Carnival 2025: how the largest festival in Brazil transformed the use of Apps in the entertainment, finance, food and other sectors

Carnival in Brazil does not only happen on the streets it also dominates the digital world. An unprecedented study by AppsFlyer, a global platform for measuring and assigning applications, analyzed the app market in Brazil between February 22 and March 11, covering more than 170 applications of the categories Entertainment, Finance, Food & Beverages, Shopping and Travel. The study examined 120 million installations and 280 million remarketing conversions, segmented into three phases: Pre-Carnival (22 to February 28), During the Carnival before March (28 to March 1 and folly 1.

Entertainment on the rise: the party was not only offline

With the increase in the search for fun during Carnival, entertainment applications stood out: the installations grew 8% during the party compared to the previous period and 15% in relation to the post-Carnival. The investment in ads increased 4% during Carnival compared to the pre-Carnival and rose more 5% in the post-Carnival. Purchases within the applications skyrocketed: +20% versus pre-Carnaval and +23% versus post-Carnival, highlighting the high consumption of digital content in this period that has seen a vibrant physical role of social networks and social platforms as much as a streaming.

Fintechs in red: carnival distracts users from financial apps

While the fun increased, engagement with financial apps fell: the facilities decreased 14% in Carnival compared to the pre-carnival period, indicating a greater interest before the party, and the volume of facilities at carnival was 8% lower than in the post-Carnival period. The investment in ads in pre-Carnival was 16% higher than during the festivities, but still, the spending with ads at Carnival was 2% higher than in the post-Carnival period. Purchases within the financial apps fell 19% compared to the immediate financial incentives to the post-Carnival, reflecting the financial control and the financial one that suggests that the 100.

Food & beverage apps skyrocketed: delivery dominated the revelry!

If Carnival is synonymous with partying, hunger comes soon after! The Food & Beverage sector was one of the big beneficiaries: facilities grew 26% during Carnival compared to pre-Carnival and 14% compared to post-Carnival. Purchases within apps increased 24% during Carnival versus pre-Carnival and 4% in Carnival versus post-Carnival, indicating a continuous demand for convenience and delivery.
Conclusion: The growth confirms that delivery and fast food applications were essential allies of revelers, consolidating an increasingly strong digital habit.

Shopping in decline: e-commerce loses space during carnival

Online shopping was not a priority for Brazilians during the revelry: the installations dropped 5% in Carnival compared to pre-Carnival and 10% compared to post-Carnival.The investment in ads plummeted 29% during the event compared to the same post-Carnival period, suggesting a more cautious behavior financially after the party. Purchases within the apps fell 9% in Carnival versus pre-Carnaval and 22% compared to post-Carnival, reinforcing that the consumer focus was on other aspects of the apps to develop more robust strategies of the festive.

What does this mean for the app market?

Events such as Carnival directly impact the digital behavior of Brazilians, creating strategic opportunities for brands and developers:

• Entertainment and Food & Beverage Apps should intensify campaigns during Carnival to capture the growing demand.
• Fintechs and e-commerce need to rethink engagement strategies to retain users in periods of high distraction.
• The travel industry can take advantage of increased user interest in experiences to convert a more engaged audience.

“O Carnaval is not just a cultural phenomenon but a digital disruptor.Our data shows that user behavior changes dramatically across different industries, creating both challenges and opportunities for app marketers. Brands that anticipate these trends can turn seasonal peaks into long-term engagement”, says Renata Altemari, Country Manager at AppsFlyer in Brazil.