A US federal appeals court has annulled the notorious 30% “Apple Tax” on in-app purchases for applications on the Apple ecosystem. The court ruled that Apple can no longer hinder developers from linking to external payment systems. “The Court found that Apple’s 30 percent commission allowed it to reap supracompetitive operating margins and was not tied to the value of its intellectual property, and thus, was anticompetitive,” according to the ruling.

For more than a decade, Apple’s App Store guidelines forced developers to utilize its proprietary payment method for in-app purchases, permitting the tech giant to take a 30% share of digital subscriptions and in-game items.

Here’s why Apple vigorously opposed web payments for apps: Because Apple’s IAP is flawed in many ways, and many apps will transition to web-based payments not solely due to the 30% fee, but because of how inadequate IAP is.
— Gergely Orosz (@GergelyOrosz) on May 1, 2025.

This “Apple Tax” was a significant revenue stream for the company, yet it also posed a notable barrier for developers—especially in the crypto and NFT sectors—who struggled to sell digital assets without raising prices or reducing features to comply with Apple’s regulations.

Will Prices Drop Now That Apple Has Waived Its 30% Charge?

For crypto applications, the effects are immediate and transformative. Platforms such as Coinbase Wallet, Magic Eden, and numerous Web3 games can now facilitate direct sales of NFTs, tokens, and other digital assets through external websites, free of platform-imposed limitations or fees. Previously, many crypto applications had to either forgo essential features or completely bypass the App Store to evade Apple’s commission, resulting in a disjointed and unsatisfactory user experience.

In the wake of the ruling, numerous businesses rushed to reduce their prices.

“Apple was found guilty of violating a federal injunction to protect its illegal monopoly. They lied under oath. They disregarded court orders—all due to corporate greed in enforcing a 30% tax, which you ultimately bear. No Apple tax means we will cut prices for users by up to 30%,” stated Proton Privacy.

Meanwhile, Dodo Payments remarked, “With Dodo Payments, you can sell digital goods in your iOS app without sacrificing 20–30% of your revenue to Apple. Say goodbye to platform lock-ins. No more heavy commissions. Only streamlined, global payments entirely under your control. Keep more of your earnings. Innovate freely. Dodo Payments makes it happen.”