Apple cuts European App Store fees to settle EU competition dispute

The company will replace its per-install charge with a 5% commission on digital transactions outside the App Store.

Apple has agreed to overhaul its European App Store terms, including eliminating per-install fees for developers that distribute iPhone apps outside its marketplace, to resolve a competition dispute with the European Union.

The company will replace its Core Technology Fee with a 5% commission on digital transactions made through apps distributed outside the App Store, Apple said Tuesday.

Apple will also reduce its commission on European in-app purchases to 26% from the standard 30%. Developers in partner programs or offering auto-renewing subscriptions will pay 15%.

The new policies will allow alternative payment methods alongside Apple’s payment tool and expand the number of European companies eligible to distribute and monetize iPhone apps outside the App Store.

The changes take effect Oct. 1. The European Commission welcomed the announcement and said it would monitor Apple’s implementation.

Apple also plans child-safety measures requiring parental approval when users under 18 access alternative payment processing or links to web transactions.

The EU fined Apple €500 million in 2025 for violating the Digital Markets Act by restricting developers from directing users to purchases outside the App Store. The latest changes address a separate investigation into Apple’s compliance terms.

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