerce

AppsFlyer’s 2025 State of eCommerce App Marketing report reveals a dramatic shift in global growth strategy: China-based eCommerce apps, now responsible for 85% of worldwide iOS user acquisition spend, have begun reallocating budgets from the US to Western Europe at scale. In Germany, iOS UA jumped 170% YoY in Jan–May 2025 and in France, it more than doubled, highlighting the rising importance of flexible, regionally tailored strategies in an unpredictable market environment.

"This reallocation signals a broader transformation in mobile growth, shaped by tariff uncertainty, regional platform dynamics, and increasing reliance on loyalty-focused remarketing," said Sue Azari, Industry Lead for eCommerce at AppsFlyer. "With the possibility of regulatory or geopolitical shifts ahead, marketers must be ready to adapt quickly. Brands are now making real-time decisions about where to invest based on regulatory environments, user lifetime value, and competitive positioning across multiple continents."

The data also points to a change in seasonal pacing, as marketers move more budget into acquisition earlier in the year and focus on remarketing during high-attention periods. In November alone, re-engagement surged 218% in the US and 330% in Brazil.

Across platforms, iOS continues to outperform in monetization. Users convert 1.3 days faster, and have a 39% higher first-time purchase rate and 68% stronger re-purchase performance, a loyalty signal that turns acquisition into long-term value. In-app purchase revenue on iOS rose 10% in 2025, nearly double the growth on Android. India stood out with 44% year-over-year iOS growth, showing that even in Android-dominant markets, high-value behavior is increasingly platform-driven.

Further Global Insights from the 2025 State of eCommerce

Remarketing spend hit $16.4B in 2024. That is 3.5x higher than UA budgets. Android’s share increased from 64% to 77%, reflecting more mature re-engagement strategies
Web-to-app install flows also rose sharply, increasing by 38% ahead of peak season and another 37% in spring 2025, highlighting the growing importance brands place on driving existing web users to their apps, where the native environment delivers stronger loyalty and higher conversion rates
Fraud exposure approached up to $1 billion globally at risk, with iOS fraud rates dropping from 30.1% to 25.9% while Android edged up from 9.4% to 10.5%. AI-powered solutions remain essential for effective protection

Methodology

AppsFlyer's State of eCommerce App Marketing, 2025 Edition analyzes anonymous, aggregated data from 1,600 eCommerce apps (excluding marketplaces and grocery apps) with at least 3,000 installs per month per country. The study covers 3.1 billion paid app installs and 26 billion remarketing conversions from October 2023 to May 2025. All results meet strict volume thresholds and are based on anonymized, privacy-preserving methodologies.

Explore the full 2025 State of eCommerce App Marketing report here.

About AppsFlyer

AppsFlyer helps brands make good choices for their business and their customers with its advanced measurement, data analytics, deep linking, engagement, fraud protection, data clean room, and privacy-preserving technologies. Built on the idea that brands can increase customer privacy while providing exceptional experiences, AppsFlyer empowers thousands of creators and technology partners to create better, more meaningful customer relationships. To learn more, visit www.appsflyer.com.