What Apple’s Opening to Third-Party App Stores Really Means
Apple’s opening to third-party app stores is a regulatory-driven change that lets developers distribute iOS apps and process in-app transactions outside Apple’s own App Store and payment system, while Apple still imposes authorization, security checks, and commissions on those alternative channels. This shift follows sustained iOS regulatory changes that challenge Apple’s long-standing control of app distribution and billing. After investigations and legal pressure in regions such as the EU and Japan, regulators in Brazil pushed Apple to allow rival marketplaces and alternative payment processors for iOS apps. Developers can now offer apps through approved third-party markets and steer users to external websites for purchases, while still having the option to stay inside Apple’s ecosystem. For users, this creates a more flexible Apple app distribution landscape, but also introduces new security trade-offs and a more complex mix of app sources and payment options to manage.
Brazil’s Deal: New Marketplaces, New Commissions, New Risks
In Brazil, Apple reached an agreement with the antitrust regulator CADE after a three-year investigation triggered by a complaint from Mercado Libre. CADE found that Apple’s previous rules, which blocked third-party services and enforced exclusive use of its iOS payment system, created “artificial entry barriers” for competitors selling apps and tools. Under the deal, developers can distribute apps via third-party app stores that Apple must first approve, and they can integrate alternative payment processors or link users to external sites for purchases. Apple is cutting its traditional 30pc commission to 10pc for members of certain programmes and for subscriptions after their first year, and to 21pc for others. Some developers who send users to the web will pay 15pc, while iOS apps sold outside the App Store will incur a 5pc fee. Apple warns it will not provide refunds or full support for transactions outside its system.
How Alternative Payments and Core Fees Reshape Developer Economics
The new rules change, but do not erase, Apple’s financial role in iOS app distribution. Developers can now offer third-party payment options even inside the official App Store, yet Apple requires that these alternatives appear alongside Apple In-App Purchase. According to GSMArena, Apple is demanding a 15pc commission on transactions for apps and services made on websites linked from an app, with some developers qualifying for a 10pc rate, while a minority pay 21pc on App Store transactions. Apple also adds an extra 5pc fee on in-app purchases processed by its own system. On top of that, a “Core Technology Commission” of 5pc applies even when developers distribute apps through rival marketplaces. Apple argues this fee “compensates Apple for the tools, technologies, and services that enable developers to build and share their apps with iOS users”, tying revenue to its underlying platform rather than the App Store alone.
Security Fears, Notarization, and Ongoing DMA Enforcement
Apple is stressing security and privacy risks as it opens iOS to third-party app stores and alternative payment processors. The company claims that rival marketplaces and external billing “open new avenues for malware, fraud, scams, and privacy and security risks”. To counter this, Apple requires that all alternative app stores be authorized and meet ongoing requirements, and it performs a “Notarization” process on every iOS app, regardless of where it is distributed. Notarization combines automated checks with human review, but Apple admits it is less comprehensive than full App Review. At the same time, regulators like the Italian watchdog are continuing enforcement of the EU’s Digital Markets Act, launching new probes into Apple’s compliance and signalling that oversight will not end with initial rule changes. This creates a tug-of-war between Apple’s push for centralized security and regulators’ insistence on open access and fair competition.
What Comes Next for Developers, Users, and Apple’s Control
For developers, the rise of third-party app stores and alternative payment processors offers new ways to reach users and negotiate fees, but it also creates operational complexity and ongoing costs, including Apple’s commissions and core technology charges. Users gain more choice in how they download apps and pay for content, yet must judge which marketplaces and payment paths they trust, especially as Apple limits refunds and support for external transactions. Apple, meanwhile, is evolving from an exclusive gatekeeper to a powerful infrastructure provider that still profits from iOS activity, even when it happens outside the App Store. As regulators in multiple regions keep up pressure through tools like the DMA and national antitrust probes, the future of iOS will likely be shaped by a balancing act: more open app distribution coupled with persistent oversight, fees, and security rules enforced by Apple at the platform level.
