Sales figures for desktop 3D printers are rarely transparent. Many manufacturers are private companies and do not publish unit sales figures. Appfigures now provides at least an indirect indication: the service evaluates download data from the Apple App Store and Google Play and has looked at Bambu Labs’ Bambu Handy control app for this purpose. According to Appfigures, since the devices are linked to the Bambu Lab cloud for initial setup and a QR code is scanned with the app for this purpose, the number of installations can be read as a rough proxy for the distribution of the printers.
However, Appfigures itself points out some inaccuracies. Downloads may be too high if users install the app on multiple devices or re-download it after changing their cell phone. Conversely, they may appear too low if print farm operators manage many printers with only one app installation. Nevertheless, the quarterly figures show a clear pattern: the fourth quarter is always the strongest period, which is consistent with Black Friday and year-end campaigns.
For 24Q4, Appfigures reports around 420,000 downloads between October and December 2024. According to Appfigures, this peak is over 400,000 in the quarterly presentation, which is higher than the total for the other quarters of 2024. In 2025, the picture repeats itself at a significantly higher level: Appfigures estimates “slightly over” one million downloads for October to December 2025. Both stores are expected to have grown similarly, but the App Store is expected to have delivered the larger share.
Appfigures estimates around 2 million downloads in 2025 compared to around 700,000 in 2024. More than half of the installations are expected to come from the US, with Germany in second place in terms of volume. According to Appfigures, usage is spread across around 100 countries.
In its interpretation, Appfigures emphasizes the platform approach: the app can be used to control printers and at the same time utilize content in the ecosystem, such as searching for print-ready designs and starting jobs via smartphone. This integration of hardware, cloud connectivity, and app lowers the barriers to entry, but also makes download figures a key metric for market dynamics.
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