Apple cuts App Store commission in Taiwan from 30% to 26%

Apple is lowering the fee it takes from app sales in Taiwan. In a notice to developers on 29 October, the company said that from 31 October 2026 the commission on standard In-App Purchases and paid app sales on the Taiwan storefront of the App Store for iPhone and iPad will be 26%, down from 30%.

Why Apple is doing it

The change follows talks with Taiwan's Fair Trade Commission (FTC). According to Focus Taiwan, the regulator had been investigating whether Apple's rules for developers, including the commission critics call the "Apple tax" and the requirement to use Apple's own payment system, broke Taiwan's Fair Trade Act. During that investigation Apple offered to cut its rate, and on 30 October the FTC said it had accepted Apple's commitment and suspended the case under Article 28 of the act.

The FTC said it will monitor whether Apple keeps its promise and can reopen the investigation if Apple doesn't comply, if the facts change significantly or if the decision turns out to rest on incomplete or inaccurate information. It added that it will keep looking at other possible anti-competitive practices case by case.

What changes for developers

• The 26% rate applies automatically from 31 October. Apple says developers don't have to sign the updated terms by that date to get it.
• Apple has revised its Developer Program License Agreement, and developers can accept the new terms in their account. Translations will follow within a month.
• To put the cut in numbers, Focus Taiwan notes that on a NT$100 purchase Apple's share falls from NT$30 to NT$26.

Apple's notice only covers the standard rate. It doesn't say anything about the reduced rates some developers already pay, so check your agreement if that applies to you.

What it means for users

Nothing changes on your iPhone right away. Prices in apps are set by developers, and a lower commission doesn't oblige them to cut prices. It does leave them more of each sale, which could matter for subscription apps and games.

Taiwan joins a growing list of places where regulators have pushed Apple on app store rules. This week South Korea fined Google and Apple over app payments, and Apple is preparing to allow alternative app stores in Australia from March 2027. If more ways to install apps arrive, it pays to know how to spot fake apps before you download.