---
title: "Books & Reference Apps: Revenue, Downloads and Monetization Statistics"
description: "Store revenue, downloads, monetization model, ratings and app age for 3,420 tracked Books & Reference apps on iOS and Android — what share earns, what earners make, and which platform pays more."
url: https://trendapps.dev/statistics/categories/books-reference/
markdown: https://trendapps.dev/statistics/categories/books-reference/index.md
updated: 2026-09-11
apps: 3420
source: TrendApps
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Books & Reference Apps: Revenue, Downloads and Monetization Statistics

TrendApps Research · updated 2026-09-11 · 3,420 apps

TrendApps tracks 3,420 Books & Reference apps across the App Store and Google Play. 18.3% of them earn more than $1,000 a month, above the 18.3% rate across all categories. Among Books & Reference apps that earn, the median is $40k a month. Free Books & Reference apps with IAP earn 60.6% of the time. Store revenue only; advertising income is not included, so ad-supported apps show as not earning here.

- **18.3%** — of Books & Reference apps earn $1k+ a month
- **$40k** — median among earners
- **60.6%** — of free + IAP apps earn $1k+
- **$2.00** — median revenue per download

## How many Books & Reference apps make money?

626 of the 3,420 tracked Books & Reference apps earn more than $1,000 a month from store sales and IAP. That is 18.3% of the category. Among those earners, a quarter make $20k or less and a quarter make $100k or more. The top 10% of Books & Reference earners clear $400k a month.

Revenue estimates below $1,000 sit at a floor, so "earning" means clearing that line. The comparison against all categories tells you whether Books & Reference is a category where store purchases are a normal way to pay, or one where users expect everything free.

Books & Reference apps above and below the $1,000/month floor

| Slice | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Earn more than $1k/month | 626 apps |
| At or below the $1k floor | 2,794 apps |

Share earning $1k+/month vs all categories

| Item | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Books & Reference | 18.3% |
| All categories | 18.3% |

Monthly revenue among earning apps: 25th percentile, median, 90th percentile

| Item | 25th percentile | Median | Top |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Books & Reference earners | $20k | $40k | $400k |
| All earners | $10k | $40k | $700k |

Data table

| Percentile (earning apps) | Monthly revenue |
| --- | --- |
| 25th | $20k |
| 50th (median) | $40k |
| 75th | $100k |
| 90th | $400k |

## Books & Reference apps: iOS vs Android

iOS Books & Reference apps earn more than $1,000 a month 15.8% of the time. Android Books & Reference apps earn 29.0% of the time. Among earners, the iOS median is $40k a month. The Android median is $30k. Android Books & Reference apps pass 1,000 monthly downloads 47.7% of the time, against 21.3% on iOS.

Read the two rows together: the earning rate tells you where a Books & Reference app is more likely to make anything, the median tells you where the earners are larger. Across the whole catalogue Android earns slightly more often and iOS earns more per app; the category-level split above is the one that should decide your first platform.

Share of apps earning $1k+/month

| Item | Value |
| --- | --- |
| iOS · 2,779 apps | 15.8% |
| Android · 641 apps | 29.0% |

Monthly revenue among earning apps by platform: 25th, median, 90th

| Item | 25th percentile | Median | Top |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| iOS earners | $20k | $40k | $400k |
| Android earners | $10k | $30k | $300k |

Crossing the floor: revenue vs downloads

| — | iOS | Android |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Earn $1k+/month | 15.8% | 29.0% |
| Pass 1k downloads/month | 21.3% | 47.7% |

How Books & Reference apps split by model on each store

| — | Free + IAP (share) | Paid + IAP (share) | Paid, no IAP (share) | Free, no IAP (share) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| iOS | 25.0% | 7.0% | 56.8% | 11.2% |
| Android | 47.6% | 3.0% | 30.7% | 18.7% |

Data table

| — | iOS | Android |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Apps tracked | 2,779 | 641 |
| Earn $1k+/month | 15.8% | 29.0% |
| Median revenue (earners) | $40k | $30k |
| Pass 1k downloads/month | 21.3% | 47.7% |
| Median revenue per download | $2.33 | $1.13 |

## Free vs paid Books & Reference apps

1,000 Books & Reference apps are free with IAP, and 60.6% of them earn more than $1,000 a month. 1,776 are paid with nothing to buy inside, and 0.6% of those earn. When a free-with-IAP Books & Reference app earns, the median is $40k a month.

A free Books & Reference app with no IAP has no way to earn store revenue, so its row reflects ads that this data cannot see, not failure. The fair comparison is between the models that sell something through the store.

Share of apps earning $1k+/month, by monetization model

| Item | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Free + IAP | 60.6% |
| Paid + IAP | 4.7% |
| Paid, no IAP | 0.6% |
| Free, no IAP | 0.0% |

How Books & Reference apps split by model

| Slice | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Free + IAP | 1,000 · 29.2% |
| Paid + IAP | 214 · 6.3% |
| Paid, no IAP | 1,776 · 51.9% |
| Free, no IAP | 430 · 12.6% |

Data table

| Model | Apps | Earn $1k+/mo | Median (earners) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Free + IAP | 1,000 | 60.6% | $40k |
| Paid + IAP | 214 | 4.7% | $8k |
| Paid, no IAP | 1,776 | 0.6% | $7k |
| Free, no IAP | 430 | 0.0% | — |

## Ratings and revenue in Books & Reference

Books & Reference apps with fewer than 100 ratings earn more than $1,000 a month 3.1% of the time. With between 1,000 and 10,000 ratings, 52.3% earn. With more than 100,000 ratings, 57.0% earn.

Rating count is the public signal of whether a Books & Reference app has found its audience. Use it on competitors' store pages: the bands above convert a rating count into the probability that the app is clearing $1,000 a month.

Share of apps earning $1k+/month, by number of ratings

| Item | Value |
| --- | --- |
| <100 | 3.1% |
| 100–1k | 21.6% |
| 1k–10k | 52.3% |
| 10k–100k | 62.9% |
| 100k+ | 57.0% |

How rated Books & Reference apps split by number of ratings

| Slice | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Under 100 ratings | 1,474 · 52.3% |
| 100 – 1k | 522 · 18.5% |
| 1k – 10k | 417 · 14.8% |
| 10k – 100k | 283 · 10.0% |
| 100k+ | 121 · 4.3% |

Data table

| Ratings count | Apps | Earn $1k+/mo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Under 100 ratings | 1,474 | 3.1% |
| 100 – 1k | 522 | 21.6% |
| 1k – 10k | 417 | 52.3% |
| 10k – 100k | 283 | 62.9% |
| 100k+ | 121 | 57.0% |

## How long Books & Reference apps take to earn

Books & Reference apps under a year old earn more than $1,000 a month 14.5% of the time. Between one and three years old, 32.4% earn. Past three years, 32.4% earn.

Age is time since the app first appeared on the store. Across the catalogue the earning rate roughly doubles after the first year and then flattens; the Books & Reference curve above shows whether this category rewards patience more or less than average.

Share of apps earning $1k+/month, by time since first release

| Item | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Under 1 year | 14.5% |
| 1 – 3 years | 32.4% |
| 3 – 6 years | 32.4% |
| 6+ years | 11.8% |

Share earning $1k+/month by app age, iOS vs Android

| — | iOS | Android |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Under 1 year | 13.5% | 18.5% |
| 1 – 3 years | 29.6% | 42.4% |
| 3 – 6 years | 29.1% | 40.6% |
| 6+ years | 9.9% | 22.5% |

Data table

| App age | Apps | Earn $1k+/mo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Under 1 year | 648 | 14.5% |
| 1 – 3 years | 550 | 32.4% |
| 3 – 6 years | 448 | 32.4% |
| 6+ years | 1,773 | 11.8% |

## Revenue per download in Books & Reference

Among 476 Books & Reference apps with both revenue and downloads above the floor, the median makes $2.00 per download. The middle half spans $1.00 to $5.00. 25.2% make $5 or more per download.

Multiply your download forecast by the band that matches your model. Subscriptions with good retention track the top quarter; cheap consumables track the bottom. Advertising revenue is not included.

Earning Books & Reference apps by revenue per download

| Item | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Under $0.50 | 13.2% |
| $0.50 – $2 | 33.2% |
| $2 – $5 | 28.4% |
| $5+ | 25.2% |

Revenue per download: 25th percentile, median, 75th percentile

| Item | 25th percentile | Median | Top |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Books & Reference | $1.00 | $2.00 | $5.00 |
| All categories | $0.38 | $1.43 | $4.29 |

Data table

| Revenue per download | Apps | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Under $0.50 | 63 | 13.2% |
| $0.50 – $2 | 158 | 33.2% |
| $2 – $5 | 135 | 28.4% |
| $5+ | 120 | 25.2% |

## Where Books & Reference publishers are based

Singapore has the highest earning rate among Books & Reference publisher countries with at least 50 apps, at 72.0%. Hong Kong follows at 63.2%.

Publisher country is where the company is registered, not where the developers are. High rates in small jurisdictions usually mean established studios incorporating there, not a local talent effect.

Share of apps earning $1k+/month, by publisher country (50+ apps)

| Item | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Singapore (50) | 72.0% |
| Hong Kong (117) | 63.2% |
| China (167) | 59.3% |
| United Kingdom (103) | 28.2% |
| US (878) | 17.9% |
| Canada (52) | 17.3% |
| Germany (56) | 10.7% |

Data table

| Publisher country | Apps | Earn $1k+/mo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Singapore | 50 | 72.0% |
| Hong Kong | 117 | 63.2% |
| China | 167 | 59.3% |
| United Kingdom | 103 | 28.2% |
| US | 878 | 17.9% |
| Canada | 52 | 17.3% |
| Germany | 56 | 10.7% |

## What this means if you're building an app

Books & Reference is above the catalogue average on earning rate, at 18.3%. When a Books & Reference app earns, the median is $40k a month.

The model that works here is free with IAP, at 60.6%. Start on the platform where Books & Reference earns more often — iOS at 15.8% versus Android at 29.0% — unless your model is ads, which this data does not measure.

Before building, open the top-trending Books & Reference list and check the rating counts of the apps already earning. That is the size of the audience you are competing for, and the ratings section above converts it into odds.

Next step: Explore top Books & Reference apps → — https://trendapps.dev/top-trending-apps/ios/books-and-reference/

## Questions developers ask

### How much do Books & Reference apps make?

18.3% of tracked Books & Reference apps earn more than $1,000 a month from store sales and IAP. Among those that earn, the median is $40k a month and the top 10% make $400k or more. Ad revenue is not included.

### Do Books & Reference apps make more on iOS or Android?

iOS Books & Reference apps earn $1k+ a month 15.8% of the time, Android Books & Reference apps 29.0%. Median revenue among earners is $40k on iOS and $30k on Android.

### Should a Books & Reference app be free or paid?

Free Books & Reference apps with IAP earn more than $1,000 a month 60.6% of the time, against 0.6% for paid apps without IAP. Free with IAP is the model that works in this category, as in most.

### How much is a Books & Reference app download worth?

The median earning Books & Reference app makes $2.00 per download, with the middle half between $1.00 and $5.00. Store revenue only, before the store commission.

## Methodology

- An app counts as earning when its estimated monthly store revenue is above $1,000. Estimates below that sit at a floor of $1,000, so every population-wide figure is the share of a segment above that floor; medians are computed only among apps above it.
- Revenue and downloads are estimates in bands ($5k–10k by $1k, $10k–100k by $10k, then by $100k and $1M). Medians among earners are the median band.
- Store revenue only — paid downloads and IAP (in-app purchases, including subscriptions). Advertising income is never included, so ad-supported apps show as not earning.
- Apps enter the catalogue from the US top charts, including Top Paid, so paid apps are over-represented. Ratios by monetization model are unaffected; overall ratios lean slightly paid.
- Delisted apps are excluded; unrated apps are excluded from rating charts. Recomputed after every crawl.

## Related

- [Mobile App Revenue by Category: Which Categories Make the Most Money?](https://trendapps.dev/statistics/app-revenue-by-category/index.md)
- [Free vs Paid Apps: Which Model Actually Makes Money?](https://trendapps.dev/statistics/free-vs-paid-apps-revenue/index.md)
- [iOS vs Android App Revenue: Which Platform Pays Developers More?](https://trendapps.dev/statistics/ios-vs-android-app-revenue/index.md)

Source: https://trendapps.dev/statistics/categories/books-reference/ · Markdown: https://trendapps.dev/statistics/categories/books-reference/index.md · Methodology: https://trendapps.dev/methodology/