ChatGPT Mobile App Revenue Surge: Record Growth After GPT-4o Launch

Consumer demand for cutting-edge AI technology is on the rise. The recent launch of OpenAI’s latest flagship model, GPT-4o, has triggered the company's largest revenue spike on mobile to date, even though the model is freely accessible on the web. Introduced on May 13, GPT-4o boasts capabilities in text, speech, and video, offering real-time responsiveness and an array of emotive voice options. This substantial upgrade positions it as a more powerful offering compared to previous versions. As a result of these advancements, more users are opting for OpenAI’s paid subscription, as indicated by new insights from app analytics firm Appfigures.

While OpenAI initially announced that GPT-4o would be available on its free tier, mobile users of the ChatGPT app have yet to see this promise come to fruition. (OpenAI plans to roll out GPT-4o to mobile users in the future). During its launch week, mobile users were encouraged to upgrade to the ChatGPT Plus subscription at $19.99 monthly to access the latest features.

This strategic approach has effectively heightened subscription demand among mobile users, leading to unprecedented revenue growth for OpenAI on mobile platforms.

According to Appfigures, the ChatGPT mobile app experienced a 22% surge in net revenue on the very day GPT-4o launched, continuing to climb in the ensuing days. By Tuesday, daily net revenue reached $900,000—nearly double the app's typical average of $491,000. (This net revenue figure considers commissions taken by Apple and Google.)

Prior to this, the second-largest revenue spike for ChatGPT occurred in April, but it was a comparatively minor increase, characterized by a single day of heightened revenue rather than a substantial trend.

From May 13 to 17, the ChatGPT mobile app generated $4.2 million in net revenue across both the App Store and Google Play, marking its highest revenue increase to date. This notable financial boost highlights a strong consumer interest in exploring the latest AI innovations, especially in the mobile sector, even at a cost higher than a Netflix subscription.

The majority of the new revenue—81%—came from Apple’s App Store, with the U.S. leading the charge at $1.8 million in earnings. Other significant markets included Germany ($282,000), the U.K. ($212,000), Japan ($210,000), France ($147,000), Canada ($134,000), South Korea ($123,000), Brazil ($117,000), Australia ($102,000), and Turkey ($89,000).

Moreover, the upward revenue trend shows no signs of slowing down; in fact, it may be stabilizing or even increasing. Stay tuned for more updates.