Apple Unveils Two-Tier App Store Fees to Meet EU DMA Demands

With just hours left on a 60-day compliance clock, Apple has unveiled a sweeping overhaul of its EU App Store business terms, cutting some commissions to as low as 5 percent and replacing its contentious per-install levy in an eleventh-hour bid to avoid further penalties under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Two new fee tiers

At the heart of the shake-up is a two-tier “Store Services” system:

• Tier 1 (5 %) — Developers get the basics: App Review, content moderation, privacy nutrition labels and manual updates. Automatic app updates, search promotion tools and other marketing features are withheld.

• Tier 2 (13 %) — Restores the full distribution, analytics and promotional toolkit familiar to today’s App Store publishers. Apps will default to this tier, though developers may opt down to Tier 1 once per quarter.

A single model from 2026

Apple is also replacing its €0.50-per-install Core Technology Fee with a 5 percent “Core Technology Commission”applied to off-store digital sales. All EU developers will move to this single, sales-based model on 1 January 2026, aligning in-store and out-of-store economics.

Regulatory backdrop

The concessions follow a €500 million fine the European Commission levied in April for Apple’s “anti-steering” rules, which had blocked developers from directing users to cheaper payment options. Regulators warned that continued non-compliance could trigger daily fines of up to 5 percent of Apple’s global turnover.

Although the company is implementing the new structure, it maintains that its previous terms were lawful and says it will appeal the April decision.

Mixed developer response

Early reaction from developers has been divided. Epic Games chief executive Tim Sweeney, a long-time critic of Apple’s policies, branded the multi-fee regime an “anticompetitive scheme rife with junk fees” that forces creators to choose between exposure and economics. Others welcomed the lower commission rate but questioned whether losing automatic updates and other services would negate the savings.

What happens next

The European Commission will now review whether the revamped fee structure satisfies the DMA’s fairness requirements. Should officials conclude that Apple’s latest model still “gatekeeps” distribution or pricing, the company could face escalating non-compliance fines, potentially millions of euros per day, throughout the summer.

Why it matters: This marks Apple’s second major adjustment to its EU App Store model in 18 months and underscores how the DMA is reshaping platform economics. Whether a 5-to-13 percent commission range proves acceptable, or becomes the next flashpoint in Brussels’ showdown with Cupertino, will now be decided by regulators and, ultimately, Europe’s courts.

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