Guide
App Store Connect proceeds vs sales, explained
Updated 2026-11-03 · 2 min read
Short answer: Sales is the total billed to customers. Proceeds is Apple's estimate of what you'll receive: customer price minus applicable taxes and Apple's commission. For the actual amounts paid, use Payments and Financial Reports.
Definitions (Apple)
- Sales: the total amount billed to customers for apps, bundles and In-App Purchases. Taxes are included only if they were included in the App Store price.
- Proceeds: the estimated amount you'll receive, which is customer price minus applicable taxes and Apple's commission under your Paid Apps Agreement.
Why proceeds in Sales and Trends aren't your payout
- Sales and Trends estimates USD amounts using a rolling average of the previous month's exchange rates. Payments use the rate applied when converting to your bank's currency.
- Some transactions appear only once the payment is processed and invoiced, possibly in the next fiscal month; transactions without collected payments don't appear in financial reports.
Which number to use
| Question | Use |
|---|---|
| Is revenue trending up? | Proceeds in Sales and Trends |
| Did this ad campaign pay off? | Proceeds (Apple's cut is a real cost) |
| What will I be paid / bookkeeping | Payments and Financial Reports |
WhyItChanged uses proceeds for revenue and ROI, so ad spend is compared with what you actually keep, not with gross sales.
Questions
Do subscription units include free trials?
No. Apple's subscription units exclude free trials and include paid introductory offers; refunds subtract from the total.