Direct-to-consumer (DTC) monetisation has become a “core revenue system,” according to new data from Appcharge.
The mobile monetisation platform analysed over $700 million of live transaction data, and found that DTC transactions have moved “from experimentation to a core, scalable revenue system.”
It estimated that the top 200 mobile publishers globally are wasting approximately $41 million per day on app store fees rather than DTC payments.
According to the report, more than half of players in the US who made a purchase through app to web stores were new to the DTC system. On top of that, 97% of web store revenue is sourced from repeat buyers.
Appcharge said that in the long term, web stores “offer the most durable DTC foundation” as it operates outside app store billing, therefore “insulates publishers from future fee changes and platform billing and its 30% fee.”
However, it did highlight the potential for additional fees on external payments. This came after Apple persuaded a US appeals court that it should be allowed to charge a “reasonable fee” to reflect the “actual costs to ensure user security and privacy.”
The platform also highlighted the success of the Epic Games Store on Android and iOS, which has been downloaded more than 40 million times since its 2024 launch.
“Our data shows that 2025 was the inflection point where app-to-web payments, web stores, and alternative distribution moved from edge cases to scalable, repeatable revenue engines,” said Appcharge CEO Maor Sason.
“While Payment Links open the door, web stores build the house. The publishers winning in DTC are treating web stores like LiveOps products – continuously optimised, personalised, and deeply connected to player behaviour.”
