Why does Apple make a minority of developers finance the entire App Store?

Summary

Previous: Insane web design on apple dot com Articles index Why does Apple make a minority of developers finance the entire App Store? June 5 2025 Today, Apple announced a self-funded study titled Global App Store helps developers reach new heights, supporting $1.3 trillion in billings and sales in 2024, but what interested me more was the subtitle: For more than 90 percent of the billings and sales facilitated by the App Store ecosystem, developers did not pay any commission to Apple In the same announcement, Apple brags at length about its "Investment in Developers": Apple invests in tools and capabilities that make it easier for developers to distribute their apps and games, be discovered by users around the globe, and grow successful businesses. When you put these two claims together, it follows logically that most of the billings and sales facilitated by the App Store ecosystem take advantage of Apple's investment without paying any commission to Apple. The positive tone of today's announcement is in stark contrast to an Apple statement from 2019 addressing Spotify's claims: After using the App Store for years to dramatically grow their business, Spotify seeks to keep all the benefits of the App Store ecosystem — including the substantial revenue that they draw from the App Store’s customers — without making any contributions to that marketplace. Of course, even at that time, six years ago, there was a fundamental distinction between apps that had to pay a commission and apps that didn't, so Apple needed to explain and justify the distinction somehow: A full 84 percent of the apps in the App Store pay nothing to Apple when you download or use the app. That’s not discrimination, as Spotify claims; it’s by design: Apps that are free to you aren’t charged by Apple. Apps that earn revenue exclusively through advertising — like some of your favorite free games — aren’t charged by Apple. App business transactions where users sign up or purchase digital goods outside ...