Apple proposes 15% commission on purchases made outside the App Store

Apple has submitted its proposal to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California regarding commissions it intends to charge on purchases made through external links within iOS apps. Under the proposed fee structure, standard apps would be subject to a 15% commission. Developers participating in the Small Business Program would pay 5%, while those in the Video Partner Program, News Partner Program, and Mini Apps Partner Program would be charged 10%. The filing also proposes a 10% commission rate for subscription renewals.

The move comes amid a long-running legal dispute between Apple and Epic Games over App Store commission policies. Apple had attempted to delay the submission of its proposal, arguing that the lower court proceedings should be put on hold until the Supreme Court resolves a related matter—whether Apple was in contempt of a court order when it introduced a 27% commission on purchases made via external links and imposed restrictions on how developers could present those links to users. The Supreme Court rejected Apple's bid to pause the case on Thursday, forcing the company to reveal its planned commission structure.

Apple maintains that it should be permitted to charge fees for in-app purchases made by users of its devices in order to recoup investments in the tools, technology, and services that support the App Store and its software. The company also compared its proposed link-out fees to those on Google Play, which charges 20% for standard apps, 15% for apps in special programs, and 10% for subscription renewals, noting that Epic Games had agreed to those rates.