Apple is lowering its App Store commission rates in China starting March 15, following discussions with Chinese regulators. The tech giant will reduce its cut on in-app purchases and subscriptions, aiming to ease pressure amid growing antitrust scrutiny.
The standard commission on in-app purchases via Apple’s system in China will drop from 30% to 25%. Developers enrolled in the App Store Small Business Program and the Mini Apps Partner Program will see their fees fall from 15% to 12%.
Apple attributed the changes to ongoing talks with China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), which has been probing potential antitrust concerns related to the App Store’s commission policies.
According to China’s state-backed Economic Daily, these fee cuts could save local developers up to 6 billion yuan annually-roughly $873 million-providing significant relief to China’s vast app ecosystem.
By comparison, Apple’s global default App Store commission remains at 30%, except for small developers who pay 15% under the Small Business Program. This move highlights Apple’s need to adapt its business model in key markets like China, where government pressure and local competition differ from Western regions.
Apple’s App Store commission fee changes in China:
- Standard in-app purchase commission reduced from 30% to 25%
- Small Business Program and Mini Apps Partner Program fees reduced from 15% to 12%
Looking ahead, analysts will be watching if Apple extends similar fee adjustments to other regions facing regulatory challenges or if China’s approach reshapes pricing strategies across global app stores.