U.S. App Store Hits $406B: 90% Commission-Free for Developers
Apple announced that U.S. App Store generated $406 billion in developer billings and sales in 2024. Remarkably, over 90% of these earnings were commission-free, meaning developers retained the majority of their revenue.
The App Store has seen tremendous growth, nearly tripling in size from $142B in 2019. In the same five-year span, earnings for U.S.-based developers more than doubled, with small developers seeing a 76% income increase between 2021 and 2024.
Breakdown of 2024 App Store Sales:
- $277B from physical goods and services
- $75B from in-app advertising
- $53B from digital goods and services
Key growth sectors include food and grocery delivery, travel bookings, and enterprise apps. Spending on general retail and grocery delivery has surged fourfold, with food delivery now surpassing ride-hailing in App Store revenue.
The App Store’s global reach enabled U.S. developers to rank in the Top 5 most-downloaded apps in 170 out of 175 countries, showcasing the international impact of U.S.-built apps.
To support this ecosystem, Apple continues to invest in tools like App Store Connect, StoreKit, App Analytics, and initiatives such as the Small Business Program and the Apple Developer Academy. Success stories like Slopes, a solo-built winter sports app now trusted by over 5 million users, highlight the platform’s potential.
Apple also emphasized its commitment to platform integrity, revealing that the App Store:
- Prevented $9B+ in fraudulent transactions over five years
- Rejected 1.9 million app submissions in 2024 for not meeting security and quality standards
Today, the iOS App economy helps support 3 million jobs in the U.S.
