Apple has proposed a new commission structure for purchases made through external links in iOS apps, seeking permission to collect as much as 15% from transactions completed outside the App Store. The proposal was submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California as part of the company’s long-running legal dispute with Epic Games.
Apple Sets Out New Rates for External Purchases
Under the proposed structure, standard apps would be subject to a 15% commission on qualifying purchases made through external links. Developers enrolled in certain Apple programs would receive lower rates.
Small business developers would pay a 5% commission under the proposal. Developers participating in the Video Partner Program, News Partner Program and Mini Apps Partner Program would face a 10% rate. Apple has also proposed a 10% commission for subscription renewals.
The proposed rates would apply to purchases made outside Apple’s in-app payment system but initiated through links provided within iOS applications.
Proposal Follows a Long-Running Epic Games Dispute
Apple’s latest filing comes amid its years-long legal battle with Epic Games over the company’s App Store policies and commission practices.
The dispute intensified after Apple sought to delay proceedings in the lower court while the U.S. Supreme Court considered another part of the case. Apple had argued that the lower court should wait for the Supreme Court to address whether the company had violated a court order by introducing a 27% commission on purchases made through external links and placing restrictions on how developers could direct users to those payment options.
The Supreme Court rejected Apple’s request to pause the lower-court proceedings on Thursday, allowing the case to move forward. Apple subsequently submitted its proposed commission structure.
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Apple Defends Fees as Payment for Its Services
Apple’s position is that it should be allowed to collect a fee when users of its devices make purchases through external links from apps. The company argues that these charges help compensate it for the tools, technology and services it provides to developers and for maintaining the broader App Store ecosystem.
The proposal therefore seeks to establish a commission even when the final transaction takes place outside Apple’s own payment system.
Apple has also pointed to Google Play’s treatment of similar transactions in its argument. According to the filing, Google Play charges a 20% rate for standard apps, 15% for apps participating in special programs and 10% for subscription renewals. Apple noted that Epic Games had agreed to those rates.
External Payment Rules Remain at the Center of the Case
The dispute over external purchases is part of a broader legal fight over how developers can sell digital goods and services to users on Apple platforms.
Apple has faced continued scrutiny over the commission it collects from developers and the restrictions surrounding alternative payment methods. The latest proposal represents the company’s attempt to establish a specific framework for commissions on transactions that begin with links inside iOS apps but are completed elsewhere.
Apple’s proposed rates are now part of the ongoing proceedings in the Northern District of California. The court’s consideration of the proposal will determine how the company’s commission structure for these external transactions develops as the legal dispute with Epic continues.
For developers, the proposed 5%, 10% and 15% rates could create different costs depending on their program status and the type of transaction involved. However, the proposal itself does not mean that the structure has received final approval from the court.
