Apple App Store Ecosystem In India Powered Rs 44,447 Crore In Developer Billings, Sales In 2024: Study

Apple has published a new study that shows that the App Store ecosystem in India facilitated Rs 44,447 crore in developer billings and sales in 2024. It found that more than 94% of that commerce accrued to developers and businesses of all sizes, without any commission paid to Apple.

Additionally, over the last five years, the global earnings of India-based developers have tripled due to the business opportunity and global reach the App Store provides.

The study was conducted by Professor Viswanath Pingali from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad.

“The App Store has been an economic miracle for developers in India and all around the world, and we’re thrilled to support their work,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “This study underlines the power of India’s incredibly vibrant app economy.”

Among the key drivers shaping the App Store ecosystem in India are increased app usage in sectors like food delivery, travel, gaming, entertainment, and education. In 2024, App Store developers generated Rs 38,906 crore in total billings and sales from the sale of physical goods and services, Rs 3,014 crore from in-app advertising, and Rs 2,527 crore from digital goods and services, the study found.

The App Store’s ecosystem provides developers with a global distribution platform across 175 shopfronts. In 2024, around 80% of India-based developers’ App Store earnings came from users outside of the country, and 87% of developers were active on multiple shopfronts.

Throughout 2024, global users downloaded apps from developers in India more than 75.5 crore times through the App Store—twice as many as five years ago. Many apps from India-based developers have also appeared on the most-downloaded app charts in shopfronts outside of India, and apps from India-based developers were in the top 100 most-downloaded apps in 70 shopfronts outside of India, the study showed.

The study added that in the last five years, downloads from Indian users have more than tripled, and earnings from these users have increased more than fivefold. Notably, India-based developers have also designed popular apps targeted at India’s growing quick commerce and gig economy industries. These apps provide essential on-demand services, making daily tasks more convenient for millions of users while providing workers with access to flexible job opportunities in the country.

Small developers have particularly benefitted. The total App Store earnings of small developers increased by 74% between 2021 and 2024, the study showed. Initiatives like the App Store Small Business Program, designed to support small developers, provide a reduced commission rate for these developers.