App Store in Europe: what really changes for developers on October 1

Apple has just unveiled a thorough overhaul of the rules of the App Store in Europe, effective from October 1. Under pressure from the European Commission and the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the California group is replacing its old fee system, deemed too complex, with a new commission schedule and more freedom given to developers to choose their payment method.

A simplified commission schedule

No more stacking of fees that made the old model unreadable for app publishers. Apple is now instituting unified App Store commissions, with rates that vary depending on the distribution channel and the payment system used:

• 26% for purchases made via Apple's integrated payment system on the App Store (reduced rate of 15% for small developers);
• 20% when an alternative payment solution is used within the app (10% at the reduced rate);
• 15% if the purchase is completed on a website external to the app (10% at the reduced rate).

Apple is also introducing a “Core Technology Commission” of 5%, applied only to digital transactions carried out in apps distributed outside the App Store. In return, the highly controversial Core Technology Fee, the flat fee charged per installation that penalized free apps with high download volumes, disappears entirely, as do initial acquisition fees and store-related service fees.

More freedom for developers

The most tangible change for users and publishers alike concerns the flexibility of payments. The same app will now be able to offer, within a single screen, Apple's integrated payment system, a third-party alternative solution, or a simple link directing to an external website to complete the purchase. The user chooses; the developer is no longer constrained to a single channel.

Access to alternative app stores is also being widened. It now covers a broader range of profiles: financially stable organizations, publicly traded companies, companies that have received funding, public, educational or non-profit entities, or publishers demonstrating one million installs worldwide. This opening should allow competing marketplaces to emerge within the iOS ecosystem in Europe.

Why this change now

This overhaul follows several months of tense negotiations between Apple and Brussels, with the European Commission having judged that the company's previous rules did not respect the spirit of the DMA. The new terms were incorporated on August 18 into the Apple Developer Program license agreement, with an effective application on October 1. While some players welcome a simplification that benefits app developers and online stores, others consider that the 26% rate remains high and that the actual leeway gained is limited.

This file is part of a broader trend of digital giants aligning with European regulation, which affects both application and web service development and the whole geek and multimedia ecosystem around smartphones.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do these new rules apply to all developers?

Yes, the new commercial terms apply to all apps distributed in the European Union from October 1, regardless of the publisher's size, with reduced rates provided for small entities.

Will app prices change for users?

Nothing is automatic: any decrease or increase in prices will depend on each publisher's commercial choices, who can now decide whether or not to pass on their commission savings to their pricing.

What happens to alternative stores already launched in Europe?

They remain in place and benefit from expanded access to new types of publishers, which should encourage the arrival of new marketplaces competing with the App Store.

Sources

• Apple Newsroom
• Blog du Modérateur
• JustGeek

This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence. Editorial policy