Apple details new fee structures for App Store payments in the EU

Apple has introduced new fee structures for developers using the App Store in the EU in order to meet the requirements of the bloc’s Digital Markets Act. Last month, the European Commission ruled that Apple was not in compliance the legislation and ordered the company to make changes within 30 days. Apple can still file an appeal of the decision until July 7.

The new terms make things a little complicated. When apps promote offers for digital goods or services in the EU, they’ll be subject to an “initial acquisition fee” and a “store services fee” as well as a Core Technology Fee for apps with more than 1 million annual installs. Developers who agree to the StoreKit External Purchase Link Entitlement (EU) Addendum will be charged a Core Technology Commission (CTC) of 5 percent rather than the CTF. The CTC applies to “all sales of digital goods or services that occur within a 12-month period from the date of an install, including app updates and reinstalls” rather than the CTF approach based on installation numbers. The exact rules and exemptions are now listed on a dedicated support page.

There are also two separate tiers of fee structures. Tier 1 is for apps using mandatory store services and Tier 2 covers apps using optional store services. The initial acquisition fee is 2 percent for both tiers, although participants in the Apple Small Business Program and recurring subscriptions after the first year will not be subject to that charge. The Tier 1 store services fee is 5 percent, while Tier 2 is 13 percent normally or 10 percent for program participants.

That’s the approach for the remainder of this year, although Apple said it plans to adopt a single business model of the Core Technology Commission for all developers in the EU beginning January 1, 2026.

Apple is also offering new terms about how developers can promote and communicate offers to users in the EU. The destination for a promo can now be “a website, alternative app marketplace, or another app, and can be accessed outside the app or within the app via a web view or native experience.” The company is also toning down language in the “scare sheets” it displays when a user follows a link to outside the App Store.