Apple on Wednesday released an updated developer license agreement that gives the company permission to recoup unpaid funds, such as commissions or any other fees, by deducting them from in-app purchases it processes on developers’ behalf, among other methods.
The change will impact developers in regions where local law allows them to link to external payment systems. In these cases, developers must report those payments back to Apple to pay the required commissions or fees.
The changed agreement seemingly gives Apple a way to collect what it believes is the correct fee if the company determines a developer has underreported their earnings.
Apple’s policies in this area are complex, but the change could impact developers in markets like the EU, US, and, now, Japan, where developers using external payment systems may be required to pay Apple varying fees or commissions depending on local law. (In the U.S., the legality of these commissions is still being disputed. A federal appeals court earlier this month ruled that a district court should consider allowing Apple to collect some commission, though not the full 27% fee it previously charged.)
In its new developer agreement, Apple states it will “offset or recoup” what it believes it is owed, including “any amounts collected by Apple on your behalf from end-users.” This means Apple could recoup funds from developers’ in-app purchases — like those for digital goods, services, and subscriptions — or from one-time fees for paid applications.
Additionally, Apple notes that it has the right to collect this money “at any time” and “from time to time,” meaning developers could face surprise deductions if Apple believes they’ve miscalculated what they owe.
The agreement doesn’t specify how Apple will determine whether it’s owed money.
The types of developer payments that vary over time are limited and include commissions, fees, and taxes. Among these is the Core Technology Fee (CTF) in the EU, which currently costs €0.50 for each first annual install exceeding one million in the past 12 months. In January 2026, Apple will transition from the CTF to a new fee, called the Core Technology Commission (CTC), a more complicated percentage-based fee. Apple will collect the CTC from apps that use external payment methods or are distributed under its alternative business terms for the EU.
The updated developer agreement also gives Apple the right to collect unpaid amounts from any “affiliates, parents, or subsidiaries” related to the account that owes money. In practical terms, that means Apple could collect the money from developer’s other apps, or from apps published by a parent company.
These changes are detailed in Schedules 2 and 3, section 3.4, which focuses on the delivery of applications to end users.
These are not the only modifications to the agreement. Apple is also introducing sections devoted to its age assurance technology, new terms for iOS apps in Japan, and other requirements.
Of interest, Apple is defining requirements for voice-based assistants (like AI chatbots) that are activated via the side button on the iPhone and is banning recordings made without user awareness. This includes audio and video recordings, as well as screen recordings, which are often used by developers to identity issues users face when navigating apps or to locate bugs.
To be clear, Apple isn’t banning these recordings outright. The company simply adding language that says: “Your Application may not be designed to facilitate Recordings of others without their awareness.” How Apple will interpret that rule remains to be seen.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment ahead of publication.
Apple becomes a debt collector with its new developer agreement
