Apple’s New EU App Store Rules: More Complex Fees, New Flexibility for Developers

Apple has introduced a new round of changes for its App Store policies in the European Union, ushered in to comply with the region's Digital Markets Act (DMA). The update, announced right at the June 26 regulatory deadline, brings both fresh permissions for app developers and a more intricate fee structure—fundamentally changing how apps operate and monetize within Europe.

Regulatory Pressures Force Apple’s Hand

The European Union ramped up pressure earlier this year by fining Apple €500 million over violations of the DMA, threatening even heavier penalties for continued non-compliance. Under the fresh rules, Apple is adapting its approach not only to developer-customer communications but also to how it charges for app distribution and monetization.

Greater Flexibility: New Anti-Steering Policy

One of the most notable shifts is Apple's loosening of its once-strict “anti-steering” policies. Now, EU-based app developers can link users to alternative payment options for subscriptions and in-app purchases outside of the App Store environment. These links can appear virtually anywhere—on external websites, within other apps, on competing marketplaces, either via web views or native experiences—without the restrictive warning screens Apple used to mandate.

Fee Structures Now More Complex

While developers gain freedom on payments, financial arrangements have become more complicated. Instead of scrapping its Core Technology Fee (CTF) as some hoped, Apple now imposes a multi-layered structure. There’s an initial 2% “acquisition” fee, plus a store services fee—tiered at either 13% or 5%, depending on the developer’s chosen service level. Members of Apple's Small Business Program will pay a reduced 10% store services fee.

Tier 1 developers get a limited suite of Store services such as app reviews and anti-fraud measures, whereas Tier 2 opens up more marketing and analytical tools, including automatic updates, curation, and personalization features.

The Core Technology Commission: The Next Step

For developers that use Apple’s new entitlement to link out to external payment methods (via the StoreKit External Purchase Link Entitlement - EU Addendum), a new “Core Technology Commission” (CTC) will soon replace the Core Technology Fee. Until then, the current CTF (€0.50 per install past 1 million downloads) will remain in effect for those on Europe’s alternative business terms.

Starting January 1, 2026, all standard EU terms developers will shift to the CTC, which takes a 5% commission instead.

Industry Backlash and Critique

Industry reactions have been fierce. Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games—who previously won a legal battle for alternative payments in the US—criticized Apple’s response as "malicious compliance" designed to impede fair competition. Sweeney argued these policies continue to hurt rival payment systems by taxing and limiting their capabilities on Apple devices.

Deep Founder Analysis

Why it matters

For startup founders and tech innovators, Apple’s compliance with the DMA marks a significant shift in the mobile app economy. The EU's regulatory moves force platform giants to open doors they’d long kept shut—providing new market entry points and developer freedoms rarely seen in the past decade. This could set a precedent that ripples beyond Europe, changing the strategic calculus for app monetization and user engagement worldwide.

Risks & opportunities

With new freedoms come both opportunities and uncertainties. Developers now have broader means to communicate with their customers and steer them toward more profitable payment options. However, Apple’s more complex (and arguably opaque) fee structures may introduce confusion, costs, and compliance burdens—especially for startups with limited legal and financial resources. The backlash from larger players like Epic Games also signals potential for further regulatory or legal standoffs, which could create market volatility but also push towards better, more competitive models.

Startup idea or application

There’s room for a startup to address the emerging maze of compliance and fee optimization—think a SaaS dashboard that helps EU-focused app publishers compare terms, forecast costs, and automate legal notifications across Apple and alternative platforms. This tool could offer strategic guidance, analytics, and integration APIs to keep indie developers competitive in a fast-changing (and increasingly complex) marketplace.

Apple App Store EU Regulation Developer Policy Startup Strategy

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