Apple cuts its App Store commission in Taiwan to 26%: what app founders should do
Short answer: On October 29, 2026, Apple announced that from October 31, 2026 its commission on standard In-App Purchase and paid-app transactions on the Taiwan storefront drops from 30% to 26%, after discussions with the Taiwan Fair Trade Commission (Apple Developer News, MacRumors). You get it automatically: Apple says you don't need to sign the updated terms by October 31 to receive the new rate. For founders: check how much of your revenue comes from Taiwan, and stop treating "30%" as one global number in your model.
Apple just gave you 4 points of margin in Taiwan without you lifting a finger. On one storefront that is small money. The pattern behind it is not, and it is the part that matters if you plan to sell.
The 30-second version
On October 29, 2026, Apple announced that from October 31, 2026 its commission on standard In-App Purchase and paid-app transactions on the Taiwan storefront drops from 30% to 26%, after discussions with the Taiwan Fair Trade Commission (Apple Developer News, MacRumors). You get it automatically: Apple says you don't need to sign the updated terms by October 31 to receive the new rate. For founders: check how much of your revenue comes from Taiwan, and stop treating "30%" as one global number in your model.
What exactly changed
Apple's notice covers standard Apple In-App Purchase and paid app transactions on the Taiwan storefront, on iOS and iPadOS. Apple also revised the Developer Program License Agreement, and says translations of the updated agreement will follow within a month (Apple Developer News). Apple told MacRumors the change reflects its commitment to developers (MacRumors).
What founders are saying
So far the coverage quotes Apple, not developers. We haven't found a Taiwanese app founder on record about this change yet, so we won't invent a quote. Here is how it looks from our seat: across the table from founders, buying their apps.
It's not one country. It's a pattern.
Taiwan is the latest in a run of regulator-driven cuts in Asia. In March 2026 Apple lowered its standard China App Store rate from 30% to 25% after talks with Chinese regulators (Central News Agency). In October South Korea ordered Apple and Google to allow links to external payments (our breakdown). For an app owner, "Apple takes 30%" is no longer one number. It depends on the storefront, and it keeps moving.
What it means for you, founder by founder
What changes: a few extra dollars a month, automatically.
Should you act? no, just log it.
What I'd do: note the new rate in your P&L model so next quarter's margin doesn't look like a mystery.
What changes: 4 more points of every Taiwan IAP dollar stay with you from October 31.
Should you act? yes, check your pricing.
What I'd do: keep prices where they are and bank the margin, or test a slightly lower price in Taiwan and see if conversion pays for it. Either way, measure Taiwan as its own line for the next 2-3 months.
What changes: more profit on the same revenue, and buyers pay a multiple of profit.
Should you act? yes: model fees per storefront, not as a flat 30%.
What I'd do: when we value an app we rebuild the store fees country by country. If your numbers use a flat 30%, you are understating your margin in China, Taiwan and the EU, and you leave money on the table in the first offer. See how we value an app.
The buyer's math (one illustration)
A hypothetical example, not a prediction: your app grosses $50K a month in IAP and 10% of it comes from Taiwan. That's $5K a month at 30%, or $1,500 to Apple. At 26% it's $1,300. You keep $200 more a month, $2,400 a year. At a typical 3x profit multiple, that's about $7,200 of value. Small on its own. But add China's 5-point cut and whatever Korea and the EU end up at, and a flat-30% model can understate your margin by a meaningful amount, all of it money a buyer only pays for if you show it.
Your checklist
- Pull revenue by storefront (App Store Connect, or RevenueCat) and find your Taiwan share.
- Update your model to 26% for Taiwan from October 31, and 25% for China if you sell there.
- After your first payout under the new rate, check that it matches.
- Don't assume the Small Business Program or second-year subscription rates changed until you see it.
- Selling soon? Check what your app is worth with real per-country margins, not a flat 30%.
Thinking about selling? Read how to sell your app to a company.
FAQ
What is Apple's new App Store commission in Taiwan?
From October 31, 2026, Apple's commission on standard In-App Purchase and paid app transactions on the Taiwan storefront of the App Store on iOS and iPadOS is 26%, down from 30%.
Why did Apple lower the commission in Taiwan?
Apple says the change follows discussions with the Taiwan Fair Trade Commission.
Do I need to sign new terms to get the 26% rate?
No. Apple says signing the updated terms by October 31 is not required to receive the new rate from that date, though the Developer Program License Agreement was revised and you can accept it in your account.
Does the Small Business Program rate change in Taiwan?
Apple's notice only mentions the standard rate. It does not say whether reduced rates change, so check your Taiwan payouts and the updated agreement.
Does a lower commission raise my app's valuation?
It can. Lower fees mean more profit on the same revenue, and buyers usually value apps on a multiple of profit, once the improvement shows up in real months of data.
Written by Idan Waller, co-founder of BlueThrone. We buy and grow mobile apps, so we read every store rule change from the founder's side of the table.
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