In-App Purchases and Subscriptions: 2026 Store Rules
What Apple and Google's 2026 commission, alternative payment and subscription cancellation rules changed, and what it means across the EU, UK and Turkey.
rabbitclip teamPublished: 5 min read
Short answer
Store commission on in-app purchases and subscriptions is still the default rule in 2026, but it stopped being the only route. Apple runs a reduced rate for small businesses alongside its standard commission, and the EU's Digital Markets Act forced it to allow external payment links. Google Play, for its part, opened up using a payment provider outside its own billing system in certain markets through its alternative billing programme.
None of this applies the same way everywhere; the European Union, certain Google Play markets and the United Kingdom sit under different rules. What an app owner has to decide is whether to accept the commission and stay inside store billing, or take on the extra load, invoicing, refunds, customer support, that comes with an external payment setup.
This piece covers how commission works, the EU's alternative payment link, Google Play's alternative billing programme, the position in the UK, subscription cancellation rules, and how to choose which model fits.
How store commission works
Store commission is the cut a store takes from a digital purchase or subscription made inside the app. Apple's App Store Small Business Program applies a reduced rate to developers earning under a set annual threshold, with the standard rate applying above it. Google Play runs a similar tiered structure.
This commission only applies to digital content and services; payment for a physical product, such as an order placed inside a shopping app, is not covered by the rule and can be collected directly through an external payment provider. A subscription app and an e-commerce app therefore need different payment architectures.
The commission rate needs to be built into pricing from the outset; if a subscription price is set without accounting for what is left after commission, a growing user base can still translate into less revenue than expected.
Alternative payment links in the European Union
The Digital Markets Act forced Apple to let EU-based developers direct a user, from inside the app, to a payment page on their own website; Apple implements this through a mechanism it calls the StoreKit External Purchase Link Entitlement. A developer who uses this entitlement pays a separate fee to Apple for that purchase instead of the standard commission.
This route can lower the commission burden for an app with a high volume of subscription business, but building an in-house payment page brings its own responsibilities, card data security, refund handling, tax compliance, along with it. For a small team, that extra load can outweigh the saving on commission.
This rule only applies to developers based in the EU and to EU store accounts; it does not apply directly to a Turkey-based developer, but it is worth accounting for once an app expands into the EU market.
Alternative billing on Google Play
Google Play's alternative billing programme lets a developer offer their own payment provider alongside, or instead of, Google Play's billing system; it is open in certain countries and for certain app categories, subscription-based services among them. A developer who takes this route pays a reduced rate on Google Play's standard service fee.
The programme is optional; a developer can offer both store billing and alternative billing at the same time, letting the user choose between them. That adds a small amount of complexity to the checkout experience, but it is a genuine option for a business trying to lower its commission cost.
What the position is in the United Kingdom
The Digital Markets Act does not apply directly in the UK, since it sits outside the EU; but the Competition and Markets Authority is moving in a similar direction through its mobile ecosystems market study and its new powers under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act. Apple and Google's competitive behaviour around mobile operating systems and app stores sits within that scope.
For a UK-based app owner, the practical takeaway is that the rules are not identical to the EU's, but the direction is the same; CMA decisions could bring similar alternative-payment or alternative-store flexibility over time. Because this area moves quickly, an app's store policy is worth reviewing at least once a year.
Subscription cancellation and trial period rules
Both Apple and Google require that a user can cancel a subscription in a few steps from store settings; a flow that requires emailing customer support or filling in a form to cancel gets rejected in store review. The rule is meant to remove the worry that a subscription is easy to start and hard to end.
If a trial period ends in an automatic charge, that has to be stated clearly on the purchase screen; burying the price in fine print or only inside a long terms document leads to user complaints and store rejection alike.
Step by step: choosing a payment model
The right model depends on the app's volume, its target market and the team's capacity to build payment infrastructure; there is no single correct answer.
- For a UK or Turkey-only app with modest volume, standard store billing is usually the lowest-maintenance route
- For high-volume EU subscription revenue, weigh the commission saving of an external payment link against the cost of building it
- Where Google Play's alternative billing fits, test it with a small percentage of users before rolling it out to everyone
- Price on the net amount left after commission or provider fees, whichever model gets chosen
- Review store policy at least once a year, separately for the EU and UK markets
In-app purchase rules stopped being a single fixed path in 2026; the right call depends on the app's market and the team's capacity. In a discovery call with rabbitclip, the existing payment setup gets reviewed and which model fits the app gets worked out together.
FAQ
Does an app selling physical goods pay store commission?
No. Commission applies to digital content and services; payment for a physical product can be collected directly through an external provider.
Does the alternative payment link apply in every country?
No. Apple's external purchase link entitlement only applies to developers based in the EU and EU store accounts.
Can a subscription be made hard to cancel?
No. Both Apple and Google require cancellation to be possible in a few steps from store settings.
Does the Digital Markets Act apply in the UK?
No. But the CMA's own market study and new legal powers are moving in a similar direction.
