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App Annie
App Annie, co-founded by Bertrand Schmitt in 2010, provides mobile app market data and analytics. Acquired by GfK in 2021.
App Annie
App Annie was founded in 2010 by Bertrand Schmitt and Shumate Li to provide market data and analytics for the mobile app economy. The company originally focused on app store intelligence, tracking downloads, revenue, and user engagement for iOS and Google Play stores. Wealth origin was not publicly attributed to a single family; the firm was venture-backed upon its founding. App Annie's core offering is a data platform that estimates mobile app performance across 170+ countries, covering metrics such as downloads, in-app purchase revenue, and usage time. The analytics product is used by developers, publishers, and investors to benchmark against competitors and assess market opportunities. Confirmed clients included major tech firms and financial institutions. Geographic coverage spans North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. The firm was acquired by GfK in July 2021, marking its exit from independent operation. Post-acquisition, the App Annie brand and team continued under GfK's data division. As of the last available public filings, the combined entity operated with a staff of roughly 500 professionals, though specific post-acquisition figures are not separately disclosed for App Annie. The firm maintained no publicly listed additional offices beyond its San Francisco headquarters. App Annie's structural differentiator was its independent, third-party data source for the mobile app industry — a space previously lacking a standard measurement tool. Its platform aggregated public and panel-based data, giving investors a quantitative lens into private app companies' performance. The company's 2015 launch of "App Annie Intelligence" formalized this with a subscription-based enterprise product. After acquisition, the data set continues under GfK's broader analytics arm.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
2010
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
San Francisco
Corporate office
San Francisco, CA, United States
Principals
Bertrand Schmitt
Co-Founder & former CEO
Shumate Li
Co-Founder
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
What data does App Annie provide?
App Annie tracks mobile app downloads, revenue, user engagement, and usage metrics across iOS and Google Play stores in over 170 countries (per public record). Its platform estimates app performance and market trends using both public app store data and panel-based user behavior models. This allows investors to benchmark private app companies without relying on the companies' own disclosures.
Is App Annie still an independent company?
No, App Annie was acquired by GfK in July 2021 (per GfK's official announcement). Post-acquisition, the App Annie brand and products were integrated into GfK's data and analytics division. The combined entity operates as part of GfK, a NielsenIQ-owned market research firm.
Who uses App Annie's data?
App Annie's data is used by app developers, mobile-first companies, investment banks, venture capital firms, and large financial institutions. The platform is a standard reference for tracking mobile app market share, competitor performance, and category growth. Notable client verticals include gaming, e-commerce, media, and education.
How accurate is App Annie's data?
App Annie's revenue estimates are derived from statistical models combining public app store data, panel data from user behavior, and third-party sources. The company itself does not guarantee exact accuracy but claims a high correlation with actual developer-reported figures for top-grossing apps. Accuracy varies by region and app category. Independent audits of the methodology are not publicly available.
What sectors does App Annie cover?
App Annie covers all app categories on iOS and Google Play, including gaming, social media, entertainment, productivity, finance, and health. Its analytics break down performance by category, country, device, and demographic. The firm also provides custom reports for specific industries such as mobile gaming and streaming media.
Has App Annie had any notable controversies?
In 2020, App Annie faced criticism from some app developers over the accuracy of its revenue estimates for certain apps, leading to public corrections (per press reports). The firm updated its methodology after the incident. No regulatory actions were taken. The acquisition by GfK followed these events.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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