Cafe Bazaar
Cafe Bazaar is Iran's largest Persian-language Android app store, founded in 2011 in Tehran. It serves 40M+ users and 22,000 developers with hundreds of thousands of apps and games, monetizing via in-app purchase commissions, paid app sales, and in-app advertising.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersTehran, Iran
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Cafe Bazaar does
Cafe Bazaar (legal entity: Ava-ye Hamrah-e Hushmand-e Hezardestan Company, شرکت آوای همراه هوشمند هزاردستان) operates Iran's largest Persian-language Android app store, founded in 2011 and headquartered in Tehran. The core product is the Bazaar Android app store, a consumer-facing marketplace serving 40M+ users and 22,000 registered developers, with 1.8 billion cumulative app installations, 630 million app updates, 1.17 billion app searches, and 884 million game searches recorded in Iranian calendar year 1401 (FY 2022-2023). The platform supports hundreds of thousands of Iranian and international apps and games, including major publisher titles from Supercell, Konami, Roblox, and Sybo, and hosts official mobile banking apps from Iranian banks including Bank Melli, Bank Mellat, Bank Tejarat, Bank Pasargad, and Bank Saderat. The technology stack centers on an Android app store platform with integrated in-app purchase infrastructure, antivirus-based security scanning (Security Shield / سپر امنیتی), screen-reader accessibility for visually impaired users, and editorial content curation.
The product portfolio has expanded beyond the core app store into adjacent surfaces: Bazaar TV (Android TV), Bazaar for Kids (a curated, child-safe section for ages 3-12), a Video on Demand streaming service at vod.cafebazaar.ir (branded Film va Serial / فیلم و سریال), an Instant Games feature offering HTML5 games playable without installation, and a dedicated in-app advertising platform at ads.cafebazaar.ir. Revenue is generated through three streams: a commission on in-app purchases (transaction fee), a transaction fee on paid app and game sales (marketplace commission), and in-app advertising. The platform is freemium — free to download and install, with users paying for in-app purchases and paid apps via Iranian banking payment gateways. Cafe Bazaar operates under Iranian regulatory oversight via SATRA and hosts government services including the National Government Services Window, serving as a national distribution utility for the Iranian Android ecosystem. The company is privately held, appears to be founder/management-owned, has not disclosed any external venture funding, and operates exclusively within Iran, with international users facing legal and regulatory barriers per the platform's terms of service.
Cafe Bazaar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cafe Bazaar
- Legal name
- شرکت آوای همراه هوشمند هزاردستان (Ava-ye Hamrah-e Hushmand-e Hezardestan Company)
- Website
- https://cafebazaar.ir
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Cafe Bazaar is Iran's largest Persian-language Android app store, founded in 2011 in Tehran. It serves 40M+ users and 22,000 developers with hundreds of thousands of apps and games, monetizing via in-app purchase commissions, paid app sales, and in-app advertising.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cafe Bazaar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mobile App Marketplace
- SIC
- Retail-Computer & Computer Software Stores (5734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mobile App Stores (General) (MPAFACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Mobile Game Stores & Alternative App Stores (MPAFACAD)
Keywords
Where Cafe Bazaar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tehran
- HQ country
- Iran
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cafe Bazaar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- In-App Purchase Commission: Bazaar charges a commission on in-app purchases made through the platform for both data-driven and data-free apps and games. The platform facilitates transactions between users and developers, handling payment processing through Iranian banking infrastructure.
- Paid App Sales: Bazaar distributes paid apps and games, with developers setting prices and Bazaar taking a transaction fee on sales.
- In-App Advertising: Bazaar offers advertising services through ads.cafebazaar.ir, allowing developers and third parties to promote apps within the platform.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free app store with in-app purchase and paid app transactions |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Cafe Bazaar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cafe Bazaar operates Iran's largest Persian-language Android app store, distributing hundreds of thousands of Iranian and international apps and games to over 40 million users. The platform enables developers to publish, monetize via in-app purchases through Iranian banking gateways, and reach the Iranian Android market, while end users access free and paid apps, instant HTML5 games, a kid-safe section, and an integrated video-on-demand streaming service. The company also runs an in-app advertising platform (ads.cafebazaar.ir) and a developer portal.
Product overview
Bazaar (بازار) is an Android-centric mobile ecosystem operated by آوای همراه هوشمند هزاردستان (Ava-ye Hamrah-e Hushmand-e Hezardestan), a company affiliated with گروه پگاه داده کاوان شریف. The core offering is the Bazaar app store for Android smartphones, supplemented by the Bazaar TV Android TV app, the Bazaar for Kids curated kid-safe section, a Video on Demand (VoD) streaming service (vod.cafebazaar.ir), an in-app advertising platform (ads.cafebazaar.ir), and a developer portal. The platform serves over 40 million users and 22,000 developers with hundreds of thousands of apps and games, supported by in-app purchasing through Iranian banking gateways and an integrated security shield with antivirus scanning.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- فیلم و سریال (Bazaar VOD): Video on demand service offering movies and series
Products and services
- Bazaar (بازار) - Main Android App Store
- Bazaar TV (نسخه اندروید TV)
- Bazaar for Kids (بازار کودک)
- Video on Demand (vod.cafebazaar.ir)
- Bazaar Advertising Platform (تبلیغات در بازار)
- Bazaar Developer Portal
Quantifiable outcome
- 1.8 billion app installations and 630 million app updates served as of 1401 (2022-2023)
Companies that use Cafe Bazaar
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Cafe Bazaar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Cafe Bazaar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Iranian Banks and Financial InstitutionscoreCafe Bazaar hosts official banking apps from major Iranian banks including Bank Melli, Bank Mellat, Bank Tejarat, Bank Pasargad, Bank Saderat, and others. These institutions distribute their mobile banking apps exclusively or primarily through Cafe Bazaar, providing trust and user acquisition benefits.
- International App PublisherscoreMajor international game and app publishers including Supercell (Clash of Clans, Clash Royale), Konami (eFootball), Roblox, Sybo Games (Subway Surfers), and others distribute their apps through Cafe Bazaar for the Iranian market.
- Iranian Content ProviderscoreCafe Bazaar partners with Iranian video streaming services (Filimo, Namava, Filmnet), music platforms, e-book services (Taaghche, Fidibo), and local content creators to provide a comprehensive digital entertainment ecosystem.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cafe Bazaar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Myket: Iran's largest direct competitor to Cafe Bazaar, Myket is another leading Iranian Android app store serving local users with a similar mix of Iranian and international apps and Persian-language support.
- Aptoide: Aptoide is one of the longest-running independent Android app marketplaces, operating a similar decentralized marketplace model with developer self-publishing, in-app purchase infrastructure, and curated listings for regional markets.
Broad incumbents
- Huawei AppGallery: Huawei's flagship mobile app store is a major alternative Android marketplace with integrated payments, curated editorial content, and developer portal—closely paralleling Bazaar's full-stack app distribution ecosystem at much larger global scale.
- Amazon Appstore: Amazon's alternative Android app marketplace offers app distribution with in-app purchasing, curated recommendations, and Fire-device pre-installation, sharing Bazaar's marketplace + device OEM partnership model.
- Samsung Galaxy Store: Samsung's pre-installed app store for Galaxy devices mirrors Bazaar's OEM pre-installation distribution model and provides curated app discovery, in-app purchases, and promotional features for mobile users.
- Xiaomi GetApps: Xiaomi's pre-installed Android app marketplace for its MIUI devices follows the same OEM-app-store-with-curation-and-IAP model that Cafe Bazaar operates within Iran, including developer publishing and integrated billing.
- OPPO Software Store: OPPO's pre-installed ColorOS app marketplace combines curated app discovery, payment integration, and developer portal—paralleling Cafe Bazaar's all-in-one marketplace and Android TV extension architecture.
Emerging players
- APKMirror: APKMirror operates as a software distribution platform focused on Android APKs and app discovery, sharing Cafe Bazaar's app store mechanics (discovery, downloads, and developer publishing) but without integrated payments.
- F-Droid: F-Droid is an open-source alternative Android app marketplace with security-focused curation and developer self-publishing—mirroring Bazaar's curated marketplace approach but specialized in free/open-source software.
Regional players
- Wandoujia (豌豆荚): Wandoujia is a major China-focused Android app marketplace providing app discovery, downloads, and developer publishing tools—sharing Bazaar's regional-language localization strategy and curated marketplace structure, though focused on the Chinese market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cafe Bazaar social profiles
Digital presenceCafe Bazaar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cafe Bazaar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Cafe Bazaar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cafe Bazaar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cafe Bazaar
What does Cafe Bazaar do?
Cafe Bazaar operates Iran's largest Persian-language Android app store, distributing hundreds of thousands of Iranian and international apps and games to over 40 million users. The platform enables developers to publish, monetize via in-app purchases through Iranian banking gateways, and reach the Iranian Android market, while end users access free and paid apps, instant HTML5 games, a kid-safe section, and an integrated video-on-demand streaming service. The company also runs an in-app advertising platform (ads.cafebazaar.ir) and a developer portal.
Is Cafe Bazaar a public or private company?
Cafe Bazaar is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Cafe Bazaar founded?
Cafe Bazaar was founded in 2011. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Cafe Bazaar based?
Cafe Bazaar is headquartered in Tehran, Iran, in the Middle East region.
How does Cafe Bazaar make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. In-App Purchase Commission is the primary driver. The others are paid App Sales and in-App Advertising.
Who are Cafe Bazaar's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Myket and Aptoide. Broad incumbents are Huawei AppGallery, Amazon Appstore, Samsung Galaxy Store, Xiaomi GetApps and OPPO Software Store. Emerging players are APKMirror and F-Droid. Wandoujia (豌豆荚) is listed as a regional player.
Does Cafe Bazaar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cafe Bazaar.
What industry is Cafe Bazaar in?
Cafe Bazaar's product category is Mobile App Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFACAC, Mobile App Stores (General), with a secondary code of MPAFACAD, Mobile Game Stores & Alternative App Stores. Its SIC code is 5734.