Top 10 Questions on the Epic v. Apple Ruling (April 2025) — And What It Means for Publishers

In a major win for developers and publishers, a U.S. court ruled in April 2025 that Apple violated a prior order on out-of-app payments. The result? New freedom to monetize outside the App Store–without platform fees. 

Coda welcomes the ruling as a pivotal step toward greater fairness, choice, and innovation in the digital ecosystem. By affirming developers’ rights to offer and promote alternative payment methods and purchase experiences, this decision empowers creators to monetize their content on their own terms—an outcome Coda has long championed.

We’ve answered the top 10 questions publishers are asking–so you know exactly what’s changed, what’s possible now, and what to do next.

1. What happened in the Epic v. Apple case?

In April 2025, a U.S. federal court found Apple in willful contempt of a prior injunction that required it to let developers direct users to out-of-app purchase options. Apple was penalized for:

• Charging a 27% commission on external purchases.
• Applying that fee to purchases made up to 7 days after a user clicks an external link.
• Requiring “scare screens” and friction-heavy UI that discouraged users from completing purchases off the app.

2. What did the court decide?

The court ruled that Apple’s policies violated the injunction by creating new anticompetitive barriers. The court ordered Apple to:

• Remove the 27% commission on out-of-app purchases.
• Allow developers to clearly inform users about alternative payment options.
• Eliminate UI friction–like warnings and static URLs that deter users from leaving the app to complete purchases.  

3. Can developers now direct users to external payment options?

Yes. Developers are allowed to:

• Add links, buttons, and calls to action in their apps that direct users to purchase via external websites.
• Communicate directly with users (via email, SMS, etc.) using contact details gathered during account registration.

4. Does Apple still take a commission on external purchases?

No. The court held that Apple cannot impose a commission on transactions that happen outside the App Store–even if triggered by a link-out. This includes purchases made during or after a user clicks an external payment link.

5. Does this apply to all apps or just gaming?

It applies to all iOS apps, not just games. The ruling affects all developers subject to Apple’s App Store rules.

6. What does this mean for my monetization options?

You can now:

• Use link-out functionality to direct users from your app to a webstore to complete purchases..
• Communicate with users outside the app about discounts, bundles, or alternative pricing.
• Offer differentiated pricing off-app, free from Apple’s 27% fee.

7. What technical or design limitations still exist?

While Apple must comply with the injunction, developers should:

• Watch for new developer guidelines from Apple.
• Design clear, trustworthy purchase flows that comply with platform policies on user data and security.
• Avoid misleading pricing or claims in external flows.

8. How is this different from past Apple policies?

Previously, Apple:

• Prohibited developers from steering users to external payments.
• Required all digital goods purchases to go through its in-app purchase system.
• Discouraged off-app monetization with vague policies and friction-heavy design.

The new court ruling overrides these restrictions, restoring developer freedom to guide users–and revenue–off platform. 

9. What limitations or risks remain?

The ruling applies specifically to Apple’s operations in the U.S.

Monitor regional policy updates in your markets and follow local compliance requirements.

10. Where can I get help implementing out-of-app monetization?

Coda enables developers to unlock new revenue streams beyond the App Store through solutions like Codapay and Custom Commerce, offering access to 400+ payment methods globally. We remain committed to helping businesses thrive by empowering developers and publishers with greater choice in how they monetize. Here’s how:

• Use Codapay to enable over 400+ payment methods across 70+ markets worldwide 
• Build a fully branded, direct-to-consumer webstore with Custom Commerce–customizable from storefront to checkout. 

Ready to unlock more flexible monetization? Let’s talk.