---
title: "Top 10 Highest-Grossing iOS Apps: Chinese Developers Account for Half"
locale: "en"
language: "en-HK"
published: "2018-12-27T11:42:13+08:00"
updated: "2026-03-17T23:03:22.233Z"
canonical: "https://accordhk.com/blog/top-10-highest-grossing-ios-apps-chinese-developers-account-for-half-141"
---

# Top 10 Highest-Grossing iOS Apps: Chinese Developers Account for Half

Netflix led the 2018 ranking of the 10 highest-grossing iOS apps with US$790.2 million. Almost all the apps offered subscriptions, while Chinese brands accounted for half the list.

## In brief

Netflix topped the 2018 iOS app revenue ranking with US$790.2 million. Almost all of the top 10 offered subscriptions, and five were Chinese-branded apps, highlighting the importance of subscriptions and the Chinese market.

Apple’s [app store](<http://app-developer-hongkong.com/>), the App Store, is the world’s most profitable [app marketplace](<http://app-developer-hongkong.com/>) and generates substantial revenue for developers. A foreign media outlet recently listed the 10 highest-grossing apps on iOS in 2018. The top 10 include names familiar to Hong Kong users, such as Netflix and YouTube.

Almost all of the top 10 are subscription-enabled [apps](<http://hongkongappdeveloper.com/>). For example, the dating app Tinder offers Tinder Plus and Tinder Gold tiers. Netflix, which ranks first, generated as much as US$790 million from iOS subscriptions alone.

Besides highlighting the importance and popularity of subscriptions, the top 10 also show how much influence the Chinese market has on the [App Store](<http://appscompanyhongkong.com/>), with Chinese-branded [apps](<http://appcompanyhongkong.com/>) accounting for half of the list.

**The top 10:**

1. Netflix / US$790.2 million  

2. Tencent Video / US$490.0 million  

3. Tinder / US$462.2 million  

4. iQIYI / US$420.5 million  

5. Kuaishou / US$264 million  

6. YouTube / US$244.2 million  

7. Pandora Radio / US$225.7 million  

8. Youku / US$192.9 million  

9. QQ / US$159.7 million  

10. Hulu / US$132.6 million

Original article URL: https://goo.gl/m3zcLf

## Frequently asked questions

### Which app topped the 2018 iOS revenue ranking?

Netflix ranked first, with US$790.2 million in revenue according to the list.

### How many Chinese-branded apps were in the top 10?

Five Chinese-branded apps appeared in the ranking: Tencent Video, iQIYI, Kuaishou, Youku and QQ.

### What does the ranking show about subscriptions?

Almost all of the top 10 apps offered subscriptions, highlighting their importance and popularity. The article cites Tinder Plus and Tinder Gold as examples.

### Where did YouTube rank, and how much revenue did it generate?

YouTube ranked sixth with US$244.2 million in revenue.