PhonePe Opens the Indus Appstore to Compete with Apple and Google

Fintech behemoth PhonePe unveiled its Android software shop, Indus Appstore, on Wednesday, February 21, taking aim at the Google Play Store and the Apple Software Store.

Travon Stracke

February 21, 2024

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The company released a statement stating that over 2 lakh apps in 45 categories are hosted on the platform. Numerous Indian companies have released their apps on the Indus Appstore, including Zomato, Myntra, Domino's, Flipkart, Dream11, and Swiggy.

The marketplace would provide developers with "no app listing fees" through March 2025 and be accessible in English and twelve Indian languages.

"Indus Appstore challenges the status quo, ushering in an era of more healthy competition in the mobile app marketplace, which in turn should help create a more democratic and vibrant Indian digital ecosystem," stated Sameer Nigam, cofounder and CEO of PhonePe, in response to the debut.

The former CEO of NITI Aayog and IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw were present at the New Delhi event launching the new platform.

By doing this, Indus Appstore hopes to overtake industry titans like Google and Apple for a share of the Indian app market. At the same time that Google is fighting with Indian startups over commissions and the rollout of its new user choice paying system, the company has decided to integrate third-party billing systems and offer free commissions for a year.

The Google Play Store recently implemented a third-party billing system in accordance with the new policy, which levies commissions in the region of 11-26%. Nonetheless, the new policy has been met with opposition from Indian startups, who feel that using external payment channels will require them to sign up for more paperwork. PhonePe aims to bridge this gap.

The debut occurs