Proposed App Store Commission Structure

After trying and failing to delay the matter, Apple on Thursday submitted its proposal for the commissions it wants to charge on purchases made using external links inside apps on its iOS devices. In a new filing in the U.S. District Court of Northern California, Apple proposed new commissions of 15% for standard apps, with further discounts for developers who are enrolled in special Apple programs.

Under the newly proposed structure, small business developers would see a significant reduction, paying a 5% commission on payments. Meanwhile, developers participating in specific initiatives—namely the Video Partner Program, News Partner Program, and Mini Apps Partner Program—would pay a 10% commission rate.

The court filing states that subscription renewals would also be reduced to 10% under this framework. Apple’s official position remains that it should be permitted to charge fees on in-app purchases made by users of its devices. The company claims these fees serve as a necessary means to recoup its investments in the tools, technology, and services that allow it to maintain its App Store and software ecosystem.

Legal Delays and Court Context

The iPhone maker has been engaged in a years-long legal battle with Epic Games over its alleged anti-competitive policies regarding App Store commissions. During this protracted legal process, Apple had been attempting to stall its answer to the court’s request for this specific part of its proposed commission structure.

Apple tried to argue that these lower court proceedings should wait until the Supreme Court ruled on another matter related to the broader case. Specifically, this unresolved matter involved whether or not Apple was in contempt of a court order when it previously imposed a new 27% commission on purchases made through external links. This dispute also centered on Apple imposing rules that actively restricted how developers could present those external links to their customers.

However, the Supreme Court on Thursday firmly rejected Apple’s bid to pause further action in the lower court’s case. This definitive rejection ultimately forced the company to finally reveal its planned commission structure to the court.

The Google Play Comparison

Furthermore, Google Play also charges 10% for subscription renewals. Apple pointed to these exact figures to bolster its argument, specifically noting that Epic Games had already agreed to these identical rates on Google's platform.

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Sarah has worked as a reporter for TechCrunch since August 2011. She joined the company after having previously spent over three years at ReadWriteWeb.