The App Store has made nearly half a trillion dollars

When we click “Get” in the App Store to download a new app or tap subscribe to start watching a streaming service, those dollars add up—quickly. Since the App Store launched in 2008, Apple says it has paid a whopping $320 billion to developers, which means Apple has raked in about $125 billion in 14 years.

The exact number isn’t known, as Apple changed its fee structure in 2021. Developers that earned up to $1 million during the previous calendar year qualify for a reduced 15 percent commission (versus 30 percent). Furthermore, Apple only takes a 15 percent commission on auto-renewable subscriptions after the first year. Still, any way you slice it, the App Store is an incredible business that continues to thrive. 

Here are the cumulative figures that Apple has paid to developers, with the yearly amount in parenthesis:

• 2009: $1 billion ($1 billion)
• 2010: $2.5 billion ($1.5 billion)
• 2011: $5 billion ($2.5 billion)
• 2012: $7.5 billion ($2.5 billion)
• 2013: $15 billion ($7.5 billion)
• 2014: $25 billion ($10 billion)
• 2015: $40 billion ($15 billion)
• 2016: $60 billion ($20 billion)
• 2017: $86 billion ($26.5 billion)
• 2018: $120 billion ($34 billion)
• 2019: $155 billion ($35 billion)
• 2020: $200 billion ($45 billion)
• 2021: $260 billion ($60 billion)
• 2022: $320 billion ($60 billion)

That’s a lot of apps and somewhere in the neighborhood of $450 billion dollars of total revenue, once you add in the money Apple kept. Even though growth has slowed some, with 2022’s figures remaining flat over 2021, Apple is making about $20 billion yearly from third-party apps. So it’s not hard to see why it’s so protective of this part of its business.

But things could be changing drastically for the App Store in 2023. According to reports, Apple is going to allow sideloading in some countries, which would enable users to download apps from places other than the App Store.

It’s doubtful many people will, though. As evidenced by the amount of money people have spent—and the amount developers have pocketed—the App Store isn’t just a place people go to because they have to. They shop at the App Store because it has quality apps that are worth their price tag.

At the current pace, Apple will hit a trillion dollars in about 7 years, about half the time it took to get the first $500 billion. And we have no reason to think anything will slow it down.