CMA proposes letting developers bypass Apple, Google fees

Britain's competition regulator has proposed new rules that would allow app developers to direct users to payment options outside Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store. The proposals, announced on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, aim to increase competition and reduce the fees developers pay to the two technology giants.

The Competition and Markets Authority said the measures would remove current restrictions that prevent U.K. developers from "steering" users to off-platform payment methods, a practice Apple bans and Google restricts. The regulator stated that any fee Apple or Google charge developers for enabling such steering must be fair and reasonable, remain below existing app store commissions, and allow savings to be passed to consumers or reinvested in innovation.

Will Hayter, the CMA's executive director for digital markets, is expected to emphasize in a speech later Tuesday that while Apple and Google deserve compensation for their services, any fees must be justified through a robust, evidence-led framework. He will argue that giving developers and users more choice is the best way to introduce competitive pressure into a vital part of the mobile ecosystem.