Methodology

This year’s Mobile App Trends Report is based on the largest Northern European app study to date. Conducted across Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden—three of the world’s most digitally advanced markets—the study provides a strong benchmark for app adoption and performance. By combining localized insights with a broader market perspective, this study uncovers the key factors driving app success.

Our dataset includes approximately 200 apps per market and responses from 3,000 users per country—totaling 600 apps and 9,000 participants across different demographics, generations, and economic backgrounds. While we have standardized data collection across markets, regional differences may result in slight variations in the selected apps and industry segments.

In addition to the four core dimensions, apps are analyzed based on nine operational drivers—additional factors that may contribute to an app’s perceived success. Although these drivers do not directly impact the App Pulse score, they offer valuable context through driver analysis, clarifying performance differences.

The App Pulse score provides a comprehensive evaluation of success by considering multiple dimensions, reflecting the multifaceted nature of app performance. To excel in its category, an app must demonstrate relevance (strong product-market fit), deliver value, and outperform its competitors. Satisfaction scores add another layer of insight, capturing overall user sentiment and unquantified factors that influence user experience—offering a balanced perspective alongside the core criteria.

This multi-dimensional approach delivers a more nuanced assessment than app store ratings or customer reviews, where isolated negative experiences can disproportionately impact scores. Such systems often serve as feedback channels, amplifying moments of dissatisfaction that may not accurately reflect overall performance.

Conventional metrics like Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) and Net Promoter Score (NPS) provide a one-dimensional view, primarily capturing positive or negative sentiment toward a business. While valuable in specific contexts, they over-emphasize the relationship with existing customers and overlook broader factors such as an app’s relevance or the availability of superior alternatives. As a result, relying solely on these single-question metrics risks generating overly simplistic insights and less actionable insights.

App Pulse score
As the study focuses on well-established apps with strong brand equity and significant investments, App Pulse scores typically range between 50 and 100. This inherently high baseline results in similar scores across many applications, making even small differences impactful in rankings.

The App Pulse score balances four key criteria, but the equal weighting of all four criteria in the App Pulse score remains a topic of discussion. Users may not always be able to assess each criterion equally. For example, evaluating whether an app is the "best of its kind" requires a deep understanding of the app market—knowledge that not all users possess. Unlike the other three criteria, which can be judged independently, this metric is inherently comparative, relying on how an app performs relative to others in its category. Additionally, as the combination of criteria was self-selected, a degree of subjectivity is inevitable.

Despite these limitations, the App Pulse score provides a more holistic and nuanced perspective on app performance than conventional single-metric evaluations. By incorporating multiple dimensions, it captures aspects that other metrics overlook. While no system is flawless, we believe the App Pulse score remains the most effective tool for this study’s objectives.

Operational drivers
To deepen the analysis beyond the App Pulse score, this study incorporates operational drivers—key factors that influence app performance. A core component of this approach is the driver analysis, conducted using multivariate regression. This statistical method identifies how different drivers correlate with App Pulse scores, revealing the likelihood that strong or weak performance in specific areas impacts an app’s overall rating.

Data on operational drivers was gathered through user-reported agreement with statements such as, “The app is easy to use.” These ratings are inherently subjective, as perceptions of usability vary from person to person. While this introduces an interpretative gap, the results offer a foundation for meaningful discussion and reflection on each app’s performance.

As with the App Pulse score, the selection and wording of operational drivers can be questioned. The relevance of these drivers will likely evolve over time, reflecting shifts in user expectations and industry trends. Future iterations of this study will refine these metrics to stay aligned with evolving user expectations. Although operational drivers do not offer absolute explanations for individual ratings, they serve as a structured framework for understanding the factors that contribute to app success. When combined with the App Pulse score, they provide a more nuanced evaluation of app performance—delivering depth without claiming perfection.