TechCrunch·Apr 23, 2026

:chart:India's In-App Purchases Hit $300M in Q1, Up 33% YoY

Your app's bottom line is about to change

TL;DR

India's in-app purchase revenue hit $300 million in Q1, up 33% year-over-year. Non-gaming apps generated over $200 million in in-app purchase revenue, rising 44% YoY.

In-app purchases in India's mobile app market reached $300 million in Q1, up 33% year-over-year. This growth is driven by non-gaming apps, which generated over $200 million in in-app purchase revenue, a 44% increase from last year. The trend suggests that India's app market is still early in its monetization journey, with new categories expanding what users are willing to pay for. Google One, Facebook, ChatGPT, and YouTube were among the top earners in Q1.

India's In-App Purchases Hit $300M in Q1, Up 33% YoY

Key Points

1

In-app purchases in India reached $300 million in Q1, up 33% year-over-year.

2

Non-gaming apps generated over $200 million in in-app purchase revenue, rising 44% YoY.

3

Annual in-app purchase revenue in India has risen from $520 million in 2021 to more than $1 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $1.25 billion this year.

4

India generates about $0.03 in revenue per download, compared with more than $0.20 in Southeast Asia and Latin America.

5

Generative AI apps saw downloads rise 69% year-over-year, with ChatGPT ranking among the top apps by both installs and revenue.

Why It Matters

If you're building a mobile app for the Indian market, pay attention to these numbers. The growth of in-app purchases suggests that users are willing to pay for digital services, but the revenue per download is still relatively low compared to other regions. This means that your app's monetization strategy will need to adapt to the local market.

in-app-purchasesindia-mobile-marketnon-gaming-appsgenerative-ai

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this matter?

If you're building a mobile app for the Indian market, pay attention to these numbers. The growth of in-app purchases suggests that users are willing to pay for digital services, but the revenue per download is still relatively low compared to other regions. This means that your app's monetization strategy will need to adapt to the local market.

What happened?

India's in-app purchase revenue hit $300 million in Q1, up 33% year-over-year. Non-gaming apps generated over $200 million in in-app purchase revenue, rising 44% YoY.

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