Apple’s App Store in India hit ₹44,447 Cr in sales in 2024; 94% went to developers. Indian apps saw 755 million downloads and accounted for 80% of global revenue
The App Store ecosystem in India, operated by Apple, generated Rs 44,447 crore in 2024 billings and sales, according to research by Professor Viswanath Pingali of IIM Ahmedabad. Apple released a report that demonstrates how the Indian app economy operates and how local developers support worldwide development.
According to the study, all billing payments were received by the businesses and developers without any deductions to Apple. Businesses and developers received all compensation from users’ purchases of physical goods through the app and digital marketing of their digital services.
Global Reach and Developer Expansion
Development firms from India started attracting attention from the worldwide market. Eighty percent of earnings generated by Indian developers through the App Store originated from international customers. The majority of Indian developers nowadays employ a diverse publication strategy for their apps, placing them in 87% of the world’s app stores. Between 2024 and 2025, numerous Indian applications reached 175 international markets, achieving top 100 ranking positions in download statistics for 70 global markets.
Indian developers have experienced a 100% increase in app downloads since 2019, reaching 755 million by 2024. The Small Business Program from Apple has boosted small developer revenue growth by 74% from 2021 through 2024. Through the Small Business Program, app publishers operating small businesses can expand their operations using lower commission rates.
Key Revenue Drivers in the Indian App Economy
Among all billings, the physical goods and services division amassed Rs 38,906 crore. The company collected money through its e-commerce sites, as well as travel applications, food delivery networks, pickup operations, grocery systems, and ride-sharing solutions. General retail dominated the segment, accounting for 39% of the market, followed by travel at 26%.
Food delivery and pickup accounted for 9%, while grocery stores took 7%. Ride-hailing services achieved 6%. The revenue from app-based advertising reached Rs 3,014 crore, while digital products and services generated Rs 2,527 crore at the same time. Between 2019 and 2024, the finance sector emerged as one of the fastest-growing categories, alongside health and fitness, lifestyle, utilities, and games.
Apple Emphasizes Platform Security
Since its start, Apple has consistently demonstrated a steadfast commitment to ensuring platform security. Apple performed over $7 billion in fraud prevention operations through blocked transactions from 2020 up until 2023. The company blocked $1.8 billion worth of attempted fraud in 2023 alone. Apple blocked two million app submission attempts because they failed to fulfill its requirements for privacy protection, as well as security and quality standards.
The research demonstrates the rapid growth of Indian developers in the worldwide app economy, showing that India’s digital systems are maturing. Apple enables local innovation by offering worldwide distribution to developers and creating programs that enhance support for their work.
