Apple Highlights App Store Study: $1.4 Trillion in Sales Last Year, More Than 90% Commission-Free - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Highlights App Store Study: $1.4 Trillion in Sales Last Year, More Than 90% Commission-Free

Apple App Store Awards 2025Apple today highlighted a new study by economists at Analysis Group that outlines four key App Store stats for 2025.

Ahead of WWDC 2026 next week, Apple's core message with this press release is that the App Store is reaching new heights and that "developers continue to thrive globally."

  • App Store ecosystem facilitated a record $1.4 trillion in total billings and sales
  • Apple received no commission on more than 90% of those billings and sales, but this includes physical goods and services ordered in apps
  • Apps featuring consumer-facing AI saw 4× more growth in billings
  • App Store ecosystem has nearly tripled in size since 2019

Popular Stories

iPhone Duo Slack

Apple Announces iPhone Duo Apps Can Now Be Submitted to App Store

Monday October 5, 2026 7:15 pm PDT by
Apple today announced that apps optimized for the iPhone Duo can now be submitted for App Store approval, ahead of the foldable device launching on Friday, October 23. While existing App Store apps will automatically run on the iPhone Duo, only apps built with the iOS 27.1 SDK or later can dynamically resize to fill the entire space of the inner display, whereas unoptimized apps will have...
Liquid Glass App Store Feature

New App Store Rules Target AI Deepfakes and Nudify Apps

Friday October 16, 2026 3:21 pm PDT by
Apple today expanded its App Store moderation rules to cover AI-generated nonconsensual intimate imagery. Sexually explicit content was already banned, but now Apple says app developers must proactively prevent and remove AI-generated deepfakes from their platforms. Apple warns that apps with offending content could be removed from the App Store if developers fail to act. The updated 1.2...
iOS App Store General Feature Clorange

Apple's App Store Chief Explains Its Push for Premium Games

Tuesday October 20, 2026 8:58 pm PDT by
More premium games are launching on the App Store this year than last, Apple's App Store Worldwide head Carson Oliver told Polygon, including more franchises coming from PC and consoles. Oliver said: We've seen incredible growth of games coming to the App Store, in general, with more premium games releasing on the App Store this year than last. While many of those are indies, we're also...

Top Rated Comments

turbineseaplane Avatar
20 weeks ago
Steve has a good point here.

It's been a lot of FUD from Apple (and in Apple-land) around so many of the App Store "concerns".



Attachment Image
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
20 weeks ago
I feel like it's only fair for Apple to get a cut of the grocery purchase I'm currently planning later today.

I am using the Apple Notes App, after all.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
20 weeks ago

Steve has a good point here.

It's been a lot of FUD from Apple (and in Apple-land) around so many of the App Store "concerns".


Oh yes, burned every single one of those bridges! It’s a shame they’ll never make $1.4 Trillion in sales due to all the developer bridges they burned. You know, to the point that developers no longer see value in customers that could very well, one day, have driven $1.4 Trillion in sales. :)

Apps are still not “sideloaded” as defined in the dictionary. Every app going to an iPhone around the world is going through a structure required and defined by the governments were Apple’s still in full control in order to prevent malware, PR disasters AND so that if a government wants an app off of an iPhone, they go to one party to have it removed, even from the third party stores. (This has already been used)

It’s actually like Apple was telling the truth when they indicated that the majority of developers and consumers don’t care about those things and, if Apple’s allowed to keep it locked down, customers will still come and developers will still profit. :)
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maruyama Avatar
20 weeks ago
From the study:


Of this total, $149 billion, or approximately 10%, was attributable to digital goods and services and $1.1 trillion, or about 79%, came from sales of physical goods and services. In-app advertising revenue from ads placed by developers in their apps on iOS devices accounted for an additional $151 billion, or roughly 10% of the total.
So the "90% commission free" is the sum of the 80% that are physical goods or services and the 11% that are third-party ad networks (that Apple has somehow resisted the urge to tax; maybe that's finally coming at WWDC).

And then the remaining 10% is everyone who grits their teeth, adjusts their business model, and pays the Apple tax to sell digital goods.

It is actually astonishing that Apple is touting this as a good thing. Apple's rent-seeking approach to digital goods on iOS means only 10% of transactions on iOS are for digital. It should easily be double that, probably quadruple! The $149 billion market could be $249 billion if Apple loosened their restrictions just a bit!

This is the one thing I honestly hope Ternus changes when he takes the big chair. For all the good calls Cook has made over the past 15 years, this has been the one big COO-brained thing he simply couldn't let go of.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
20 weeks ago
They are counting all as non-commission all the times you went and ordered an Uber, or booked an AirBnb, or bought something off a website? Very misleading to claim that as not being greedy.

Next are the electrical companies are going to say that they do even more trillions in assisted sales commission-free?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
20 weeks ago

That means Apple has earned roundabout $42 billion in fees for doing nothing.

By 'doing nothing', you mean facilitating $1.4 trillion in sales for developers (which they keep the vast majority of)...??
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Apple Blocks Certificates That Could Help Attackers Fake Websites
Apple Blocks Certificates That Could Help Attackers Fake Websites
35 minutes ago
Giant iPhone Duo Installations Spotted at Apple Fifth Avenue
Giant iPhone Duo Installations Spotted at Apple Fifth Avenue
1 hour ago
iPhone Duo 2 Prototypes Include Under-Display Face ID
iPhone Duo 2 Prototypes Include Under-Display Face ID
2 hours ago
Tesla App Gains iPad and iPhone Duo Support
Tesla App Gains iPad and iPhone Duo Support
6 hours ago
Apple Reportedly Boosts iPhone Duo Orders by 44%
Apple Reportedly Boosts iPhone Duo Orders by 44%
6 hours ago
Fortnite Returning to Australian App Store After Court Ruling
Fortnite Returning to Australian App Store After Court Ruling
6 hours ago
Apple Ordered to Open iPhone to Rival App Stores in Australia
Apple Ordered to Open iPhone to Rival App Stores in Australia
7 hours ago
Apple Suppliers Face Hurdles Cutting Circuit Board Emissions
Apple Suppliers Face Hurdles Cutting Circuit Board Emissions
7 hours ago
Things Updated for iPhone Duo With Adaptive Layout
Things Updated for iPhone Duo With Adaptive Layout
7 hours ago
Simplicity and Siri AI Are HomeView's Killer Features, Apple Says
Simplicity and Siri AI Are HomeView's Killer Features, Apple Says
8 hours ago
iPhone Duo Reviewers Really Miss Face ID
iPhone Duo Reviewers Really Miss Face ID
13 hours ago
Does the iPhone Duo Run Hot? Here's What Reviews Found
Does the iPhone Duo Run Hot? Here's What Reviews Found
14 hours ago
Apple Music's New Look is Now Live on Apple's Website
Apple Music's New Look is Now Live on Apple's Website
15 hours ago
Anthropic Launches Claude Duet, a Proactive AI Agent
Anthropic Launches Claude Duet, a Proactive AI Agent
15 hours ago
What 32,000 Folds Did to the iPhone Duo's Hinge
What 32,000 Folds Did to the iPhone Duo's Hinge
16 hours ago
iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos
iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos
18 hours ago
iPhone Duo Has 'Edge Light' Feature That Debuted on Macs Last Year
iPhone Duo Has 'Edge Light' Feature That Debuted on Macs Last Year
18 hours ago
Apple Support App Updated for iPhone Duo's Larger Display
Apple Support App Updated for iPhone Duo's Larger Display
18 hours ago
Amazon Sweetens the Deal on Entry-Level 16-Inch MacBook Pro With $570 Off
Amazon Sweetens the Deal on Entry-Level 16-Inch MacBook Pro With $570 Off
19 hours ago
iPhone Duo Tips Over on MagSafe Stands When Unfolded
iPhone Duo Tips Over on MagSafe Stands When Unfolded
19 hours ago
Apple Music's New Look Officially Announced
Apple Music's New Look Officially Announced
20 hours ago
iPhone Duo Supports Apple Pencil Starting With iOS 27.2
iPhone Duo Supports Apple Pencil Starting With iOS 27.2
21 hours ago
iPhone Duo Accessories Roundup: Cases and Screen Protectors From OtterBox, ZAGG, and More
iPhone Duo Accessories Roundup: Cases and Screen Protectors From OtterBox, ZAGG, and More
22 hours ago
Apple Stores Will Have 'Limited' Availability of iPhone Duo for Walk-In Customers
Apple Stores Will Have 'Limited' Availability of iPhone Duo for Walk-In Customers
22 hours ago
iPhone Duo Reviews Explain Why Device is Both 'Fun' and 'Frustrating'
iPhone Duo Reviews Explain Why Device is Both 'Fun' and 'Frustrating'
23 hours ago
Apple Says 'Reachability' Feature Coming to iPhone Duo Later This Year
Apple Says 'Reachability' Feature Coming to iPhone Duo Later This Year
1 day ago
Loop Capital Cuts Apple Rating Over iPhone Sales Outlook
Loop Capital Cuts Apple Rating Over iPhone Sales Outlook
1 day ago
Apple Stores in Bordeaux and Lille Looted During French Protests
Apple Stores in Bordeaux and Lille Looted During French Protests
1 day ago
Bluesound Adds Native Apple Music Support
Bluesound Adds Native Apple Music Support
1 day ago
Apple CEO John Ternus Explains What Makes Good Product Design
Apple CEO John Ternus Explains What Makes Good Product Design
1 day ago