On October 16, 2026 YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram hold the top of the US Photo & Video grossing chart, while a wave of AI video makers grows below the top 20. 18 of the top 20 sell a subscription, 8 of them with a weekly price, $6.49 at the median. Ranks 51 to 100 make $163–653K a month by our estimate, not Apple data.
Giants and editors
Social networks with their own subscriptions hold the top. YouTube at rank 1 has 49,430,037 ratings, Instagram 29,598,865. We show no range for them and other giants, our method runs low for them. Instagram sells Meta Verified and badges, so the table marks it as purchases without a subscription. The second half of the top 10 is editors, CapCut, Facetune, FaceApp and Momo.
The top 20 don't need millions of ratings. Runway, a 2023 text-to-video app, sits at rank 15 with 17,539 ratings, and Shots from 2025 at rank 19 with 18,177. The top 20 median is 404,777 ratings, inflated by YouTube and Instagram.
| Rank | App | How it charges | US ratings | Released | Our monthly estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | YouTube | subscription | 49,430,037 | 2012 | long-running, method runs low |
| 2 | Snapchat | subscription | 5,962,222 | 2011 | long-running, method runs low |
| 3 | in-app purchases, no subscription | 29,598,865 | 2010 | long-running, method runs low | |
| 4 | CapCut: Photo & Video Editor | subscription | 1,123,982 | 2020 | major brand, method runs low |
| 5 | Google Photos: Backup & Edit | subscription | 1,616,216 | 2015 | long-running, method runs low |
| 6 | Canva AI Photo & Video Editor | subscription | 3,575,781 | 2014 | long-running, method runs low |
| 7 | Twitch: Live Streaming | in-app purchases, no subscription | 2,813,121 | 2011 | long-running, method runs low |
| 8 | Facetune: Photo & Video Editor | subscription | 379,470 | 2016 | $631K–2.5M |
| 9 | FaceApp: Perfect Face Editor | subscription | 1,787,959 | 2017 | $912K–3.6M |
| 10 | Momo: AI Photo & Video Maker | subscription with a weekly plan | 92,704 | 2022 | $913K–3.7M |
Apple, US top grossing chart, Oct 16, 2026. Ratings and release years from iTunes Lookup. Monthly range by our estimate for Sep 16, 2026–Oct 16, 2026, not Apple data.
How these apps charge
Weekly plans are common here. 8 of the 20 top grossing apps offer one, including Picsart, Lightroom, Splice, Airbrush and Retake. Another 10 sell only monthly and yearly plans. In the free chart only 3 of the top 20 sell nothing on the App Store, Instagram's Edits, YouTube Studio and Cantina.
A week costs $6.49 at the median, almost as much as a month ($6.99). That is the mark of the category, AI editors sell short access to generation. The median year is $47.49. The paid chart is full of film-look cameras. 2AM CAM leads at $0.99, with YoungPhoto, BerryFilm and Rarevision VHS nearby, and the top 20 median is $5.99. Paid cameras don't reach the top 100 grossing.
| What is sold | Median | Range | Apps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly subscription | $6.49 | $0.49–$9.99 | 8 |
| Monthly subscription | $6.99 | $0.99–$14.99 | 9 |
| Yearly subscription | $47.49 | $14.99–$143.99 | 12 |
| Paid upfront, top 20 | $5.99 | $0.99–$29.99 | 20 |
In-app purchase lists on the app pages, US App Store, Oct 16, 2026.
What a chart rank is worth
We could estimate 66 apps of the top 100 without giants and brands, and 46 make $100K a month or more even at the low end. The top 10 pull away with a median range of $912K–3.6M, about 6 times ranks 51–100.
Below rank 10 the gap narrows. Ranks 11–25 make $511K–2.0M, ranks 26–50 $124–497K and ranks 51–100 $163–653K, so the lower half of the top 100 even beats ranks 26–50 at the middle of the range. We show no range for CapCut at rank 4. It is a major brand, and our estimate tends to run low for those.
How newcomers get in
15 apps of the top 100 came out in 2025–2026, mostly AI video and dance clip makers. The highest is Shots at rank 19. The newest are CutAI (released August 17, 2026, 937 ratings), DanceHit and SorAI.
The top 20 are stable, 19 of 20 were there on September 24, 2026. Lower down the chart refreshes. From September 24, 2026 to October 16, 2026, 7 apps entered the top 100, among them SorAI, PixVerse Lite and ClawDance.
Niches inside the category
Below the top 20 the category splits into three shelves. Face and selfie editors (Facetune, Airbrush, Retake), AI video makers (Runway, Shots, SorAI) and collages with ready layouts for social posts (SCRL, Momo). A private photo vault stands apart, and its niche is in the book.
Related articles and breakdowns
- Can a new app still break through on the App Store in 2026? Five examples with numbers
- Your App Store name and first screenshot. How to choose, with examples from 50 niches
Niches of this category in the book
- Private photo vault, leader Private Photo Vault
Niche leader and its monthly range by our estimate. Book 50 iPhone app niches, Oct 16, 2026.
For a Photo & Video app Appto checks the niche on fresh App Store data, draws the screens and writes the code from scratch. Appto makes the App Store screenshots from the app itself in every language and suggests weekly and yearly prices by country.
Where the numbers come from
The US App Store snapshot was taken on October 16, 2026. Appto estimates revenue from 30 days of rating growth in six countries. In half of the cases the estimate is within 2x of the real figure, in four out of five within 3x, and for large apps it tends to run low. Ads, web sales and Google Play are not included. More on the method and on niches by category.
Questions
How much do photo and video apps make?
By our estimate on October 16, 2026, the US top 10 grossing have a median of $912K–3.6M a month and ranks 51–100 $163–653K. Remini makes the most, $1.1–4.2M. It is our estimate, not Apple data.
Why do photo editors sell weekly subscriptions?
8 of the 20 top grossing apps offer one (October 16, 2026). A week costs $6.49 at the median, a month $6.99 and a year $47.49. AI generation costs money on every request, and a week sells short access to it.
Can an AI video app still reach the chart in 2026?
15 apps of the top 100 came out in 2025–2026, and Shots is at rank 19. The newest app in the top 100, CutAI, came out August 17, 2026.
Do paid camera apps sell?
Yes, they fill the paid chart, 2AM CAM leads at $0.99 (October 16, 2026). Paid apps of the category don't make the top 100 grossing.
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