Apple Argues Developers Pocketed Savings from EU Fee Cuts, Didn't Lower App Prices

Apple has published a new study arguing that developers haven't passed on savings to consumers following reductions in App Store commission fees in the European Union. The report, conducted by Analysis Group and supported by Apple, looks at developer pricing behavior after the company introduced new business terms to comply with the EU's Digital Markets Act.

The study, written by Jane Choi, Ph.D., examined pricing for about 21,000 apps and in-app purchases after Apple rolled out its new business terms for the EU in March 2024. Despite a typical 10-point drop in commission rates for enrolled developers, prices for more than 90% of these products either stayed the same or went up.

According to the analysis, which covered over 41 million transactions, the lower fees resulted in roughly €20.1 million in commission savings for developers. More than 86% of those savings, however, went to developers based outside the European Union.


The report says that the small number of price cuts observed—around 9% of products—were mostly in line with normal fluctuations and not tied directly to the reduced commission rates. A "placebo test," comparing the data to a pre-DMA period, supported that conclusion. The results were also consistent whether or not developers were subject to Apple's Core Technology Fee.

Apple's effort to comply with the Digital Markets Act has faced pushback. A coalition of companies and associations accused the company of making a "mockery of the DMA" in an open letter, and the European Commission has since launched a non-compliance investigation into Apple's new rules. Apple, for its part, has publicly described the legislation as a "hugely onerous" burden.

The full report, dated November 2025, can be downloaded here.