Apple has updated its terms and policies for app developers in the European Union to better comply with the EU’s digital markets laws. The new compliance plan allows developers to connect to external payment systems or promote other platforms, but the new terms also include a new fee that would allow Apple to take a cut of each purchase. The company recently settled an antitrust case with the EU, agreeing to open its Apple Pay platform to external payment options.
New rules to see at Apple Developer Support WebsiteHere’s a list of all the different percentages Apple takes from each purchase, regardless of where you buy it. The fee structure is different for those who sign up under Apple’s new terms and those who sign up under their old terms.
For developers who sign up under the new terms, Apple will charge a 5% initial acquisition fee for all sales of digital goods and services made within 12 months of an install of their app, and a 10% store service fee for all sales made within 12 months of an install (including reinstalls).
For developers who are already covered by Apple’s existing Terms of Use, adding external links will incur a higher penalty: a 20% penalty for 12 months after install (though this penalty is reduced to 7% for App Store Small Business Program participants).
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The new policy has already drawn criticism from some of the companies behind the most popular apps on the App Store. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said: I told X“Apple continues its abusive compliance by imposing an illegal new 15% junk fee on users who move to competing stores and monitoring transactions made by those competing stores.”
Spotify said: Statement to TechCrunch“At first glance, Apple has once again blatantly flouted the basic requirements of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) by demanding a fee of up to 25% for basic communication with users. The European Commission has made it clear that charging recurring fees for basic elements such as pricing and links is unacceptable. We urge the Commission to expedite its investigation, impose daily fines, and enforce the DMA.”
