Your app finally has paying customers — congratulations. Now comes the less exciting part: figuring out how much of that revenue you actually keep after Apple and Google take their cut. A lot of new developers price their app, in-app purchases, or subscription based on the sticker price, then get blindsided when the deposit that lands in their bank account is noticeably smaller.
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This guide walks through how app store commissions currently work on both major platforms, how to build a simple budget around them, and the easy-to-miss details — enrollment requirements, subscription discounts, taxes, refunds, and the multi-tier fee structure Google has been rolling out market by market since mid-2026 — that change how much you really net per sale.
Quick Answer
Budget conservatively on the assumption that Apple will take up to 30% of digital sales, in-app purchases, and subscription revenue, unless you’ve actively applied for a reduced-rate program and confirmed your lower rate in App Store Connect. Google Play no longer has one blanket rate at all — its fee now splits into a service fee and a separate billing fee that vary by transaction type, revenue tier, and whether the sale comes from a new or pre-existing install, and it’s still rolling out region by region. For either platform, don’t assume a lower rate applies just because you think you qualify — several of the discount paths require you to actively apply or enroll, and the rate only counts once it’s confirmed on an actual payout report.
How App Store Commissions Actually Work
Apple’s App Store still charges a straightforward standard commission of 30% on digital goods and services sold through its in-app payment system — paid app downloads, in-app purchases, and subscriptions. That’s the number to budget around by default unless you’ve specifically applied for and been accepted into a reduced-rate program.
Apple’s reduced rate is not automatic. The App Store Small Business Program drops the commission to 15% for developers and companies that earned under $1 million in App Store net proceeds the previous calendar year, but you must apply and get accepted — it doesn’t kick in just because your revenue is small. If your business crosses the $1 million mark mid-year, the standard 30% rate applies to the rest of that year.
Google Play’s fee structure is more complicated, and it changed significantly starting mid-2026. Google now separates a Play service fee from a separate billing fee for using Google’s own payment system — if you use an alternative billing option or send users to an external web link to pay, the billing fee can drop to zero, though the service fee still applies. The service fee itself is tiered: it’s lowest on the first $1 million of a developer’s annual earnings and on auto-renewing subscriptions, and higher on one-time purchases, with a further distinction between users who installed the app before versus after the fee changes rolled out in their region. None of this is a single flat percentage anymore, so don’t budget off a remembered ‘15%’ or ‘30%’ Google Play number — check the current rate card in Play Console for your specific transaction type.
On top of the base service-fee tiers, Google also runs separate reduced-rate programs (for apps and for games) that lower the fee further on one-time purchases above the first $1 million in earnings. These are not automatic either — Google determines eligibility and announces requirements through Play Console, and you have to meet those requirements and be accepted before the lower rate applies. The whole restructuring is rolling out on a staggered regional timeline — starting in the US, UK, and EU, with other markets following over the following year or so — so the exact rate that applies to a given sale also depends on where your customer is and when Google’s changes took effect there.
There’s one more wrinkle worth budgeting for on Apple’s side: outside the Small Business Program, auto-renewing subscriptions are charged 30% during a subscriber’s first year, then automatically drop to 15% on that same subscriber once they’ve been continuously subscribed for more than a year — no application needed for this particular discount. This means a subscription app’s effective commission rate can quietly improve over time as its subscriber base ages, even if you’re not enrolled in the Small Business Program.
Building Your Budget Around the Commission
Start from net, not gross. When you price a $4.99 in-app purchase or a $9.99/month subscription, do your financial planning off the amount you’ll actually receive after commission — not the sticker price. This single habit prevents the most common budgeting mistake: planning expenses against revenue you never actually collect.
Separate the commission from taxes. The app store commission comes out before you ever see the money; sales tax or VAT handling on digital goods is typically managed by Apple or Google in many regions, but your income tax obligation on what you net is still yours. Don’t assume the store’s cut covers your tax bill — set aside a separate percentage for taxes on top of the commission.
Account for refunds and chargebacks. Both platforms let users request refunds, and a refunded sale typically reverses the commission too, but the timing mismatch (sale this month, refund next month) can distort a tight monthly budget if you don’t build in a buffer.
Confirm your enrollment, then re-check it regularly. If you’re relying on a reduced rate on either platform, go verify in App Store Connect or Play Console that you’re actually enrolled or accepted, and that the lower rate is showing up on real payouts — don’t just assume eligibility equals enrollment. For Apple’s Small Business Program specifically, your prior calendar year’s net proceeds determine your rate for the current year, so growth is a good problem that comes with a real cost; model what happens to your margins if you cross the $1 million threshold. For Google Play, re-check more often than annually right now — the fee structure is actively rolling out region by region, so the rate that applied to a sale last quarter may not match the rate applying today.
Use each platform’s own reporting tools. Apple provides sales and financial reports through App Store Connect, and Google provides equivalent reporting through the Play Console — both break out gross sales versus the amount actually paid out. Reconcile your budget against these reports monthly rather than estimating from the sticker prices you set.
Tips / Common Mistakes
Don’t price an app or subscription assuming you’ll keep 100% of the listed price — build the commission into your pricing strategy from day one, not after your first payout lands short. Don’t assume any reduced rate applies automatically: Apple’s Small Business Program requires an application, and Google Play’s reduced-rate programs for apps and games require Google to determine your eligibility and for you to accept the program’s requirements before the lower rate applies. Don’t treat Google Play’s commission as one flat number anymore — since mid-2026 it’s split into a service fee and a billing fee that both vary by transaction type, revenue tier, install timing, and region, and the rollout is still spreading market by market. And don’t lump the commission in with taxes in your spreadsheet — keep them as separate line items so you always know your true take-home margin.
Explore more: more app development guides.
App Store commission budgeting FAQs
What percentage does Apple or Google take from app sales?
Apple’s standard commission on the App Store is 30% of the sale price for digital goods, in-app purchases, and subscriptions, dropping to 15% for developers accepted into the App Store Small Business Program or for subscribers retained past their first year. Google Play no longer has a single standard rate — since mid-2026 it charges a separate service fee and billing fee that vary by transaction type, revenue tier, and install timing, so check Play Console for the rate that applies to a specific sale.
Is the reduced commission rate automatic on either platform?
No. Apple requires you to apply to the App Store Small Business Program and get accepted. Google Play’s base service-fee tiers depend on transaction type and revenue automatically, but its further reduced-rate programs for apps and games require Google to determine your eligibility and for you to accept the program’s requirements before the lower rate applies. Simply having low revenue doesn’t guarantee the lowest rate on either platform.
Does the commission rate change for subscriptions over time?
Yes, on Apple’s platform, separate from the Small Business Program. Auto-renewing subscriptions are charged 30% during a subscriber’s first year, then automatically drop to 15% for that subscriber once they’ve been subscribed continuously for more than a year.
Has Google changed its Play Store fees in 2026?
Yes, significantly. Starting mid-2026, Google separated its service fee from a distinct billing fee for using Google Play’s payment system, and introduced tiers that depend on revenue, whether a sale is a subscription or one-time purchase, and whether the install predates the fee change in that market. The rollout started in the US, UK, and EU and is expanding to additional markets over the following year or so. Check your Play Console for the exact rate that currently applies to your app and region.
Should I set aside money for taxes separately from the app store commission?
Yes. The app store commission is deducted before you receive payment, but it doesn’t cover your income tax obligations on the revenue you do keep. Budget for taxes as a separate line item.
What happens if my revenue grows past the $1 million threshold?
On Apple’s platform, if you’re enrolled in the Small Business Program and your net proceeds exceed $1 million in a calendar year, the standard 30% rate applies to the rest of that year. On Google Play, the first $1 million of annual earnings gets the lowest service-fee tier, with higher tiers applying beyond that depending on transaction type — check your console for how the transition is applied.
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