AppGratis is a technology company.
AppGratis has raised $14.0M across 1 funding round.
AppGratis has raised $14.0M in total across 1 funding round.
AppGratis has raised $14.0M in total across 1 funding round.
AppGratis's investors include Iris Capital.
AppGratis was a French mobile app promotion and discovery platform that curated and promoted top apps daily to help users discover new software and developers gain visibility.[2][3] Founded in 2008, it grew to over 50 million global installs by featuring handpicked apps, initially via email newsletters and later as a prominent service, raising $13.5 million in Series A funding before shutting down in 2017.[1][2][4] It served app developers seeking promotion and mobile users hunting free or featured apps, solving the core problem of app discoverability in crowded app stores like Apple's App Store.[3]
AppGratis began in 2008 when founder Simon Dawlat started a casual daily email newsletter sharing his top app picks among friends, which evolved into a full-fledged platform.[2] Based in Paris at 42 Rue Nollet, the company tapped into the early mobile app boom, achieving rapid traction with its first-mover advantage in app promotion.[1][4] Key milestones included a $13.5 million Series A round and scaling to 50 million installs over seven years, though it faced setbacks like ejection from the Apple App Store amid controversy over its promotional tactics.[1][3]
AppGratis rode the early 2010s mobile app explosion, capitalizing on surging smartphone adoption and app store growth when discovery was fragmented and organic reach was low.[1][2][3] Its timing aligned with market forces like the iOS App Store's rise, where paid promotions filled gaps in algorithmic recommendations, influencing how startups approached user acquisition. The 2013 App Store ejection highlighted tensions between promoters and platforms, pushing the ecosystem toward compliant tools like Apple Search Ads and shaping stricter policies on app marketing.[3]
AppGratis exemplified startup volatility: a strong launch faded as the world evolved beyond its novelty model, leading to a 2017 shutdown after the team pivoted to a "new project taking off nicely."[1] Post-closure, app discovery has matured via AI-driven stores, cross-platform tools, and influencer marketing, trends that outpaced AppGratis. Its legacy endures in reminding founders that first-mover edges erode—future success demands adaptability, as its ex-team likely applied those lessons elsewhere, tying back to its core truth: startups are hard, but persistence unlocks pivots.[1]
AppGratis has raised $14.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $14.0M Series A in December 2012.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1, 2012 | $14.0M Series A | Iris Capital |