Here is an analysis of the global non-gaming App user acquisition marketing trends for May 2025, based on ad data from 50 countries/regions and 28 global media platforms, according to AppGrowing's report.
In May 2025, the global non-gaming app advertising landscape continued the trends observed last month. Tool apps remained the dominant category in terms of total active ad campaigns, with new entries accounting for a record-high 16.06%.
Meanwhile, entertainment apps saw a surge in total ad impressions, overtaking shopping apps to claim the top spot. However, when measured by the number of unique creatives, shopping apps still led by a wide margin.
01.Top Non-gaming App Developers & Apps
According to AppGrowing, this month's ranking of top global advertisers saw a notable shift, with over half of the top-performing developers specializing in short dramas or Novels.
TEMU maintained its lead at No.1, but positions No.2 through No.6 were all claimed by short drama developers, with Changdu Technology (畅读科技) climbing to second place.
This boom in short-form content was also reflected on the product-level advertising leaderboard. MoboReels saw a staggering 3,698.37% month-over-month spike in ad volume, jumping to No.2. Another flagship title from Changdu, MoboReader, recorded an even more explosive 6,000%+ increase, landing in fourth place.
02.Top Apps in Selected Catagories
AppGrowing also spotlighted four verticals this month: health & fitness, money earning, short drama, and AI education.
Topping the health & fitness chart was Impulse from Ukraine-based GMRD Apps. Despite being positioned as a brain-training app, Impulse is functionally a mini-game aggregator—a format reminiscent of the "functional games" that gained traction in China in recent years.
Among money earning apps, the top six were mostly cashback or food delivery services. ShopBack, which focuses on cashback for online shopping, ranked No.1.
The short drama chart was dominated entirely by Chinese developers. The top three were MoboReels, DramaBox, and NetShort.
In the AI text generation category, Al Tutor led the rankings, while ByteDance’s Gauth came in fourth.
03.Ad Creative Case：Impulse
According to AppGrowing, Impulse significantly ramped up its advertising in late April, with daily ad volume peaking at over 8,000 creatives. However, by late May, spend had tapered off, returning to earlier levels.
In terms of creative strategy, Impulse heavily emphasized its "brain training" value proposition. Many creatives tapped into users' emotional pain points—such as stress or attention issues—and paired them with trendy quiz formats and mini-games to drive engagement.
One standout ad featured a real person influencer addressing users directly, raising awareness about ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). The host used emotionally resonant language to heighten user concern, then prompted viewers to take a quick ADHD-type assessment. The ad concluded with a bold CTA encouraging users to download the app, accompanied by a visual classification chart to spark curiosity and action.
