Apple Confirms Change in iTunes Affiliate Commission Rate Isn't That Bad

In late April, Apple told iTunes affiliates that commissions “for all app and in-app content will be reduced from 7% to 2.5% globally” as of May 1. When the new month began, however, the only number that changed was the one for in-app purchases.

Over the weekend, Apple made it official in a post on the company’s official iTunes affiliates page:

We’d like to clarify some changes being made to the Affiliate Program. Commissions for all iOS in-app purchases will be reduced from 7% to 2.5% globally, and all other content types (including music, movies, books, paid iOS apps and TV) will remain at the current 7%. For more information on commission rates, please see our Getting Started Guide.

Most likely, Apple did expect to drop the rate for all app clicks to 2.5 percent. The subsequent backlash might have forced them to take a step back. Regardless of the reason, we’re glad the iTunes affiliate commission on app purchases remains at 7 percent.

Here’s the current payment schedule:

• iOS app commissions: 7 percent
• In-app iOS commissions: 2.5 percent
• Mac apps commissions: 7 percent
• In-app Mac commissions: 7 percent

The iTunes Affiliate Program is an important revenue generator for sites such as AppAdvice. Were Apple to drop rates across the board by 4.5 percent, it could have been devastating for everyone involved.