2025 saw Surge in Video Streaming App Downloads due to Microdramas

Video streaming apps had a huge year in 2025, with downloads and revenue both rising significantly. The real standout, though, was microdrama apps leading the charge in driving this growth. According to Sensor Tower’s annual report on mobile trends, global video streaming app downloads shot up by almost 39 percent last year, with revenue climbing nearly 18 percent along with it. Surprisingly, while downloads for short drama apps more than doubled, traditional streaming app downloads actually dropped by more than four percent.

The report highlighted a shift in the industry, noting that short drama apps made big moves in the market in 2025. Fueled by a surge in localized content, short drama app downloads hit a whopping 2.3 billion for the year, marking a significant milestone. In the fourth quarter alone, these apps saw a staggering 186 percent increase from the previous year, allowing them to outpace traditional OTT streaming downloads, which lagged behind with a seven percent decline in the same period.

It’s clear that the landscape of streaming entertainment is evolving, with microdramas gaining traction and reshaping the space in 2025.