Apple overhauls its EU App Store fees, loosens rules for alternative app stores

The revised structure applies to apps distributed outside Apple’s App Store in the European Union, where the company is also making it easier for developers to operate alternative marketplaces. The key change is the replacement of the per-install charge with a 5% commission.

That directly affects Apple’s relationship with developers using external distribution and puts alternative app marketplaces on a more workable footing. The mechanism is regulatory rather than a change to Apple’s broader hardware or services offering, but it reaches the App Store’s fee model and distribution gatekeeping.

The next points to watch are developer adoption of external distribution, the resulting mix of App Store and alternative-marketplace activity, and whether EU regulators view the revised terms as sufficient. The available company enrichment shows $416.2B of revenue, up 6.4% YoY, with a 46.9% gross margin and 26.9% net margin, but does not isolate EU App Store exposure.