India's App Economy Sees INR 44,447 Crore Boost Through Apple's App Store in 2024 Indian developers are increasingly finding international audiences, around 80 per cent of their App Store earnings in 2024 came from users outside India, and their apps were downloaded over 755 million times globally
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Indian developers are rapidly expanding their global footprint, with 2024 seeing INR 44,447 crore (USD 5.31 billion) in billings and sales generated through Apple's App Store. A large share — over 94 per cent — of this commerce went directly to developers and businesses, with minimal commission deducted by the Apple.
Sectors like food delivery, travel, gaming, entertainment, and education are fueling this growth, as app usage continues to rise both within India and overseas. Physical goods and services made up the largest chunk of earnings at INR 38,906 crore (USD 4.65 billion), followed by in-app advertising at INR 3,014 crore (USD 352.9 million), and digital goods and services at INR 2,527 crore (USD 302 million).
Indian developers are increasingly finding international audiences. Around 80 per cent of their App Store earnings in 2024 came from users outside India, and their apps were downloaded over 755 million times globally — double the volume recorded five years ago. Apps from India have appeared in the top 100 most-downloaded lists in 70 App Store markets outside the country.
At the same time, domestic usage has surged. Downloads by Indian users have tripled over the last five years, and revenue from local users has grown more than fivefold. Much of this growth is tied to the rise of quick commerce and gig economy apps that meet local demands for flexible, on-demand services.
Smaller developers are also seeing substantial gains. Earnings among this group rose by 74 per cent between 2021 and 2024, supported by lower commission programs aimed at small businesses. Examples such as Fluid Touch's Noteshelf app and solo projects like Lumy, a sun and moon tracking app, show how developers without large teams are able to build sustainable, global businesses.
Alongside the economic activity, the ecosystem's security measures were also highlighted. Between 2020 and 2023, Apple says it blocked over USD 7 billion in potentially fraudulent transactions and rejected over 1.7 million app submissions that failed to meet privacy, security, or quality standards.
