Mintegral and Insightrackr’s 2026 report highlights growing AI features, global short drama app growth and a shift towards user acquisition.
Mintegral released its 2026 Global Non-Gaming App Trends Report in partnership with advertising intelligence platform Insightrackr, based on aggregated, anonymised data across more than 100 markets from January to December 2025.
The report examined how non-gaming app marketers are adapting user acquisition, monetisation, and creative strategies amid higher competition, growing automation, and pressure to demonstrate return on investment (ROI).
Mintegral states that the environment is becoming more demanding as costs rise and user journeys grow more complex, while categories such as finance, utilities, education, and lifestyle continue to scale.
Among its key highlights, AI is expanding beyond standalone apps with AI-enhanced features driving revenue uplift across Education and Utility genres. It also reported year-on-year growth in Short Drama apps, noting that six of the top global apps in the category delivered triple-digit revenue increases.
The report said Short Drama is cost-efficient in Asia-Pacific, with a CPI index below regional baselines on iOS and similarly low acquisition conditions in Southeast Asia on Android.
Mintegral also reported a shift towards ROI-centric advertising, stating that its Smart Bidding solutions saw more than 50% growth in ad spend, as advertisers prioritise sustainability over install volume.
Advertiser counts rose 43.5% in Finance & Business and 42% in Life Services, with the most visible pressure in Asia-Pacific on iOS where Finance & Business had the highest CPI index among selected non-gaming categories.
Erick Fang, CEO of Mintegral, said: “The real story of 2026 is the sophistication of the marketer. By embracing automated, ROI-based UA solutions and highly immersive video formats, developers are cracking the code on balancing rapid scale with sustainable profitability.”
The report also described diverging platform dynamics, with Android leading in acquisition volume while iOS continues to deliver premium revenue, particularly in Finance and Life Services.
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