Good news, developers!

On October 1 Apple made major changes to alternative app distribution in the EU, removing barriers that kept developers from distributing outside the App Store. We thought this would be a good time for our first-ever blog post(!) to share two big changes we’re excited about: 🎉

  • The CTF is replaced by the CTC.
  • Alternative distribution is now part of the standard developer agreement.

The CTF is dead! Long live the CTC.

Since the Digital Markets Act first opened the door to alternative distribution, developers faced Apple’s Core Technology Fee (CTF): €0.50 per install, per year, over one million installs. The CTF was a real barrier because it made alternative distribution risky. A free app that went viral could suddenly leave you on the hook for a huge bill, with no revenue to pay it with. That made the move hard to justify.

But no more! As of October 1 the CTF is gone, replaced by the Core Technology Commission (CTC): a 5% commission on sales of digital goods and services. This means no more per-download fees for apps distributed outside the App Store. Apple takes 5% of what you sell, and nothing else. Now, a free app owes Apple nothing, and if you do start selling, you pay a fraction of what you would on the App Store. This brings the EU in line with Japan and Brazil, other regions where alternative distribution is a thing.

Note that under the CTC you’re required to report your transactions to Apple, which provides documentation on reporting requirements and making payments. And if you’re interested in how Apple’s changes impact payments in your App Store apps, RevenueCat wrote a helpful summary.

Goodbye, EU Addendum.

Until October 1, trying out alternative distribution meant signing the Alternative EU Terms Addendum on top of the existing Apple Developer Program License Agreement. Even worse, signing the Addendum applied Apple’s CTF to your App Store apps, not only your alternatively distributed ones.

Now, the alternative distribution terms are simply a part of the License Agreement itself, and choosing alternative distribution no longer changes anything about your App Store apps. To opt in, simply agree to the latest License Agreement in App Store Connect. That’s the whole process.

Interested in distributing on AltStore PAL?

When alternative distribution first arrived in the EU in 2024, going alternative meant a per-download fee that punished free apps for being popular and a separate contract that impacted developers’ App Store apps. Today, none of that is true. If you looked at alternative distribution in 2024 and passed, it’s worth a second look.

To learn how to get started distributing on AltStore, check out our developer site. Questions? We’re always happy to chat at developer@altstore.io.