Apple reports $1.4 trillion in App Store billings, 90% commission-free ahead of WWDC

Apple on Thursday released its annual update on the App Store ecosystem, reporting that the platform facilitated over $1.4 trillion in developer billings and sales during 2025. The figure represents a $100 billion increase from the $1.3 trillion reported last year, and comes just days before the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), which begins next week.

Breaking down the numbers

The $1.4 trillion total encompasses all transactions occurring through apps distributed on Apple’s platform, including physical goods and services, digital goods, and in-app advertising. Apple emphasized that 90% of this volume — roughly $1.26 trillion — involved transactions where developers paid no commission to Apple. The remaining 10% falls under Apple’s commission structure for digital goods, which ranges from 15% to 30% depending on the transaction type and developer revenue.

Digging deeper into the breakdown, physical goods and services — such as retail purchases, grocery delivery, ride-hailing, and travel bookings — accounted for $1.1 trillion of the total. Digital goods billings and sales reached $149 billion, up from $131 billion in 2024, while in-app advertising revenue totaled $151 billion, slightly above the prior year’s $150 billion.

Apple’s framing of these figures is strategic. By highlighting that the vast majority of economic activity on its platform occurs without commission, the company aims to counter criticism that its App Store fees are excessive — a point that has drawn regulatory scrutiny in multiple jurisdictions, including the European Union and the United States.

AI apps emerge as a growth driver

Notably, Apple singled out artificial intelligence applications as a significant growth category. According to the company, 40 of the top 100 apps in 2025 featured consumer-facing AI capabilities, and those apps experienced stronger billing growth than the rest of the top 100. This trend is likely to be a focal point at WWDC, where Apple is expected to announce deeper AI integrations across its operating systems, including a revamped Siri and potential support for AI agents on the App Store.

Industry observers have speculated that Apple may soon allow third-party AI agents — software that can perform tasks on behalf of users — to operate within its ecosystem. Such a move could open new revenue streams for developers and further entrench the App Store as a hub for AI-driven services.

Global growth and market context

Apple also highlighted the App Store’s expansion in key markets. In China, billings and sales have more than doubled over the past six years. In the United States and Europe, the figures more than tripled during the same period. The platform now serves over 850 million average weekly users across 175 countries and regions.

These growth figures underscore the App Store’s role as a major economic engine, but they also come amid ongoing legal and regulatory battles. The European Commission’s Digital Markets Act has forced Apple to allow alternative payment systems and sideloading in the EU, while the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust case continues to challenge Apple’s control over app distribution. The company’s annual report serves as both a transparency exercise and a defense of its business model.

Conclusion

Apple’s $1.4 trillion App Store figure reinforces the platform’s immense scale and its importance to the global developer community. With AI apps driving growth and WWDC on the horizon, the company is positioning itself at the intersection of mobile commerce and artificial intelligence. However, the underlying regulatory pressures remain, and how Apple navigates those challenges will shape the App Store’s future — and its revenue — for years to come.

FAQs

Q1: What does the $1.4 trillion figure include?
The figure includes all billings and sales facilitated through the App Store, including physical goods and services (e.g., retail, travel, ride-hailing), digital goods (e.g., subscriptions, in-app purchases), and in-app advertising revenue. It does not represent Apple’s revenue, but the total economic activity on the platform.

Q2: Why does Apple emphasize that 90% of transactions are commission-free?
Apple uses this statistic to counter criticism that its App Store fees are too high. By showing that the vast majority of transactions — particularly physical goods and services — incur no commission, Apple argues that its fee structure is fair and only applies to a narrow segment of digital transactions.

Q3: How does AI factor into Apple’s App Store strategy?
AI apps are a rapidly growing category, with 40 of the top 100 apps featuring consumer-facing AI capabilities. Apple is expected to announce deeper AI integrations at WWDC, including a Siri overhaul and potential support for AI agents, which could further boost developer opportunities on the platform.