App may be affected by post-Epic alternative billing rules

The post-Epic v. Apple regulatory environment has produced jurisdiction-specific carve-outs to the rule that all digital goods must be sold through the platform store. For EU iOS apps under the Digital Markets Act, Apple must permit alternative payment methods for Core Technology Fee-registered developers. For US iOS apps following the 2024 court order, Apple allows apps to link to external purchase — subject to a 27% commission on purchases within 7 days. Developers who implement alternative billing without understanding these jurisdiction-specific rules, eligibility requirements, and commission structures risk building a payment flow that is simultaneously policy-compliant in one market and a violation in another. Regulatory-conformance is the directly applicable taxon.

If your codebase contains any references to com.apple.developer.storekit.external-purchase-link, EXTERNAL_PURCHASE, or User Choice Billing alongside standard platform billing, review the current requirements before shipping.

For EU (Digital Markets Act) distribution via alternative marketplaces:

• Read Apple's Alternative Distribution documentation; the Core Technology Fee still applies
• Alternative payment entitlements require a separate App Store Connect configuration from standard IAP

For US external payment links (post-2024 court order):

• The 27% commission applies to purchases made within 7 days of an external link tap
• Required disclosure language must appear before the user leaves the app

For now, the safest path for global App Store distribution — and the only one with no regulatory uncertainty — remains exclusive use of platform IAP with no external payment links. Consult Apple's official App Store Review Guidelines section 3.1 (updated frequently) before implementing any alternative billing path.