The number is astounding.
More than US$1.4 trillion in Apple developer billings and sales in 2025 were made through the global App Store ecosystem, according to a new study by economists at Analysis Group. However, as Apple points out, more than 90 percent of the billings and sales did not result in commission payments to Apple. Examples of commission-free apps include fast-food delivery, groceries, physical goods, and travel. In 2025, sales of physical goods and services accounted for US$1.1 trillion.
“Developers are the heartbeat of the App Store, and this year’s incredible milestone is a testament to their boundless creativity,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO.
“We are deeply committed to providing developers with the tools, technologies, and trusted platforms they need to build for the future. Together, developers are creating apps that enrich the lives of users around the world.”
In just seven years, the App Store ecosystem has nearly tripled. In 2025, more than 40 of the top 100 apps on the storefront featured consumer-facing AI capabilities, and those apps saw stronger billing growth than other top 100 apps. Developer billings and sales for digital goods and services equalled US$149 billion, driven by games, enterprise apps, and video streaming apps. In-app advertising revenue from ads placed by developers in their apps was US$151 billion. The App Store saw over 850 million average weekly users spanning 175 countries and regions.
Physical goods and services accounted for the majority of total billings and sales in every region, with general retail ranking as the number one category across all markets. Beyond retail, local consumer habits drove distinct regional trends. Travel was the second-largest category of spending in physical goods and services in the U.S., Europe, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil. In Korea, food delivery and pickup took the second spot. And in China, grocery and food delivery became the second- and third-largest categories, respectively.
AI is making app development more accessible than ever before. Developer tools with AI coding features, such as Xcode, are enabling a broader range of creators to design, build, and launch apps. Agentic coding in Xcode 26, for example, can work with greater autonomy toward a developer’s goals, giving them the power to streamline workflows, iterate faster, and bring ideas to life.
This report comes just days before Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference, where Apple will offer a first look at new features, APIs, and technologies. All WWDC content will be available on the Apple Developer app, website, and YouTube channel. Developers can also follow the conference worldwide on LinkedIn, WeChat, and bilibili.
