Apple allows outside payment links under EU pressure

Anabelle Colaco
29 Jun 2025, 16:24 GMT+10

Under pressure from European regulators, Apple has revamped its App Store policies in the EU, introducing new fee structures and loosening restrictions on external payments
These moves are designed to comply with the bloc’s Digital Markets Act and avoid a potential 500 million euro (US$570 million) fine
The tech giant announced this week that developers who continue to process purchases within the App Store will now pay a 20 percent commission, with a reduced 13 percent rate available under Apple’s small business programme

SAN FRANCISCO, California: Under pressure from European regulators, Apple has revamped its App Store policies in the EU, introducing new fee structures and loosening restrictions on external payments—moves designed to comply with the bloc's Digital Markets Act and avoid a potential 500 million euro (US$570 million) fine.

The tech giant announced this week that developers who continue to process purchases within the App Store will now pay a 20 percent commission, with a reduced 13 percent rate available under Apple's small business programme.

Crucially, Apple will now allow app developers to direct users to external payment platforms—a change the European Commission had mandated earlier this year to increase competition. For those choosing that route, Apple will charge a fee ranging from 5 percent to 15 percent of the transaction, depending on the developer's size and business model.

Developers will also be allowed to embed multiple outbound links in their apps to guide users to external sites or payment systems—something previously restricted under Apple's tightly controlled ecosystem.

"The European Commission is requiring Apple to make a series of additional changes to the App Store. We disagree with this outcome and plan to appeal," Apple said in a statement.