Stripe Helps iOS Devs Bypass Apple’s App Store Fees
▼ Summary
– Stripe has introduced a method for iOS developers to bypass Apple’s App Store fees by using its payment platform, following a federal court ruling against Apple’s restrictive payment policies.
– Stripe’s instructions enable developers to redirect users to Stripe-hosted checkout pages, avoiding Apple’s 15-30% commissions.
– The court mandated Apple to allow external payment links, criticizing Apple’s attempts to discourage this with warning screens and minimal fee reductions.
– Stripe’s processing fee is significantly lower at 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction, offering substantial savings for developers, particularly those with subscription-based apps.
– The developer community has reacted positively, with figures like David Heinemeier Hansson praising the change as it opens new business model opportunities on the App Store.
iOS developers now have a powerful new way to avoid Apple’s steep App Store fees, thanks to payment processor Stripe stepping in with clear guidance. The move comes hot on the heels of a federal court ruling that slammed Apple for failing to comply with earlier orders about allowing external payment options in apps.
Stripe wasted no time, publishing detailed instructions showing developers how to accept payments through its platform instead of Apple’s in-app purchase system. Product manager Michael Luo announced the solution on social media, calling it a “quick guide” to help developers bypass Apple’s 15-30% commissions by redirecting users to Stripe-hosted checkout pages.
The court’s decision forced Apple to permit external payment links, though the tech giant tried to discourage the practice with warning screens and only a minor 3% fee reduction. The judge called these tactics non-compliant with her earlier injunction, demanding immediate policy changes.
Stripe’s solution offers significant savings—its standard processing fee sits at just 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction, a fraction of Apple’s cut. While developers will need to handle their own payment pages, the financial upside is undeniable, especially for subscription-based apps and small businesses.
The announcement has already sparked enthusiasm across the developer community, with prominent figures like David Heinemeier Hansson—creator of Ruby on Rails and longtime Apple critic—hailing the shift. Hansson, whose company 37Signals clashed with Apple over payment policies, believes the ruling unlocks previously impossible business models on the App Store.
As developers explore this new flexibility, Stripe’s streamlined approach could mark a turning point in how digital goods are monetized on iOS, putting more revenue back into creators’ hands.
(Source: TechCrunch)
