Apple Wants a 15% Cut Even When You Buy Outside Its App Store
Apple has proposed charging developers 15% on digital purchases made through external links that skip Apple's own in-app purchase system, with a lower 5% rate for small businesses, according to a court filing submitted on August 13, 2026. The Verge
Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite, responded quickly, calling the proposal "far outside of the bounds" of what the court had in mind. Epic said it has about 60 days to file its formal opposition, backed by expert witnesses. The Verge
The filing was forced by a court order two days earlier. On August 11, 2026, the court denied Apple's request to delay and told the company to file its proposed fee structure within 24 hours. AppleInsider MacRumors
This fight has been going on for more than five years. The original lawsuit, Epic Games v. Apple, led to a 2021 court order requiring Apple to let developers link to alternative payment options. In April 2025, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple had "willfully" failed to follow that order, finding the company was "blatantly" violating it, including by charging a 27% commission on purchases made through those external links. The Verge Reuters Courthouse News
Epic had accused Apple of breaking the law by charging fees when developers send users to outside payment options and by restricting third-party app stores. Epic's position is that Apple should not charge any fees on purchases made outside of an app. Epic Games
An appeals court then ruled that Apple can charge a commission on external purchases, but only to cover its "necessary costs." The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments on whether Apple willfully violated the April 2025 ruling. That case is docketed as Apple Inc. v. Epic Games, Inc., No. 25-1311. The Verge Oyez
In its August 13 filing, Apple argued that its "necessary costs" to allow external purchases "would be essentially zero." Even so, the company proposed fees of 15% for standard apps and 5% for small business apps. That is a notable drop from the 27% rate that angered the court in 2025, but it is still a significant cut from transactions that never pass through Apple's payment systems. The Verge Oyez
Epic has called Apple's fee proposals anticompetitive in multiple countries. In June 2026, Epic accused Apple of announcing "anticompetitive terms and junk fees" that undermine alternative stores and payment methods, citing a 15% fee on purchases made through external links for seven days and a 5% fee on all purchases made in third-party app stores. In May 2026, Epic said Apple knows the federal court will force it to be transparent about how it charges its App Store fees, in connection with Fortnite returning to the App Store. Epic Games Epic Games
Epic has also pointed to Apple's conduct outside the United States. In the EU, Apple charges a €0.50 fee on every app installed on iPhones and iPads after it reaches one million installs, which Epic says undermines the spirit of the Digital Markets Act, a European law designed to open up digital markets to competition. Epic did acknowledge that Apple improved the process for installing alternative app stores in response to ongoing enforcement of that law. Epic Games Epic Games
The dispute now involves three separate legal proceedings running at the same time. The district court is supervising Apple's compliance with the 2021 order. An appeals court has set the "necessary costs" standard. And the Supreme Court will review whether Apple willfully violated the 2025 ruling, including the 27% commission the judge called a "blatant" violation. The district court will evaluate Apple's proposed fee structure while Epic prepares its opposition. The Verge Oyez
The broader context here is that Apple's own filing works against itself in a visible way. The company says its necessary costs are "essentially zero," then proposes a 15% fee anyway. The gap between nearly zero costs and a 15% cut of every external transaction is the gap this lawsuit will now turn on. Epic's opposition, backed by expert testimony, will likely focus on that math.
For developers, the stakes are straightforward. A 15% fee still takes a significant share of revenue from purchases that Apple does not process, host, or secure. Whether that number survives legal scrutiny depends on how the district court interprets "necessary costs" and on what the Supreme Court decides in its first direct review of the Epic-Apple dispute. The 60-day clock is now running.
