Been thinking about this ruling all week. Lower fees sound great but dealing with payment processors and compliance seems like a nightmare.
Anyone actually planning to switch or sticking with Apple’s system?
Ran campaigns for three different apps that launched before this ruling came down. Two of them are staying with Apple’s system for now.
The math isn’t as simple as it looks. Sure, you might save on fees, but then you’re handling chargebacks, failed payments, and all the headaches that come with payment processing.
One app I worked with tried their own payment system early on. Spent months debugging payment flows instead of focusing on user acquisition. Revenue actually dropped because the checkout experience got clunky.
For smaller devs, Apple’s system just works. Users trust it, conversion rates stay high, and you can focus on building features instead of fighting payment processors.
Maybe worth testing if you’re doing serious volume, but most indies probably better off sticking with what works.
The ruling creates more options but I’m staying with Apple for my apps right now.
Tested external payments on a web project last year and the conversion drop was brutal. Users hesitate when they see unfamiliar checkout flows, especially on mobile.
Apple’s fees hurt but their system converts better and saves tons of development time. Unless you’re pushing massive volume, the headache isn’t worth the savings.
Skip external payments unless you’re hitting seven figures in app revenue.
I’ve seen apps lose 20-30% conversion when they move checkout outside Apple’s flow. Users abandon when they hit an unfamiliar payment screen.
The break-even point is higher than most people think. You save maybe 15-18% on fees but lose conversion and spend months building payment infrastructure.
Apple’s system converts because users already have payment methods saved and trust the process. External payments mean starting from zero on user experience.
Most small apps probably won’t switch. The 30% cut sucks but handling payments yourself is messy.
External payments are tricky. Stick with what works.