Apple wants to charge up to a 15% commission on purchases outside the App Store in the U.S.

Another twist in the legal battle between Apple and Epic Games. Recently, Apple filed a statement in court, requesting to overturn one of the prohibitions imposed on it. This pertains to the commission for in-app purchases on iOS in the United States.

In the document, the corporation reminded the court that in 2024, due to a court ruling, it was required to allow developers to redirect American users for payments outside the App Store. To compensate for its expenses, Apple introduced a special fee of 27% for such payments. However, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who is overseeing the case, was not satisfied with this, and in the spring of 2025, she prohibited Apple from taking any money from purchases made outside the App Store.

Now Apple is attempting to reinstate the commission, albeit with changes. It has presented a new fee structure with lower percentages to the court. The revised structure is as follows:

• a 15% commission for purchases in “standard apps”;
• a 10% commission for purchases in apps from certain affiliate programs and for subscription renewals;
• a 5% commission for purchases in apps from developers with annual revenue of less than $1 million.

Apple explained that the rates would let it recoup “at least some compensation” for its tools, technologies, and services it provides to developers.

It should be noted that the standard commission in the App Store is 30%, which Apple does not intend to change.

Epic Games has already criticized Apple’s actions, stating that the proposed structure “far outside of the bounds of the Ninth Circuit’s guidance on permissible fees”. Within 60 days, Epic Games plans to file an official objection with expert comments.