The Apple App Store in India has emerged as a significant economic force, facilitating ₹44,447 crore (approximately $5.31 billion) in billings and sales during 2024. This was revealed in a new study conducted by Professor Viswanath Pingali from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, commissioned by Apple. The study highlights the growing importance of the App Store ecosystem in India, not only for Apple but also for Indian developers and the broader economy.
A key finding of the study is that over 94% of the revenue generated through the App Store went directly to developers and businesses of all sizes, without Apple taking any commission on that portion. This underscores Apple's evolving support for the developer community in India, which counts as many as 15.4 million developers, according to GitHub data.
Indian developers have significantly benefited from the App Store's global reach. The study indicates that nearly 80% of their earnings in 2024 came from users outside India. Furthermore, apps developed by Indian creators were downloaded more than 755 million times worldwide, doubling the number from five years ago. Many of these apps have even ranked among the top 100 most-downloaded apps in 70 storefronts outside India. Examples like Fluid Touch's Noteshelf, a note-taking app with users in over 150 countries, and Raja Vijayaraman's Lumy, a sun and moon tracking app, demonstrate the potential for Indian developers to achieve international success through the App Store.
Domestically, the App Store has also witnessed substantial growth. App downloads within India have tripled, and earnings from Indian consumers have grown more than fivefold over the past five years. This surge is partly attributed to the increasing popularity of apps in sectors like food delivery, travel, gaming, entertainment, and quick commerce and gig economy services, catering to the demands of a growing digital consumer base.
In 2024, Indian developers earned ₹38,906 crore (approximately $4.65 billion) from the sale of physical goods and services, ₹3,014 crore (approximately $352.9 million) from in-app advertising, and ₹2,527 crore (approximately $302 million) from digital goods and services through the App Store. This diversified revenue stream highlights the various ways in which developers are monetizing their apps and contributing to the App Store ecosystem.
Small developers have also experienced significant growth, with their total App Store earnings increasing by 74% between 2021 and 2024. Initiatives like the App Store Small Business Program, which offers reduced commission rates, have played a crucial role in helping these developers scale their businesses.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has lauded the App Store as an "economic miracle" for developers in India and worldwide. He emphasized Apple's commitment to investing in the success of developers of all sizes, enabling them to build apps that have a significant impact and enrich people's lives. To further support this growth, Apple has established a Developer Center in Bengaluru, providing developers with hands-on support, training, and access to over 250,000 APIs through frameworks like HealthKit, Metal, and Core ML.
Moreover, Apple has emphasized the security and trustworthiness of its platform. Between 2020 and 2023, the company claims to have prevented over $7 billion in potentially fraudulent transactions, including $1.8 billion in 2023 alone, and has rejected more than 1.7 million apps that did not meet its quality standards. This commitment to security aims to maintain a safe and reliable environment for both users and developers.
