Apple adds new fees to the EU App Store as it battles with the DMA

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Apple has unveiled a string of new business terms in the European Union after it was fined €500 million ($570m) by the European Union for violating the Digital Markets Act.

The deadline for Apple to comply with the DMA ended on June 26th, when Apple proposed its new rules.

Under the new terms, publishers are able to link out to off store payments. However, new rules include an initial acquisition fee, a store services fee and the Core Technology Commission.

Breaking down the new fees

The initial acquisition fee charges 2% when a customer purchases a digital good or service from an actionable link from an app within a six month period.

Meanwhile, the store services fee is paid on all purchases that occur within 12 months of an install. This is split into two tiers, with tier 1 charging a 5% fee with reduced App Store feature, and is mandatory for apps communication and promoting off-store offers.

Unavailable services include automatic app updates, ratings and reviews, app tags, and App Store featuring and marketing.

Tier 2, meanwhile, charges a 13% fee while providing access to other App Store features.

Apple has also added the Core Technology Commission which charges a 5% fee. This will eventually replace the Core Technology Fee, which will end on January 1st, 2026.

Apple has also introduced a new user journey for installing apps or marketplaces from off the App Store. This effectively creates a multi-step process users must go through, warning them of the potential of security and data threats.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, who has long waged a crusade against Apple over its fees and App store policies, labelled the new terms a “malicious compliance scheme” that is “blatantly unlawful”. He said it “makes a mockery of fair competition in digital markets”.

The Fortnite developer’s court battle with Apple recently secured a major win in the US as a judge cracked open the App Store, enabling linkouts to alternative payment methods without an added charge.

The European Union has yet to respond to Apple’s new terms for the region.

For an idea of what features are accessible to publishers on Tier 1 and Tier 2 store services, check out the chart below: