Apple proposes to take a 15% cut of purchases made outside the App Store

Apple has proposed charging commissions of up to 15% on purchases made through external links in iOS apps. The request is before a federal judge and concerns purchases completed outside the App Store. It would extend Apple’s ability to collect fees beyond transactions processed directly through its marketplace.

The proposal touches Apple’s services monetization and the economics of developers that direct users to external payment systems. Apple generated $416.2B in revenue in FY 2025, with a 46.9% gross margin and a 26.9% net margin, so the issue sits against a large and highly profitable business rather than a standalone product line.

If permitted, the commission could help preserve some App Store economics as external purchasing expands. The opposing case is that a court could reject or constrain the fee, leaving Apple with less control over transactions that move outside the App Store. The legal ruling is the next decisive catalyst; the headline alone does not quantify the revenue at stake.