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Top 20 Developer Tools SDKs Used in iOS Apps on the Apple App Store
Last update: 21 Mar 2026 CET
App Store

Top 20 Developer Tools SDKs Used in iOS Apps on the Apple App Store

We at 42matters have identified the 20 most popular Developer Tools SDKs leveraged by iOS apps available on the iOS app market.

Developer Tool SDKs help developers build sophisticated mobile apps. Technology vendors and platform providers develop these SDKs — which include programming libraries, APIs, sample code, documentation, and other tools — for third-party app developers that want to build mobile apps that leverage the features and functionalities of their technologies or platforms.

This list is based on our analysis of the millions of mobile applications – and the 2,300+ SDKs they use – that constitute the vast inventory of the Apple App Store. The accompanying data provides readers with a glimpse into the rich mobile application insights generated by the 42matters technology. This data is also available via our APIs, file dumps, Explorer, and SDK Explorer.

The intended purpose of this article is to assist app builders in their search for the perfect Developer Tools SDK to leverage in their app, as well as to give SDK developers insight into their biggest competitors and potential customers. This data collected by our technology may also serve as a useful tool for folks researching the wider mobile app market.

The 20 most widely-integrated developer tools SDKs:

1st

Apple Core Foundation

Check “Apple Core Foundation” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 99.96% have integrated Apple Core Foundation. This accounts for 100.00% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
1.83m
App Store
App Share
99.96%
App Store
Apps
1.65m
Games
186.80k
Total Downloads
543.21b
App Store
Download Share
100.00%
App Store
App Downloads
411.32b
Game Downloads
131.89b

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use Apple Core Foundation.

2nd

Apple AVFoundation

Check “Apple AVFoundation” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 76.10% have integrated Apple AVFoundation. This accounts for 95.01% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
1.40m
App Store
App Share
76.10%
App Store
Apps
1.23m
Games
169.74k
Total Downloads
516.10b
App Store
Download Share
95.01%
App Store
App Downloads
386.77b
Game Downloads
129.32b

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use Apple AVFoundation.

3rd

Apple WebKit

Check “Apple WebKit” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 70.76% have integrated Apple WebKit. This accounts for 93.79% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
1.30m
App Store
App Share
70.76%
App Store
Apps
1.17m
Games
128.18k
Total Downloads
509.52b
App Store
Download Share
93.79%
App Store
App Downloads
383.71b
Game Downloads
125.81b

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use Apple WebKit.

4th

Google Firebase

Check “Google Firebase” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 51.11% have integrated Google Firebase. This accounts for 65.51% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Firebase is Google's mobile platform SDK that helps you quickly develop high-quality apps and grow your business.

Total Apps
938.31k
App Store
App Share
51.11%
App Store
Apps
852.43k
Games
85.88k
Total Downloads
355.86b
App Store
Download Share
65.51%
App Store
App Downloads
253.00b
Game Downloads
102.86b

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use Google Firebase.

5th

Firebase Installations

Check “Firebase Installations” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 41.67% have integrated Firebase Installations. This accounts for 62.04% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
764.98k
App Store
App Share
41.67%
App Store
Apps
710.64k
Games
54.33k
Total Downloads
337.01b
App Store
Download Share
62.04%
App Store
App Downloads
242.54b
Game Downloads
94.47b

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use Firebase Installations.

6th

Apple Core Data

Check “Apple Core Data” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 31.33% have integrated Apple Core Data. This accounts for 51.86% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
575.23k
App Store
App Share
31.33%
App Store
Apps
547.45k
Games
27.78k
Total Downloads
281.73b
App Store
Download Share
51.86%
App Store
App Downloads
239.53b
Game Downloads
42.19b

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use Apple Core Data.

7th

Promises by Google

Check “Promises by Google” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 27.79% have integrated Promises by Google. This accounts for 21.97% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
510.25k
App Store
App Share
27.79%
App Store
Apps
482.61k
Games
27.64k
Total Downloads
119.37b
App Store
Download Share
21.97%
App Store
App Downloads
83.98b
Game Downloads
35.40b

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use Promises by Google.

8th

Apple Swift Framework

Check “Apple Swift Framework” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 23.34% have integrated Apple Swift Framework. This accounts for 12.69% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Apple Swift Framework is a powerful and intuitive programming language for macOS, iOS, watchOS, tvOS and beyond.

Total Apps
428.52k
App Store
App Share
23.34%
App Store
Apps
381.33k
Games
47.19k
Total Downloads
68.92b
App Store
Download Share
12.69%
App Store
App Downloads
43.52b
Game Downloads
25.40b

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use Apple Swift Framework.

9th

Firebase Remote Config

Check “Firebase Remote Config” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 14.28% have integrated Firebase Remote Config. This accounts for 38.71% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
262.15k
App Store
App Share
14.28%
App Store
Apps
234.65k
Games
27.50k
Total Downloads
210.29b
App Store
Download Share
38.71%
App Store
App Downloads
158.41b
Game Downloads
51.88b

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use Firebase Remote Config.

10th

Firebase App Check

Check “Firebase App Check” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 11.94% have integrated Firebase App Check. This accounts for 12.03% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
219.24k
App Store
App Share
11.94%
App Store
Apps
207.17k
Games
12.06k
Total Downloads
65.36b
App Store
Download Share
12.03%
App Store
App Downloads
51.22b
Game Downloads
14.13b

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use Firebase App Check.

11th

Apple Core Bluetooth

Check “Apple Core Bluetooth” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 9.08% have integrated Apple Core Bluetooth. This accounts for 16.53% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
166.63k
App Store
App Share
9.08%
App Store
Apps
159.06k
Games
7.57k
Total Downloads
89.80b
App Store
Download Share
16.53%
App Store
App Downloads
85.29b
Game Downloads
4.51b

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use Apple Core Bluetooth.

12th

Expo

Check “Expo” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 8.97% have integrated Expo. This accounts for 1.43% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
164.72k
App Store
App Share
8.97%
App Store
Apps
161.25k
Games
3.47k
Total Downloads
7.76b
App Store
Download Share
1.43%
App Store
App Downloads
7.60b
Game Downloads
154.44m

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use Expo.

13th

react-native-device-info

Check “react-native-device-info” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 7.97% have integrated react-native-device-info. This accounts for 3.60% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

The react-native-device-info SDK offers device information for React Native for iOS and Android.

Total Apps
146.40k
App Store
App Share
7.97%
App Store
Apps
145.61k
Games
784
Total Downloads
19.57b
App Store
Download Share
3.60%
App Store
App Downloads
19.27b
Game Downloads
301.32m

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use react-native-device-info.

14th

Protobuf

Check “Protobuf” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 6.79% have integrated Protobuf. This accounts for 17.02% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Protocol Buffers (a.k.a., protobuf) are Google's language-neutral, platform-neutral, extensible mechanism for serializing structured data.

Total Apps
124.63k
App Store
App Share
6.79%
App Store
Apps
117.87k
Games
6.76k
Total Downloads
92.44b
App Store
Download Share
17.02%
App Store
App Downloads
84.59b
Game Downloads
7.86b

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use Protobuf.

16th

Apple Core ML

Check “Apple Core ML” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 2.84% have integrated Apple Core ML. This accounts for 32.54% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
52.11k
App Store
App Share
2.84%
App Store
Apps
30.42k
Games
21.69k
Total Downloads
176.77b
App Store
Download Share
32.54%
App Store
App Downloads
108.17b
Game Downloads
68.60b

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use Apple Core ML.

17th

Mantle

Check “Mantle” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 2.71% have integrated Mantle. This accounts for 3.42% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Mantle is a Software Development Kit (SDK) that makes it easy to write simple model layers for your Cocoa or Cocoa Touch mobile applications or games.

Total Apps
49.84k
App Store
App Share
2.71%
App Store
Apps
49.17k
Games
666
Total Downloads
18.58b
App Store
Download Share
3.42%
App Store
App Downloads
17.33b
Game Downloads
1.25b

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use Mantle.

18th

ML Kit by Google

Check “ML Kit by Google” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 2.21% have integrated ML Kit by Google. This accounts for 2.22% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
40.63k
App Store
App Share
2.21%
App Store
Apps
40.45k
Games
178
Total Downloads
12.06b
App Store
Download Share
2.22%
App Store
App Downloads
12.04b
Game Downloads
12.77m

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use ML Kit by Google.

19th

RxSwift

Check “RxSwift” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 2.15% have integrated RxSwift. This accounts for 5.08% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

The RxSwift SDK offers a framework for interacting with the Swift programming language.

Total Apps
39.51k
App Store
App Share
2.15%
App Store
Apps
39.23k
Games
283
Total Downloads
27.60b
App Store
Download Share
5.08%
App Store
App Downloads
27.34b
Game Downloads
260.91m

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use RxSwift.

20th

CocoaLumberjack

Check “CocoaLumberjack” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 1.71% have integrated CocoaLumberjack. This accounts for 4.47% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

CocoaLumberjack is a fast and simple, yet powerful and flexible, logging framework SDK for Mac and iOS.

Total Apps
31.37k
App Store
App Share
1.71%
App Store
Apps
31.02k
Games
347
Total Downloads
24.29b
App Store
Download Share
4.47%
App Store
App Downloads
22.89b
Game Downloads
1.40b

Use the 42matters SDK Explorer to find all apps that use CocoaLumberjack.

Browse iOS and Android SDKs With the SDK Explorer

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  • SDK IntelligenceSDK Intelligence

    See how many apps integrate specific SDKs, how many times these SDKs have been downloaded, developer details, similar SDKs, and more.

  • New Installations and Removals HistoryNew Installations and Removals History

    Analyze installation and removal trends for SDKs. Discover which apps have removed or integrated specific SDKs in a given timeframe.

  • Market Share per Google Play and Apple App Store CategoryMarket Share per Google Play and Apple App Store Category

    See which app categories or genres are most likely to use specific SDKs. Detect SDK market share per category.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How does 42matters collect this data?'

We’ve developed a number of machine learning algorithms that scan millions of mobile and connected TV (CTV) applications on a regular basis. In addition, we collect ground truth app performance intelligence and use this data to build statistical models that estimate the performance of apps for which we do not have ground truth data.

What SDK data does 42matters collect?'

We track over 2,300 of the most popular SDKs integrated in iOS and Android apps. We collect a variety of SDK insights (title, platform, ID, category, and developer website); performance metrics (the number of apps that have installed each SDK, installation and removal trends, and app downloads); market share statistics (including market share per app category); and more!

How can I access 42matters’ SDK data?'

The most direct way is to use our SDK Explorer, which is a visual, web-based research platform that enables you to peruse all 2,300+ SDKs that we track. It’s great for market research, lead generation, competitor analysis, etc. However, more technically-inclined folks might prefer our APIs and File Dumps, which enable you to query info for specific apps or SDKs. You can also use our other research platform (the Explorer) to view integrated SDKs by app.

Can I use 42matters’ solutions to generate app publisher leads?'

Absolutely! We actually wrote about this on our blog. We focused on ad network SDKs, but the examples are applicable to most SDK types. To summarize, you can use the Explorer’s advanced filtering capabilities to home in on best-fit app publishers, leverage the SDK Explorer to see which apps use your competitors’ SDKs, and use our APIs and file dumps to build custom lead generation processes.

What data does 42matters provide on mobile apps?'

A ton! We track 17+ million apps across Google Play, the Apple App Store, Amazon Appstore, Tencent Appstore, and Huawei AppGallery. Our solutions provide access to app details (developer insights, metadata, ASO keywords, contact information, etc.); performance metrics (downloads, MAUs, ratings, reviews, top chart rankings, etc.); technical insights (integrated SDKs, permissions, required capabilities, etc.); content details (categories, genres, IAB categories, content ratings, etc.); compliance information (app-ads.txt, privacy policies, store status, etc.) and much, much more!

Can I use 42matters’ solutions to find SDKs for my app?'

Definitely. The SDK Explorer enables you to sort SDKs by category, identify similar SDKs, analyze SDK reliability, and more. In addition, you can use the Explorer to monitor your competitors, including which SDKs they add and remove, their current tech stacks, and SDK changelogs. This means you use our solutions not only to find the right SDK for a particular purpose, but also which SDKs you might need to keep up with your rivals.