Apple’s App Store hits record $1.4 trillion as Australians spend big on travel and groceries

Apple has released new figures showing the global App Store ecosystem generated over US$1.4 trillion in developer revenue in 2025, nearly triple what it was back in 2019. And while that number sounds like pure corporate bragging, the story behind it is actually pretty interesting for everyday users.

The bulk of that money, around US$1.1 trillion, came from physical goods and services. That means groceries, restaurant deliveries, retail shopping, and travel bookings made through apps. It is not developers getting rich off in-app purchases for mobile games, it is people living their lives through their phones.

For Australians, the data is particularly relevant. Apple called out travel as the second-biggest spending category in Australia and New Zealand, sitting just behind general retail. That lines up with how most of us now book flights, accommodation, and hire cars almost exclusively through apps. It has become second nature.

AI is changing what apps can do

Beyond the raw spending numbers, the more forward-looking part of Apple’s report is about artificial intelligence. More than 40 of the top 100 apps on the App Store now include consumer-facing AI features, and those apps grew four times faster in billing terms than the apps around them.

That covers a pretty wide range of experiences. Health and fitness apps using on-device intelligence to deliver personalised recommendations. Photo and video editors with AI-powered creative tools. Productivity apps that can automate genuinely complex tasks using cloud-based AI models.

Apple is also making a push for developers to build AI features that work offline and protect your privacy, using something called the Foundation Models framework, which taps into the same on-device AI that powers Apple Intelligence.

The commission argument

Apple also made a point of noting that for more than 90 per cent of that $1.4 trillion in transactions, developers paid Apple no commission at all. That is a deliberate line aimed squarely at ongoing regulatory and legal pressure around App Store fees. The argument is that the vast majority of what flows through the App Store, think your grocery order or your Airbnb booking, Apple takes nothing from.

What’s next

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off next week, where we will get a first look at new tools, APIs, and features coming to Apple platforms. Given how much of this report focused on AI, expect that to dominate the conversation at WWDC too.

The App Store sees over 850 million users every week across 175 countries. Whether you are booking a holiday, ordering dinner, or using an app to edit your photos, there is a very good chance you are part of that number.