Apple Proposes New Commission on Out-of-App-Store Purchases in the US

On August 13, Apple filed its proposed fee structure with the US District Court for the Northern District of California, covering purchases a user makes through an external link inside an app, bypassing the App Store. The same day it asked the court to send the parties into settlement talks. Both moves serve one goal: to soften the injunction issued by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers and, if possible, wind down the long-running dispute with Epic Games.

Background

Back in 2021 the court ordered Apple to let developers steer users toward outside payment methods. Apple complied formally but charged 27% on those purchases, barely below the standard 30% inside the App Store. In spring 2025 the court treated that as an end-run around the injunction and barred Apple from taking any fee on external purchases at all. Since then Apple has collected nothing on US link-outs. Attempts to pause the proceedings failed after the Supreme Court declined to step in, so the company had to put its rates on the table.

The Proposed Fee Structure

Apple wants the external-purchase commission back, but well below the old level: 15% for standard apps, 10% for partner-program apps (video, news, mini-apps) and subscription renewals, and 5% for small developers earning under USD 1 million a year. The standard 30% inside the App Store stays untouched. Apple’s argument is straightforward: even a zero rate would ignore the value the store actually gives a developer, namely distribution, access to the iPhone audience, and security tooling, so some payment is fair. In practice, if a Spotify user taps a link in the app, lands on the website, and buys a subscription there, Spotify still owes Apple a cut of that purchase.

The Weak Spot in Apple’s Position

In the same filing Apple openly conceded that on a strict reading of the appeals court’s “necessary costs” language, the fee should be zero. So 15% is a negotiating position, not a cost calculation. To support the number, Apple points to competitors: Google Play’s link-out rates are 20%, 15%, and 10%, and Epic previously agreed to those. Worth keeping in mind: a month earlier Google settled with Epic and cut its Play Store commission to 20%. Apple is not changing its legal position and is preparing its Supreme Court brief, due September 14.

Reaction from Epic and the Market

Epic rejected the proposal. Tim Sweeney calls the new rates “junk fees,” and the company maintains it should owe Apple nothing, promising to challenge any rate above zero. Within 60 days Epic will file a formal opposition with expert evidence, after which the court will set a hearing. Industry watchers read the moment as a window rather than a settled rule: US link-outs currently carry a zero commission, but that state is temporary, and developers are advised not to build long-term monetization around a permanent zero.

What It Means for Business

There is no final rate yet; the court will set it after weighing Apple’s proposal against Epic’s opposition. Until then the economics of external links in the US stay unsettled for at least the next two to three months. Planning revenue around a zero commission is risky: the likeliest outcome sits somewhere between zero and the 15% Apple is asking for. The case matters beyond the US market, as regulators and courts in other jurisdictions increasingly cite Epic v. Apple when assessing the legality of platform commissions and anti-steering restrictions, so the outcome is worth watching for anyone working with the App Store and Google Play.

How REVERA Can Help

The REVERA Arbitration & IT Disputes team provides comprehensive legal support to app developers and publishers: audits of distribution and monetization terms, assessment of regulatory and antitrust risks in payment mechanics, development of contractual and licensing strategy, and preparation of defences in platform-related disputes.