Apple’s Commission Ban Partially Overturned, But Nothing Changes for Developers Yet
In a Few Words
The Ninth Circuit ruled that the part of the injunction that completely barred Apple from charging commissions on external link purchases was too broad and must be rewritten by the district court. All other parts of the injunction remain fully in effect.
In practice nothing changes right now. Apple is still prohibited from charging commissions on external purchases, and this will remain the case until the district court drafts a new version that may later undergo additional appellate review.
What Developers Should Know Today
There is no new requirement that affects your product, your UX, or the way Payment Links are implemented. Apple must continue allowing outbound links to external purchase flows, and the current prohibition on commissions stays in place until a revised rule is issued.
The only issue returning to the district court is how much Apple can charge as commission on DTC transactions. The rewritten rule is expected to be narrow and aligned with the appellate court’s guidance. There is no timeline for this process, so the existing framework remains unchanged. This means:
Apple cannot collect commissions on external purchases at this stage.
Enforcement policies for external linking remain the same.
Payment Links continue operating without any modifications.
If the district court eventually permits a commission, US legal precedent in comparable cases suggests that any approved fee would be far lower than the 30% IAP rate and would reflect only the actual cost of infrastructure and services that Apple provides. This is consistent with prior rulings that allow cost-based fees rather than profit-driven ones.
Industry Reaction
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney responded to the ruling by reiterating his position that Apple should not be allowed to impose percentage-based commissions on external purchases under any circumstances. He referred to such charges as “junk fees" and stated that any payment to Apple should reflect only the actual cost of services like app review, not a share of developer revenue.
What This Signals
The decision does not limit developers’ ability to direct users to external purchases and does not restore Apple’s unilateral control over payment flows. It simply clarifies that the original fee provision in the injunction was broader than necessary and must be rewritten with precision.
Even after the district court drafts a new version, the updated language may still require appellate review, meaning the final outcome is not expected soon. Until that process concludes, developers face no operational or commercial changes.
In any case, these ongoing legal developments reinforce the importance of DTC web stores, which are the most lucrative DTC channel for publishers.
