OpenAI’s ChatGPT Dominates AI Market With $2B Lifetime Spend

OpenAI's ChatGPT mobile app has achieved an extraordinary 673% year-over-year revenue surge in 2025, generating $1.35 billion in consumer spending through July alone. This growth has pushed ChatGPT’s total lifetime consumer spending to over $2 billion since its May 2023 debut.

Analytics firm Appfigures reports the app will earn nearly $193 million per month on average in 2025, up from $25 million monthly in 2024. Downloads have also soared, with 318 million installs recorded in 2025, nearly triple the previous year.

What Drove ChatGPT’s Huge Revenue Surge in 2025?

The revenue spike reflects widespread user adoption and high engagement levels. ChatGPT’s subscription-based model remains robust, appealing to a large consumer base seeking AI assistance on mobile.

Additionally, OpenAI's strategic expansions and user-friendly updates help maintain steady growth.

Did you know?
ChatGPT generates $2.91 in revenue per install, significantly higher than its closest competitor, Anthropic’s Claude, which averages $2.55 per install.

How Does ChatGPT Compare to Other AI Apps in Revenue and Installs?

ChatGPT leads its peers substantially, generating $2.91 per install compared to Anthropic’s Claude at $2.55 and Elon Musk’s Grok at just $0.75 monthly revenue per install.

This dominance is evident in total revenue, with ChatGPT earning roughly 53 times more mobile revenue than Grok in 2025 alone.

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What Markets Lead in ChatGPT Downloads and Revenue Generation?

India leads in lifetime installs at 13.7%, while the United States, accounting for just 10.3% of downloads, drives more than 38% of ChatGPT’s global revenue.

American users spend an average of $10 per download, highlighting higher monetization potential in developed markets.

What Are OpenAI’s Plans for Advertising and Future Monetization?

While subscriptions have driven current success, OpenAI plans to introduce advertising as an additional revenue stream, expecting $1 billion from free-user monetization in 2026 and up to $25 billion by 2029.

This pivot comes as OpenAI faces financial challenges, forecasting losses and delayed profitability. Hiring a former Meta executive to lead application efforts signals a serious commitment to evolving monetization models.