The global App Store ecosystem facilitated $1.4 trillion in developer billings and sales during 2025, marking nearly threefold growth since 2019, according to a new economic study conducted by Analysis Group and released by Apple.
The report found that more than 90% of the revenue generated through the App Store ecosystem was earned without developers paying a commission to Apple, highlighting the growing contribution of physical goods, services, and advertising revenue across the platform.
According to the study, the App Store ecosystem spans apps distributed through the App Store as well as a limited number of apps downloaded through alternative marketplaces or directly from developers in regions where such distribution is permitted.
Physical Goods and Services Drove the Majority of Revenue
Of the $1.4 trillion generated in 2025, $1.1 trillion came from physical goods and services, making it the largest revenue category across the ecosystem. Retail, grocery services, food delivery, transportation, and travel applications were among the primary contributors.
Digital goods and services, including gaming, streaming, and enterprise applications, accounted for $149 billion, while in-app advertising generated $151 billion in revenue.
The report indicates that consumer reliance on mobile apps continued to expand across everyday activities, including shopping, travel bookings, productivity, health management, and communication.
AI-Enabled Apps Recorded Faster Billing Growth
One of the report’s key findings centers on the growing role of artificial intelligence within mobile applications.
More than 40 of the top 100 App Store apps incorporated consumer-facing AI features in 2025. These applications recorded four times higher billing growth compared to other top-ranked apps during the same period.
The study points to increasing adoption of AI-powered functionality across multiple categories, including productivity, photo and video editing, health and fitness, and personal assistance tools. Developers are also increasingly integrating AI into development workflows through coding and app-building tools.
App Store Activity Expanded Across Global Markets
The App Store reached an average of more than 850 million weekly users across 175 countries and regions during 2025, providing developers with access to a global audience.
Regional data showed continued expansion across major markets. Since 2019, App Store-facilitated billings and sales have more than doubled in China and more than tripled in both the United States and Europe, according to the report.
While retail remained the largest spending category globally, spending patterns varied by region. Travel ranked among the leading categories in markets such as the United States, Europe, Japan, Australia, and Brazil, while food delivery and grocery services accounted for a larger share of spending in countries including China and South Korea.
App Economy Continues to Expand
The findings underscore the growing scale of the mobile app economy as developers increasingly diversify revenue streams beyond traditional app purchases and subscriptions.
With physical commerce representing nearly 80% of total ecosystem value and AI-driven apps showing accelerated growth, the report highlights how app marketplaces are becoming broader digital commerce platforms that connect users with services, products, content, and emerging technologies.
The Analysis Group study estimates that the App Store ecosystem has expanded from approximately $514 billion in 2019 to $1.4 trillion in 2025, reflecting the continued growth of mobile-driven commerce worldwide.
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