Fantasy Cricket App Vs Fantasy Football App: What’s More Profitable?

The fantasy sports industry has experienced explosive growth over the past decade. With increasing digital penetration, mobile-first behavior, and fans looking for more interactive engagement, fantasy sports apps have carved out a multibillion-dollar niche. In 2025, the competition between fantasy cricket apps and fantasy football apps has intensified more than ever. Both sports enjoy massive global followings and generate significant user engagement, but which one truly offers higher profitability for businesses and startups?

Fantasy sports app development has become a hot topic for entrepreneurs who want to tap into the growing fantasy gaming sector. From cricket fantasy league apps during the IPL to football fantasy league apps catering to the Premier League, La Liga, or the NFL, both verticals offer unique monetization paths.

In this blog, we’ll break down both fantasy cricket and fantasy football apps from the perspective of market size, user base, app development costs, revenue models, and long-term monetization strategies. We’ll also help you decide which fantasy sports app as cricket or football could be the most profitable fantasy sports app to invest in during 2025 and beyond.

Fantasy Cricket App

What is a Fantasy Cricket App?

A fantasy cricket app allows users to create virtual teams of real-life players from upcoming cricket matches. Based on the actual performance of these players during the game, users earn points and compete on leaderboards.Fantasy Cricket Apps like Dream11 and My11Circle have made this a mainstream digital pastime in countries like India, where cricket is nothing short of a religion.

These apps often feature a user-friendly interface, real-time score integration, player analytics, leaderboards, and wallet systems for entry fees and cash winnings. They are also heavily used during major events like the IPL, ICC tournaments, and bilateral series.

User Base & Regional Popularity (India, Asia)

Fantasy cricket apps dominate in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Australia regions where cricket is immensely popular. According to the fantasy sports market trends 2025, over 70% of fantasy users in India play fantasy cricket, making it the largest fantasy sport in the country.

The fantasy sports market in India is forecasted to surpass $4 billion in 2025, and a large chunk of this is driven by cricket. The high frequency of cricket tournaments, year-round matches, and passionate fans make the user engagement exceptionally high.

Key Platforms: Dream11, MPL, My11Circle

• Dream11: The market leader with over 180 million users. Its revenue model has inspired many startups.

• MPL (Mobile Premier League): Offers multi-gaming along with fantasy cricket.

• My11Circle: Endorsed by cricketers, this app has gained traction for its lucrative rewards and intuitive UI.
   

These platforms prove the earning potential in cricket-focused apps and inspire new startups to build a fantasy sports app around cricket.

Fantasy Football App

What is a Fantasy Football App?

A fantasy football app allows users to pick real players from football leagues such as the English Premier League (EPL), NFL, La Liga, or UEFA competitions. Points are earned based on the players’ actual in-game performance goals, assists, passes, clean sheets, etc. These apps are deeply analytical and often attract data-driven, strategy-minded users.

Football fantasy apps are usually more complex and may include features like player injuries, substitution dynamics, and even NFT integrations.

Popular Regions (USA, UK, Europe)

The popularity of fantasy football apps is more pronounced in regions like the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, and France. In the US, American football (NFL) fantasy leagues dominate, while in Europe, soccer fantasy leagues take the lead.

In fact, fantasy football apps for Premier League games have become a cultural phenomenon in the UK, with millions participating each season. With leagues spanning nearly 10 months a year, user retention is high and consistent.

Key Platforms: FanDuel, DraftKings, Sorare

• FanDuel and DraftKings are industry leaders in the US fantasy football space.

• Sorare, built on blockchain, combines fantasy sports with NFTs, attracting crypto-savvy users and offering digital collectibles.

Revenue Model Comparison

The revenue model is a key factor in determining the profitability of a fantasy cricket app or fantasy football app. While both share similar monetization strategies, their effectiveness varies based on region, user behavior, and seasonality.

Fantasy Cricket App Revenue Model

Fantasy cricket apps primarily generate revenue through entry fees, where users join contests during popular events like the IPL, T20 World Cup, and bilateral series. These apps also earn via advertisements, in-app purchases (like boosters and team analytics), and sponsorship deals. Platforms like Dream11 have capitalized on peak cricket seasons with millions of active users engaging simultaneously, boosting ad impressions and transaction volumes.

Fantasy Football App Revenue Model

Fantasy football apps, on the other hand, follow a more consistent revenue stream. With leagues like the Premier League and NFL running for over 8 months annually, these apps benefit from year-round monetization. They also see higher Average Revenue Per User (ARPU), especially in markets like the USA and Europe, where users are more inclined toward subscriptions, premium leagues, and in-app purchases.

Whether you're building a fantasy sports app for regional or global users, understanding the fantasy app revenue model is crucial to shaping a successful and scalable business strategy.

Monetization Potential

The monetization potential of a fantasy sports app largely depends on user engagement, seasonal demand, and spending behavior. Both fantasy cricket apps and fantasy football apps offer strong monetization avenues, but they differ in timing and revenue flow.

Fantasy Cricket App Monetization

Fantasy cricket apps witness massive spikes in revenue during tournaments like the IPL, T20 World Cup, and other international series. During these events, user participation surges, leading to higher earnings from entry fees, ads, and in-app purchases such as team boosters, premium stats, or real-time match updates. In India, where mobile gaming is booming, users are more likely to engage frequently, even with lower per-user spending, generating high-volume transactions.

Fantasy Football App Monetization

In contrast, fantasy football apps enjoy year-round monetization due to the continuous football calendar. With major leagues like the Premier League, NFL, and La Liga spanning 8–10 months, these apps maintain consistent revenue through subscriptions, premium contests, and NFT-based digital collectibles in platforms like Sorare. They also boast a higher ARPU, especially in Western markets where users are willing to pay more for exclusive features.

Development Cost & Investment Analysis

Factors Influencing Development Cost:

• Feature complexity (live scores, leaderboards, wallet integration)

• Multi-sport support (e.g., cricket + football in one app)

• Real-time data feeds from sports APIs

• Region-specific legal compliance

• UI/UX design quality

• Admin panel & CMS integration

On average:

• Fantasy Cricket App Development Cost: $10,000 – $40,000+

• Fantasy Football App Development Cost: $15,000 – $60,000+ (due to more complex stat handling and international compliance)

Choosing the right fantasy sports app development partner is key to managing costs and time-to-market.

Fantasy Cricket vs Fantasy Football: Pros & Cons

This cricket vs football fantasy app comparison shows both models have their strengths, and the choice depends on your target market and monetization goals.

User Demographics & Market Reach

Fantasy cricket apps largely attract users from Asia, particularly India, where mobile usage is skyrocketing. Users range from 18 to 40, with higher traction during tournaments like the IPL.

In contrast, fantasy football apps appeal to a more global audience. Users are highly engaged in Europe, North America, and parts of South America. Additionally, football apps enjoy year-round activity due to multiple leagues and tournaments across continents.

Which Fantasy App is More Profitable in 2025?

If your goal is regional domination, especially in India or South Asia, a fantasy cricket app offers massive short-term ROI with lower development cost and higher user acquisition potential.

But if you're planning to go global, especially in the US, UK, or Europe, a fantasy football app could prove more sustainable and profitable in the long run albeit with higher investment and legal complexity.

At IMG Global Infotech, we help startups and enterprises build fantasy sports apps tailored to their business model, target audience, and market potential. Whether you're looking for a Dream11-like fantasy cricket app platform or a next-gen Sorare-style football app, our team has the experience and expertise to deliver scalable and compliant solutions. We guide you from ideation to launch — ensuring profitability, engagement, and market success.

Conclusion

Both fantasy cricket and fantasy football apps hold massive potential, depending on your goals, budget, and target geography. Fantasy cricket apps thrive in regions like India due to cricket’s emotional and cultural connect. Meanwhile, football fantasy apps offer unmatched scalability and global appeal.

As the fantasy sports market trends 2025 suggest, investors and founders should look at hybrid platforms or focus on untapped regions with localized features.

Whether you want to develop a fantasy sports app for IPL or build a fantasy football app for Premier League, the right development approach and tech stack are critical.

If you’re ready to dive into the fantasy sports world, partner with a proven fantasy sports app development company like IMG Global Infotech to maximize ROI and ensure long-term success.