Jest Reached $1 Million Gross Billings Run Rate
The platform enables mobile app distribution via messaging to circumvent traditional app store fees.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Startups
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Founded in 2025, Jest has reached a $1 million gross billings run rate just three months after enabling in-app purchases. The platform, currently active in the United States, uses RCS messaging to facilitate web-based app distribution.
Why it matters
The company aims to provide a distribution alternative to traditional, saturated app stores for developers. By bypassing existing store infrastructure, it offers developers up to 90% of net revenue while covering all messaging fees.
Jest usage scaled by 400% to over 4 million apps and games played, with an average daily engagement of 24 minutes per user. The system operates by having developers integrate the Jest SDK to replace standard app store components with integrated messaging and digital wallets.
The players
Jest
A startup providing an alternative mobile app distribution platform built on RCS messaging and integrated digital wallets.
Deyan Vitanov
The founder of Jest who established the company in 2025.
The details
The platform utilizes the RCS (Rich Communication Services) standard, a protocol that enables advanced messaging features, to allow users to access web-based applications directly within their messaging apps. By integrating the Jest SDK (Software Development Kit — a set of tools used to develop applications for a specific platform), developers can bypass conventional app store gatekeepers. This infrastructure enables direct transactions through digital wallets, with Jest managing all associated messaging costs.
Timeline
2025: Deyan Vitanov founded the company.
July 1, 2026: The platform entered its soft launch phase.
Q3 2026: Jest published its state of the platform report.
The Tech Race
Jest positions itself against the dominant mobile ecosystem by offering a direct distribution route that claims 90% revenue retention for developers. This marks a departure from standard industry practices where traditional app stores typically take a higher percentage of net revenue.
Users in the United States can now interact with web-based games and apps directly inside their messaging workflows. This change primarily affects mobile developers seeking to bypass standard store fees and high-volume app users looking for streamlined access to mobile entertainment.
The takeaway
The rapid 400% scaling of Jest suggests a strong developer appetite for alternatives to standard store fee structures. Observers should monitor whether the platform can maintain its 24-minute average daily engagement rate as it scales beyond its initial launch cohort.
Further reading
For broader trends in the developer ecosystem, read more in Startups.
More information
Developers can submit an application for platform funding to participate in the new $1 million developer fund.
Source note: This article includes information reported by GamesBeat.
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Would you use your messaging app to play games instead of downloading traditional apps?
