In a recent post, Appfigures shined a light on an incredible milestone accomplished by U.S. App Store developers. In 2024, they produced a staggering $33.68 billion in gross revenue through their apps and games through Apple’s payment system. After Apple’s commission cut, developers took home $23.57 billion, indicating a robust ecosystem for app creators despite ongoing legal challenges facing the tech giant.
For one, the detailed revenue breakdown should be a reminder of just how important apps have been—and continued to be—to Apple’s bottom line, alongside Apple’s Game revenue. In particular, apps only made up about $6.28 billion, compared to games grossing about $3.83 billion in 2024. This explosive growth in revenue is a testament to how dependent we are all becoming on mobile apps for services and entertainment.
On a global basis, the App Store continues to produce the most impressive growth. Originally forecasted to bring in $61.5 billion for 2022, that number shot up to $91.3 billion in 2024. In fact, last year Apple made more than $27.39 billion worldwide from these transactions. This accomplishment shines a light on the company’s monopolistic behavior in the app store ecosystem.
Apple is currently facing fierce backlash after a judge found that the company was in willful violation of a 2021 injunction. The outcome was accomplished because Apple still charged commissions on purchases made outside of apps and instituted new anticompetitive moats. This ruling opens the door to a future where Apple’s litigious App Store policies can be challenged by developers.
What Apple sold then is very different Apples sales mix now. The company is currently combining App Store revenue with revenue from sales that occur outside of the App Store. This is the tactic that Apple is employing in an effort to inflate its non-GAAP “Billings and Sales” category. This maneuver will only further solidify its financial stronghold within the tech industry.
Delta, a lightweight Nintendo DS emulator, recently moved to keep afloat with other funding sources to avoid DMCA headaches, now only sustaining itself through Patreon subscriptions. Notably, this change is representative of a larger trend among developers. Both of these things—the evolution of the market and greater platform challenges—have led them to actively seek financial independence.
The Appfigures report was based on third-party sources to estimate user engagement. It was truly cross-device, touching all devices including mobile smartphones, tablets, and desktops —everything but the television. Apple has positioned itself as a facilitator of user spending, crediting its influence when users buy subscriptions online but primarily engage with services on Apple devices.
Even with all of these challenges and adaptions, Apple continues to argue that the burdens placed on what they do are too heavy handed. In a statement regarding the recent ruling, Apple articulated its position:
“These restrictions, which will cost Apple substantial sums annually, are based on conduct that has never been adjudicated to be (and is not) unlawful.” – Apple’s filing stated
Apple countered that the limitations were designed to retaliate against the company. They argued this sanction is based on an asserted violation of a state-law injunction that they argue is unconstitutional.
Despite these changes in the market and ongoing legal pressure, the App Store continues to grow and expand its reach, proving its resilience and ability to adapt. Industry analysts will be closely monitoring how these developments impact both Apple and the broader app development community in the coming months.