Apple today announced the App Store ecosystem in the U.S. facilitated $406 billion in developer billings and sales in 2024, according to a study conducted by Professor Andrey Fradkin from Boston University Questrom School of Business and economist Dr. Jessica Burley from Analysis Group. Importantly, for more than 90 percent of the billings and sales facilitated by the App Store, developers did not pay any commission to Apple.
Over the last five years, the size of the App Store ecosystem has nearly tripled from $142 billion in 2019 to $406 billion last year, and earnings for U.S.-based developers also more than doubled. Small developers in particular have done exceptionally well as their earnings increased by 76 percent between 2021 and 2024.
"For more than 15 years, the App Store has created incredible opportunity for app developers, entrepreneurs, and businesses of all sizes," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "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."
Strong Growth Across App Categories
Since its launch in 2008, the App Store has been a great business opportunity for developers. The new study estimates that in 2024 the App Store ecosystem facilitated $277 billion in total billings and sales from physical goods and services, $75 billion from in-app advertising, and $53 billion from digital goods and services. Key drivers included growth in food and grocery delivery, entertainment, and enterprise apps. And the App Store continues to be a global launchpad for innovation, with AI-powered apps increasingly shaping users' daily lives.
Since 2019, spending on physical goods and services has more than tripled, while in-app spending on digital goods and services and in-app advertising more than doubled. In the physical goods and services category, general retail spending and grocery delivery increased more than fourfold. By 2024, spending on travel and food delivery and pickup both surpassed ride hailing, with users increasingly turning to apps to book travel, and restaurants increasingly offering delivery options through apps. U.S. developers also saw their earnings grow across top categories like productivity, education, and business, with the games category seeing the highest earnings in 2024.
Global Reach for U.S. Developers
U.S. developers have also found tremendous success globally, with the ability to list their apps on storefronts in 175 countries and regions. The support of the App Store's seamless payment and commerce system has made it easy for these developers to monetize their apps in the U.S. and around the world. Many apps from U.S. developers have also appeared on the most-downloaded app charts in storefronts outside of the U.S. and ranked among the Top 5 most-downloaded apps in 170 out of 175 App Store storefronts.
The App Store remains a safe and trusted marketplace for users, thanks to Apple's rigorous App Review process and robust privacy and security protections. In a recent report, Apple found that the App Store prevented more than $9 billion in fraudulent transactions over the last five years, and it also rejected 1.9 million app submissions in 2024 for failing to meet Apple's standards for security, reliability, and user experience.
Developers in the U.S. Have an Increasing Number of Incredible Resources Available from Apple
Apple continues to invest in App Store features that make it easier for developers to distribute their apps and games and get discovered across the storefront. This includes continued investments to App Store Connect, which provides developers with tools and technologies to track app performance and engagement through App Analytics, enhancements to StoreKit, custom product pages, and new features like App Store Accessibility Nutrition Labels, available to developers later this year.
Designed to accelerate innovation and help propel app businesses forward, initiatives like the App Store Small Business Program support the next generation of groundbreaking apps by small developers like Slopes . Originally launched as a passion project by a solo developer, Slopes has now achieved international success and is trusted by over 5 million skiers and snowboarders. This app is designed for winter sports enthusiasts, enabling them to track and record their personal stats, locate friends on the mountain, and explore interactive resort maps. The team behind Slopes has integrated with many Apple technologies, including HealthKit, Live Activities, and ARKit, as well as expanding to Apple Watch.
Apple also offers developers a variety of online and in-person programs to support them in elevating their apps, including Meet with Apple . The Apple Developer Center in Cupertino also serves as home to year-round activities, and offers a supportive environment for developers to improve their apps through more than 250,000 APIs including as part of frameworks such as HealthKit, Metal, Core ML, MapKit, and SwiftUI. Resources like Pathways and Apple Developer Forums are available to better connect developers within the community and help them easily access tools, documentation, and videos to create their best products on Apple's platforms.
Apple launched its first U.S.-based Apple Developer Academy in Detroit in 2021 in collaboration with Michigan State University to help students build foundational skills in coding, AI, design, and marketing. Since its launch, the academy has trained over 1,200 students. Separately, more than 900 students have also participated in the Apple Foundation Program, an intensive four-week course that teaches students the fundamentals of app development at the academy and Henry Ford College.
Apple supports more than 2.9 million jobs across the U.S. through direct employment, work with U.S.-based suppliers and manufacturers, and developer jobs in the thriving iOS app economy.
