PhonePe has rebranded its homegrown Android app marketplace, Indus Appstore, as PhonePe Appstore, while expanding the platform beyond app downloads into a wider marketplace for digital products and services.
The move brings app and game discovery, digital gift cards and upcoming top-up services under the PhonePe brand. The company says its marketplace is now available on more than 200 million devices, supported by partnerships with smartphone manufacturers.
The platform’s expansion is intended to create more ways for consumers to discover and purchase digital products while giving developers additional opportunities to earn through advertising and related services.
PhonePe Appstore Moves Beyond App Downloads
The marketplace features apps such as ChatGPT, Duolingo, ShareChat and Sony LIV, alongside games including Honor of Kings and Hitwicket. Social, action and simulation games are among its leading categories.
Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Karnataka and Telangana are the platform’s top five states by adoption, according to PhonePe.
The company is also expanding its digital goods offering to include gift cards and vouchers, with gaming top-ups planned as the first phase of a wider rollout. These could include in-game currencies such as coins and skins, followed by other digital products and services.
PhonePe is launching phonepeappstore.com, a webstore that will allow consumers to browse and purchase digital goods through desktop and mobile browsers without installing a dedicated app.
Priya Narasimhan’s Strategy for Developers
Priya Narasimhan, chief business officer at PhonePe Appstore, said the rebranding brings the reach and trust associated with PhonePe to the platform and gives developers more ways to monetise their offerings.
For developers, the opportunity extends beyond getting an app listed. PhonePe says the platform will support advertising, payments and insights to help businesses reach users and grow their offerings.
The strategy also builds on Indus Appstore’s existing distribution network. PhonePe has signed partnerships with smartphone makers including Xiaomi, Motorola and Alcatel to expand the marketplace’s reach through device distribution.
Why the Digital Goods Push Matters
App distribution is a competitive business, and reaching users is only one part of building a sustainable marketplace. PhonePe’s next challenge is to turn its device footprint into regular purchases of digital products.
Gift cards and gaming top-ups offer a route to more frequent transactions, while the webstore could make digital purchases easier for users who do not want to install another app. For developers and digital brands, an additional distribution channel could also reduce dependence on a single marketplace.
However, the company has not disclosed revenue, transaction volumes or conversion rates for the expanded digital goods business. Its commercial impact will depend on user adoption, the breadth of its catalogue and whether developers see meaningful returns from the platform.
By combining app discovery with digital commerce, PhonePe is positioning its app marketplace as a broader consumer technology business rather than simply an alternative place to download Android apps.
