Appcharge raises $58 million Series B as mobile games break from app stores
Tel Aviv startup sees 14-fold growth as publishers seek to bypass Apple and Google fees.
Appcharge, an Israeli company aiming to upgrade how mobile games reach and monetize players, has raised $58 million in a Series B round led by U.S. venture firm IVP, with participation from Russian gaming giant Playrix, as well as existing investors such as Creandum, Play Ventures, Glilot Capital Partners, Smilegate Investment, Moneta Ventures, BITKRAFT Ventures and Corundum. The latest financing brings the company’s total backing to $89 million.
The raise comes less than a year after its Series A round. Appcharge says it now processes over $500 million in transactions annually, a fourteenfold increase from a year ago, and powers direct sales for more than 100 mobile games.
At the core of its pitch is the growing appeal of the “direct-to-consumer” model for mobile publishers, a shift accelerated by recent court rulings and policy changes that have loosened the grip of app stores on digital transactions. Traditionally, Apple and Google have taken commissions of up to 30% on in-app purchases.
“Publishers are increasingly moving to direct-to-consumer as a fundamentally stronger model,” said Maor Sason, Appcharge’s co-founder and chief executive. “We are at the forefront of this evolution, helping build the era beyond app stores - and even beyond web stores - for better economics for consumer apps and more options for customers.”
The company’s platform enables game publishers to bypass those fees by selling through fully branded web stores and offering integrated payment options. Appcharge claims its customers typically see profit margins improve by 35% and player retention rates increase.
The Series B follows the launch of two products aimed at making it easier for publishers to run compliant, scalable direct-to-consumer operations: an iOS Payments SDK and AppDirect, a service for streamlining payment flows.
Founded by CEO Maor Sason and General Manager Roei Barassi, Appcharge employs around 94 people, most of them in Tel Aviv. The company says it now serves over a third of the top-grossing mobile games worldwide.
