Answer · App Store economics
App Store commission fees, explained
Apple's headline rate is 30% on paid apps, in-app purchases, and first-year subscriptions — but a lot of real-world revenue is taxed at 15% (the Small Business Program, subscriptions after year one, and partner programs) or 0% (physical goods and real-world services). Here's the full structure, and the parts that are changing.
Core rates below are Apple's published, stable terms. The external-link and regional notes describe active 2026 litigation and regulation — confirm current terms in Apple's developer documentation before building around them.
The rates
What Apple charges, by scenario
| Scenario | Commission | Who it applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Standard in-app purchases & first-year subscriptions | 30% | Developers on standard terms above the small-business threshold |
| Subscriptions after 1 paid year (same subscriber) | 15% | All developers — the rate auto-drops after 12 months of paid service |
| Small Business Program (≤ $1M proceeds prior year) | 15% | Enrolled small developers, on all paid apps and in-app purchases |
| News Partner & qualifying Video Partner programs | 15% | Publishers meeting each program's requirements |
| Physical goods & real-world services | 0% | Sold outside IAP — Apple's in-app purchase is not permitted for these |
| Free apps with no in-app purchases | 0% | Only the $99/year Apple Developer Program fee applies |
Source: Apple's published App Store commission terms and Small Business Program documentation, as of July 2026. Rates apply to net proceeds after applicable taxes.
What a developer keeps from every $100, before taxes and any payment-processing fees, at each commission tier. Apple's published rates as of July 2026 — most indies sit in the 15% band via the Small Business Program or year-two subscriptions.
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Three things that actually move your take-home
- Most indies pay 15%, not 30%. If you earned under $1M last year, the Small Business Program puts you at 15% on every paid app and in-app purchase — you just have to enroll in App Store Connect; it isn't automatic.
- Retention quietly cuts your rate. Subscriptions drop to 15% after a subscriber's first 12 months. A subscription app with strong retention pays a lower blended commission than a churny one — another reason retention beats acquisition.
- Model the fee before you model the revenue. A niche's gross estimates don't equal take-home. Estimate what incumbents earn first — free, in the app revenue checker — then apply your real 15% or 30% to size the business.
Deciding whether a niche clears the bar after Apple's cut? See the data on how much apps make and what indie iOS developers earn.
FAQ
App Store commission — quick answers
How much does Apple take from app sales?
Apple's standard commission is 30% on paid apps, in-app purchases, and first-year subscriptions. It drops to 15% in three common cases: subscriptions automatically fall to 15% after a subscriber has paid for 12 months; developers enrolled in the App Store Small Business Program pay 15% on all paid apps and in-app purchases; and qualifying News and Video Partner Program members pay 15%. Physical goods and real-world services (rides, food delivery, event tickets) carry 0% App Store commission because Apple's in-app purchase system isn't used for them.
What is the App Store Small Business Program?
It's Apple's reduced-commission program: developers who earned up to $1 million in proceeds across all their apps in the prior calendar year — plus developers new to the App Store — can enroll and pay 15% instead of 30% on paid apps and in-app purchases. If you cross $1 million in proceeds during the year, the standard 30% rate applies to sales above that point for the rest of the year; if your proceeds fall back under $1 million in a later year, you can re-qualify for 15% the following year. Enrollment isn't automatic — you have to sign up in App Store Connect.
Do subscription apps pay 30% or 15%?
Both, at different times. A subscriber's first year is billed at 30% (unless you're in the Small Business Program, where it's 15% from day one). Once a subscriber has been paying for more than 12 months, Apple's commission on that subscriber automatically drops to 15% for as long as they stay subscribed. So a subscription business's blended rate depends heavily on retention — the longer subscribers stay, the more of your revenue sits at the 15% tier.
Can developers avoid Apple's commission with external payment links?
In the United States this is unsettled as of July 2026. A 2025 federal ruling barred Apple from blocking developers from linking to outside payment options, and through 2026 U.S. developers have been able to add external purchase links; Apple's ability to charge a commission on those external purchases is the subject of ongoing litigation (Apple has sought Supreme Court review). Because the rules are actively changing, treat any specific external-link fee as provisional and confirm the current terms in Apple's developer documentation before you build around it. This does not change the standard in-app-purchase rates above.
Are commission rates the same in every country?
No. Regulatory agreements have unbundled the commission in some regions — for example, reporting on Japan and Brazil describes a base commission plus a separate payment-processing fee when Apple's own payment system is used, letting developers who use an outside processor skip the processing portion. The European Union's Digital Markets Act has also introduced alternative business terms with a different fee structure. These regional regimes are evolving; the 30%/15% figures above describe Apple's standard worldwide terms, and you should verify local terms in Apple's documentation for any market you sell in.