Apple's 'Simplified' EU Fees Are Just a Polished Squeeze
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Apple claims its new EU business terms reduce complexity, but Epic Games and consumer advocates say the 'simplicity' is a smokescreen for continued DMA non-compliance.
I've spent enough time looking at spec sheets to know that when a company calls something 'simplified,' it usually means they've just found a more efficient way to charge you. Apple is currently playing that exact shell game with the European Union.
On August 18, Apple announced a new set of business terms for EU developers, claiming the move reduces complexity by migrating everyone to a single set of terms. As The Register first reported, Apple says these changes resolve its long-running disputes with the European Commission regarding alternative distribution and fees. But if you look past the corporate phrasing, the 'simplicity' is just a new menu of ways for Apple to take a cut.
Here is how the math breaks down under the new regime:
* **Apple In-App Purchase:** A 26 percent commission (dropping to 15 percent for qualifying programs and year-two auto-renewing subscriptions). * **Alternative Payment Processing:** A 20 percent rate (10 percent for qualifying developers). * **Web-linked Purchases:** A 15 percent commission (10 percent for qualifying developers). * **Alternative Marketplaces/Web Distribution:** Digital transactions will be subject to a 5 percent "Core Technology Commission."
Apple is framing this as a gesture of goodwill, citing "close collaboration" with the European Commission and emphasizing that Apple In-App Purchase remains the "safest, most trusted way" for users to handle payments. They've even leaned into the safety angle, mentioning parental gates and restrictions for apps aimed at children.
In my opinion, this isn't about safety or simplicity; it's about maintaining a stranglehold while pretending to follow the rules. Epic Games isn't buying it. The company dismissed the new structure as "junk fees," arguing that the plan does nothing to actually open the mobile app ecosystem to competition as mandated by the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Epic Games pointed out that the law requires Apple to allow link-outs to the web for purchases "free of charge" and requires the "effective use" of competing stores.
It's not just the developers who are skeptical. Sébastien Pant, the senior officer for competition and digital enforcement at the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), told The Register that while the fee structure looks better on paper, the real test is the user flow. Pant questioned whether consumers would be able to conclude contracts on iPhones outside the App Store without encountering "scare screens" or whether Apple would maintain "artificial friction" to stop people from using alternative app stores on iPads and iPhones.
Apple is under pressure. The company was previously hit with a €500 million fine, and accusations of DMA non-compliance persisted through the end of 2025. Now, they've presented a polished new face to the regulator, but as Pant put it, "the devil is in the detail."
Developers can sign these new terms immediately, with the changes kicking in on October 1. But don't let the lower percentages fool you—Apple is still the house, and the house always finds a way to win.