June 5, 2025
UPDATE
The Global App Store empowers developers, facilitating $1.3 trillion in billings and sales in 2024.
Remarkably, over 90% of these transactions did not incur any commission fees from Apple.
According to a study by Professor Andrey Fradkin of Boston University and Dr. Jessica Burley from Analysis Group, the App Store ecosystem drove $1.3 trillion in billings and sales for developers in 2024. The majority of these transactions, over 90%, were commission-free for developers.
“It’s remarkable to witness how so many developers create impressive apps, establish successful businesses, and connect with Apple users globally,” stated Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “This report highlights the significant impact developers have on enriching lives through apps and games, while fostering innovation and creating opportunities. We are proud to support their journeys.”
Global Growth for Developers on the App Store
The study reveals that developers now have even more avenues to monetize their apps. In 2024, billings from digital goods and services reached $131 billion, driven primarily by gaming, photo and video editing applications, and enterprise tools. Sales of physical goods and services surpassed $1 trillion, largely due to increased demand for online food delivery and grocery services. Additionally, in-app advertising revenue generated by developers reached $150 billion.
Since 2019, spending across these categories—digital and physical goods, as well as in-app advertising—has more than doubled, with physical goods and services leading the surge (+2.6x), largely propelled by food delivery and grocery spending. The growth in digital goods reflects a stable demand for gaming and a boost in spending on content creation apps. Meanwhile, in-app advertising continues to help many apps remain free or accessible at low costs. The App Store serves as a vital platform for innovation, with AI-powered applications increasingly influencing daily life.
Global Growth Patterns
The App Store acts as a global commerce engine, providing developers with a platform to reach users worldwide, achieving an average of 813 million visitors weekly. The study highlights that over the past five years, billings and sales in the App Store ecosystem have more than doubled in the U.S., China, and Europe, with expansions in spending across digital and physical goods and services, as well as in-app advertising.
U.S. digital payment spending has grown over seven-fold since 2019, while e-commerce in China has substantially increased, leading to over five-fold growth in online grocery expenditure. In Europe, food delivery and pickup spending has tripled, outpacing growth in established sectors like retail and travel. Travel applications are also among the top spending categories in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and India.
In the last five years, user investment in apps for digital content creation has consistently risen. Apps like Adobe’s tools for photo and video editing have flourished, offering innovative new features for professionals and enthusiasts alike. This year, Adobe launched a new Photoshop app for iPhone aimed at design lovers, and Adobe Lightroom was honored as Apple’s 2024 Mac App of the Year due to its cutting-edge photo editing capabilities and AI features on all platforms.
Apple’s Commitment to Developers
Apple invests significantly in tools and resources that simplify the app distribution process and foster the success of developers’ businesses. The App Store’s commerce system supports developers in over 40 currencies and provides tax handling across nearly 200 regions, empowering developers to set pricing, manage subscriptions, and more.
Developers have access to a suite of tools and technologies, including Xcode and TestFlight for app development and testing, App Analytics for performance monitoring, and Product Page Optimization tools for improving app visibility. Apple’s integrated payment system also safeguards users from fraud, preventing more than $9 billion in fraudulent transactions over the past five years.
In addition, Apple offers diverse online and in-person programs designed to help developers enhance their apps, including Meet with Apple sessions and ongoing support in multiple languages. Apple Developer Centers in the U.S., China, India, and Singapore have hosted numerous developers in the past year, nurturing innovation through extensive API access and frameworks like HealthKit, Metal, Core ML, MapKit, and SwiftUI.
Apple Developer Academies across Brazil, Indonesia, Italy, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and the U.S. offer comprehensive coding and AI programs for aspiring developers. Over 20 Apple Foundation Programs also teach students the basics of app development through short, intensive courses available at 18 academies worldwide.
Resources such as Pathways and Apple Developer Forums help foster connections within the developer community, offering easy access to essential tools, documentation, and instructional videos. Developers can share their feedback, suggest improvements, or report issues via the Feedback Assistant.
Next week, at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference, developers globally can access over 100 technical sessions featuring in-depth explorations of the latest technologies and frameworks led by Apple experts. Participants can also engage with guides and documentation to help navigate the conference announcements through the Apple Developer website, app, YouTube channel, and WeChat. Apple Developer Program members will have additional opportunities for direct interaction with experts through online group and one-on-one lab sessions.
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