Trending Mobile Apps That Are Making Money Now

App revenue is rarely public. We draw on three kinds of data and label each: app store chart estimates, revenue verified through payment providers on TrustMRR, and published reports. The numbers move fast, so treat them as snapshots.

Today’s winning apps solve one clear problem and charge for it from day one.

• According to Appradar, ChatGPT was the top-grossing app on the US App Store in August 2026, ahead of YouTube and TikTok
• Claude, Grok, and Perplexity also sit among the top-grossing iPhone apps in October 2026 chart estimates
• Suno ranks in the top 100 grossing iPhone apps, a sign that AI music pays too

Data providers’ revenue estimates for these apps vary widely, so we do not quote one number.

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

Cal AI, an app that counts calories from a photo of your meal, was built by young founders and grew quickly through paywall testing and paid ads. MyFitnessPal, which acquired it in March 2026, told TechCrunch the app had passed 15 million downloads and $30 million in annual revenue in under two years.

One simple promise, “snap your meal, get the calories,” beat a pile of complex features.

As of October 15, 2026, these apps show revenue verified through payment providers on TrustMRR:

PropGPT

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

Project A

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

GoTall

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

Some founders keep their app names private, so many earning apps on TrustMRR appear anonymously.

• AI assistants and chat
• AI photo and video editing
• AI-powered calorie, fitness, and health tracking
• 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 first

Paywalls

Shown early and tested constantly

In-app purchases

Credits or one-time unlocks

Ads

Mostly in free, high-volume apps

RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps 2026 report found that:

• New subscription app launches jumped past 14,700 a month in January 2026
• Only 17.3% of new apps hit $1,000 a month within two years
• Only 4.6% reach $10,000 a month
• The top 10% of apps grew their monthly revenue by 306% or more in a year, versus 5.3% for the median app
• AI apps earn 41% more per paying user but lose subscribers about 30% faster

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

• Solve one painful, frequent problem
• Deliver the core value in the first minute
• Test your paywall and pricing from the start
• Plan how you will win users: content, ads, or app store search
• Track retention, not just downloads
• Build quickly with AI tools, but test on real phones

• Follow Apple’s and Google’s rules for subscriptions and trials
• State prices and cancellation steps clearly
• Avoid health, betting, or money claims you cannot support
• Protect user data and post a clear privacy policy