Growth of mHealth apps for autism spectrum disorder: an analysis of the last 10 years
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25118/2763-9037.2026.v16.1689Keywords:
Autism Spectrum Disorder, Mobile Applications, Health Informatics, Pediatrics, ASDAbstract
Introduction: Mobile applications for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have expanded, but their evolution remains unclear. Objective: To analyze the evolution and characteristics of ASD-related apps on the Google Play Store over the last 10 years. Methods: Cross-sectional study using the terms “autism”, “ASD”, “autismo”, and “TEA”. Included apps targeted pediatric populations with health-related purposes and available release dates. Results: Of 246 apps identified, 126 were included. A progressive increase was observed, peaking in 2025 (27 apps). Main categories were communication (52), education (37), and caregiver support (32). Most apps had low (57) or medium (43) downloads. Communication apps reached up to 5,000,000 downloads. 54% were free with no in-app purchases. Conclusions: ASD-related apps increased substantially, mainly focusing on communication and education, with considerable heterogeneity.
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