Apple Yields to China, Finally Agrees to Lower Commission Fees
Apple has announced a reduction in the commission fees charged on the App Store in China. This adjustment was announced on Apple’s official Developer website.
“Effective 15 March 2026, there will be changes to the commission rates applicable to the App Store in China for iOS and iPadOS,” Apple stated.
For standard Apple in-app purchase transactions and paid app transactions, the new commission rate is set at 25 per cent, down from the previous 30 per cent.
The in-app transaction fees for developers enrolled in Apple’s small business programme and “mini apps” partners will also be reduced to 12 per cent from the previous 15 per cent.
This commission discount is described as a breakthrough for app developers in China, including giants in the “super-app” sector, such as Tencent and ByteDance (parent of TikTok/Douyin), which host numerous small platforms created by third-party developers.
This fee reduction is estimated to save more than 6 billion yuan (approximately £1.2 billion), according to Reuters.
Citing CNBC, Apple stated that the rate change is the result of “discussions with Chinese regulators”.
Previously, Apple was reported to have been in dialogue with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, as well as several other agencies. They pressed the US company from Cupertino to lower its commission rates.
This was not a one-off discussion. Last year, China’s antitrust regulators reportedly considered an investigation into Apple’s App Store policies and fees.
Additionally, Chinese consumers filed an antitrust complaint regarding Apple’s app fee structure in October.
Although the commission has been lowered, the Chinese government is still targeting other issues.
People’s Daily, a media outlet affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party, stated that Apple needs to “do more”.
The media outlet noted that users and developers in China still lack access to third-party payment systems and alternative app distribution, and urged regulators to continue pressing Apple to open its ecosystem.
Separately, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) is reportedly investigating Apple’s app fee policies and the ban on external payment services, as summarised by KompasTekno from CNBC.