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Top 20 Developer Tools SDKs Used in iOS Apps on the Apple App Store
Last update: 17 Sep 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
2.02m
App Store
App Share
99.96%
App Store
Apps
1.82m
Games
200.55k
Total Downloads
606.94b
App Store
Download Share
100.00%
App Store
App Downloads
465.14b
Game Downloads
141.80b

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, 75.60% have integrated Apple AVFoundation. This accounts for 94.68% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
1.53m
App Store
App Share
75.60%
App Store
Apps
1.35m
Games
180.13k
Total Downloads
574.64b
App Store
Download Share
94.68%
App Store
App Downloads
435.70b
Game Downloads
138.94b

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, 70.48% have integrated Apple WebKit. This accounts for 93.68% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
1.43m
App Store
App Share
70.48%
App Store
Apps
1.29m
Games
141.24k
Total Downloads
568.59b
App Store
Download Share
93.68%
App Store
App Downloads
433.25b
Game Downloads
135.34b

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, 49.34% have integrated Google Firebase. This accounts for 66.61% 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
998.62k
App Store
App Share
49.34%
App Store
Apps
908.99k
Games
89.63k
Total Downloads
404.28b
App Store
Download Share
66.61%
App Store
App Downloads
292.89b
Game Downloads
111.40b

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

5th

Apple Accelerate

Check “Apple Accelerate” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 49.14% have integrated Apple Accelerate. This accounts for 77.24% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
994.63k
App Store
App Share
49.14%
App Store
Apps
923.49k
Games
71.14k
Total Downloads
468.84b
App Store
Download Share
77.24%
App Store
App Downloads
348.13b
Game Downloads
120.71b

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

6th

Firebase Installations

Check “Firebase Installations” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 40.94% have integrated Firebase Installations. This accounts for 62.76% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
828.56k
App Store
App Share
40.94%
App Store
Apps
771.09k
Games
57.47k
Total Downloads
380.92b
App Store
Download Share
62.76%
App Store
App Downloads
280.57b
Game Downloads
100.35b

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

7th

Apple Core Data

Check “Apple Core Data” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 29.35% have integrated Apple Core Data. This accounts for 51.66% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
594.09k
App Store
App Share
29.35%
App Store
Apps
566.45k
Games
27.64k
Total Downloads
313.57b
App Store
Download Share
51.66%
App Store
App Downloads
268.46b
Game Downloads
45.11b

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

8th

Promises by Google

Check “Promises by Google” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 26.12% have integrated Promises by Google. This accounts for 19.22% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
528.71k
App Store
App Share
26.12%
App Store
Apps
500.80k
Games
27.91k
Total Downloads
116.67b
App Store
Download Share
19.22%
App Store
App Downloads
82.83b
Game Downloads
33.84b

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

9th

Apple Metal

Check “Apple Metal” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 23.30% have integrated Apple Metal. This accounts for 61.30% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
471.56k
App Store
App Share
23.30%
App Store
Apps
358.03k
Games
113.53k
Total Downloads
372.08b
App Store
Download Share
61.30%
App Store
App Downloads
246.98b
Game Downloads
125.09b

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

10th

Apple Swift Framework

Check “Apple Swift Framework” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 18.48% have integrated Apple Swift Framework. This accounts for 8.59% 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
373.95k
App Store
App Share
18.48%
App Store
Apps
331.79k
Games
42.16k
Total Downloads
52.12b
App Store
Download Share
8.59%
App Store
App Downloads
30.77b
Game Downloads
21.35b

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

11th

Firebase Remote Config

Check “Firebase Remote Config” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 14.47% have integrated Firebase Remote Config. This accounts for 38.22% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
292.82k
App Store
App Share
14.47%
App Store
Apps
262.69k
Games
30.14k
Total Downloads
231.96b
App Store
Download Share
38.22%
App Store
App Downloads
174.97b
Game Downloads
56.99b

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

12th

Firebase App Check

Check “Firebase App Check” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 12.46% have integrated Firebase App Check. This accounts for 12.26% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
252.29k
App Store
App Share
12.46%
App Store
Apps
237.33k
Games
14.96k
Total Downloads
74.41b
App Store
Download Share
12.26%
App Store
App Downloads
57.60b
Game Downloads
16.82b

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

13th

Expo

Check “Expo” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 12.19% have integrated Expo. This accounts for 1.88% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
246.63k
App Store
App Share
12.19%
App Store
Apps
239.16k
Games
7.47k
Total Downloads
11.39b
App Store
Download Share
1.88%
App Store
App Downloads
11.13b
Game Downloads
259.14m

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

14th

Apple Vision

Check “Apple Vision” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 11.07% have integrated Apple Vision. This accounts for 27.60% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
224.08k
App Store
App Share
11.07%
App Store
Apps
220.76k
Games
3.31k
Total Downloads
167.51b
App Store
Download Share
27.60%
App Store
App Downloads
166.43b
Game Downloads
1.08b

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

15th

Apple Core Bluetooth

Check “Apple Core Bluetooth” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 8.46% have integrated Apple Core Bluetooth. This accounts for 18.03% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
171.26k
App Store
App Share
8.46%
App Store
Apps
163.99k
Games
7.28k
Total Downloads
109.41b
App Store
Download Share
18.03%
App Store
App Downloads
103.79b
Game Downloads
5.61b

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

16th

react-native-device-info

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

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 7.77% have integrated react-native-device-info. This accounts for 3.52% 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
157.33k
App Store
App Share
7.77%
App Store
Apps
156.40k
Games
929
Total Downloads
21.38b
App Store
Download Share
3.52%
App Store
App Downloads
21.11b
Game Downloads
272.41m

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

17th

Protobuf

Check “Protobuf” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 5.58% have integrated Protobuf. This accounts for 18.33% 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
113.00k
App Store
App Share
5.58%
App Store
Apps
106.58k
Games
6.42k
Total Downloads
111.26b
App Store
Download Share
18.33%
App Store
App Downloads
104.16b
Game Downloads
7.10b

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

18th

Apple Speech

Check “Apple Speech” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 3.40% have integrated Apple Speech. This accounts for 11.93% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
68.90k
App Store
App Share
3.40%
App Store
Apps
68.24k
Games
665
Total Downloads
72.41b
App Store
Download Share
11.93%
App Store
App Downloads
69.48b
Game Downloads
2.93b

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

20th

Apple Core ML

Check “Apple Core ML” SDK Insights

Among all apps utilizing developer tools SDKs, 2.96% have integrated Apple Core ML. This accounts for 34.61% of app downloads within the developer tools SDK category.

Total Apps
59.93k
App Store
App Share
2.96%
App Store
Apps
35.44k
Games
24.49k
Total Downloads
210.05b
App Store
Download Share
34.61%
App Store
App Downloads
131.94b
Game Downloads
78.10b

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

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.