Apple will overhaul its App Store fee structure across the European Union starting October 1, a move that follows years of regulatory pressure tied to the Digital Markets Act.
The announcement consolidates all EU app developers under a single set of business terms. It also scraps the controversial Core Technology Fee, replacing it with a 5 percent Core Technology Commission charged only on apps sold outside the App Store.
European regulators have scrutinized Apple’s marketplace practices for years. The Digital Markets Act, designed to force major platforms open to competition, sits at the center of that battle. Apple’s previous fee regime drew complaints from developers and rivals alike, who argued the charges made alternative distribution economically unviable.
Under the new terms, developers using Apple’s in-app purchase system pay a 26 percent standard commission. Eligibility for Apple’s Small Business Program or similar initiatives drops that rate to 15 percent.
Apps that implement alternative payment methods face a 20 percent fee. That figure falls to 10 percent for developers in Apple’s approved programs. When an App Store listing directs users to complete transactions externally, Apple applies a 15 percent commission, or 10 percent for qualifying developers.
For software distributed through third-party marketplaces or directly from the web, Apple takes the 5 percent Core Technology Commission on digital sales. The company also reworked its initial acquisition fee and store services fee structures.
Epic Games, Apple’s longtime antagonist in app store disputes, responded with sharp criticism. The company labeled the new charges “junk fees” on X, arguing they do nothing to promote competition as the law requires.
Epic highlighted the 20 percent alternative payment fee, the 15 percent external link fee, and the 5 percent Core Technology Commission as evidence Apple continues to obstruct open markets. The game maker contends the Digital Markets Act mandates free linking to external purchase options and meaningful access for competing app stores.
“Apple’s terms deliberately violate the Digital Markets Act,” Epic stated. “If the Commission accepts the terms and drops their ongoing enforcement actions, the law will become meaningless.”
The European Commission now faces a decision. Accepting Apple’s revised terms could end active enforcement proceedings. Rejecting them would escalate a confrontation that has already reshaped how the world’s most valuable company operates within European borders.
