Apple is changing its App Store business terms in the European Union in another major adjustment aimed at addressing its ongoing disagreements with the European Commission over app distribution and payment systems.
The new rules will take effect on October 1, 2026, and will move developers operating in the EU to a single set of business terms. The changes will also introduce a 5 percent Core Technology Commission on digital transactions made through apps distributed outside the App Store.
Under the new terms, apps distributed through Apple’s App Store that use Apple’s in-app purchase system will be subject to a 26 percent commission. Developers that use alternative payment providers will pay a 20 percent commission, while purchases that direct users to an external website will carry a 15 percent commission.
Apple says reduced rates will be available to developers participating in programs such as the App Store Small Business Program, Mini Apps Partner Program and Video Partner Program.
Developers in the EU will also be able to offer Apple’s payment system alongside alternative payment methods. However, once developers select their payment options, they will have to maintain those choices for 12 months.
The new structure also removes several existing fees. Apple will no longer charge the initial acquisition fee, store services fee or its previous Core Technology Fee, which charged developers €0.50 for each annual installation after an app passed one million downloads.
Apple will continue allowing developers to distribute apps through third party app stores and directly from the web in the EU. However, web distribution remains subject to Apple’s eligibility requirements, including conditions for companies operating third party app marketplaces.
The changes come after years of tension between Apple and European regulators over the company’s App Store policies. Apple previously changed its rules to comply with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, but has continued to challenge aspects of the regulation.
The European Commission previously fined Apple after finding that its App Store anti steering practices violated the Digital Markets Act. Apple also recently lost an attempt to exclude the App Store and iOS from the scope of the DMA.
The updated rules will also introduce additional protections for younger users. Children’s apps will not be allowed to include links to websites for completing transactions, while apps will not be permitted to direct users under 13 to external websites to make purchases.
Users under 18 will also require permission from a parent or guardian when attempting to make a purchase through an alternative payment method inside an App Store app.
The changes represent another significant step in Apple’s effort to balance its tightly controlled App Store ecosystem with the European Union’s push for greater competition and consumer choice.
