A US federal appeals court has killed the infamous 30% “Apple Tax” on in-app purchases for all apps on the Apple platform.
The court ruled that Apple can no longer block developers from linking to external payment systems. “The Court found that Apple’s 30 percent commission allowed it to reap supracompetitive operating margins and was not tied to the value of its intellectual property, and thus, was anticompetitive,” the ruling said.
For over a decade, Apple’s App Store policy required developers to use its proprietary payment system for in-app purchases, allowing the tech giant to take a 30% commission on everything from digital subscriptions to in-game items.
Here’s one reason Apple fought tooth and nail to disallow web payments for apps:
Because Apple’s IAP is bad in many ways, and *so many* apps will move to web-based payments now not mainly because of the 30% Apple fee, but because of how bad IAP is.
Let me give you examples:
— Gergely Orosz (@GergelyOrosz) May 1, 2025
This “Apple Tax” was a major source of revenue for the company, but it also represented a significant barrier for developers-especially those in the crypto and NFT space-who were unable to offer direct purchases of digital assets without either inflating prices or stripping out core features to comply with Apple’s rules.
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Will Prices Lower As Apple Waives 30% Cut?
For crypto apps, the impact is immediate and transformative.
Platforms like Coinbase Wallet, Magic Eden, and a host of Web3 games can now enable direct sales of NFTs, tokens, and other digital assets through external websites-without platform-imposed restrictions or fees. Previously, many crypto apps had to strip out essential features or avoid the App Store altogether to sidestep Apple’s commission, resulting in a fragmented and frustrating user experience.
After the ruling, many companies jumped to lower their prices.
“Apple was just found guilty of violating a federal injunction to protect its illegal monopoly. They lied under oath. They ignored court orders. All due to corporate greed to impose a 30% tax that you ultimately pay. No Apple tax means we will lower prices for users by up to 30%,” said Proton privacy.
Meanwhile, Dodo payments said, “With Dodo Payments, you can sell digital goods on your iOS App without giving up 20–30% of your revenue to Apple. No more platform lock-ins. No more hefty commissions. Just smooth, global payments fully in your control. Keep more of what you earn. Build freely. Dodo Payments makes it possible.”
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Key Takeaways
The court’s decision, delivered after years of legal battles led by Epic Games (the maker of Fortnite), found Apple’s anti-steering policies to be anti-competitive.
NFT marketplace Magic Eden, which once had to remove core features from its iOS app, can now sell assets directly, instantly enhancing both revenue potential and user experience.
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