App Stores Loosen Their Grip: Plan Payments and Membership Before You Commission an App
For more than a decade, brands charging inside an app had little choice: digital goods and subscriptions went through platform in-app purchase, with commissions of 15% to 30%. That wall is starting to crack. Since late June 2026, Google Play has allowed app external payments in the US, UK and Europe, and from October 1 it requires US developers to report those transactions and pay service fees. In the US, Apple currently cannot charge a commission on link-out purchases because of court rulings. For brands about to commission an app, this is not just a question of saving on fees. It is a question of how to design payments and membership.
App External Payments Are Opening Up: What Happened
According to an August 2026 summary by US law firm Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz and reporting by PaymentsJournal:
- Google Play: from June 30, developers in the US, UK and Europe can use external payment systems or link to their own websites, and the standard commission drops from 30%. Other regions will follow "over time," with no dates given. On July 22, Google announced that from October 1, US developers using alternative billing must report transactions and pay service fees.
- Apple (US): after a court found Apple in contempt of an injunction, US link-out purchases currently carry no commission. The Ninth Circuit has allowed Apple to charge a fee "more reasonably tied to" its actual costs, and the Supreme Court agreed in June to hear part of the case, with a decision expected in 2027. Meanwhile, apps must still offer Apple's in-app purchase, which keeps its 30% commission.
In short, the rules are changing, they differ by region and platform, and they will likely change again over the next year or two.
Not Zero Commission: Work Out the Real Cost First
"External payments allowed" does not mean "no payment to the platform." For Google's US alternative billing, the first $1 million in annual earnings is charged 10%. Beyond that, auto-renewing subscriptions are 10%, and other digital features are 20% or 25% depending on new or existing installs; approved participants in certain programs can drop to 15% or 20%.
Add payment processor fees, refunds and support costs, and the savings may be smaller than expected. Before commissioning development, model three scenarios:
- Everything through platform in-app purchase
- In-app purchase and external payment side by side
- Directing users to buy on the website, with the app used only for access
Which one wins depends on your price point, subscription mix and main markets. Run the numbers before deciding whether a separate payment system is worth building.
Architecture First: Keep Membership and Entitlements in Your Own Hands
With rules in flux, the biggest risk is an app locked into one payment method. The better approach is to keep "who bought what and what they can access" in your own backend:
- One membership and entitlement record: whether users pay via Google, Apple or your website, everything lands in the same membership system, and the app simply asks whether this person has access.
- Swappable payment channels: build payment integrations as plug-in modules, so changing rules or providers does not mean rewriting the app.
- Reportable, exportable transaction records: Google now requires US developers to report external transactions, so the system should log and export them completely from day one.
It is the same principle we covered in When Your Software Shuts Down: Why Every System Needs a SaaS Data Export Exit Plan: keep critical data in your hands and you keep your options.
Experience and Compliance: Make the Link-Out Feel Safe
Sending users from the app to a web page adds a step where people drop off, and a moment where they wonder whether it is a scam. When designing, make sure to:
- Explain before the jump: tell users where they are going, why, and how they will return to the app after paying.
- Activate access instantly: once payment is done, access should switch on right away, with no re-login or waiting.
- Show options by region: external payments are only open in some regions, so users in Taiwan may see a different flow from users in the US, and the system must switch accordingly.
- Keep in-app purchase visible: Apple still requires in-app purchase alongside link-outs in the US, so both need to be presented clearly.
These details are exactly where custom development differs from a template app.
Conclusion: Build a System That Moves With the Rules
App store payment rules will keep shifting with litigation and national regulation for years to come. Brands should not have to rebuild their app each time. Instead, design membership, entitlements and payments as separate pieces from the start, so the system can follow the rules. AI can help write integration code quickly, but where to charge and how to make users feel safe still takes human judgment. If you are planning a brand app or a membership subscription system, explore TitApeX's services or get in touch.
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