Trending Mobile Apps That Are Making Money Now

App revenue is rarely public. We use three kinds of data and label each one: app store chart estimates, revenue verified through payment providers on TrustMRR, and published reports. Numbers change quickly, so treat them as snapshots.

The apps winning now solve one clear problem and charge for it from day one.

• ChatGPT was the top-grossing app on the US App Store in August 2026, ahead of YouTube and TikTok, according to Appradar
• Claude, Grok, and Perplexity also rank among the top-grossing iPhone apps in October 2026 chart estimates
• Suno appears in the top 100 grossing iPhone apps, showing AI music is paying off too

Revenue estimates for these apps vary widely between data providers, so we do not quote a single number.

Remini, the AI photo enhancer, was earning at about a $93 million yearly pace after store fees in January 2026, according to Appfigures. AI photo editing remains one of the most reliable money-making app categories.

Cal AI, an app that counts calories from a photo of your food, was built by young founders and grew fast with paywall testing and paid ads. Forbes reported it reached about $30 million in revenue in 2025, and MyFitnessPal acquired it in March 2026.

A simple promise, “snap your meal, get the calories,” beat complex features.

These apps show revenue verified through payment providers on TrustMRR, as of October 15, 2026:

PropGPT

AI sports props analysis, about $81,600 in monthly recurring revenue

Project A

An AI fortune-telling app, about $63,900 a month, listed for sale

GoTall

An iOS app, about $58,300 a month, listed for sale

Some founders hide their app names, so many earning apps on TrustMRR are listed anonymously.

• AI assistants and chat
• AI photo and video editing
• Calorie, fitness, and health tracking with AI
• Language learning
• Faith and journaling apps
• AI music and creative tools
• Sports analysis and fantasy tools
• Astrology and entertainment apps
• Productivity and scanning tools

Subscriptions

Weekly, monthly, or yearly plans, often with a free trial

Paywalls

Shown early, tested constantly

In-app purchases

Credits or one-off unlocks

Ads

Mostly for free, high-volume apps

RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps 2026 report found:

• New subscription app launches jumped to over 14,700 a month in January 2026
• Only 17.3% of new apps reach $1,000 a month within two years
• Just 4.6% reach $10,000 a month
• The top 10% of apps earn about 94.5% of subscription revenue
• AI apps earn 41% more per paying user, but lose subscribers about 30% faster

Most apps earn little. A few earn a lot. Plan for that reality.

• Solve one painful, frequent problem
• Show the main value in the first minute
• Test your paywall and pricing early
• Plan how you will get users: content, ads, or app store search
• Watch retention, not just downloads
• Build fast with AI tools, but test on real phones

• Follow Apple and Google’s rules for subscriptions and trials
• Be clear about prices and how to cancel
• Avoid health, betting, or money claims you cannot back up
• Protect user data and publish a clear privacy policy