Apple announced that the 2025 billings and sales of the Korean App Store ecosystem reached approximately ₩38.1 trillion ($26.8 billion), according to a joint study by Professor Lim Jae-hyeon of Seoul National University and Dr. Juliette Caminade of Analysis Group.

Apple released the findings of the new study today. The research shows that billings and sales generated through the App Store in Korea last year more than doubled compared to five years ago, signaling steady growth in the domestic app-based commerce and digital services market. More than 90 percent of total billings were generated in a way that did not require developers to pay a commission to Apple, with those proceeds going directly to developers and businesses of all sizes. Notably, revenue for small-scale developers saw a remarkable 85 percent jump over the past five years.

Apple CEO Tim Cook praised Korean developers as the best example of the values the App Store strives to uphold. "They are taking great ideas, building something wonderful, and growing them into successful businesses," he said. "The Korean developer community is made up of dynamic entrepreneurs, creators, and businesses, and Apple is proud to continue supporting them as they create their best work through the App Store and our powerful ecosystem of Apple software and hardware."

The study examined the scale of economic activity centered on the App Store and how developers achieve success. It confirmed that apps remain a primary gateway for people to communicate, create content, enjoy leisure, shop, and book travel. Last year, nearly 12 million users visited the Korean App Store on a weekly average, and domestic iOS users downloaded apps over 670 million times throughout the year.

Researchers estimated that in 2025, the Korean App Store ecosystem generated approximately ₩32.3 trillion in billings and sales from physical goods and services, ₩3.7 trillion from digital goods and services, and ₩2.1 trillion from in-app advertising. This means a significant portion of economic activity occurs through physical goods, services, in-app ads, and digital purchases made outside the App Store. Since Apple’s commission is limited to digital goods and services sold through the App Store, the vast majority of total transactions are effectively structured without any commission paid to Apple.

By sector, the travel category saw the fastest growth among physical goods and services, followed by groceries and general retail. In the digital goods and services sector, growth was driven by increased demand for mobile games, streaming, and enterprise apps. Photo and video editing apps, as well as educational apps, also showed notable growth, which is interpreted as a sign that users are actively utilizing apps for content creation, learning, and productivity.

Domestic developers also demonstrated a strong hold on their home market. According to the study, apps created by Korean developers accounted for about 60 percent of downloads by domestic users and nearly half of the revenue generated by them. At the same time, they are achieving success in overseas markets. 76 percent of domestic developers recorded downloads in App Stores outside of Korea, and those with international revenue earned income from an average of more than 30 countries. For game developers, global performance was particularly striking, with about 85 percent of downloads coming from international users.

HAEGIN, the creator of the social game Play Together, is a prime example of a company using the App Store to connect with users around the world. Within five years of its launch, Play Together surpassed 230 million cumulative downloads, with over 90 percent of users discovering the game organically through the App Store. HAEGIN leverages Apple Game Center’s leaderboards and achievements to inject vitality into the game, encouraging friendly competition among friends and family to boost user engagement.

Lee Chang-yoon, Head of Business Development at HAEGIN, said, "From the early days of Play Together's launch, we were able to confirm almost immediately that the App Store increases the game's visibility and provides opportunities to reach players outside of Korea. Being featured as a recommended game on App Stores worldwide was a huge boost to the community we are building with our players, and it has contributed to the overall growth of Play Together over the past five years."

The rise of small-scale developers is also noteworthy. Their revenue has increased by 85 percent over the last five years, an achievement attributed to support measures like the App Store Small Business Program, which lowers commission rates. Sketchsoft, the creator of the 3D drawing and modeling app Feather, is a representative case. CEO Kim Yong-gwan and his team introduced Feather—a winner of the 2025 Apple Design Award—to designers, artists, and creators worldwide via the App Store. Designed exclusively for iPad, Feather helps everyone from beginners to experts perform sophisticated 3D modeling and drawing through intuitive controls using touch and Apple Pencil. Since its launch in 2024, it has been available in 156 countries and has surpassed 100k paid users.

Sketchsoft CEO Kim Yong-gwan said, "Apple's developer ecosystem supports small teams in managing the entire product development process, from planning and design to development and distribution. Thanks to programs like the App Store Small Business Program, we were able to operate our development team more efficiently and reinvest the saved costs into developing new creative experiences for our users. Through this, we are continuously exploring new fields such as 3D printing, spatial computing, and AI, expanding Feather's creative experience into entirely new realms."