Apple's standard App Store commission is 30% on paid apps and in-app purchases. The App Store Small Business Program cuts that to 15% for smaller developers, and joining takes a short application.
Who qualifies
Developers who earned up to $1 million in proceeds across all their apps in the previous calendar year, and developers new to the App Store. Proceeds means what you received after Apple's commission, not what customers paid.
The $1 million limit
If you pass $1 million in proceeds during the year, the standard rate applies to your sales for the rest of that year. If you fall back under the limit in a later year, you can qualify again.
What it saves
In-app
($9.99 − $9.99 × 30%) × 1,000equals$6,993.00
Web
($9.99 − ($9.99 × 2.9% + $0.30)) × 1,000equals$9,400.29
Difference
$9,400.29 − $6,993.00equals$2,407.29
At 30%, you keep $6,993 a month in the app. The same sales at 15% keep $8,491.50, which is $1,498.50 more a month just by enrolling.
Things to know
- Subscriptions already drop to 15% after a subscriber's first year, so the program mainly helps first-year subscription revenue and one-time purchases.
- In the EU, Apple's terms from October 1, 2026 set a reduced in-app rate of 15%, which applies to Small Business Program members.
- Enrollment isn't automatic. You have to apply.