How is the App Store commission calculated, and which costs does it affect?
Do not begin with a blanket “15%–30% App Store commission.” First classify whether the user buys digital capability consumed in the app or a physical good or service consumed elsewhere. Then check the storefront, subscription tenure, developer-program eligibility, and applicable commercial terms. The classification controls both the payment route and the net-revenue model.
Apple's current App Review Guideline 3.1 generally requires In-App Purchase to unlock in-app functions, subscriptions, virtual currency, or digital content. Physical goods and services consumed outside the app must use another method such as Apple Pay or card entry. Real-time person-to-person services, enterprise access, reader apps, multiplatform services, and external links have specific conditions, and US storefront treatment differs from some other regions.
When defining budget, scope, and cost assumptions, also compare How should an annual SMS verification budget be calculated? and How much does a custom app cost?; the linked guidance adds context that should be considered in the same decision.
| What is sold | Examples | Route question | Cost model |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-app digital content or capability | Premium content, virtual currency, filters, levels | Usually IAP under applicable terms | Commission/proceeds, tax, refund, retention |
| Physical good or outside-app service | Retail product, transport, hotel, event ticket | Use a non-IAP payment method | Acquiring, fulfilment, refund, support |
| Auto-renewing subscription | SaaS capability, content library, cloud feature | Confirm IAP and storefront rules | First-year and later proceeds, trial, failed renewal |
| Cross-platform or enterprise access | Prior web purchase or organization contract | Verify eligibility and in-app communication by storefront | Identity, entitlement synchronization, review boundary |
“Pay on the web” is not a universal workaround. Product requirements should record the purchase entry, wording, entitlement recovery, and rule for every target storefront, then recheck them before submission.
Apple's subscription documentation currently states that during the first paid-service year in a subscription group, standard developer proceeds are 70% of the subscription price minus applicable taxes, increasing to 85% after one year. App Store Small Business Program members receive 85% from the first billing cycle. Eligibility is not automatic, and alternative regional terms may differ. The effective agreement and App Store Connect reports control the final figure.
Separate customer price including tax, applicable tax, Apple proceeds or commission, refund, exchange rate, and actual settlement. “Price 100 × 70%” is only a conceptual illustration, not an accounting entry. Report margin by product, storefront, and subscription tenure rather than one average rate.
Commission affects contribution margin, sustainable acquisition cost, partner or creator share, and pricing. Subscription rules also shape trials, upgrades, downgrade, grace, refund, and purchase restoration. Discovering after implementation that a digital feature needs IAP can force redesign of the product catalogue, server verification, order state, and submission material.
Wavesteam prepares a product–consumption location–purchase entry–storefront–term matrix and puts net proceeds into the unit-economics model. Acceptance includes server-side transaction verification, renewal, cancellation, refund, billing recovery, sharing or restoration where applicable, App Store Server Notifications, and report reconciliation. We can interpret and implement the current route, but cannot guarantee Apple's review outcome or a permanent rate.