Chinese Developers' App Store Revenue from Overseas Reaches 52%
Chinese app developers earned a majority of their App Store revenue from outside China in 2025. Overseas markets accounted for 52% of earnings, up from 32% in 2020.
Revenue for Chinese app developers on the App Store is increasingly coming from international markets. In 2025, 52% of developers' App Store earnings originated from outside China, a significant rise from 32% in 2020, according to a study released by Apple on October 8.
The research indicates a strong global presence among Chinese developers. During 2025, 76% of Chinese developers operated outside of China. Their applications were downloaded 3.8 billion times by overseas users throughout the year.
The study, conducted by economists from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics and Analysis Group, estimated that the mainland China App Store ecosystem facilitated RMB 4 trillion in billings and sales in 2025. This figure represents approximately double the level recorded in 2020.
Physical goods and services constituted the majority of this total, approximately 91%. Notably, over 95% of the overall billings and sales did not incur an Apple commission.