Apple has made some changes in its App Store rules in the US to let apps link to external payment systems.
The Cupertino-based tech giant revealed on Thursday, May 1, 2025, that the US App Store will let apps link users to their websites so they can buy subscriptions or other digital goods.
App Store update
To note, this change comes after a US court ruled in favour of Epic Games in a case against the iPhone maker, ordering the latter not to prohibit apps from including features that could redirect users to their own websites.
In a blog post, Apple stated, “The App Review Guidelines have been updated for compliance with a United States court decision regarding buttons, external links, and other calls to action in apps.”
Earlier in 2020, Epic Games brought a lawsuit concerning the amount of control Apple had over transactions done in apps hosted on its App Store.
In 2021, the game studio won an injunction that ordered Apple to give developers more options to redirect users to their own websites so they could avoid paying Apple a 30% cut.
Last year, Apple started allowing other apps to link out and use non-Apple payment mechanisms, but it still took a 27% commission, and also added what critics called “scare screens.”
According to Apple, it’s not happy with the ruling. “We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court’s order and we will appeal,” the company said in a statement.
