On August 18, 2026, Apple announced sweeping changes to the terms and conditions for apps in the EU. Starting October 1, 2026, the standard commission in the App Store will drop to 26 percent, alternative payment methods will be easier to combine, and the Core Technology Fee will be replaced by a 5 percent revenue commission. According to Apple, this is the result of “close collaboration” with the European Commission under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
TL;DR: Apple is simplifying its previously highly complex EU fee model. Those who continue to rely exclusively on Apple’s in-app purchases will pay 26 percent instead of 30 percent in the future. Those who use alternative payment providers or external purchase links will pay 20 percent or 15 percent, respectively, with a reduced rate of up to 10 percent. Providers of alternative app marketplaces will pay a 5 percent Core Technology Commission on digital transactions starting in October, instead of the previous fee per installation. The changes apply only to developers who agree to the new terms and will take effect no later than October 1, 2026.
What’s changing with App Store fees?
Apple is replacing its previous system—comprising a sales commission, a store services fee, and a Core Technology Fee—with four clearly distinct models, depending on which payment option a developer offers:
| Distribution Channel | Standard Commission | Reduced Commission* |
|---|---|---|
| App Store with Apple In-App Purchase | 26% | 15% |
| App Store with alternative payment methods | 20% | 10% |
| App Store with a link to an external purchase | 15% | 10 |
| Alternative marketplaces / online sales | 5% Core Technology Commission on digital transactions | |
*The reduced rates apply to participants in the Small Business Program, Mini-Apps and Video partners, as well as to automatic subscription renewals starting in the second year.
These fees are being eliminated
Under the new model, the separate acquisition fee and the Store Services fee are eliminated entirely. The much-criticized Core Technology Fee of 50 cents per installation beyond the first million downloads per year is also no longer applicable to digital distribution via the App Store. It will only reappear in the form of the 5 percent commission for alternative marketplaces. Smaller developers will also benefit from the fact that Apple halved the revenue share in the Small Business Program several months ago, as the new terms are based on these reduced rates.
Payment methods can now be combined
Until now, developers essentially had to choose a single payment method. Under the new terms, they may offer Apple’s in-app purchases alongside alternative payment options. Once selected, a 12-month commitment period applies. This means you cannot change your payment strategy as often as you like. Apple also requires that users be presented with the various payment options in a transparent and understandable manner before they make a purchase decision.
Stricter Rules for Protecting Children and Teens
Alongside the fee changes, Apple is tightening its guidelines for the protection of minors. Apps in the “Kids” category are generally no longer permitted to contain links to external purchase or subscription pages. Users under 18 will need parental consent for external purchases in the future, and for accounts held by users under 13, links to external transaction pages are completely prohibited.
Easier Access for Alternative App Marketplaces
The barriers for providers of alternative app marketplaces are also being lowered. Instead of a bank guarantee in the millions, Apple will in the future accept alternative proof of financial stability: a credit check by Dun & Bradstreet, a stock market listing (or affiliation with a publicly traded company), capital from an established venture capital firm, an audit by a licensed auditing firm, or status as a government, educational, or nonprofit organization. From a security standpoint, apps distributed outside the App Store must still undergo Apple’s notarization process.
Why is Apple backing down now?
The Digital Markets Act requires large platform operators like Apple to allow third-party stores, alternative payment methods, and sideloading in the EU starting in 2024. Apple’s initial implementation—including the original core technology fee of 50 cents per installation—faced criticism from both developers and the European Commission because it did little to address the fundamental problem of high entry costs. Even the revised terms from June 2025 were deemed insufficient by the Commission, according to consistent reports from German and international trade media. The conflict with Spotify created additional pressure: First, the European Commission imposed a fine of 1.8 billion euros on Apple because the company had prohibited developers from directing users within the app to cheaper subscription offers outside the App Store. The terms now presented are thus the clearest attempt to date to avert a looming fine—which could be even higher—as well as daily penalty payments.
Timeline: When Changes Take Effect
Developers can agree to the new terms of service effective immediately. The changes will become mandatory for all EU users on October 1, 2026. Until then, apps that have not yet agreed to the new terms will continue to be subject to the previous terms.
Context: More Than Just an EU Issue
International trade publications such as AppleInsider also view the EU reform as a potential precursor to the situation in the U.S., where Apple is simultaneously under pressure in its legal dispute with Epic Games to open up its App Store fee model. A more uniform, simpler commission model would make it easier for Apple to implement similar rules outside the EU at a later date, rather than maintaining a separate cost structure for each market. Whether the European Commission will accept the new terms as sufficiently compliant with the DMA has not yet been officially confirmed. Following the 2025 revisions—which were deemed insufficient—the review is likely to be closely monitored.
Conclusion
With the new App Store rules, Apple is responding to years of pressure from Brussels and simplifying a fee system that was previously difficult even for experienced developers to understand. For smaller providers, costs are decreasing noticeably, while larger developers benefit primarily from the new ability to combine different payment methods. Whether this actually resolves the long-standing conflict between Apple and the European Commission will only become clear after the October 1, 2026, deadline, when it becomes evident how the Commission assesses the new terms.
Sources: Apple Newsroom
