Apple to cut App Store commission rates in China starting March 15

Apple announced tonight that due to regulatory discussions in China, developers will pay lower App Store commission rates starting March 15. Here are the details.

Changes are a result of ‘discussions with the Chinese regulator’

As Apple explained in a new post published on its Developer blog, the company will make a few changes “to the China mainland storefront of the App Store on iOS and iPadOS”.

Starting March 15:

The commission rate for standard Apple In-App Purchase and paid app transactions will be 25%. Currently, the rate is 30%. The commission rate for qualifying Apple In-App Purchase transactions under the App Store Small Business Program and Mini Apps Partner Program, and for auto-renewals of Apple In-App Purchase subscriptions after the first year, will be 12%. Currently, the rate is 15%.

Apple says these changes are the result of “discussions with the Chinese regulator,” but does not go into much detail beyond that. The company also states that developers are not required to sign the updated terms by March 15 “to receive the benefit of these commission rate changes starting that date.”

Finally, Apple adds:

We strive for iOS and iPadOS to be the best app ecosystem and a great business opportunity for developers in China. We are committed to terms that remain fair and transparent to all developers, and to always offering competitive App Store rates to developers distributing apps in China that are no higher than overall rates in other markets.

To read Apple’s full blog post, follow this link.

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