Apple App Store in India contributed Rs 44,447 crore in billings and sales in 2024. A new study conducted by the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Professor Viswanath Pingali and published by Apple on Monday, revealed that nearly 94% of the billings and sales accrued to developers, with zero commission charged by the iPhone maker.
“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 Apple CEO Tim Cook. “This study underlines the power of India’s incredibly vibrant app economy. And we’re committed to keep investing in the success of developers of all sizes as they build apps that make an important impact and enrich people’s lives,” Cook added.
The global earnings of India-based developers have tripled in the past five years, the study titled “The Apple Ecosystem in India: Its Value to Developers and Users” highlighted. Around 80% of these earnings came from users outside India.
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 in 2024, according to the study.
The apps developed by Indians ranged from diverse categories, including games, health and fitness, lifestyle and utilities. The study highlighted that apps from Indian-based developers appeared on the most-downloaded app charts in storefronts outside the country. Apps from these developers were in the top 100 most downloaded apps in 70 storefronts outside the country.
Similarly, the total App Store earnings of small developers rose by 74% between 2021 and 2024 in India, fueled by initiatives like the App Store Small Business Program offering reduced commission rates to help small developers scale.
