Glossary/Mobile & App Marketing/Whale
Mobile & App Marketing
Whale
A high-spending player or user who generates a disproportionate share of an app's in-app purchase revenue.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Short answer
A whale is a high-spending player or user who generates a disproportionate share of an app's in-app purchase revenue. In many free-to-play games, a small minority of whales accounts for much of total revenue. Developers design offers, VIP programs, and content to retain these users, while watching for ethical concerns around excessive spending.