Apple Again Changes EU App Store Rules and Fees to Comply With DMA

[MacRumors]

Apple is updating its App Store linking rules and fees in the European Union to comply with the requirements of the Digital Markets Act, Apple said today.

Apps distributed through EU storefronts can now communicate information about non-App Store purchase options and deals for digital goods available through websites, alternative app marketplaces, or other apps. Developers can let customers access alternate purchase options outside the app, within an app through a web view, or through a native app experience.

Developers will be able to design and execute offer promotions in their apps, and can include information about subscription pricing or any other offers available within or outside the app. There can be actionable links that can be tapped, clicked, or scanned, and there are no limitations on URLs.

Apple says that developers who opt to promote offers for digital goods and services will need to agree to new business terms and pay an initial acquisition fee and a store services fee. Apps that also use the StoreKit External Purchase Link Entitlement will also need to pay a new Core Technology Commission. In Apple's own words:

App Store apps that communicate and promote offers for digital goods or services will be subject to new business terms for those transactions - an initial acquisition fee, store services fee, and for apps on the StoreKit External Purchase Link Entitlement (EU) Addendum, the Core Technology Commission (CTC). The CTC reflects the value Apple provides developers through ongoing investments in the tools, technologies, and services that enable them to build and share innovative apps with users.

By January 1, 2026, Apple plans to move to a single business model in the EU for all developers. Apple will transition from the Core Technology Fee (CTF) to the new Core Technology Commission (CTC) for digital goods and services. For now, there are some instances where developers will pay the CTC, and other developers will pay the CTF until Apple transitions to the unified system.

Apps with external purchase links will pay the CTC. Apps that just reference deals outside of the App Store and do not have actionable links will continue to pay the CTF for now.

Developers who use the External Purchase Link Entitlement and those who use the Alternative Terms Addendum will pay a reduced store services fee under a new two-tier store services system that Apple created. Apple's Store services are split into two tiers:

• Store Services Tier 1: This tier provides capabilities needed for app delivery, trust & safety, app management, and engagement; and features a reduced store services fee. This tier is mandatory for apps communicating and promoting offers.
• Store Services Tier 2: This tier is optional, and provides additional capabilities for app delivery and management, engagement, curation & personalization, app insights, and developer marketing.

Tier 1 does not include automatic app updates or automatic downloads across devices. Developers that opt for tier 1 will also not be able to take advantage of ratings and reviews, search suggestions, natural language search, keywords for custom product pages, the Apple Games app, App Store featuring and marketing, app tabs, and app insights like performance metrics. Tier 2 includes all of the current App Store services that Apple provides.

Apps that use the StoreKit External Purchase Link Entitlement will pay the following fees:

• 5% CTC for both tiers.
• 5% store services fee for tier 1 and 13% for tier 2 (10% for Small Business Program participants and subscriptions after the first year).
• 2% initial acquisition fee, which is waived for Small Business Program participants.

Apps that use the Alternative Terms Addendum (no external links) will pay the following fees:

• 0.50 euro CTF for both tiers.
• 2% initial acquisition fee for both tiers (0 for Small Business Program participants).
• 5% store services fee for tier 1, and 13 percent store services fee for tier 2 (10 percent for Small Business Program).

The Alternative Terms Addendum applies to apps that reference deals available outside of the App Store but do not have actionable links, while the StoreKit Link Entitlement with CTC is for apps that include actionable links for purchasing digital goods outside of the in-app purchase system. Eventually, the CTC will replace the CTF for all developers.

Developers using either option will need to report external transactions to Apple with the External Purchase Server API for commission calculations and fee collections. Developers are not able to offer both App Store in-app purchases and alternative payment options within the same app on the same App Store storefront in the EU, according to Apple.

Starting with iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6, iPhone and iPad users will see a new interface for installing alternative app marketplaces or apps from a developer's website. Later in 2025, Apple plans to provide an API that will let developers initiate the download of alternatively distributed apps they publish from within their app.

Apple's new rules are complicated, so developers who distribute apps in the EU are encouraged to read Apple's new DMA compliance information.

In a statement to MacRumors, Apple said the following: "The European Commission is requiring Apple to make a series of additional changes to the App Store. We disagree with this outcome and plan to appeal."

Article Link: Apple Again Changes EU App Store Rules and Fees to Comply With DMA

 

[breenmask]

The DMA is pathetic and harms the consumer. Consumers don't want to go outside the app and this creates an unnecessary extra step. This is just beyond greed by Tim Sweeney of Epic Games and the like. It's objectively true.

 

[racerhomie]

In total the new EU Fees are now 10-20%

 

[germanbeer007]

The DMA is pathetic and harms the consumer. Consumers don't want to go outside the app and this creates an unnecessary extra step. This is just beyond greed by Tim Sweeney of Epic Games and the like. It's objectively true.

Yep. Cold hard facts EU DMA supporters don't want you to know.

 

[bollman]

You👏do👏not👏have👏to👏go👏outside👏the👏AppStore
You are free to to keep using the AppStore and avoid the apps that refuses to sell via AppStore.
I for one, have no interest in giving Apple money for my Spotify subscription. Why should they collect a monthly fee?
Apple decided on their model of giving everything away for free to developers (more or less) and instead collect it from me, or the developer (mostly me, since a lot of services are more expensive via AppStore than outside).
Raise the developer fee instead. Hopefully that would get rid of the 95% crap that populates the AppStore.

 

[surferfb]

Per 9to5Mac, these changes were all forced by the EU.

“The European Commission is requiring Apple to make a series of additional changes to the App Store. We disagree with this outcome and plan to appeal.”

 

[cocky jeremy]

Imagine going to Target and seeing them being forced to let Heinz advertise you can buy their ketchup at Walmart.

 

[SanderEvers]

You👏do👏not👏have👏to👏go👏outside👏the👏AppStore
You are free to to keep using the AppStore and avoid the apps that refuses to sell via AppStore.
I for one, have no interest in giving Apple money for my Spotify subscription. Why should they collect a monthly fee?
Apple decided on their model of giving everything away for free to developers (more or less) and instead collect it from me, or the developer (mostly me, since a lot of services are more expensive via AppStore than outside).
Raise the developer fee instead. Hopefully that would get rid of the 95% crap that populates the AppStore.

Except when developers block you from using your Apple account and require you to make an account on their platform that most likely is less secure and less privacy focused.

I stopped using Spotify when they started complaining about Apple. And am now - for years - a big fan of Apple Music. Also Apple pays artist a lot more for their streams than Spotify does.

I will not use Spotify or the Epic Games Store ever (again).

 

[breenmask]

I for one, have no interest in giving Apple money for my Spotify subscription. Why should they collect a monthly fee?

This was possible for several years. Spotify can sell the subscription THEN tell the user to download the app.

If Apple acquired the paid user for Spotify, they deserve a finder fee

 

[Fuzzi]

This was possible for several years. Spotify can sell the subscription THEN tell the user to download the app.

If Apple acquired the paid user for Spotify, they deserve a finder fee

following that logic, google would deserve a finder fee for many things 😂

 

[jarman92]

This was possible for several years. Spotify can sell the subscription THEN tell the user to download the app.

If Apple acquired the paid user for Spotify, they deserve a finder fee

I mean I guess I get the logic, but is there any serious argument that any person exists who didn’t know about Spotify until they saw it on the App Store?

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Except when developers block you from using your Apple account and require you to make an account on their platform that most likely is less secure and less privacy focused.

I stopped using Spotify when they started complaining about Apple. And am now - for years - a big fan of Apple Music. Also Apple pays artist a lot more for their streams than Spotify does.

I will not use Spotify or the Epic Games Store ever (again).

Working exactly as it should. You didn't go outside the App Store.

I intentionally look for apps that let me pay outside the store. I would rather pay them directly than through Apple, if possible.

 

[macfacts]

The DMA is pathetic and harms the consumer. Consumers don't want to go outside the app and this creates an unnecessary extra step. This is just beyond greed by Tim Sweeney of Epic Games and the like. It's objectively true.

I'm guessing you don't want fortnite, good news then. You are not being forced to go outside the apple app store.

 

[HiVolt]

This was possible for several years. Spotify can sell the subscription THEN tell the user to download the app.

If Apple acquired the paid user for Spotify, they deserve a finder fee

Thats very flawed logic, since there is no other way to load applications on the iPhone that the customer owns, not Apple.

If Apple is forcing the App store, other payment options need to exist, remember they do not even allow a message "hey sign up on our site, then log in", etc. EU is forcing this, but its still like that for everywhere else.

Apple does not deserve a total payment and recurring payments for services they do not provide. Nominal hosting fees for the app, sure. But not monthly recurring fees.

 

[Sophisticatednut]

Per 9to5Mac, these changes were all forced by the EU.

Will be interesting to see what part EU pushed and what part Apple is betting changes on. Very vague what the distinction are and for what

 

[Plutonius]

I wonder how soon before the terms change again ?

 

[breenmask]

following that logic, google would deserve a finder fee for many things 😂

Yes.
If you searched for Spotify on the App Store and paid for it. Apple collects $$$.
If you searched for Viagra on Google and paid for it, Google collects your data and sells it.

Logic checks out.

 

[AppliedMicro]

Consumers don't want to go outside the app and this creates an unnecessary extra step

Great - so please explain why doesn’t comply in a simply and effective way then.

Imagine going to Target and seeing them being forced to let Heinz advertise you can buy their ketchup at Walmart

Target isn‘t part of a de facto duopoly for ketchup sales.

 

[breenmask]

I mean I guess I get the logic, but is there any serious argument that any person exists who didn’t know about Spotify until they saw it on the App Store?

Nope. Therefore it shouldn't be a problem for Spotify to include IAP since it would be very little people doing it.

 

[breenmask]

I'm guessing you don't want fortnite, good news then. You are not being forced to go outside the apple app store.

And for the other apps that I'm paying for that will force me to go outside to continue paying for it?

Did you think about that?

 

[breenmask]

Thats very flawed logic, since there is no other way to load applications on the iPhone that the customer owns, not Apple.

Convert the user to paying before telling the user to download the app. If the user discovered your app through the App Store, Apple deserves a fee. Perfect logic.

 

[breenmask]

Great - so please explain why doesn’t comply in a simply and effective way then.

I've read it twice and don't understand what you stated.

Target isn‘t part of a de facto monopoly for ketchup sales.

Apple isn't part of a de facto monopoly for music streaming sales.

 

[jole]

following that logic, google would deserve a finder fee for many things 😂

That is most of their business.

 

[AppliedMicro]

I've read it twice and don't understand what you stated.

If nobody wants „to go outside the app“ and take extra steps - as you claim - why is Apple making such a big fuss about?

Just allow third-party promotions/links in-app, without that „scare screen“ and „core technology“ charge BS.

👉 They‘d instantly be compliant - and not lose out on sales, since their system is (according to you) so much more consumer-friendly.

 

[jole]

Convert the user to paying before telling the user to download the app. If the user discovered your app through the App Store, Apple deserves a fee. Perfect logic.

Maybe this is the key to the puzzle:

• Apple to charge whatever they want for apps listed on app store; here Apple is the channel and entitled to finders fee
• Allow downloading apps through external link with just developer tech fees; here Apple has not contributed to anything but dev tools