Apple Suggests Implementing a 5-15% Commission on External App Store Transactions
In a related development, the court has mandated that Google streamline the process for installing third-party app stores.
Apple has submitted a request to the court to impose a fee of up to 15% on purchases made through payment options outside its App Store in the United States. This action is part of the ongoing legal dispute with Epic Games, which began in 2020. Recent reports indicate that Apple has proposed a commission structure it deems fair for transactions involving external links and third-party payment services.
According to the proposal, the maximum 15% commission would apply to apps that currently pay Apple a 30% fee for App Store-related transactions. Apple also suggests a 10% fee for apps involved in its News Partner Program, Video Partner Program, and Mini Apps Partner Program, as well as for subscription renewals. Additionally, a reduced fee of 5% is proposed for apps participating in Apple’s Small Business Program, which includes a significant number of developers that have been paying a 15% fee for transactions via the App Store since 2020.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, overseeing the antitrust case, had previously instructed Apple to allow developers to link to external payment systems back in 2021. The intent was to relieve them from needing to pay Apple’s 30% commission for their sales. Nonetheless, Apple continued to extract a fee ranging from 12% to 27% from these transactions, leading Epic Games to claim that Apple was failing to adhere to the court’s order.
Last year, the court ruled Apple in contempt and requested that it cease collecting fees from external payments. Although an appeals court upheld this ruling, it also nullified the judge’s directive preventing Apple from charging fees for these payments. The court is now tasked with deciding what constitutes a fair commission for Apple.
Google has been involved in a similar legal struggle with Epic Games for several years. Recently, it adapted its Play Store policies to permit external billing as of June 30, lowering its commission to 10%, regardless of the payment method chosen by users. In July, Google also initiated acceptance of third-party app stores on its Android platform. Reports indicate that during recent court proceedings, Epic argued that Google complicates the installation of competing app stores. The judge subsequently instructed Google to eliminate what has been described as “anticompetitive friction” in this process.
