Overview
- Apple published a single set of EU developer terms on Tuesday, August 18, 2026 that eliminate the per‑install Core Technology Fee and replace it with a 5% Core Technology Commission on digital transactions in apps distributed outside the App Store.
- The company set new tiered rates that charge 26% for App Store apps using Apple In‑App Purchase, 20% for apps using alternative in‑app payment processing, and 15% for apps that link out to website purchases, with lower rates for qualifying small developers and program participants.
- Developers may now offer Apple In‑App Purchase alongside alternative payment options but must keep chosen payment arrangements for 12 months, and Apple loosened eligibility rules for third‑party marketplaces while still requiring Notarization for alternatively distributed apps.
- The European Commission welcomed the changes and will monitor compliance, but rivals and developers led by Epic Games have signaled opposition to specific fees such as the 15% link‑out rate and plan legal challenges, and parallel U.S. litigation remains active.
- For developers the shift lowers the predictable cost of distributing outside Apple’s store but keeps Apple a cut of outside sales; enforcement, court fights, and how third‑party marketplaces set their own fees will determine how much the rules change developers’ revenue and consumer choices.