Apple’s App Store ecosystem reached a milestone in 2024, facilitating $406 billion in developer billings and sales in the United States alone, according to a new study Apple commissioned. And over the past 5 years, App Store sales growth means U.S. developers’ earnings more than doubled, the iPhone giant said.
“For more than 15 years, the App Store has created incredible opportunity for app developers, entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a press release Thursday. “That includes the many U.S. developers who are innovating, building their businesses and finding exceptional success on the App Store.
“We’ll continue to invest in powerful tools, technology, and resources to help developers in the U.S. and around the world take their apps to new heights and create transformative experiences for users,” he added.
App Store sales growth: Over $406 billion in developer sales and billing in 2024
The $406 billion figure cited in the study, conducted by Boston University and Analysis Group, represents nearly triple the $142 billion recorded in 2019. That highlights the platform’s explosive growth over the past five years. For Apple users, the growth translates into an ever-expanding ecosystem of apps and services, with developers increasingly motivated to create innovative experiences for the platform. The strong financial performance suggests this trend will continue, potentially bringing even more sophisticated apps and features to iPhone and iPad users in the coming years.
Perhaps most notably for developers, Apple revealed that more than 90 percent of these billings and sales didn’t result in any commission payments to the company. This statistic underscores how much of the App Store’s economic activity comes from physical goods, services and advertising rather than traditional app purchases or in-app transactions that trigger Apple’s commission structure.
U.S. developers see earnings more than double
Photo: Apple
The growth has been particularly beneficial for American developers, whose earnings more than doubled during the five-year period. Small developers experienced especially strong performance, with their earnings jumping 76 percent between 2021 and 2024 alone.
The $406 billion total breaks down into three main categories: $277 billion from physical goods and services, $75 billion from in-app advertising and $53 billion from digital goods and services. That distribution explains why the majority of transactions don’t generate Apple commissions. The company typically only takes a cut from digital purchases made through its payment system.
Food delivery and entertainment drive growth
Several app categories powered the impressive growth numbers. Food and grocery delivery apps saw particularly strong performance. General retail spending and grocery delivery increased more than fourfold since 2019. The travel and food delivery sectors both surpassed ride-hailing in total spending by 2024. That appears to reflect changing consumer habits, as more people turned to apps for booking trips and ordering meals.
Entertainment apps also contributed significantly to the growth, alongside enterprise applications that have become increasingly important for business operations. Gaming remained the highest-earning category for developers in 2024. And productivity, education, and business apps also showed strong earnings growth.
The rise of AI-powered applications has become another key driver. Artificial intelligence features are increasingly integrated into daily-use apps across the platform.
Global success for American developers
Photo: Apple
U.S. developers found remarkable success beyond American borders. Their apps are available in 175 countries and regions through the App Store. Many American-developed apps have appeared on most-downloaded charts internationally, ranking among the top 5 most-downloaded apps in 170 out of 175 App Store locations worldwide.
This global reach has been facilitated by Apple’s integrated payment and commerce system, which handles currency conversions and local payment methods, making it easier for developers to monetize their apps internationally without dealing with complex financial infrastructure.
Security and developer support continue expanding
Apple’s commitment to maintaining a secure marketplace intensified alongside the growth. The company prevented more than $9 billion in fraudulent transactions over the past five years and rejected 1.9 million app submissions in 2024 for failing to meet security, reliability, and user experience standards.
To support developers, Apple continues investing in tools and resources. The App Store Small Business Program helps smaller developers get started, while success stories like Slopes — a skiing app that grew from a solo passion project to serving over 5 million users — demonstrate the platform’s potential for individual creators.
App Store sales growth: More new devs all the time
Apple’s Detroit-based Developer Academy, launched in 2021 in partnership with Michigan State University, has trained more than 1,200 students in coding, AI, design, and marketing. An additional 900 students have participated in the Apple Foundation Program, learning app development fundamentals.
The company estimates that the iOS app economy now supports more than 2.9 million jobs across the United States through direct employment, supplier relationships, and developer positions.
