Apple changed again, charging a 27% commission on the Dutch dating app third-party app payment system

IT House reported on February 5 that Apple said that in the Netherlands, it will charge a 27% commission on purchases in dating apps through third-party payment methods to comply with the Dutch regulatory ruling.

In an update to its developer support website, Apple said it would charge a 27 percent commission on transactions made on dating apps that use alternative payment methods instead of the usual 30 percent. Apple said the reduced commission does not include the value of the tax collection and remittances the company conducts.

"Consistent with ACM's order, an appointment app granted the right to link out or use a third-party in-app payment provider will pay Apple a commission on transactions. After deducting VAT, Apple will charge a 27% commission on the price paid by users. This is a reduced rate that does not include value related to payment processing and related activities. Developer will be responsible for collecting and remitting any applicable taxes, such as Value Added Tax (VAT) in the Netherlands, for sales processed by third-party payment providers. ”

The details came as Apple announced last month that it would comply with a ruling by the Dutch Consumer and Market Authority (ACM), which forced the company to allow third-party payment services to pay for in-app purchases in dating apps.

Apple warns that it will not have direct knowledge of purchases made using alternative methods, nor will it be able to assist users with chargebacks, purchase history, subscription management, and other issues that are often handled as part of its own in-app payment system.

As a result, developers using the new benefits will have to take on these additional responsibilities and be required to provide Apple with a record of the digital goods and content sold through the App Store each month within 15 calendar days after the end of Apple's fiscal month.

Apple's concession comes after ACM's ruling last December, which concluded that Apple was engaged in "abuse of market power" by restricting dating apps from using third-party payment methods. The ACM threatened to impose a fine of up to €50 million per week if Apple did not allow dating apps to offer other payment methods.

Despite agreeing to offer the benefit, Apple is appealing ACM's ruling, which it believes is not in the best interests of App Store users. Apple said it was "concerned that these changes would harm the user experience and pose new threats to user privacy and data security."