Apple Proposes 5-15% External Purchase Fees; Epic Vows to Appeal Any Rate Above 0%
Apple submitted a new App Store external purchase commission plan to the court on Thursday, proposing fees of 5% to 15% for developers. The plan cuts the original 27% proposal, with standard apps at 15%, video/news/mini-program partner apps and subscription renewals at 10%, and small business program apps at 5%. Epic Games rejected the plan, stating it will appeal any rate above 0%. The court had ordered Apple to provide a concrete fee schedule after a prior injunction.
The lawsuit between Apple and Epic Games has lasted six years. On Thursday, Apple submitted its latest commission rate proposal for external purchases on the App Store to the court. Under the proposal, Apple plans to charge developers a commission of 5% to 15% for external payments. Epic rejected the plan and explicitly stated it intends to appeal any rate above 0%.
Since April 2025, Apple has been unable to collect commissions on external purchases due to a violation of an injunction. On Tuesday, the court ordered Apple to provide a specific plan for external commission rates. Apple filed the relevant documents before the 5:00 p. m. Eastern Time deadline. The new proposal represents a significant reduction from the initial proposal of up to 27% commission. Specifically, the external commission rate for standard apps is reduced to 15%, while apps participating in the video, news, and mini-program partner programs, as well as subscription renewals, are set at 10%. Apps under the small business program are set at 5%.
In its filing, Apple stated that the district court misjudged the costs of doing business on the App Store and the value Apple provides, but the company nevertheless decided to publish the proposed rates. Additionally, Apple submitted an administrative motion to refer the case to a settlement conference, arguing that such a conference could help both parties reach common ground and narrow their differences.
Epic maintains that it owes Apple no compensation for distributing its apps on the App Store and plans to file a formal objection to Apple's latest proposal. Whether the proposal takes effect will depend on the district court's evaluation and ruling.