How App Developers Can Save on Fees with Apple & Google Small Business Programs
Published 19th October, 2025 by Stuart Hall
For indie developers and small app teams, every dollar counts. That’s why Apple and Google both offer programs that reduce their app store commission fees, giving more back to the creators building the apps we all use every day. If your app earns less than $1 million USD per year, you could qualify for these programs and pay significantly less in fees. Here’s what you need to know and how to apply. In this overview you'll learn:
- Reduce Apple App Store Commission with the Small Business Program
- Lower Google Play Developer Fees with the Small Business Program
- Why Lower App Store Commissions Matter for Developers
- TL;DR: Apply If You Qualify
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Try Appbot AI Replies, free for 14 days →Reduce Apple App Store Commission with the Small Business Program
Launched in 2021, Apple’s App Store Small Business Program reduces the commission rate from 30% to 15% for eligible developers.
Who’s Eligible?
- You must have earned less than USD $1 million in proceeds (after Apple’s commission) during the previous calendar year, or be a new developer with no earnings history.
- Apple uses USD to calculate eligibility worldwide, developers must convert earnings from local currencies (e.g., AUD, EUR) to USD.
- You must disclose any associated developer accounts (accounts you control or that are under common ownership). Combined proceeds across these must also be under the threshold.
- If your current-year proceeds exceed USD $1 million across associated accounts, you become ineligible, and the standard 30% rate applies for the remainder of that year.
- You may reapply the following year if your total proceeds fall below the threshold again.
Applies To
- Paid apps distributed through the App Store
- In-app purchases using Apple’s payment system
- Subscriptions processed via Apple IAP
- Does not apply to: advertising revenue, physical goods, or third-party payment systems
Regional Variations
The commission structure and available discounts may vary by country or region.
For example, developers in the European Union who adopt Apple’s alternative business terms under the Digital Markets Act may receive a reduced rate of 13%, subject to change depending on Apple’s terms and the developer's business model.
How to Apply
- Be the Account Holder in the Apple Developer Program
- Accept the latest Paid Apps agreement in App Store Connect
- Gather any associated account information (team names, IDs, ownership details)
- Visit the Small Business Program page and submit your application
Monitoring & Annual Re-Enrollment
- Approval usually takes a few weeks
- The reduced commission begins 15 days after the end of the month in which you’re accepted
- You must reapply each year if you wish to remain in the program
Lower Google Play Developer Fees with the Small Business Program
Since July 1, 2021, Google has offered a 15% service fee on the first USD $1 million in annual revenue for app developers who enroll in the program.
Who’s Eligible?
- You must have a Google Play Developer account in good standing
- You must accept the 15% Service Fee Program terms in the Play Console
- You must group all Associated Developer Accounts (ADAs) into an account group
- Your total revenue across all ADAs in that group must be under USD $1 million per calendar year to fully benefit from the reduced rate
Applies To
- Paid apps sold via Google Play
- In-app purchases made using Google Play Billing
- Auto-renewing subscriptions (eligible for the 15% rate from day one)
- Does not apply to: revenue outside Google Play Billing, physical goods, or unapproved third-party billing systems
Regional Variations
Google also offers alternative billing options and fee structures in some countries, such as India and South Korea, in response to local regulations. Fee percentages may vary depending on your region and implementation.
Refer to the official service fee documentation for details specific to your country.
How to Apply
- Log in to your Google Play Console
- Create or update your account group to include all ADAs
- Accept the 15% Service Fee Program terms
Maintaining Your Status
- The 15% rate is automatically applied to your first USD $1 million in earnings per calendar year
- Revenue above USD $1 million is charged at the standard 30% rate
- There’s no need to reapply annually unless your eligibility or account group changes
Why Lower App Store Commissions Matter for Developers
For small studios, indie developers, and solo devs, every percentage point counts. Reducing platform fees from the standard 30% down to 10 – 15% can significantly impact your ability to scale sustainably. Here's how reinvesting that saved margin can accelerate growth:
- Product Improvements: More revenue means more flexibility to improve your app’s core features, fix bugs faster, and invest in platform updates. Whether you're optimizing performance, expanding to new devices (like tablets or wearables), or implementing user-requested features, having extra resources allows you to move faster and with greater focus.
- Marketing Campaigns: With lower fees, you can allocate more budget toward user acquisition, influencer partnerships, ASO (App Store Optimization), or paid ads. This is especially important in competitive categories where visibility is everything, even a small campaign can dramatically boost downloads and retention.
- Customer Support: Great support builds loyalty and improves your app’s rating over time. You can reinvest in better tools, faster response times, and even hire help for support queues, all of which contribute to a better user experience and, ultimately, better reviews and higher retention.
When you’re working with tight margins, the reduced platform fee isn’t just a discount, it’s a growth lever. For many developers under the USD $1M/year threshold, these programs can make the difference between breaking even and building something sustainable.
TL;DR: Apply If You Qualify
If you’re earning under USD $1M/year, don’t leave money on the table. Take advantage of these programs and reinvest that 15% into growing your app faster and smarter.
- Apply for Apple’s Small Business Program
- Learn more about Google Play’s pricing
Want to generate best-practice review replies in seconds?
Try Appbot AI Replies, free for 14 days →Where to from here?
- Discover effective strategies for app review management to efficiently handle and leverage user feedback.
- Unlock valuable insights into user sentiment with our powerful sentiment analysis tool for informed decision-making.
- Simplify your review tracking process with our efficient review aggregator, providing a centralized view of user feedback.
- Engage with your users effectively by crafting thoughtful responses with our convenient Reply to App Store Reviews feature.
About The Author
Stuart is Co-founder & Co-CEO of Appbot. Stuart has been involved in mobile as a developer, blogger and entrepreneur since the early days of the App Store. He built the 7 Minute Workout app in one night and blogged the story of growing the app to 2.3 million downloads before exiting to a large fitness device company. Previously he was the co-founder of the Discovr series of applications which achieved over 4 million downloads. You can connect with him on LinkedIn.
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