Which niche should you build in?

Every category, ranked by room for a small team: where small developers and new apps already make money, and the money isn't all taken by a few giants.

CategoryOpportunity ▾Money a month ESTChange since Oct 10Small dev winnersNew winnersTop 3 share
Photography249 apps earning, middle app $103.6K 507 small developers earn $10K+ here, 45 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 22% $402.8M ▲ 25.2% 7 45 22%
Entertainment805 apps earning, middle app $289.1K 4832 small developers earn $10K+ here, 161 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 12% $2.3B ▲ 8.8% 32 161 12%
Lifestyle435 apps earning, middle app $117.6K 4726 small developers earn $10K+ here, 84 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 26% $371.8M ▲ 10.8% 26 84 26%
Books & Reference254 apps earning, middle app $555.7K 454 small developers earn $10K+ here, 31 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 26% $561.4M ▲ 16.2% 4 31 26%
Music & Audio327 apps earning, middle app $365.4K 455 small developers earn $10K+ here, 36 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 23% $675.6M ▲ 15.3% 5 36 23%
Social649 apps earning, middle app $295.6K 4330 small developers earn $10K+ here, 106 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 37% $1B ▲ 11.2% 30 106 37%
Tools614 apps earning, middle app $58.1K 4217 small developers earn $10K+ here, 106 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 25% $345.3M ▼ 2.4% 17 106 25%
Dating402 apps earning, middle app $360.7K 4113 small developers earn $10K+ here, 46 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 36% $694.3M ▲ 7.0% 13 46 36%
Health & Fitness329 apps earning, middle app $128.3K 4014 small developers earn $10K+ here, 39 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 26% $314M ▼ 2.4% 14 39 26%
Communication284 apps earning, middle app $373K 3913 small developers earn $10K+ here, 31 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 39% $652.6M ▲ 4.2% 13 31 39%
Productivity389 apps earning, middle app $388.2K 3914 small developers earn $10K+ here, 45 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 51% $2.2B ▲ 11.4% 14 45 51%
Beauty2 apps earning, middle app $681.1K 381 small developer earning $10K+, 1 app launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take 100% $1.4M ▼ 97.4% 1 1 100%
Education529 apps earning, middle app $79.5K 3814 small developers earn $10K+ here, 54 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 36% $446.2M ▼ 0.7% 14 54 36%
Video Players187 apps earning, middle app $503.8K 386 small developers earn $10K+ here, 17 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 46% $808.5M ▲ 6.2% 6 17 46%
Maps & Navigation222 apps earning, middle app $204.4K 365 small developers earn $10K+ here, 22 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 18% $132.1M ▼ 18.6% 5 22 18%
News & Magazines289 apps earning, middle app $141.8K 362 small developers earning $10K+, 5 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 32% $252.7M ▼ 1.6% 2 5 32%
Utilities5 apps earning, middle app $119.1K 36no small developer earns $10K+ yet, 1 app launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take 100% $6.7M ▲ 83.9% 0 1 100%
Business217 apps earning, middle app $213.9K 354 small developers earn $10K+ here, 14 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 42% $282M ▼ 4.8% 4 14 42%
Art & Design162 apps earning, middle app $162.1K 3413 small developers earn $10K+ here, 50 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 53% $173.8M ▼ 22.3% 13 50 53%
News16 apps earning, middle app $13.4K 34no small developer earns $10K+ yet, the top 3 take only 69% $1.5M ▲ 723.0% 0 0 69%
Photo & Video6 apps earning, middle app $4.4M 34no small developer earns $10K+ yet, 3 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take 100% $311.6M ▲ 4.2% 0 3 100%
Finance184 apps earning, middle app $170.5K 335 small developers earn $10K+ here, 15 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 23% $79.8M ▼ 38.6% 5 15 23%
Shopping62 apps earning, middle app $1M 332 small developers earning $10K+, 7 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 39% $252M ▼ 17.4% 2 7 39%
Social Networking14 apps earning, middle app $18.6K 32no small developer earns $10K+ yet, the top 3 take 92% $159.1M ▲ 126.3% 0 0 92%
Books12 apps earning, middle app $27.2K 31no small developer earns $10K+ yet, the top 3 take 97% $16.8M ▲ 28.2% 0 0 97%
Food & Drink112 apps earning, middle app $53.4K 313 small developers earn $10K+ here, 10 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 34% $21.1M ▼ 81.5% 3 10 34%
Parenting117 apps earning, middle app $100.8K 315 small developers earn $10K+ here, 10 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 37% $54.9M ▼ 50.7% 5 10 37%
Travel & Local120 apps earning, middle app $64.3K 291 small developer earning $10K+, 6 apps launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 34% $23.4M ▼ 80.8% 1 6 34%
Medical91 apps earning, middle app $24.9K 281 small developer earning $10K+, the top 3 take only 38% $7.1M ▼ 91.5% 1 0 38%
Weather122 apps earning, middle app $17K 271 small developer earning $10K+, 1 app launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take only 45% $24.4M ▼ 83.3% 1 1 45%
Graphics & Design3 apps earning, middle app $27.2K 22no small developer earns $10K+ yet, 1 app launched this year already earn $10K+, the top 3 take 100% $281.9K ▼ 93.6% 0 1 100%
Personalization5 apps earning, middle app $298.5K 15no small developer earns $10K+ yet, the top 3 take 96% $3.7M ▼ 95.1% 0 0 96%

From the estimates saved for October 21, the same as on each app's page. A winner earns $10K or more a month (estimate); small developers have up to 5 apps and aren't big publishers. The opportunity score favours categories where small and new apps already win, money isn't locked up by the top 3, and the total is growing.