The App Store commission is Apple's share of the price of a paid app and of purchases made inside it. Under Apple's license agreement as updated October 13, 2026, it is 30%, or 15% on subscription renewals after a year of paid service, and the EU, Japan, Brazil and China have lower rates.
What the commission is and what it is charged on
Apple processes every App Store purchase and keeps part of the price. That part is the commission. Whatever remains after the commission and taxes is paid out to you, and App Store Connect reports call it proceeds. The commission is charged on what the customer paid, net of the taxes Apple collected, as section 3.4(a) of Schedule 2 to the Apple Developer Program License Agreement spells out.
It applies to digital goods sold through the App Store, meaning paid apps, subscriptions and one-time purchases inside an app. Setting those up is covered on the in-app purchase page.
The two base rates, 30% and 15%
The standard rate is 30%. For subscriptions it falls to 15% on every renewal once the subscriber has built up a year of paid service in one group. If the subscription lapsed because of a cancellation or a failed payment and the person comes back to the same group within 60 days, the time already earned is kept. The agreement calls that window the Retention Grace Period.
From the developer's side it looks like this. In a subscriber's first year you get 70% of the price minus taxes, after a year of paid service 85%, and Small Business Program members get 85% from day one (App Store Connect Help, checked October 16, 2026).
Rates by country as of October 16, 2026
| Storefront | Standard rate | Reduced rate | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most countries, including the US | 30% | 15% | section 3.4(a) of the agreement |
| European Union | 26% | 15% | October 1, 2026 |
| Japan | 21% plus a 5% payment processing fee | 10% plus 5% | iOS 26.2, terms due by March 17, 2026 |
| Brazil | 21% plus a 5% payment processing fee | 10% plus 5% | iOS 26.5, terms due by July 6, 2026 |
| China mainland | 25% | 12% | March 15, 2026 |
Per the license agreement as updated October 13, 2026 and Apple's pages on the EU, Japan, Brazil and China, checked October 16, 2026.
The reduced rate in the table covers Small Business Program members and subscription renewals after the first year of paid service.
Your own payments and links to the web
In the EU, Japan and Brazil an app can take payments through its own processor or send people to a website. A commission still applies, just at a lower rate.
- European Union, since October 1, 2026. Your own payment processing inside the app costs 20%, or 10% at the reduced rate. A purchase on the web through a link from the app costs 15% or 10% if it happens within 7 days of the tap. Whatever mix of payment options you pick has to stay for 12 months (Apple's EU terms).
- Japan and Brazil. Your own payments inside the app 21%, reduced 10%, purchases through a link 15% and 10%.
- Outside the App Store. Apps from alternative marketplaces in these countries, and in the EU also from a developer's website, pay a 5% Core Technology Commission on digital sales. In the EU it replaced the per-install Core Technology Fee, which Apple announced on August 18, 2026 (Apple news).
- United States. Since May 1, 2025, the App Store rules let apps on the US storefront include buttons and external links to pay elsewhere without a separate entitlement (Apple news). The agreement as updated October 13, 2026 sets no separate rate for purchases made through such links.
How to work out what you will receive
- Take the price in the buyer's country and subtract the tax Apple collects there. The price points page explains how prices convert by country.
- Find the storefront's rate in the table above.
- If you are in the Small Business Program, use the reduced rate for every sale.
- For a subscription, check whether the person has a year of paid service in the group. From then on renewals go at the reduced rate.
- In Japan and Brazil add the 5% payment processing fee when the payment went through Apple.
- Compare the result with the reports in App Store Connect › Payments and Financial Reports.
An example. A $9.99 subscription before tax brings you about $6.99 per charge in the first year and about $8.49 from the second year. The arithmetic is ours, at the rates in force on October 16, 2026.
Appto shows purchases and renewals as they happen, with the country and the paywall, and pulls revenue by country from Apple's reports (live sales in Appto).
Common mistakes
- Planning on 30% for everything. The Small Business Program and second-year renewals pay 15%, and since October 1, 2026 the EU standard rate is 26%. A model with one number understates your revenue.
- Taking the share of the tax-inclusive price. The commission is charged on the price net of collected taxes, so 70% of the shelf price is more than what reaches your bank.
- Losing subscribers for longer than 60 days. Someone who returns later starts the year of paid service over, and their renewals are charged 30% again.
- Switching payment options in the EU after a month. The mix you choose holds for 12 months, so run the numbers before you switch.
Questions
Does Apple take a percentage of in-app purchases?
Yes. Apple's agreement sets 30%, and 15% for Small Business Program members and for subscription renewals after the first year. The EU standard rate has been 26% since October 1, 2026, and China's 25% since March 15, 2026.
Does Apple charge a commission on free apps?
Not on the download, since the price is zero. The commission appears once the app sells digital goods through the App Store, such as subscriptions or one-time purchases.
When does the commission drop to 15%?
In two cases. You are a Small Business Program member, which means 15% on every sale, or a subscriber has more than a year of paid service in one group, which means 15% on each renewal after that.
Can I take payments outside Apple's system?
In the EU, Japan and Brazil you can, but Apple charges 20–21% on your own in-app payments and 15% on purchases made through a link. In the US the rules have allowed buttons and links to pay on the web since May 1, 2025.
What is the Core Technology Commission?
A 5% commission on digital sales in apps distributed outside the App Store in the EU, Japan and Brazil. In the EU it replaced the per-install Core Technology Fee on October 1, 2026.
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