App Payment Calendar Q1 2026
A clear view of how your app revenue actually moves and how to access it without waiting.
Cash flow for app businesses breaks because the money arrives long after the work is done.
Every month has the same rhythm: you earn revenue today, Apple and Google confirm it later, and the payout appears once their internal cycle completes.
Below is a simple breakdown of how Q1 2026 looks for an app developer, based on the payout patterns of Apple App Store and Google Play.
November 2025:
(Revenue earned from 1–31 November)
- Throughout November your app generates revenue: in-app purchases, subscriptions, upgrades. This is the only part of the cycle that happens instantly the work you’ve already done produces real numbers every day.
- Once Apple or Google confirm your November revenue, Ampere can release up to 85% of it immediately.
- Waiting period after confirmation of app revenue: stores pay for November’s revenue in the first week of January, historically between 3–7 March, while Google Play commonly pays around the 15th.
December 2025:
(Revenue earned from 1–31 December)
- Holiday Peak: subscriptions renew, holiday spikes appear, traffic jumps. It’s often the strongest month of the year.
- Once December revenue is confirmed, Ampere can unlock funds without waiting for the post-holiday backlog.
- Payouts for December usually come during the first week of February. Google Play often lands around the 15th.
Store-side reviews, reconciliation, and banking holidays extend the delay.
January 2025:
(Revenue earned from 1–31 December)
1. Start-of-Year Revenue Build-up
January is calmer but consistent: renewals, subscription upticks, post-holiday installs.
Most developers use this month to reset budgets and plan the quarter yet the cash flow still depends on last month’s store schedule.
2. Ampere Pays (Early February)
As soon as January revenue appears as “confirmed,” Ampere can pay out immediately.
3. Waiting Period (February)
Nothing happens on your side; the platforms simply follow their internal cycle.
4. Apple & Google Store Pay (Early March)
January’s payouts arrive in the first week of March, with Google Play following mid-month.
It’s a long gap, typically 30–40 days, between the earning moment and the actual money.
If your income is already visible in App Store Connect or Google Play Console, you don’t need to wait for the next store payout.
Unlock it with Ampere.
The payout timelines shown above are estimates based on typical historical patterns of Apple App Store and Google Play.
Actual payout dates may vary depending on platform processing, regional holidays, banking timelines, and reconciliation cycles.
Developers typically receive payouts within 30-40 days after the end of the revenue month.
According to recent analyses of marketplace payout cycles, extended delays between earning and receiving revenue slow product development, interrupt marketing plans, and weaken overall business stability for small and mid-size app teams. Researchers note that the 30-40-day gap built into App Store and Google Play settlements is one of the most common liquidity constraints in the sector. Ampere addresses this timing gap directly by providing access to confirmed revenue as soon as it appears in the developer dashboards, allowing businesses to operate on real cash flow rather than platform schedules.
