Apple Proposes 15% Commission on External iOS Purchases, Pending Court Approval
The filing to a federal court sets tiered rates by developer program, down from the 27% Apple had been charging under the prior court order — but nothing takes effect until the judge rules.
By Dillip Chowdary • Aug 13, 2026 • Source: TechCrunch
Apple asked the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on August 13, 2026 to let it charge commissions of up to 15% on purchases made through external links in iOS apps, as part of its long-running Epic Games antitrust litigation.
The proposed structure is tiered: 15% for standard apps, 5% for small-business developers, and 10% for apps in Apple's Video Partner, News Partner, and Mini Apps Partner programs. Subscription renewals would be reduced to 10%.
This follows the U.S. Supreme Court denying Apple's motion to stay further proceedings in the lower-court case, which forced Apple back to the table with a revised proposal rather than continuing to litigate the stay.
None of these rates are in effect yet. The district court still has to rule on what commission Apple can actually charge when developers direct users to external purchase options — Apple's filing is a proposal to the court, not an announced policy change.
The number to watch is the gap between Apple's ask and whatever the court ultimately sets: developers who've been pushing for a true 0% external-link commission are unlikely to see 15% as a resolution, so this is more likely a new round in the dispute than an ending.