Route C — Apple in the EU under the DMA | Faceless AI - Dataspheres AI

What the DMA unlocks In the EU, Apple must let you communicate and promote offers and send users to a destination of your choice — your website, an alterna...

What the DMA unlocks In the EU, Apple must let you communicate and promote offers and send users to a destination of your choice — your website, an alternative marketplace, or another app — reachable outside the app, through an in-app web view, or as a native flow, with real tappable links and no restriction on the URL. The fee stack EU external purchases are not free the way US external links currently are. Under the External Purchase Link entitlement you agree to a reduced but layered set of fees: an initial acquisition fee on new customers, a store-services fee, and a Core Technology Commission of about 5% on digital goods and services. The older per-install Core Technology Fee was being replaced by this commission, though the transition was still being negotiated with the European Commission in mid-2026. The rule that surprises people In an EU app you cannot offer both Apple's in-app purchase and your own external payment on the same storefront. You choose one. That is the opposite of the US Route A, where you keep both. Plan your EU build as an either/or decision, and model the fee stack before assuming the EU is cheaper than simply staying on in-app purchase. Educational material, not legal or tax advice. App-store rules and the underlying court cases are changing month to month in 2026 — always confirm the current terms in Apple's and Google's own developer documentation before you ship, and get professional advice for your jurisdiction.