Apple to cut EU app fees to 5% for payments outside the App Store starting Oct. 1

Apple is planning a new fee structure for app-related purchases in the European Union that lowers the commission charged on transactions conducted outside the App Store. According to a report published Monday by Yahoo Finance, Apple will cut its EU app fees to 5% for qualifying transactions outside the App Store, with the new structure set to take effect on Oct. 1.

The adjustment is significant because App Store fees are one of the core revenue streams that underpin Apple’s services business. While Apple has not publicly detailed the operational specifics in the material reviewed for this story, the reported change suggests a shift in how Apple prices access to its platform and how developers and payment flows are handled in the EU market.

Under Apple’s existing App Store model, most digital transactions tied to apps are processed through Apple’s store and payment systems, with Apple taking a commission from developers. The reported 5% fee applies to the subset of transactions happening outside the App Store, a category that typically reflects apps using alternative distribution or checkout routes while still operating under platform rules.

For developers, the fee level matters because it directly affects net revenue, pricing decisions, and the ability to invest in continued product updates. A lower take rate can improve margins for smaller publishers and subscription-based services, though the overall impact will depend on whether the alternative payment or purchase method qualifies for the reduced fee and how many users choose that path.

The EU policy backdrop is important. In recent years, EU regulators have pushed for more choice in how consumers reach apps and how payments are handled, aiming to reduce the power of centralized app store gatekeeping. The Digital Markets Act is the framework commonly cited in the industry for these pressure points, including requirements related to interoperability, steering, and obligations for large platforms.

It is still unclear from the report alone what Apple’s eligibility criteria will be for the 5% rate, what exact transaction types qualify, and how the change will be operationalized for developers building and updating apps. Apple also did not disclose, in the cited account, whether there will be any corresponding changes to compliance requirements, reporting obligations, or dispute processes for developers managing these transactions under EU rules.

What to watch next is how developers interpret the new pricing in practice. If Apple’s 5% outside-App-Store fee structure is broad and simple to use, it could accelerate the rollout of alternative payment and purchase options among EU app makers. If the criteria are narrow or require significant integration work, the financial benefits may be limited to a smaller set of apps or publishers.