Apple has taken a step long awaited by US developers: the company has finally allowed the use of third-party payment methods for in-app purchases on iOS and iPadOS. However, as is often the case with Apple, this freedom has proven to be incomplete.
The changes stem from a legal battle. The US Supreme Court rejected Apple’s appeal, upholding a previous ruling that requires the company to permit alternative payment systems within its ecosystem. This currently only applies to the US segment of the App Store, so the new rules do not yet affect developers in other countries.
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In practice, Apple’s new policy involves a complex bureaucratic procedure. To integrate a link to a third-party payment system, a developer must first obtain individual approval from the company. Even after that, the rules remain strict: notifications about the availability of alternative payment methods can only be placed once, in a strictly defined location within the app. No pop-ups, aggressive banners, or mentions in App Store descriptions are permitted. Apple still collects its share of revenue: even for transactions processed through external systems, developers will pay a commission—12% for participants in the Small Business Program and 27% for larger studios. Thus, while an alternative has emerged, Apple’s financial model hasn’t fundamentally changed.
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Therefore, the new rules represent a compromise rather than a revolution. On one hand, developers gain additional flexibility in payment options. On the other, Apple continues to tightly control the rules of the game within its ecosystem, ensuring it doesn’t lose profits even with a partial opening of the system. Despite the new possibilities, many experts believe that true competition among payment systems within Apple’s ecosystem is still ahead, and the current changes are merely a cautious first step toward liberalizing the App Store.
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