Apple updates EU App Store rules: new commissions start October 1

Apple has revised its European Union App Store terms for iPhone apps sold through the EU App Store, third-party marketplaces, and the web. The changes cover commissions, alternative payments, and child-safety rules, and they’ll take effect on October 1, 2026, as Apple responds to the Digital Markets Act.

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Starting that day, Apple’s updated EU terms set commissions at 26% for Apple in-app purchases, 20% for purchases handled by alternative payment providers, and 15% for purchases made through external links. Eligible developers still get reduced rates. Apple is also scrapping the Core Technology Fee, the initial acquisition fee, and the store services fee, replacing them with a 5% Core Technology Commission on transactions that happen through the web or third-party app stores.

If you sell apps in the EU, the new terms let you offer both Apple’s payment system and alternative payment options, but whatever option you choose has to stay in place for 12 months. Web distribution is still limited to the EU, and marketplace operators must either be publicly traded or go through an audit.

Apple’s new child-safety rules add a few clear limits. Children’s apps won’t be allowed to link out for purchases, users under 13 can’t be sent to external payment sites, and anyone under 18 will need parental approval to use alternative in-app payments.

For developers building for iPhone users in Europe, this is one to keep an eye on. The European Commission has given the update a cautious welcome after fining Apple €500 million over anti-steering rules, but Spotify and Epic Games still say Apple is holding on to too much control.

The new Apple terms kick in on October 1, 2026, for iPhone apps distributed through the EU App Store, third-party marketplaces, and the web.