Well-timed seasonal campaigns significantly enhance app downloads and user engagement, particularly noted during the recent Ramadan period in March across Middle East markets. According to data from AppsFlyer, there was a 15% year-over-year increase in app usage sessions across all categories, with gaming, shopping, and finance apps leading the way in maintaining engagement.

The data also indicated a notable rise in ‘non-organic’ app installs, which increased by approximately 10% across various categories. In-app purchase revenue saw an impressive spike, growing by 18.6% to reach $1.70 billion during this period.

During Ramadan, shopping app sessions in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar surged by over 20%, totaling 682 million. The strongest growth occurred in the first half of Ramadan, where shopping apps experienced a 111% increase in installs compared to the same timeframe in 2024, followed by a 47% rise in the second half, as reported by AppsFlyer.

Finance apps also showed positive trends, with sessions increasing by 9.7%, leading to a revenue growth of 29.35% that reached $650 million. However, there was a slight decline in non-organic installs for finance apps, indicating that while fewer paid users were attracted, those who did convert offered higher value.

Gaming app installs remained steady, with little change in session growth and stable monetization, although non-organic installs experienced a slight drop.

Sue Azari, Industry Lead – eCommerce at AppsFlyer, commented that this year’s Ramadan data highlights the importance of seasonal strategies for mobile engagement. She noted that the increase in shopping installs across the region demonstrates users’ growing comfort with mobile commerce as their primary shopping method, especially in rapidly evolving markets like the UAE.