Summary:
Apple has announced a reduction in its App Store commission for developers in mainland China, lowering the fee on in-app purchases from 30% to 25% starting March 15, 2026, following regulatory pressure and global criticism of its payment policies. The move is expected to significantly cut operating costs for developers and potentially lower prices for digital services. Smaller developers and mini-app partners, including those operating within platforms like WeChat, will see commissions reduced to 12%. The change comes amid increasing antitrust scrutiny of Apple’s App Store practices worldwide and is likely to benefit both Chinese and international developers, including apps such as Duolingo.
Apple announced late Thursday that it will reduce the commission it charges in its App Store for mainland China. The decision follows pressure from regulators in the company’s second-largest market and ongoing global criticism of its payment policies.
According to a statement published on Apple’s developer blog, the commission on in-app purchases and other paid transactions will drop from 30% to 25%, with the change taking effect on Sunday.
“Apple is making changes to the App Store in China following discussions with the Chinese regulator,” the company said in its announcement. “Beginning March 15, 2026, the commission rates applied to the mainland China storefront of the App Store on iOS and iPadOS will be adjusted.”
Chinese state-owned newspaper Economic Daily reported that the reduction could lower operating costs for Chinese developers by more than 6 billion yuan (about $873 million) each year, presenting the decision as beneficial for the country’s digital consumers.
“This adjustment will enhance consumption options and improve information transparency,” the publication stated. It also noted that the higher pricing of digital goods and services on the iOS platform is expected to decline over time. As a result, subscription memberships, game top-ups, live-stream tips, mini-program purchases, and similar transactions may become cheaper, potentially saving consumers close to 1 billion yuan annually.
For developers participating in Apple’s small business and mini-app partner programs, the commission on in-app purchases will decrease from 15% to 12%. Mini apps refer to lightweight applications that operate within larger platforms such as WeChat, developed by Tencent. The change represents a significant development for Chinese developers and operators of “super apps,” including Tencent and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, whose ecosystems host numerous smaller third-party applications.
Apple’s standard 30% commission—often called the “Apple tax”—has long faced antitrust scrutiny from regulators around the world. In 2024, the European Union introduced legislation that compelled Apple to lower developer fees in the region to a range between 10% and 17%. In the United States, Apple now permits alternative payment options for in-app purchases. The issue was also central to a major legal dispute between Apple and Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, which ultimately required Apple to allow developers to link to external payment systems that bypass its commission.
China’s antitrust regulator had reportedly begun examining Apple’s App Store pricing practices last year, though no formal charges were filed, according to Bloomberg.
Rich Bishop, founder of AppInChina, a firm that helps overseas developers distribute apps in China, said Apple has been in discussions with the country’s IT ministry and other authorities and had been asked—or pressured—to reduce its fees.
The adjustment will take effect on World Consumer Rights Day this Sunday, a period when Chinese state media often spotlight companies accused of violating consumer rights. Apple itself was targeted during this campaign in 2013, when state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) criticized the company’s after-sales service, prompting Apple to issue a public apology.
Looking ahead, Bishop suggested that Chinese authorities might require Apple to process App Store revenue generated in China domestically rather than overseas, while also tightening oversight of foreign apps distributed in the country. Apple has previously removed certain apps—including virtual private networks (VPNs)—from the China App Store at the request of Chinese internet regulators.
Every internet-connected device carries a unique code that reveals its location, and VPNs allow users to mask this by assigning a new identifier. Many users in China and foreign companies operating there rely on VPNs to bypass strict domestic censorship that blocks access to many foreign websites. Chinese consumers also filed an antitrust complaint against Apple’s app fee structure last October, while regulators were still considering whether to launch a formal investigation.
Meanwhile, Google lowered developer fees for its Android platform globally last week.
Apple’s commission reduction will also benefit international developers whose apps are distributed through the China App Store. Bishop noted that the language-learning app Duolingo, the highest-grossing education app in China, generates roughly $50 million annually from the Chinese market, meaning the company could see notable savings as a result of the new policy.
