Google’s app marketplace has shed nearly half its titles since early 2024, in what looks like the biggest quality purge the platform has ever seen.
A Surprising Stat with Big Implications
Whereas at the start of last year, Google Play Store had around 3.4 million apps, according to new analysis from app intelligence platform Appfigures, that number has now dropped to just 1.8 million. That’s a massive 47 per cent decline in just over 12 months.
For comparison, Apple’s App Store grew slightly over the same period, from 1.6 million to 1.64 million apps, making this a Google-specific shake-up, not part of some wider trend.
What’s Causing the Decline?
The reason for this dramatic cut in the number of apps available in Google Play Store is (a long overdue) sweeping house clean. Google says the reduction is the result of tougher policies rolled out over the past year, aimed at ridding the Play Store of poor-quality, misleading, and potentially harmful apps.
For example, back in July 2024, the company introduced higher quality standards for all apps. Rather than simply focusing on broken or crashing apps in the firing line, Google’s new rules targeted apps with “limited functionality and content”, including text-only tools, apps that just opened PDFs, or single wallpaper apps with no interactive features. It appears that even apps that appeared to do nothing at all have been on Google’s hit list.
In addition to this, other efforts to sift out the worst of the apps included:
– Google requiring new developer accounts to undergo expanded verification checks.
– Using more human reviews to spot fraud or deceptive behaviour.
– A more robust pre-launch testing requirement being introduced, i.e., 20 users for 2 weeks before publishing.
– The ramping up of AI-powered threat detection tools.
In fact, the company confirmed it blocked 2.36 million policy-violating apps from being published in 2024 alone, and banned more than 158,000 developer accounts trying to sneak in malicious content.
A Long-Overdue Clean-Up?
Google Play has long been criticised for taking a relatively hands-off approach to app approvals. While Apple’s App Store famously subjects every app to manual human review before it goes live, Google has historically relied on automated checks, often with faster approval times and fewer upfront hurdles. However, that flexibility came at a cost as the Play Store became a magnet for:
– Spammy clones and copycats.
– Apps stuffed with ads and offering little value.
– Low-effort tools and “test” apps abandoned mid-build.
– Dodgy apps hiding malware or misleading users with fake functions.
By 2023, user complaints were mounting, and developers trying to launch quality products were finding it harder to compete. Visibility was skewed by a flood of questionable listings. Google’s new policies, while harsh, appear to be a direct response to those long-standing criticisms.
A Policy Shift in Europe
One other key factor that Google hasn’t officially cited, yet which may be playing a quiet role, is the EU’s new trader status rule. For example, since February 2024, developers distributing apps in the European Union have been required to list their name and address publicly. Apps that fail to comply are removed from EU stores.
While Apple implemented the same rule without any noticeable drop in app count, some Android developers may have balked at the extra requirements, or simply missed the deadline. Either way, the trader status change may have helped accelerate the purge in certain regions.
Which Apps Were Hit the Hardest?
According to Appfigures data, some categories were hit particularly hard in the Google Play Store app purge. For example:
– Games. Nearly 200,000 titles removed
– Education. Around 160,700 apps dropped
– Business. Some 115,400 apps vanished
It seems that many of these were simply low-quality or abandoned projects, but not all deletions were necessarily harmful, i.e. some developers may have had legitimate products removed if they didn’t meet the updated guidelines or failed to pass the new verification processes.
Interestingly, while the overall app count plummeted, the number of new releases has gone up. Appfigures reports that as of April 2025, 10,400 new apps had already been released on Google Play this year, which is up 7.1 per cent year-on-year. That suggests the door is still open to new entrants (if they can meet the new requirements).
What This Means for Google
Google is positioning the move as part of a broader shift toward a safer, higher-quality Play Store. By reducing the clutter and filtering out low-value apps, Google hopes it can improve trust in the platform and reduce reputational risk. This may be especially important in an age where app-based scams, data leaks, and malware campaigns are making headlines.
The move may also help with compliance in regions like the EU, where digital marketplaces are facing mounting scrutiny under new regulations like the Digital Services Act (DSA).
What About Users?
For Android users, especially businesses, there’s a potential upside here. A streamlined Play Store could mean:
– Fewer scammy or broken apps to sift through.
– A higher likelihood of finding safe, functional tools.
– Better visibility for genuinely useful software.
However, there’s a trade-off. Some niche or legacy apps may disappear, and smaller developers might find it harder to get their products published without resources for extended testing or policy compliance. That could leave gaps in the market, particularly for highly specialised business apps or locally developed tools.
For businesses relying on Android apps, especially in sectors like logistics, sales, training, or fieldwork, ongoing monitoring of app availability and updates will be key.
A Boost for Rivals?
With the Play Store slimming down, competitors may see an opportunity. Apple’s App Store, with its more curated approach, has long marketed itself as the safer option. Now, the gap may feel narrower, however Apple may still have the edge in perception. Meanwhile, alternative Android marketplaces like the Samsung Galaxy Store or Amazon Appstore may try to appeal to developers turned off by Google’s tighter restrictions.
As regards the web, Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), which run in the browser but behave like native apps, could benefit if developers find store-based deployment too complex. Google itself has championed PWAs in the past, though app store monetisation remains a sticking point.
The bigger question now appears to be whether Google’s quality-first pivot will restore confidence and encourage better apps, or simply make life harder for developers without solving the bigger issues of trust and discoverability.
What Does This Mean For Your Business?
The sharp decline in Google Play Store app numbers shows that Google is moving away from simply having as many apps as possible, and is now focusing more on safety, quality, and following the rules.
For years, Google tolerated a bloated ecosystem filled with low-effort apps in the name of openness and speed but while the clean-up addresses longstanding complaints from users and developers alike, it may also introduce a new set of challenges.
For developers, particularly smaller teams and indie creators, the bar has been raised. Verification, testing, and compliance now demand time, planning and resources. This may put added pressure on early-stage projects or solo ventures, and could discourage experimentation. For users, the improved app quality is likely to be welcomed, but there’s a risk of reduced choice in more niche or specialist areas, where smaller developers often filled gaps that larger players ignored.
For UK businesses, a cleaner Play Store should make it easier to identify trustworthy apps for productivity, communication, or customer engagement, without the clutter of spam or bloatware. However, firms developing or commissioning Android apps for internal or client use may now face higher development costs and longer go-to-market timelines due to the stricter rules. Those in regulated sectors, or who serve clients in the EU, will need to keep a close eye on compliance requirements too.
Google clearly feels this is a necessary reputational reboot.
