Apple replaces EU app fee with 5 percent commission

Apple will move every EU developer onto a single set of business terms on October 1, 2026, replacing its per-install Core Technology Fee with a Core Technology Commission. The new model applies a 5 percent commission on digital transactions in apps distributed outside the App Store, including alternative marketplaces and web-distributed apps.

App Store fees will be set at 26 percent for apps using Apple In-App Purchase, 20 percent for alternative payment processing, and 15 percent for apps that link out to the web. Small Business Program participants, Mini Apps Partner Program, Video Partner Program, and auto-renewing subscriptions after year one will pay 15 percent inside the App Store, or 10 percent at the two lower tiers.

The European Commission welcomed the changes and said it will monitor implementation. Apps distributed through alternative channels must still pass Apple’s Notarization review, while non-compliance under the DMA can expose covered companies to fines of up to 10 percent of global revenue.

Apple is also keeping restrictions on certain transactions. Kids category apps cannot include website transaction links, users under 13 are blocked from web-based transactions, under-18s need a parental gate before alternative payments, and developers choosing a payment method must keep it in place for 12 months.