In a legal filing related to its ongoing dispute with Epic Games, Apple suggested charging a 15% fee for standard apps, 10% for certain partner programs and subscription renewals, and 5% for small businesses.
This proposal follows a court mandate to establish rates that are not prohibitive, meaning they should not be so high that they effectively prevent a rational developer from offering alternative payment options.
The company argues these fees are necessary to compensate for its significant research and development investments and the value of its intellectual property—the legally protected inventions and software tools provided to developers.
According to Apple, its revenue-based commission model supports a safe ecosystem and provides developers with access to a massive user base and proprietary infrastructure.
Apple claims that being forced to charge a zero-percent commission would undermine its incentive to invest in the tools and services that power the App Store, which could harm long-term innovation for both large and small developers.
An analysis by Apple’s economic expert suggests that the vast majority of the 2,700 largest apps, which generate the bulk of App Store revenue, could profitably "link out"—or send users to external payment systems—under this proposed structure.
The court must now determine if these rates are restricted to costs that are genuinely necessary for coordinating external links without blocking competition.
Meanwhile, the case awaits a broader ruling from the Supreme Court, which is reviewing whether Apple can be held in civil contempt for its previous handling of external payment links.